Amsterdam to Bruges Relax Tour

Belgium, Netherlands Bike + Boat Tour

We are very excited about this brand new tour for 2012! Having experienced Amsterdam to Bruges and Bruges to Amsterdam on 8 day tours, as the week ended, we were left feeling like we wanted just a bit more. Now we can offer you just a bit more! This  11 day tour is perfect, uniting two cycling paradises, Holland and Belgium, in one tour. It combines the highlights of Holland’s Golden Age and the history of the flourishing Flemish trade cities in the Middle Ages. The highlights of this tour, like the shorter versions,  include the Windmills of the Kinderdijk, the cities of Ghent and Bruges, and of course Holland's own world wonder, the Delta Works But, as the title implies, it is designed to give you a little more time to really explore the sights. The extended length and the lower mileage allows for a more relaxed pace with round trip days spent in both Gouda and Ghent. 

Where You’ll Stay

On the Comfort class boat, the Zwaan.

What’s Included

• Accommodations for 10 nights on board the Zwaan
• Breakfasts and dinners
• 1 Lunch on board + 8 packed lunches on the road
• Coffee and tea
• Tour guide
• Route information
• Ferry fares en route

What’s Not Included

• Insurances
• Museum entrance fees
• Local transportation and airfare
• Dinner in Ghent

Tour Dates

• Amsterdam to Bruges: August 25 and September 15, 2012
• Bruges to Amsterdam: September 5 and September 26, 2012

Skill Level

Easy, guided bike and boat tour on bike paths that are well developed and well maintained. Average daily distance is approximately 25 miles.

Tour Boats

• Zwaan

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Amsterdam to Bruges: 

1. Arrival in Amsterdam; departure at 2pm; sailing to Ouderkerk; biking to Uithoorn, 12 mi (20 km)
2. Uithoorn - Gouda, 28 mi (45 km)
3. Gouda (round trip), 25 mi (40 km)
4. Gouda - Dordrecht, 31 mi (50 km)
5. Dordrecht, sailing to Willemstad or Bruinisse, cycling to Zierikzee, 32 or 14 mi (54 or 24 km)
6. Zierikzee - Middelburg, 19 or 31 mi (32 or 51 km)
7. Middelburg-Vlissingen, 24 mi (40 km)
8. Vlissingen - Sas Van Gent-Gent, 27 or 15 mi (45 or 25 km)
9. Ghent (round trip), 25 mi (40 km)
10. Ghent - Bruges, 18 mi (30 km)
11. Bruges, end of tour after breakfast

Day 1: Amsterdam-Uithoorn, 12 mi. (20 km)
Upon arrival on board 'de Zwaan' (the Swan), you can settle in to your cabin and afterwards, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. You will have the opportunity to relax and get to know your guides, the crew and your fellow passengers. In the afternoon, the ship will sail from the Oosterdok through the canals of  Amsterdam passing under numerous bridges, among them the famous Magere Brug, the Skinny Bridge, en route to the majestic Amstel river. Following this meandering river, the boat will reach the Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. Here you have the opportunity to test your bicycles and cycle through a beautiful landscape. The tour will finish in Uithoorn on the Amstel River. During dinner aboard the ship, the program for the next day and the weekly itinerary is discussed.

Day 2: Uithoorn-Gouda, 28 mi. (45 km)
From Uithoorn, you will continue over country roads, banks and channels,  through the Green Heart and polders to Gouda, the city known for its cheese. Gouda is also known for pipes, ‘stroopwafels’ (treacle-waffle), pottery, and stained-glass windows. Its beautiful, gothic town hall and atmospheric canals make it a wonderful place to explore. Other areas of interest may include the Goudse Kaas-en Ambachtenmuseum (The Museum of Cheese and Crafts), The Weeshuisplein (famous square), and the Museumhaven, a historical harbor where ships are moored. After dinner, you will have the opportunity to walk through this charming city.

Day 3: Gouda- round trip, 25 mi. (40 km)
Not only is the city of Gouda worth visiting, the nature surrounding it is a beautiful sight to see and a lovely bike ride. In the morning, you will join your guide for a trip along the small, scenic river, the Vlist. You will cycle to Oudewater and then on to Schoonhoven, which is known as “silver city” located at the border of the Lek, a branch of the Rhine River. That afternoon there will be time for a visit to the St. Jans Church in Gouda which is known for it's large, impressive stained glass windows. The church is on UNESCO's list of Dutch monuments and has an impressive history. It was built during the 15th and 16th centuries and in 1952, a large portion of the church burned. The church was later expanded making it the longest church in the Netherlands. 

 Day 4: Gouda – Dordrecht, 31 mi. (50 km)
Today, you will cycle along the Dutch Ijssel, through the deepest lying polder of the Netherlands, Krimpenerwaard. Then you will have the oppportunity to board a ferry that takes you to Kinderdijk, where Holland’s largest number of historical windmills are found. From the banks of the Lek River is an amazing view of the 19 windmills, which are now listed as a UNESCO’s World Heritage site. There, you will visit a small museum and the interior of a windmill. After a beautiful tour through the Alblasserwaardpolder, you will arrive at the banks of the river ‘Beneden-Merwede’ and take a ferry to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities of the Netherlands. Worth a visit is the gothic church ‘Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, with its unfinished tower dating back to the fourteenth century. Another eye catcher is the ‘Groot-hoofdspoort’, which provides a stunning panaroma over the busy river.

