Tulip Tour - Amsterdam to Bruges - 9 day

Day 1: Amsterdam to Haarlem
Day 2: Haarlem - Keukenhof - Leiden
Day 3: Leiden - Gouda - Kinderdijk - Dordrecht
Day 4: Dordrecht - Tholen
Day 5: Tholen - Antwerp
Day 6: Antwerp - Dendermonde
Day 7: Dendermonde – Gent
Day 8: Gent - Bruges
Day 9: Bruges

*All itineraries are subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances concerning mooring requirements, etc. Distances are approximate.

Day 1: Amsterdam to Haarlem
Embarkation in Amsterdam. Be sure to be on time as the Iris will set sail, leaving the capital, and heading for the North Sea. Before Haarlem, you can begin cycling as the boat motors on. Enjoy your first bike ride through the dunes and forest. Once in Haarlem, and back on board, mingle with your fellow travelers, enjoy dinner, and perhaps take part in an evening city walk.

Day 2: Haarlem - Keukenhof - Leiden
You do not have to wait long on this tour before enjoying one of the main highlights: the Keukenhof! This is the World's garden. Take in the sight of 7 million flowering tulips in a traditional and modern landscape. And not just tulips, there are hyacinths, narcissus, and much more.

These gardens are visited by millions of guests every year. So be prepared to hear every foreign language you can imagine.

The Iris moors this evening in the old town of Leiden, in the city canal that surrounds the old part of Leiden, once a defense against the Spanish soldiers. 

Day 3: Leiden - Gouda - Kinderdijk - Dordrecht
After an early sail out of Leiden, the first stop will be at a cheese farm, to experience this essential Holland. Gouda is one of the most popular and exported cheeses of the Netherlands and therefore the city center has many cheese shops! The Town Hall at the market square dates back to the 17th century. The Sint Janskerk here is a large Gothic church, known especially for its stained glass windows, for which it has been placed on the UNESCO list of Dutch monuments. The route then leads right to the windmills of Kinderdijk! Another essential Holland. Back on board, the boat sails to Dordrecht as you relax and ponder the impressions of the day.

Day 4: Dordrecht - Tholen, entering Belgium
During breakfast, you will cruise to Willemstad, an old fortified town on the Haringvliet. From there you bike along the impressive complex of locks ‘de Volkerak’ to Tholen. Tholen was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, otherwise known as the Rhein Delta on the North Sea, where many people fished for their living. Today Tholen is connected to the mainland, but it retains its picturesque charm and boasts many fishing and boating relics of its colorful past.

Day 5: Tholen - Antwerp
In the Netherlands, forests may be scarce, but you'll embark on a unique adventure through the Wouwse Plantation. This surreal landscape boasts sand dunes, remnants of a time when the sea occupied this area. As you cycle, you'll encounter a fascinating mix of oak and conifer forests, heather-filled fields, and moorlands. Our journey then takes us to Antwerp, renowned as the Diamond City and the residence of Flemish Baroque maestro Peter Paul Rubens. We'll marvel at three of his masterpieces in the Cathedral Of Our Lady. During the city's golden age in the 1500s, it flourished as a hub of exploration, serving as Europe's sugar capital and leading importer of spices like pepper and cinnamon. Antwerp's bustling port witnessed countless ships, while the city welcomed a diverse community of merchants from Venice, Ragusa, Spain, and Portugal. Known for its tolerance, Antwerp attracted a sizable Orthodox Jewish population. For centuries, it reigned as the global center for diamond refinement and trade, a title it held until recently.

Day 6: Antwerp - Dendermonde
After breakfast, the barge locks out of the port to the Zeeschelde. You follow this capricious tidal river upstream to Dendermonde. There is a beautiful bike path along the river and the landscape around the Schelde is magnificent. You can join the IRIS halfway in Temse or continue all the way to Dendermonde, a friendly little town along the river. In Dendermonde, you will visit the 14th c. “Clothmaker’s Hall,” formerly a center of the wool trade. After WWI, only the stone walls of the building survived. Here you may enjoy local ales in a private beer tasting on board of the IRIS. As they say, When in Rome drink beer in Belgium!

Day 7: Dendermonde - Gent
You bike to Ghent, a lively port and university city on the confluence of the Schelde und Leie rivers. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to discover this historic city that has its origins in Roman Times as they traded and fortified their outposts on the Rhine. In 800, the town grew when Charlemagne’s court biographer founded St. Bavo (Baafs) Abbey. By the 13th century, Ghent became one of the richest cities in northern Europe and biggest city north of the Alps (after Paris)—surpassing Cologne and Moscow! Textile trade and production (mainly wool from Scotland and England) created great wealth. You can still see the well-preserved patrician homes along the Quai aux Herbes dating from the 12th to 17th centuries. In St. Bavo (Baafs) Cathedral, admire a number of medieval masterpieces including ‘Adoration of the Lamb’ by Jan van Eyck. Art lovers will discover great classics in Ghent’s famous art museum.

Day 8: Gent to Bruges
Today the final destination is Bruges, dubbed the darling of Flanders and Venice of the North with its criss-cross of canals and medieval alleys. Its center is historically intact and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Steep yourself in the Belgian culture. Grab a seat in a cafe at the market square and order mussels and fries (frites & moules), or Belgian stew with crusty bread and a dark ale. Top it off with a visit to Choco Story Museum, a fascinating place to learn about how chocolate stormed this nation in the 18th century. Sample a praline or two. If you’re looking for something light to bring home, consider an investment in fine lace. Bruges was the epicenter of exquisite lace for generations. In the 16th century, lace was itemized on aristocratic property lists. It was considered so valuable that those found guilty of smuggling or stealing patterns were harshly punished. An ancient and venerated site is the Basilica of the Holy Blood, stained with Christ’s blood. It is the sacred relic of Bruges, an 1134 chapel by the Count of Flanders. After his 2nd Crusade, he returned to his home city with the Holy Blood, a cloth.

Day 9: Bruges
This morning your guided tour ends after breakfast. You can leave your luggage untill 12.00 and spend some more time in Bruges. Taxis can be arranged by the ship. 

If you're looking for a different flavor, check out our full list of bike & boat tours or view all our featured trips, including hikes, active cruises, & multi-adventure.

• Iris

  Premium

  ?

  4.8 out of 5 (10 Reviews)

  View Boat

  Premium Class Barge

  Touring Bicycle

  Giant Touring Bike from the LIV collection … Lightweight, low-maintenance, and equipped with a belt drive, this touring bike is ideal for both daily and recreational use. Combining a synthetic belt… Read More

  Electric Bicycle

  Information coming soon! Read More

  In 2005, the Iris was transformed from a cargo ship to a passenger ship. Her owner, Lenny Versteeg, has lovingly updated and maintained her throughout the years. The interior is fresh, tasteful, and comfortable. Read More