| Tour | Bike+Boat |
|---|---|
| Type | Both |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 8 days |
| From | €1094 Rates |
| Tour Reviews |
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Skill Level
This is an easy, guided bike and boat tour with average daily distances between 24 and 33 miles (40 and 55 km).
Tour Boats
Day-To-Day Itinerary
Each boat has a slightly different itinerary. Be sure to check your boat/itinerary below. All distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change, even on very short notice, due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, docking location changes, lock repairs, etc.
Bruges to Brussels
Day 1: Bruges
Day 2: Bruges, roundtrip to the North Sea, 33 mi. (55 km)
Day 3: Bruges - Moerebrugge | Moerebrugge - Oostende - Merelbeke (Ghent), 24 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Merelbeke (Ghent) - Dendermonde, 29 mi. (48 km) Dendermonde - St. Amands
Day 5: St. Amands - Temse - Antwerp, 25 mi. (42 km)
Day 6: Antwerp - Lier - Willebroek, 27 mi. (45 km)
Day 7: Willebroek - Mechelen - Vilvoorde, 24 mi. (40 km) Vilvoorde - Brussels
Day 8: Brussels
Day 1: Bruges
Individual arrival in Bruges. The ship awaits you in the Bruges harbor. Embarkation and check-in is from 3 to 5 p.m. Before or after boarding take the opportunity to explore this lovely city of art, widely described as the “Venice of the North”. You can enjoy the ambiance of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical center during a leisurely walk, take in the hustle and bustle of the Grote Markt square (Great Market square), visit one of Bruges many museums or simply enjoy the stunning beauty and culture of this unforgettable city from the comfort of a sidewalk café.
Day 2: Bruges, roundtrip to North Sea, 33 mi. (55 km)
Your first day of cycling will take you through Damme, the birthplace of the impudent Middle Ages trickster Till Eulenspiegel, to the seaside resort of Blankenberge. Visit any one of numerous cafés and, if you want to cool down, enjoy a swim in the North Sea. After approx. 2 hours you will cycle back to Bruges and the ship.
Day 3: Bruges - Moerebrugge | Moerebrugge - Oostende - Ghent (Merelbeke), 24 mi. (40 km)
While you enjoy breakfast the barge will sail to Moerebrugge, departing at 8 am, where you will start your day’s cycling. With the historical city of Ghent your destination today you will cycle via Oostende along the Ghent-Oostende-canal through the beautiful Flemish landscape. The town center of Ghent features lovely illuminated streets that are a must to explore, while the architectural richness in the historical center of the city has to be seen to be believed. During the Middle Ages, after Paris, Ghent was the 2nd largest European city. The Gandalf will dock for the night at the Merelbeke lock, a suburb of Ghent and approx. 15 cycling minutes to the city center.
Day 4: Ghent (Merelbeke) - Dendermonde, 29 mi. (48 km) Dendermonde - St. Amands
After breakfast, you will cycle through a diverse landscape to Dendermonde which is located at the mouth of the Dender River where it flows into the Schelde River. Here you can enjoy some time off your bicycle with a coffee or a cup of tea at the beautiful Flemish Grote Market square. In the evening shipping to St. Amands one of the most beautiful and winding parts of the route on the river Schelde.
Day 5: St. Amands - Temse - Antwerp, 25 mi. (42 km)
Your cycle route for the day starts in St. Amands and takes you over the Brussels-Rupel canal and on to a historical brick factory situated between Boom and Niel where bricks have been manufactured since the Middle Ages. After cycling through the countryside to Rupelmonde and later Hemiksem you will finally reach Antwerp, your destination for the night. Antwerp is a harbor city situated on the river Schelde famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds. 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 6: Antwerp - Lier - Willebroek, 27 mi. (45 km)
After breakfast, you will cycle through the leafy suburbs of Antwerp and past typical Belgian villas that feature beautiful trees, manicured gardens and picturesque facades to Lier. From here you cycle along the small river Nete and on to Willebroek where the ship will be waiting for you. When there is enough interest, a beer tasting will be held on board (to be paid on board).
