Netherlands & Belgium Bike & Barge - Amsterdam to Bruges
8 Day Netherlands and Belgium Bike & Barge Tour
Tour Information
Visit two countries on this bike and barge tour and embrace the best of Flemish Belgium and the Netherlands. This trip gives you time to explore the world-famous cities of Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, full of medieval history. We’ll also introduce you to quaint villages, breathtaking river deltas and impressive canal systems. After full days of flat cycling and sightseeing, you’ll dine and sleep aboard a cozy barge.
Flat terrain on paved bike paths. Leisurely cycling level.
(WomanTours reserves the right to increase the price of the tour a maximum of 5% for reasons beyond our control, such as new or increased taxes or fuel hikes.)
Hybrid bike is included in the price of the tour. E-bikes are available for $350 each but quantities are limited.
Our La Ma barge has 12 comfortable cabins. Each cabin has two beds and its own bathroom, complete with a hair dryer. The cabins have heat and air conditioning, portholes that open, ample storage space, and a mini safe. There is an air-conditioned dining area on the upper deck.
Fly into Amsterdam and out of Brussels or round-trip to either city and take the train.
I was actually rather surprised that the rooms on the barge were larger than I expected, as well as the bathrooms. This was my first bike tour ever, and I had a wonderful experience. In fact, now I have the "bug" and will strive to take a bike tour once a year (depending on my budgeting, of course!)
Bike & Barge Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: We meet at 2:00pm on board our boat, the La Mar, docked in the wonderful city of Amsterdam. Try to arrive a day or two early to this vibrant city, so you can visit the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, or the Rijksmuseum, full of paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer. You’ll see more bicycles in this city than you’ve probably seen in your life!
Our private La Mar barge has 12 rooms, each with two twin beds and a bathroom. Meet your guides and crew for an orientation while our barge heads to the 2000-year-old city of Utrecht. After dinner, we will take our bikes for a short test ride to explore some of the surrounding area and enjoy our first dinner together on the boat. 5 miles ±50’.
DAY 2: Today, we will start our ride through the town of Schoonhoven, historically famous for its community of silversmiths. Then we’ll bike to the famous Kinderdijk windmills. Listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, these windmills were originally built to pump water from low-lying land tracts known as polders. We’ll finish the route with a quick “waterbus” ferry to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland, where we’ll meet our barge for the night. 19 or 34 miles ±125’.
DAY 3: While we’re enjoying breakfast, the La Mar will head to Willemstad for the start of our bike ride. We’ll cycle through Tholen, a pretty village and popular fishing destination as we make our way to the historic town of Bergen op Zoom. With a history spanning more than 800 years, its central square is as vibrant today as it was during the 1400s. Known as a major trading hub, merchants would come from all over Europe to sell their wares during the semiannual fairs held here centuries ago. 22 or 31 miles ±80’.
DAY 4: We’ll start our morning with a beautiful bike ride through the wooded region of Wouwse Plantage that surrounds Bergen op Zoom. Then we’ll meet back up with our barge and sail across the border into Belgium to the port city of Antwerp.
Known for nearly five centuries as the diamond trading capital of the world, Antwerp is the largest city in Belgium by area. Baroque artist Sir Peter Paul Rubens worked and lived here, and his home is now a museum. You’ll have time in the evening to see this and other nearby highlights, such as the towering Cathedral of Our Lady and the medieval Steen Castle, as dinner is on your own. 21 miles ±92’.
DAY 5: We will bike along the River Scheldt through the Flanders region of Belgium today. The people of this area speak Flemish, a dialect of Dutch. Today’s ride is probably the week’s prettiest, as we’ll see landscapes of farm fields and grazing sheep as we make our way to the quiet village of St. Amands, birthplace of the esteemed Belgian poet Emile Verhaeren. 32 miles.
DAY 6: After breakfast, it’s back on the bikes as we continue to follow the Scheldt River to Dendermonde, and then to the lively university hub of Ghent. Situated at the meeting of the Leie and Schelde Rivers, this historic port city is known for its moated castle in the middle of town, medieval church towers dotting the skyline, and quaint canal houses lining the waterways.
During the Middle Ages, Ghent ranked among Europe’s largest and most prosperous cities, second only to Paris. Today its entire city center is open to pedestrians only. Be sure to try the local cone-shaped Flemish delicacy called a cuberdon in Flemish or neus for “nose” in Dutch. Just before dinner, a small canal boat will take us for a guided tour through the historic city center. 32 miles ±164’.
DAY 7: Our last day on our bikes finds us in Bruges, sometimes called the “Venice of the North.” Today the lovely medieval town center is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Be sure to snack on a waffle, sip a local brew and taste a piece of chocolate like a true Belgian in the town’s charming main square – the Grote Markt. Later, we’ll enjoy our last dinner together on the barge. 13 or 28 miles ±163’.
DAY 8: We’ll say our goodbyes after breakfast. It’s a short journey to the train station for your trip to the airport. Tot ziens! 0 miles.
Tour Information
Flat terrain on paved bike paths. Leisurely cycling level.
(WomanTours reserves the right to increase the price of the tour a maximum of 5% for reasons beyond our control, such as new or increased taxes or fuel hikes.)
Hybrid bike is included in the price of the tour. E-bikes are available for $350 each but quantities are limited.
Our La Ma barge has 12 comfortable cabins. Each cabin has two beds and its own bathroom, complete with a hair dryer. The cabins have heat and air conditioning, portholes that open, ample storage space, and a mini safe. There is an air-conditioned dining area on the upper deck.
Fly into Amsterdam and out of Brussels or round-trip to either city and take the train.
I was actually rather surprised that the rooms on the barge were larger than I expected, as well as the bathrooms. This was my first bike tour ever, and I had a wonderful experience. In fact, now I have the "bug" and will strive to take a bike tour once a year (depending on my budgeting, of course!)