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The historic centre of Antwerp

Bruges - Amsterdam, MS Magnifique II

The fascination of Belgium and Holland

8 Days / 7 Nights
Easy
The historic centre of Antwerp

Cycling from Bruges to Amsterdam offers a diverse and utterly delightful experience. This is due in part to the excellent upkeep of the cycle paths and the unique travel style, where your floating hotel is always nearby. Along the route, iconic cities like Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Amsterdam beckon to be discovered. The picturesque countryside features cheese dairies, tulip fields, windmills, and charming rivers. Included in the travel package are opportunities such as a canal cruise in Ghent and a visit to the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp.

Your adventure begins in the enchanting city of Bruges, often referred to as the "Pearl of Flanders". Upon boarding, you'll have a relaxing arrival day before setting off for Ghent the next day. Explore Ghent's medieval city center with a delightful canal cruise. Your journey continues along the Scheldt River to Dendermonde, where the pace is dictated by the tides. You'll be accompanied by stunning natural scenery as you make your way towards Antwerp.

At the Kreekrak locks, you begin your cycling journey through the Wouwe Plantation, eventually boarding your floating accommodation in Tholen en route to Dordrecht. On day 6, you'll pass by the iconic windmills of Kinderdijk and spend the night in the historic fortified town of Vianen. Finally, you'll cycle the last leg of your adventure from Breukelen to Amsterdam.

  • The mix of tradition and contemporary in Ghent: The magnificent St. Bavo's Cathedral houses the world-famous Ghent Altarpiece, while the imposing 12th-century Gravensteen Castle and the Belfry Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcase impressive examples of medieval architecture. Ghent's old town enchants visitors with its picturesque canals, historic guild houses, and charming squares. Numerous museums and cultural sites provide diverse and captivating insights into the city's rich heritage.
  • The architecture of the windmills of Kinderdijk: They are not only technical masterpieces but also a picturesque sight in the flat, expansive landscape crisscrossed by numerous canals and dykes. Some of the mills are set up as museums, offering you a glimpse into their operation and the way of life of the miller families.
  • Through Amsterdam by bike and boat: The expansive canals, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, are lined with impressive merchant houses from the Golden Age, creating a romantic backdrop for boat tours. The city is vibrant and lively, offering a variety of cozy cafés, trendy boutiques, and a bustling nightlife—just let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere!

Two countries, numerous cultural and historical highlights, and enchanting landscapes await you on this bike and boat journey. The route is classified as easy, with flat paths and stages ranging from 15 to 60 kilometers in length. You can relax in your accommodation aboard the MS Magnifique II, an elegant and beautifully furnished ship. In the saloon and on the sun deck, you can enjoy amenities such as the bar and whirlpool. The crew will provide you with full board service.

Canals and chocolate in Belgium, windmills and cheese in Holland—and so much more! There is plenty to see and discover in these picturesque countries. A journey by bike and boat is the perfect way to explore it all.

Itinerary at a glance

Embarkation time in Bruges is between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The ship awaits you in the Bruges harbor. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 2 PM there is time for bicycle fitting and a short test-ride through the countryside around Bruges. After dinner the guide will take you for a short walk through the center of town.

We advise you to come to Bruges one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical city of Bruges, aptly named the “Pearl of Flanders”. While you are there make sure you 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.

You will start your first day of cycling by pedaling towards Ghent through the beautiful Flemish landscape along the Ghent canal. On arrival in Ghent make sure you make the effort to discover the best of what this historical city has to offer during an afternoon stroll. Ghent’s medieval center features lovely illuminated streets that are a must to explore, while the architectural richness in the center of the city has to be seen to be believed. During the Middle Ages Ghent was the 2nd largest European city, after Paris. The ship will dock for the night at a lock, in a suburb of Ghent and approx. 30 cycling minutes from the city center. Before dinner a small canal boat will take you for a guided tour through the historic city.

In the morning you will spend some time in Ghent. Later in the morning you will cycle downstream through a diverse landscape along the tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde located at the confluence of Dender and Schelde rivers. There is only one way to describe the landscape along the Schelde and that is: “magnificent”. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour. During this section of the Schelde the speed of the ship will be determined by the height of the tide. You will travel from Dendermonde to St. Amands by either bicycle or barge depending on the tides. Your floating hotel will be docked for the night in St. Amands.