Day 7: Willebroek - Mechelen - Vilvoorde, 24 mi. (40 km) Vilvoorde - Brussels
While the barge sets sail along the Willebroek canal, your final day’s cycling will see you pass through the picturesque countryside via Mechelen to Vilvoorde. Mechelen is a remarkable city that boasts more than 300 buildings that are historically listed. Of these, 8 are churches – all on less than 3 square kilometers! From Vilvoorde you will board the Gandalf for the trip to Brussels, where you can walk through the historical city center, visit the Grote Markt square (Great Market square), arguably Europe’s most beautiful medieval square lined with guild houses or marvel at the Gothic town hall.
Day 8: Disembarkation and departure
Brussels to Bruges
Day 1: Brussels
Day 2: Brussels - Vilvoorde | Vilvoorde - Mechelen - Willebroek, 24 mi. (40 km)
Day 3: Willebroek - Antwerp, 30 mi. (50 km)
Day 4: Antwerp - St. Amands | Dendermonde, 30 mi. (50 km) St. Amands - Dendermonde
Day 5: Dendermonde - Ghent (Merelbeke), 29 mi. (48 km)
Day 6: (Merelbeke) Ghent - Lovendegem - Bruges, 24 mi. (40 km)
Day 7: Tour around Bruges to the North Sea, 33 mi. (55 km)
Day 8: Bruges
Italicized sections reflect itinerary by boat.
Day 1: Brussels - Vilvoorde
Day 2: Vilvoorde - Mechelen - Willebroek
Day 3: Willebroek - Antwerp
Day 4: Antwerp
Day 5: Antwerp - St. Amands - Dendergem
Day 6: Dendergem - Ghent
Day 7: Ghent - Bruges
Day 8: Bruges
Daily distances on the Feniks average 40 - 45 km per day
Day 1: Brussels - Vilvoorde
Boarding between 12 and 2 pm.
Day 2: Vilvoorde - Mechelen - Willebroek
Sailing breakfast, then biking along the Zenne River to the historical town Mechelen. St. Rumbold's Tower is Mechelen's centerpiece, a towering 15th-century cathedral, 318 feet (97 meters) and more than 500 steps high. Climbing to the top will be rewarded with a magnificent view over Mechelen and a glimpse of other cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, and Leuven. The cathedral is also home to some incredible art. In the luminous baroque interior, you'll find The Crucifixion, a marvelous painting by the famous master Anthony Van Dyck, and dozens of other fine artworks. Peter Paul Rubens is considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time. Go to St. John's Church and admire his 17th-century masterpiece 'Adoration of the Magi'. Rubens himself called it one of his best works ever. After the visit of Mechelen, you’ll bike along the tidal river the Dijle to an authentic pub near the lock of Zennegat. It seems as if time stood still here. Then to the (small) rivers Nete and Rupel you will enter the estuary of the river Scheldt, the vein of Belgian wealth, then and now. You will meet the Feniks in Willebroek for the night.
Day 3: Willebroek - Antwerp
You will bike on the meandering dikes along the Rupel and Nete to the picturesque city Lier, with its medieval town center. We will continue our bike tour through Flemish Brabant (a Belgian province) to the well-known harbor city Antwerp. The Feniks will be moored in the old Willemsdok, once the center of naval merchant activities, now still a beautiful place to berth.
Day 4: Antwerp
Today a stopover in Antwerp to give you the opportunity to visit exhibitions of the Flemish Masters such as:
• House of Peter Paul Rubens, the absolute top painter of the late 16th and early 17th century.
• The “Museum aan de Stroom” (MAS), meaning the Museum at the river Scheldt.
• Museum of Contemporary Art; one of the leading Belgian museums for contemporary art.
• Possible excursion by tram or bike to the Coogels-Osy-Lei, a neighborhood with many houses in Art-Deco, Art-Nouveau, ane Jugendstil style.
Day 5: Antwerp - St. Amands - Dendergem
Bike tour through marvelous nature upstream along the river Scheldt. Via Temse to St. Amands where we will visit the Morocco-Stone-Exposition. From St. Amands we will sail on the river to Dendermonde for the night.
Day 6: Dendergem - Ghent
Another beautiful bike ride of 50 Km upstream the Scheldt to Ghent. Visit of the medieval town center including a city walk. The St. Baafs cathedral with the triptique of the Lamb God’s of the brothers Van Eijk is not to be missed.
