Amsterdam - Bruges - Amsterdam

Experience the charm of a bygone era on this exciting 8 day, 7 night tour where you will discover the best of what Holland and Belgium have to offer.

During the day you will cycle to world famous destinations such as Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, while at night you will relax in the comfort of your floating hotel.

Cycling on this tour is through the beautiful – and flat – Dutch countryside of Zeeland and the western Flanders region of Belgium. Attractions along the way include many charming villages, a visit to a real Dutch cheese farm, the 19 famous Dutch windmills in Kinderdijk and the world famous cities of Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges in the western Flanders region of Belgium. You will cycle through and discover the Dutch province of Zeeland, which is essentially one big river delta of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt Rivers famous for its fantastic beaches, water sport activities and Delta works and the Flanders region of Belgium famous for its medieval towns and a reputation for superb food and drink. As well as being able to discover many picturesque villages each day – both on your bicycle and on foot – you will:

• Have the opportunity to discover Amsterdam
• Visit Antwerp, a city famous for its vibrant nightlife
• Get the opportunity to explore Ghent
• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical center of Bruges

The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You’ll receive a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking (not possible on the Zwaantje).

Fully Guided
Accompanied by a competent, professional and multilingual tour leader, you and the group will visit interesting sights and places on the daily cycling tours. During the bike tour, they will explain the local history and culture behind the things you encounter along the way. You can also choose to ride individually with the help of our Ride with GPS app and our BBT cycling map (available on board).

The itinerary with the LaMar, Lena Maria, Magnifique III & Zwaantje will be slightly different.

Zwaantje:

• Amsterdam – Bruges: departure date on Saturday May 3
• Bruges – Amsterdam: departure date on Friday October 3

Fleur, departure on Sunday:

• Amsterdam – Bruges: departure date on May 11

La Mar, departure on Friday:

• Bruges – Amsterdam: departure date on June 27
• Amsterdam – Bruges: departure date on July 4

Day 1: Bruges (15 km/9 mi.)

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.

Day 2: Bruges – Ghent (35 km/21 mi. or 57 km/36 mi.)

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.

Day 3: Ghent – Dendermonde/St. Amands (40 km/24 mi. or 53 km/32 mi.)

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.

Day 4: St. Amands – Temse – Antwerp (32 km/19 mi. or 49 km/31 mi.)

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.

Day 5: Antwerp – Kreekrak locks | Kreekrak locks – Tholen (36 km/23 mi. or 20 km/13 mi.) | Tholen – Willemstad – Dordrecht

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.

Day 6: Dordrecht – Kinderdijk | Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (32 km/19 mi. or 57 km/36 mi.)

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.

Day 7: Vianen – Breukelen | Breukelen – Amsterdam (36 km/23 mi. or 46 km/28 mi.)

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.

Day 8: Amsterdam

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

Good to know

• Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
• On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
• If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
• The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
• On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
• Detailed cycling maps, route tips and a GPS app are available for guests who wish to cycle individually and at their own pace. The tour guide is always available via cell phone in case of questions, breakdowns or emergencies.

Included

• 8 days/7 nights
• 7 x breakfast
• Packed lunches
• 6 x 3-course dinner
• Coffee and tea on board
• Welcome drink
• Use of bed linen and towels
• Daily cleaning of the cabin
• Climate-controlled cabin
• Daily briefings
• Fully guided cycling tours (2 tour leaders, 2 groups)
• Some short walking tours
• Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
• GPS tracks
• Use of a helmet
• Use of a waterproof pannier bag
• Water bottle
• Fees for ferries
• Entrance Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp
• Tasting Belgium products
• Canal trip through Ghent
• Wi-Fi

Excluded in this tour

• 1x dinner (Zwaantje: Antwerp; Magnifiques/Princesse Royal: Antwerp or Bruges)
• Drinks
• Bicycle rental or E-bike rental
• Personal insurances
• Gratuities (at your discretion)
• Entrance fees and excursions (not mentioned under inclusions)
• Transfers to/from the docking place
• Parking fees

2025:

• Rental bicycle Premium: €105 per week (optional, not available on Zwaantje)
• Rental E-Bike Premium: €266 (only a limited number of electrical bikes available: pref. reservation by booking)

• Parking own bicycle: €14 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
• Parking + charge station own E-Bike: €28 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
• Zwaantje: Parking own bicycle/E-Bike: it is not possible to bring your own bicycle/E-Bike on this ships, due to a lack of space on deck.

Zwaantje:

• Amsterdam – Bruges: departure date on Saturday May 3
• Bruges – Amsterdam: departure date on Friday October 3

Transfer between Amsterdam and Bruges: There is a good train connection between these two cities. Please visit one of the following websites for timetables, tickets or more information www.omio.com or www.trainline.com.