Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour

8 day

Day 1:  Arrival in Amsterdam    
Day 2:  Amsterdam - Gouda/Bodegraven 50 mi. (80 km)
Day 3:  Gouda - Papendrecht/Dordrecht, 23 mi. (37 km) 
Day 4:  Papendrecht/Dordrecht - Willemstad, 41 mi. (65 km) 
Day 5: Willemstad - Schuddebeurs/Zierikzee, 31 mi. (50 km)  
Day 6:  Schuddebeurs/Zierikzee – Vlissingen/Middelburg, 26 mi. (42 km)  
Day 7:  Middelburg/Vlissingen - Bruges, 41 mi. (66 km)   
Day 8:  Departure  

All distances are approximate. Due to circumstances beyond control, such as weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during your holiday. For example,  you may find temporary deviations/detours necessary due to roadwork or other unforeseen circumstances that will not be reflected on your maps or route descriptions. In this case, please follow the directions posted locally

The itinerary is for both A and B category. If two overnight destinations are provided, the first is for Category B and the second for Category A. Please take note that the hotels listed are based on availability. They are the first choice but occasionally there is a need for a hotel change. 

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Your cycling adventure starts in Amsterdam, famous for its historic 400-year-old canal district, museums (the new Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Anne Frank etc), street artists and performers on Dam, Leidseplein, and Rembrandtplein, a notorious red-light district, and more. This city is brimming with things to see and do and you couldn’t wish for a more dynamic beginning to your holiday. Try to arrive early so you have time to admire the elegant tree-lined canals, tall narrow townhouses, and warehouses dating from the 17th century (World Heritage Site).

Category A  and Category B accommodations: Westcord Hotel in 3-star rooms. It is possible to upgrade to a higher level room.

Day 2:  Amsterdam - Gouda/Bodegraven, 50 mi. (80 km) 
After staying the night in bustling Amsterdam, cycle into the peace and quiet of the “Groene Hart” or Green Heart, a pleasant rural area of low-lying polders with peat meadows and grazing cattle. It’s a flat, open, and spacious landscape where church spires and windmills touch the horizon and clouds are reflected in lakes and canals. For centuries, people flocked from far and wide to buy horses, cows, meat, turf, seed, and cheese at weekly and annual markets in Gouda. We recommend an evening stroll around the old part of town to soak up the yesteryear atmosphere and marvel at the large and attractive market square boasting a wonderful fifteenth-century town hall as well as a Weighing House (“Waag”).

Category A: Best Western Hotel Gouda
Category B: Gr8 Hotel Bodegraven

*If this day is too long for you, you can actually change the itinerary and spend an overnight in Woerden (48 km) and then continue on to Gouda (30 km). See short itinerary below for this 9-day option.

Day 3:  Gouda - Papendrecht/Dordrecht, 23 mi. (37 km) 
Hit the trail once again and head for the village of Kinderdijk where nineteen majestic windmills present a unique sight. In the age of wind, they were used to drain excess water out of the low-lying polder up into the River Lek. Pedaling on, you will reach one of the oldest towns in Holland: Dordrecht, completely surrounded by water. The area around the marina is a true gem. This oldest part of town has over a thousand historical buildings and three nostalgic canals. 

Category A: Apollo Hotel Papendrecht
Category B: Postillion Hotel Dordrecht

The hotel in Papendrecht for Category A  is 3 km outside the center of Dordrecht on the north banks of the river. 

Day 4: Papendrecht/Dordrecht  - Willemstad, 41 mi. (65 km) 
The result of a major flood in 1421, Biesbosch is one of the few remaining wetland habitats in Europe where the ecosystem has adapted both to saltwater coming in from the sea through tidal creeks, and to freshwater coming down in the rivers. It’s an ever-changing labyrinth of creeks and small rivers encompassing countless little islands of willow woods and reeds, a paradise for birds. The longer ride (54 km) takes you along the edges of this National Park. Round off the day in Willemstad, a fortified town shaped like a seven-point star.

Please note: you will only cycle through de Biesbosch park on days that the ferry departs. This ferry does not go daily. Currently, because of corona measures, it is not running at all.
If the ferry is not running, you will follow an alternative route.

Category A and B: Hotel Mauritz

Day 5: Willemstad - Schuddebeurs, 31 mi. (50 km)  
Today you will enter Zeeland, a province of the Netherlands marked by light, wind, water, and space. It is made up of islands so bridges and ferries will be carrying you across the waters as you drift down towards Belgium. Picture-book towns with ancient houses and cobbled streets line the banks. Traverse a patchwork landscape of vast polders, idyllic countryside, rolling dunes and golden sand flats.

Category A and Category B: Hostellerie Schuddebeurs

Day 6: Schuddebeurs – Middelburg/Vlissingen, 26 mi. (42 km) 
A stroll down the narrow streets of Zierikzee is an absolute delight. Quaint little old houses take you back in time to the town's glory days when ships set sail to sell salt, wool, fish, grain, and red dye as far afield as the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Your route continues to the charming village of Veere. From 1541, everything that was exported to Holland from Scotland (mainly wool) came ashore in and was distributed from Veere. This contract brought the town not only prosperity but also a very lively Scottish expat community that stayed for 300 years. Walk in their footsteps as you take a tour of the sights. Cruising further south, you will discover the nostalgic splendor of the city of Middelburg, the capital of Zeeland. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the most important centers of trade in the Netherlands.