Day 7: Ghent - Bruges
Bike ride along the canal of Ghent to Ostend through the varied Flemish farmland to the end of this tour: Bruges. The Feniks will moor at the Bargeweg approx. 5 minutes from the medieval town
Day 8: Bruges
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Pricing Information
Travel Details
This tour is run by SE Tours and Feniks charter.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.
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Brussels to Bruges Bike and Boat Tour Boats + Barges
Feniks Belgium, Netherlands, France Comfort Class Boat Originally, the Feniks was built in 1928 as a freighter on the Dutch, Belgium and French inland waters. In 1992, the Feniks was converted to a hotel passenger ship and put in service for various sailing holidays. Since then, she has undergone several renovations to keep up-to-date with all modern facilities.
Mecklenburg Netherlands, Belgium Comfort Class Boat Navigating the rivers and channels of Belgium, the Mecklenburg is a comfortable river boat with an inviting atmosphere. First built in 1957 in Belgium, it was rebuilt in 2000. You can enjoy the passing scenery from the partially shaded sun deck with chairs and tables. The salon, with large panoramic windows and comfortable couches, is the perfect place to enjoy a meal and drink. There are eleven twin cabins on board with friendly staff to cater to your needs.
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Tour Reviews
Robert B. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
Excellent Boat, best cabins, & cheap beer
Boat: Quo Vadis
Reply
Patricia D. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
We really enjoyed the scenery on this trip and not cycling on main roads. Love when we are on cycle paths and not in traffic. The boat was first class and the crew on the Magnifique III went out of their way to accommodate all our needs. The chef made all the meals very unique and we were able to sample the various foods of the region. A wonderful vacation.
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Karen 5 months ago
How many cyclists were on the trip?
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Lynda B. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
Most Memorable Part? The camaraderie, the cuisine, our cabin!
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Joanne M. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
The competent tour guides led us through the sights of Belgium each day and gave us a host of valuable information. We all appreciated the option to join a slower group or a faster group of cyclists each day. The cycling was well paced with appropriate Read more… breaks for beverages, if desired. We liked the format of parking our bicycles in each city and the guide would take us a walking tour pointing out the recommended sights for us to go back and visit at our leisure in the same afternoon. The medieval cities that were spread throughout Belgium awed us and we were fortunate to have ideal weather to spend all day outdoors.
When we returned to the Magnifique III, there was always a delightful treat awaiting such as an assortment of delicious cheese or decadent squares or baked treats served with ice cold flavoured waters to quench our thirst.
Our friends couldn't wait to enjoy the outdoor hot tub on the upper deck after a day of cycling and they found it so relaxing. We enjoyed our comfortable cabin to re-group and get ready for dinner and the social evening ahead.
After dinner, one evening, our guides took us to tour an art gallery in a local town. On another evening, we enjoyed a ""trolley tour"" of Antwerp after dinner.
Thomas, our guide, also hosted a ""beer tasting"" one evening on board and he dressed in costume which engaged us in the event. One of our cyclists downloaded some chanting music to complete the picture and it was an entertaining evening.
On day 6, we had a choice to remain on the boat until 11 a.m. while we enjoyed cruising along the canal from Ghent towards Bruges. It was a wonderful experience to be outdoors on deck enjoying the peace of the countryside as we sailed along. This was followed by scenic cycling beside the same canal.
in the early evening, our guide, Thomas, led us on an informative walking tour of Bruges. This was followed by an opportunity to eat at local restaurant which we enjoyed.
At dinner and at breakfast, we sat at tables of ten in the sunny dining room which gave us many opportunities to meet and get acquainted with the other guests from other countries and provinces making the whole tour so worthwhile. The staff were very friendly and extremely helpful.
On our final evening, the dining room was divided into two tables of twenty. One of the guests suggested each cyclist make a statement about what he/she had enjoyed most about the tour. Each person made a brief sincere presentation or a jovial comment and it was so entertaining. The meal was superb! After dinner, we all chatted for a while and the evening concluded with a spontaneous dance. It was a memorable night! Our whole tour was one I'll never forget and I will continue to recommend to everyone."Tourist tip: There is a nice grocery store in the downstairs of building not far from the Cathedral where you can buy necessities including chocolate bars.