Day 5: Dordrecht-Willemstad or Bruinisse- Zierikzee, 32 or 14 mi. (54 or 24 km)
From Dordrecht, you will sail to the huge Delta area during breakfast. Years ago, an open connection existed with the sea due to the many tributaries in this area. In 1953, many lives were lost during the North Sea flood. Entire towns were inundated due to a combination of a high spring tide and a severe  windstorm resulting in the deadly storm tide. After this terrible tragedy, the government started the Delta-commission to study the causes and effects of the floods. They estimated that flooding killed 1,835 people and forced the emergency evacuation of 70,000 more.  Floods covered 9% of Dutch farmland, and sea water inundated 1,365 km² of land. An estimated 30,000 animals drowned, and 47,300 buildings were damaged of which 10,000 were destroyed. Total damage is estimated at 1 billion Dutch guilders (450 million euros).  This culminated in the design and construction of the Delta works and the Zuiderzee Works, an incredible undertaking and another chapter in this people's battle against the sea.

The  cycle tour today begins in Willemstad. You will ride over the Volkerakbrug to the former island of Goeree-Overvlakkee. Just before reaching the final destination for today, Zierikzee, on the island of Schouwen- Duivenland, you will visit the ‘Watersnoodmuseum’. This museum tells the of tragic events of 1953.

A shorter version of today’s route is offered by sailing to Bruinisse and joining the group to Zierikzee, a beautiful town and the center of the ‘mussel culture’. The ‘Zeeuwse mosselen’ (blue mussels) are a renowned delicacy.

Day 6: Zierikzee-Middelburg, 19 or 31 mi. (32 or 51 km)
On this day you will cycle towards the North Sea, along the Oosterschelde to the Oosterscheldedam. Enormous locks are built in this embankment that can be closed during storms and high tides to protect the south-west of the Netherlands against the sea.
 This embankment was one of the last in a series of barriers against the sea. This has been one of the most difficult and costly challenges to protect the country and it is why the American Society of Civil Engineers refers to the Deltaworks as the one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. After a visit to the picturesque port town of Veer, you will cycle on to Middelburg, a lively town with many old houses, churches, the beautiful town hall and pleasant shopping. It is also the home of the Roosevelt Academy, a liberal arts college, located in the former late- gothic town hall.

Day 7:  Middelburg - Vlissingen, 24 mi. (40 km)
After spending the morning in Middelburg, you will cycle to the dune and beach coast of
 the interesting island of Walcheren. The last part of the tour brings you to and through Vlissingen, where large and impressive ships are at arms length, passing by on the wide river Schelde.

Day 8: Vlissingen – Sas Van Gent – Ghent, 27 or 15 mi. (45 or 25 km)
Today, you will arrive at the Dutch-Belgian border in Sas van Gent and cycle through small villages, along creeks, bending embankments and beautiful panoramas. If you choose the shorter route, you will embark in Sas van Gent and during your journey witness the lively maritime traffic in the canal from Ghent to Terneuzen, with many impressive industrial buildings along the shores. After dinner in Ghent, the rest of the evening can be spent exploring the medieval center of this beautiful city.

Day 9:  Ghent- round trip, 25 mi. (40 km)
In the morning, a beautiful round trip bike tour along the small river Leie is planned. After returning on board, there will be time for relaxation and a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon, there will be an opportunity to visit the famous cathedral St. Baafs, where Van Eyck’s triptique of “The Lam Gods” can be admired. Tonight’s dinner will be in a restaurant of your choice. The city of Ghent has approximately 250,000 citizens. The old city offers many well kept craftsmen houses, Patrician houses and old storehouses. Also, of interest may be the Gravensteen (a medieval castle), the St. Niklaaskerk (Saint Nicholas’ church, dating from the year 1200), St. Baafskathedraal (Saint Bavo Cathedral from the fourteenth century, with the painting ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ by Van Eyck), and last but not least, the Belfort (Bell Tower). Ghent is a lively town and a stunning 
mixture of medieval buildings, chic shopping areas,
 and beautiful mansions.

Day 10: Ghent-Bruges, 18 mi. (30 km)
This morning you will cycle through Ghent to the scenic countryside of Oost- Vlaanderen (East-Flanders). This area is known for woods, fields, small villages and castles. The last part of this route leads to Bruges, along the canal of Oostende-Gent, the oldest canal of Belgium. The impressive and medieval city of Bruges is the final destination of this bike and barge trip. Bruges is known for it's production of linen that used to be distributed all over Europe. Some sites of interest are: Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady), Belort and Hallen, Gruuthusemuseum (museum of applied arts of Bruges) and the Kantcentrum (Lace Center).

Day 11:  Bruges, tour ends after breakfast. 

Bruges to Amsterdam: 

1. Arrival in Bruges; departure at 2 pm near Central Station; biking to Ghent, 18 mi (30 km)
2. Ghent (round trip), 15 mi (25 km)
3. Ghent-St. Amands, 36 mi (60 km)
4. St. Amands-Antwerp, 21 mi (35 km)
5. Antwerp-Bergen op Zoom, 18 mi (30 km)
6. Bergen op Zoom-Willemstad, 27 mi (45 km)
7. Willemstad-Heusden, 24 mi (40 km)
8. Heusden-Hertogenbosch-Gorinchem, 24 mi (40 km)
9. Gorinchem-Vianen-Utrecht, 30 mi (50 km)
10. Utrecht; sailing to Breukelen; biking to Amsterdam, 24 mi (40 km)
11. Amsterdam, end of tour after breakfast

*All distances are approximate. The above planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, etc.

Book This Trip

Questions? Call us! 877-965-2064 or e-mail us