Category A: Hotel Loskade 45
Category B: Hotel Piccard

Day 7: Middelburg/Vlissingen - Bruges, 41 mi. (66 km)  
After a hearty breakfast, hop on a ferry boat (the ferry crossing from Vlissingen to Breskens must be reserved online in advance via https://www.westerscheldeferry.nl )to Zeelandic Flanders with its winding country roads, pollard willows, wet meadows, and scattered villages. Having crossed the border into Belgium, you will reach the charming little town of Damme on the banks of the romantic Damse Vaart. From here, it’s only a short stretch to Bruges, known as the pearl of Flanders! It’s a truly enchanting town that has been welcoming tourists for about 150 years. With most of its medieval architecture intact, it remains exceptionally well preserved and can really give you a sense of times gone by when it was at the center of the European wool and cloth trade. 

Category A and B: Velotel.

It is possible to upgrade to  NH, Bruges (see pricing) but please note if you choose to upgrade and have chosen the Dinner Included option, this cannot be provided on this night. Discount will be applied if you have chosen the Dinner Included option.

Day 8: Departure  

9 day

Day 1:  Arrival in Amsterdam    
Day 2:  Amsterdam - Woerden,  31 mi. (49 km)

The hotel used for both Category A and Category B in Woerden is the Best Western Hotel.

Day 3:  Woerden  -  Gouda, 27 mi. (43 km) 
Day 4:  Gouda - Papendrecht/Dordrecht, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 5: Papendrecht/Dordrecht - Willemstad, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 6: Willemstad - Scheddebeurs/Zierikzee, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 7:  Schuddebeurs/Zierikzee – Vlissingen/Middelburg, 36 mi. (57 km)  
Day 8:  Middelburg/Vlissingen - Bruges, 38 mi. (61 km)  
Day 9:  Departure  

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You have the choice of two levels of accommodations for this tour.
Category A: Consists of four 4 star and three 3 star establishments.
Category B: Consists of five 3 star and two 4 star establishments.
On each day’s detailed itinerary you will find the name of the preferred hotel listed. If the hotel listed is not available, a hotel of equal standard will be offered.

Bicycles

City Touring Bike

City touring bike, ideal for an upright but relaxed riding position. View a video tour here.

• Aluminum frame
• Upright handlebar (adjustable)
• 24 speed
• Flat pedal (pedals can be changed for personal pedals but clients must bring their own tools and put original pedals back on after use!)
• Mechanical V brakes
• Rear rack
• Mudguards
• 28-inch wheels
• Schwalbe marathon plus anti-puncture tire
• Equipped with QR code for scanning with your smart device
• Adjustable saddles

Water bottle holder cannot be guaranteed on all bikes.

Electric Bike

Batavus Fuse E-go

• Stable frame with low entry, developed in collaboration with TU Delft
• 27 kg
• Upright handlebar (adjustable)
• Selle Royal Saddle
• 10-speed pedelec with Deore gearing
• Four levels of pedal assist
• Integrated battery (capacity of up to 625W) and Bosch mid-engine
• Aerflow light
• Hydraulic disc brakes
• Rear rack
• Mudguards
• 28-inch wheels

Experience with e-bikes is recommended, as the bikes accelerate faster and are heavier than regular bikes because of the electric engine.

Premium Sporty Trekking Bike

Koga Grand Tourer sporty trekking bike (or similar)

• Aluminum frame (lighter than the City Touring Bike at +/- 15 kg)
• Sportier riding position
• 27 speed (high-quality Shimano Deore)
• Flat pedal (pedals can be changed for personal pedals but clients must bring their own tools and put original pedals back on after use!)
• Disc brakes (Madura hydraulic)
• Selle Italia saddle
• Rear rack
• Mudguards
• 28-inch wheels
• Schwalbe marathon plus anti-puncture tire
• Equipped with QR code for scanning with your smart device

Road Bike

Montreal 74 Eddy Merckx or Blockhaus 67 Eddy Merckx

• Premium aluminum frame
• Racier riding position
• Dropdown handlebars
• Flat pedals (pedals can be changed for personal pedals but clients must bring their own tools and put original pedals back on after use!)
• Shimano Tiagra gearing
• Shimano Dura-Ace brakes
• Prologo Kapa saddle
• Continental Ultra Sport II 25 mm tires

Tandem

Victoria Spezial 8.7 tandem (limited number are available)

• Frame size is 48 cm
• Weight is 28 kg
• Flat handlebars
• Flat pedals (pedals can be changed for personal pedals but clients must bring their own tools and put original pedals back on after use!)
• 28-inch wheels
• 24 speed Shimano RD-T4000 or Nuvinci gearing
• Magura HS 11 brakes
• Schwalbe marathon plus anti-puncture tire

Family tandems (7-speed) are also available in limited number. Recommended for one adult and one child with a minimum body height of 125 cm.

Child’s Bike

Heer Road or Oxford child's bikes

• For children that are at least 125 cm and maximum height of 155 cm
• 24 or 26 inch
• 7 speed
• Hand brakes
• Rear racks

For children up to 30 months old (max. 15 KG) it is possible to rent a front child seat. This is not possible with e-bikes, due to the display.

For children older than 30 months (max. 22KG) it is possible to rent a rear child seat. This is also possible with e-bikes.

Child trailers (XLC Duo 2) can be rented for a maximum of two children who are up to 100 cm (max. 35 KG in total).

Child trailers are not possible in combination with e-bikes.

Accessories

Included accessories on touring, hybrid, and electric bikes:

Front and rear lights
Defender lock with plug-in chain
Quick-release to adjust height of handlebars and saddle
Small puncture repair kit
One pannier

• Height: 42 cm
• Depth front to the side: 17 cm
• Wide top: 32 cm
• Wide down: 23 cm
• Easy click-on/click-off system

Supplemental accessories:

• Helmet
• Pre-loaded GPS device