Today we will follow the Schelde river further downstream through the Temse region to Antwerp. Over the centuries the Schelde river has held strategic importance for the Romans, Vikings, Spanish and Napoleon… Today it is a beautiful waterway just perfect for bike and barge holidays!  Antwerp, your destination for the day, is a harbor city famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and as the birthplace of the famous painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens. There are many highlights in the city to discover including: the City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle.

This morning, the ship will sail along the Schelde-Rhine Canal and over the huge Kreekrak lock system. Here your bicycle tour starts through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” forest to Tholen, Tholen once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. But it is still a picturesque village with many relics of an eventful past. From Tholen you will join the ship again for a nice afternoon sail to the city of Dordrecht. Halfway the ship will pass the impressive Volkerak lock system.

Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands is your destination for the day. The guide will take you for an evening walk and tell you about the history of the Netherlands.

Today you will start your tour with the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry that will take you and your bicycle in just 10 minutes to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 UNESCO cultural heritage-listed windmills – one of which you can visit (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water out of the low Alblasserwaard polder (a polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments). You will then continue to cycle via Schoonhoven to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek (Lower Rhine), where you will stay for the night and where you can explore at your leisure after dinner.

During breakfast the ship will cruise to Breukelen where you disembark to start your final day of cycling. Ride along the Vecht River in an area famous for its beautiful mansions, small castles, impressive houses and their large gardens. After cycling through the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland you will arrive at Nigtevecht where you can visit a traditional cheese farm. Continue cycling through the historical town of Muiden and on to Amsterdam where you will meet the barge for the final time in the Amsterdam harbor.

End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.

Difficulty level

Easy

 

Prices & Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Our rental bikes

The different types of rental bikes at a glance

Unisex Rental Bike - Symbol photo
Unisex bike

High-quality unisex touring bike with comfortable low entry

Available gear options can be found in the price table

E-Bike rental bike - Symbol photo
Unisex Electro bike

High-quality unisex electric bike with comfortable low entry

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Fully guided cycling tours accoring to itinerary from Bruges to Amsterdam 
  • 7 nights in outside cabins of the booked cabin category
  • 1 welcome drink 
  • Full meals (7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch for cyclists, 6x coffee and tea on board, 6x 3-course-dinner) 
  • On board tour guide incl. daily tour briefing
  • Daily cabin cleaning, change of bed linen and towels as needed
  • 1 route book per cabin 
  • All harbour, lock and bridge fees
  • Entrance Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp 
  • Tasting Belgium products 
  • Canal trip through Ghent 
  • Wifi
  • GPS-data
  • Guarantee certificate for package holidays

 

Optional 

  • Bring your own bike €10,- / electric bike €25,- (on request only, limited) 

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Guarded parking areas at the main station (Stationsplein)

Things to note

  • Minimum number of participants: none 
  • Further important information according to the package travel law and additional information about your bike and boat trip can be found here!
  • This tour is a partner tour.

Services & Information

Further details about this tour

Included

  • Fully guided cycling tours accoring to itinerary from Bruges to Amsterdam 
  • 7 nights in outside cabins of the booked cabin category
  • 1 welcome drink 
  • Full meals (7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch for cyclists, 6x coffee and tea on board, 6x 3-course-dinner) 
  • On board tour guide incl. daily tour briefing
  • Daily cabin cleaning, change of bed linen and towels as needed
  • 1 route book per cabin 
  • All harbour, lock and bridge fees
  • Entrance Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp 
  • Tasting Belgium products 
  • Canal trip through Ghent 
  • Wifi
  • GPS-data
  • Guarantee certificate for package holidays

 

Optional 

  • Bring your own bike €14,- / electric bike €28,- (on request only, limited) 

Arrival / Parking / Departure

  • Central railway station Amsterdam near landing stage.
  • Parking areas at the main station (Stationsplein), no reservation possible.
  • Amsterdam parking garage Oosterdok: directly at the main station https://www.parkingzentrumamsterdam.de/english/

Things to note

  • Minimum number of participants: none 
  • Further important information according to the package travel law and additional information about your bike and boat trip can be found here!
  • This tour is a partner tour.

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Christine Pölzleitner

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Christine Pölzleitner
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