This tour combines cultural highlights and charming scenery in both Holland and Flanders. You ride on flat cycle paths from Amsterdam to Bruges, the 'Venice of the North', over multiple stages. In Holland you can admire the impressive country homes, cheese farms and Kinderdjik's 19 windmills along the way. In Belgium you can enjoy the historical Flemmish towns of Antwerpen, Ghent and Bruges where there are gabled houses and patrician houses, narrow alleys and a rich cultural past wherever you go, which is still expressed in the architecture and artwork nowadays.
Enjoy this river journey in a cosy and friendly atmosphere in a small group. Whilst cycling through the beauiful scenery, your ship follows you along the rivers and canals in order to be there at the end of the day as your 'floating hotel'. If you don't fancy cycling a stage, that is fine. You can enjoy the scenery from the boat!
Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board is at 1 p.m. At around 2 p.m. the ship will depart from Amsterdam for Vianen, a small fortified village on the Lek River. After dinner you have the opportunity to enjoy a short first test ride through the surrounding area.
After breakfast you will cycle a beautiful route to Schoonhoven – nicknamed Zilverstad (Silver City) – a city renowned for its talented silver smiths since the 17th century. As you continue to cycle along the Lek River you will pass through the Alblasserwaard region to Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 large windmills, which have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing. From nearby Alblasserdam you will take the “Waterbus, a fast ferry that will take you and your bike in approx. 10 minutes to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland. Dinner on board.
During breakfast the ship sails to Willemstad. Your bicycle ride goes to Tholen, once an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. In the afternoon you will sail via the impressive Kreekrak lock to Antwerp, which is not only known as diamond city, but also as native city of painter Rubens. You will find some of his paintings in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe (our lady) Cathedral”. Dinner on board.
Today’s tour will see you cycle out of Antwerp on a beautiful cycle path along the picturesque tidal Schelde River to St. Amands, your home for the night. There is only one way to describe the landscape around the Schelde and that is “magnificent”. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour. Dinner on board.
The bike tour follows again the river Schelde in the direction of Gent. Gent is a lively university city, again, one with a rich past. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to discover the city some more or to shop in the lively centre. The city was founded in Roman times, where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. The convenient location has over the years brought much prosperity, culminating in the late 13th, early 14th century. The textile industry brought great wealth. In the city, many old patricians preserved. The Cloth Hall (1425) brought cloth merchants together. The main church is the St. Bavo Cathedral, which is built in different ages and in the different corresponding styles. In the cathedral are some masterpieces of medieval art, which "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck is the most famous. The ship is docked at the lock in Merelbeke, a suburb of Gent (approx. 30 min by bike from the city centre). Dinner on board.
Today you will cycle from Gent through the beautiful Flemish countryside of western Flanders to Bruges, widely described as the "Venice of the North" and arguably the most beautiful of all the Flemish cities. Bruges attracts more than two million visitors every year who cime to see the picturesque medieval town center of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic city and a long list of historic attractions. An outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement, Bruges has managed to maintain its historic fabric as it has evolved over the centuries, with the result that today the city´s original Gothic buildings from an integral part of the town´s identity. While you are here you can visit one of Bruges many museums or simply take in the stunning beauty and culture of this unforgettable city from the comfort of a sidewalk café. Dinner tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Your final day of cycling takes you along a quiet canal and past beautiful poplar trees through an attractive polder landscape (a polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments) dotted with small farm houses to the North Sea coast. Here you can swim in the sea along an inviting sandy beach and visit any one of numerous cafés if you want. Whilst returning to Bruges, you will cycle along a small picturesque canal.
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Tour character
Cycle through Holland and Belgium on well-built cycle paths. The routes are suitable for novices as well as those who cycle frequently.
Guided and self-guided cycle tours: The guided tours are finalised depending on the group's ability and how many people there are. If you choose to do a self-guided cycle tour, the route books are on board the boat. You will ride between 40 and 60km each day. All distances are approximations of the recommended cycle tours.
7 nights tour and accommodation on board of MS Magnifique III in the booked category
Program according to the routing
Welcome drink
Meals: (7 x breakfast, 6 x picnic lunch during bike tours, coffee and tea on board, 6 x 3 course dinner)
Daily cabin cleaning
Use of linen and towels
Daily briefing on the respective bike tours
Tour guide for guided bike tours (for 18 persons or more two tour guides)
All charges for harbours, bridges and locks
Printed instructions and detailed maps for daily bike tours (deposited on board, 1 per cabin)
GPS tracks
Infos
Arrival / Parking / Departure:
Amsterdam train station is close to the pier
Bruges train station (Stationsplein) is about 3 km away from the pier
Amsterdam Oosterdok car park: secure car park at the train station, about €20 per day (www.parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl)
Car park Amsterpark.nl / Valet Parking Services: Drop off your car at the pier on arrival day , car will be back at the pier on day of departure, price €150 per week (application form in the travel documents)
Return journey by train costs about €40 per person.
Please note:
The transoprt of own bikes is limited due to the space on deck! Cost for your own E-Bike € 25/week and costs for your own bike € 10/week.
The owner of the ship, the crew, the tour guide and the organiser are not liable for the damage of theft of own bicycles.
The MS Magnifique is 63 meters long, accommodates max. 35 guests and sails under Dutch flag and management. The lower deck has 16 cabins: 11 twin cabins (approx. 11 m², 2 single beds next to each other), 4 premium twins (approx. 14 m², 2 single beds next to each other, small sitting area) and 1 single cabin (approx. 7 m²). All cabins have portholes (all portholes are fixed for safety reasons), shower and toilet, hairdryer, individually regulated air conditioning, safe, flat screen TV (satellite); if requested, an extra bed is available in some twin cabins (above one of the other beds). On the upper deck there is a tastefully furnished salon/restaurant, combined with a bar and a lounge with wide screen TV, large windows, Wi-Fi (with limited data use). Two partly covered teak wooden sun decks with chairs and tables and cycle shed (front deck), and with a whirlpool/jacuzzi and barbecue on the aft deck.