Boat: Magnifique III
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Dorothy M. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer
Wow, our trip was phenomenal! The barge was excellent, the food was gourmet (seriously) and the riding was great! Although rain was predicted everyday, we never rode in the rain. The weather improved and we saw rain twice while on the barge. The Magnifique II and the crew could not have been better. We are already looking forward to a trip next year!!!
Boat: Magnifique II
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Robert K. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer
Most memorable part: The small number of passengers and the bonding and friendships which grew. Also, the lovely relaxed biking through the countryside, villages and towns with the guide providing more than adequate explanations when required. Everything worked like clock work and was well organized.
Boat: Magnifique
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Wendy D. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer
This was a fabulous holiday in every way. Already looking to plan another for next year. Loved every part of it. What a great way to see the country, get some exercise and vacation in style. The crew on the Quo Vadim were wonderful, the food was great and the biking experience fabulous. Well done!
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Wheaton L. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer
Fabulous holiday in every way and great value. Already looking to book another like this trip next year. Thank you!
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Patricua O. 2 years ago Verified Reviewer
The tour guide was excellent. Also the Captain and crew were excellent. It was a wonderful way to meet people, get some exercise, sightsee and enjoy lovely food. The Quo Vadis has an excellent chef. All of the crew spoke English, German and I believe also French and Spanish. They looked after the group so well, nothing was too much trouble. I would recommend this tour without hesitation.
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Henry S. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
Our guide, Arie, was terrific! The chef, Chris (I think), was fantastic! The whole bike/barge week was a 5 out of 5 experience
Boat: Magnifique
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Jeff S. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
The bike and barge trip aboard the Magnifique was amazing. Could not have asked for a better trip! Can't wait to go on another bike and barge trip.
Boat: Magnifique
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George Pappas 4 years ago Verified Reviewer
We have made two bike and barge tours in the Netherlands and thoroughly enjoyed both trips. We are looking forward to another trip this coming spring on a barge with low beds. (Bunk beds are not as easy to use as we get older.)
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Terry Brannigan 4 years ago Verified Reviewer
We loved the size of the group. We are now ready for a self guided trip.
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Maryellen Doyle 4 years ago Verified Reviewer
We really enjoyed the trip in general and would just search out a barge with a bit more public space were we to do a future trip. "
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Wendy 3 years ago
Hi Maryellen,
My husband and I are going on the trip this August. Thank you for your informative review. I just had one question. You mentioned rain pants. What time if year did you go?
Any other tips as well?
Thank you so much.
Reply
Maryellen 2 years ago
Wendy
I think our tour started in Aug 30 or close. Note that we did not have any rain DAYS but several times showers threatened and would hit in early afternoon for a bit - or one time linger for a couple hours but we were mostly touring in a city then so ducked into cathedrals etc but then had athree mile ride back to the barge. Note - I brought my helmet from US and I also had a visor which, if raining, i somehow layered with my helmet, then pulled my rain jacket hiid iver too - the visor kept the rain off my face. Have a great trip,
Boat: Quo Vadis
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Archie Benton 4 years ago Verified Reviewer
Our Brussels to Brugge trip was an incredible experience. The biking was fantastic, the boat was great, and the staff superb. We even traveled with wonderful fellow travelers on the trip! So many kind people. I had heard great things about this trip too but it turned out even better than my expectations! What can I say? The food was excellent. The service was excellent. The camaraderie was wonderful. We were on the Magnifique and it was magnificent. Thank you!-Archie, Nancy and Zach August 2015
Boat: Magnifique
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Larry and Nancy Bern 6 years ago Verified Reviewer
We just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our experience on the August 31st Brussels to Bruges Bike and Barge tour. The accommodations, the staff, the food and even the bikes were all top notch. Peter is a wonderful chef, Leah was a great guide, Walter and Carel were great captain, Carel barbecue was over the top!! It took us a few days to adjust to the biking, as most of us have not done much city biking. But by the end of the trip most of us were doing pretty well. Larry and I would recommend this trip to anyone!
Boat: Magnifique
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