| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Self Guided |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 5 days |
| From | €380 Rates |
| Client Reviews |
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Tour Dates
Arrival possible any day in 2016
Please note: the hotel will be closed for maintenance from June 26 to July 4 and September 25 to September 30, 2016
Skill Level
Easy, self-guided, hotel-based tour on quiet roads and also on the European cycle route network (EuroVelo). Days can easily be shortened using the sign post system.
Day-To-Day Itinerary
This is a 5 day, hotel based tour. There are 4 fantastic cycle tours to choose from making use of the easy to navigate cycle route network around Bruges.
- Along the Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland; to the beach and back along the canals, 29 mi. (48 km)
- Castle Hunt, 36 mi. (57 km)
- Polders and picturesque villages, 28 mi. (44 km)
- Land of the Counts, forest of Bulskamp, 33 mi. (54 km)
Here is a suggested itinerary but you can decide your own itinerary from the routes provided. For example you might want to incorporate a rest day or to organize the order of your days differently. You can even shorten your days to accommodate young children
Ride 1 : Along the Napolean Canal to Damme and over the board to Holland; to the beach and back along the canals, 29 mi. (48 km)
Today you could enjoy a route alongside canals through the picturesque village of Damme and on to the town of Knokke at the seaside. Due to its rich history and many things worth seeing, Damme is a popular tourist center. Popular, but fortunately not too crowded. Damme is renowned for its cuisine and lately has come to be known for the place to buy old (and new) books. Afterward, you cycle along the Napoleon canal towards the Siphon and over the border to Sluis. The town of Sluis was almost completely destroyed in 1944 and the Dutch rebuilt the city. Sluis too is know for its cuisine. The route continues along the polders to the National Park of "t Zwin with its Stork Colony. A little further near the beach you find the posh city of Knokke Zoute. As you continue to cycle the beach to Duinbergen, you will enjoy the North Sea. Back to Bruges after your tour.
Ride 2 : Castle hunt, 36 mi. ( 57 km)
This tour heads south towards the Tillegem forest and Castle and the Wijnendale Castle. These castles are both surrounded by water and in a wonderful setting. During your trip you will see many beautiful houses You return by passing Beisbroek forest and castle with Planetarium and nature education center and Tudor Castle with herb garden. (this ride is not suggested for Mondays)
Ride 3 : Polders and picturesque villages, 28 mi. (44 km)
This ride will take you through the picturesque village of Lissewage and the beautiful seaside towns of De Haan and Blankenberge, cycling between the sea and the dunes. Time in Lissewege seems to move a bit slower than elsewhere. With its picturesque canal, whitewashed polder houses and extensive fields and meadows, this polder village is a classic example of how every Flemish village once looked: lively, charming and a touch nostalgic. A visit to De Haan is like a return to the 'Belle Epoque' of the turn of the century. The name De Haan means literally 'The Rooster'. According to a legend the village got this name because a rooster rescued a group of stranded fishermen. His crowing guided them to this safe place. Legends aside, De Haan is small, but beautiful. Its most famous resident was Albert Einstein, who lived there for six months in 1933 after leaving Nazi Germany.
Ride 4 : Land of the Counts, forest of Bulskamp, 33 mi. (54 km)
Perhaps this ride could be used as a day to familiarize yourself with your bike and to explore the parks and nature reserve area around Bulskampveld Castle near Beernem. The scenery and beauty surrounding the area of the castle served as a source of inspiration for its design. Leaving Bruges through the green suburb of Assebroek into the historic land of the counts of Flanders to Maldegem, you will pass the East Flanders border. You make your way back to Bruges along the canal Ghent – Brugge and its
Departure from Bruges
You might decide to stay an extra day or two to explore Bruges even more. Bruges incredibly well-preserved medieval architecture makes it one of the most exciting tourist attractions in Europe. Besides architecture, sites to see include several museums. First is the Groeninge Museum, with six centuries of paintings from different styles, including works by Jan van Eyck, a Flemish Primitive painter. The Memling museum is also not to be missed, with the wooden Shrine of St. Ursula. Also, the only work of art by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime, can be seen in the Church of our Lady. Of course a visit to Bruges wouldn’t be complete without a canal or carriage ride, sampling the chocolates and waffles, shopping for craft work including Bruges famous lace, visiting art galleries, climbing the belfry or trying several of the more than 350 available Belgian beers.
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Pricing Information
3 * Hotel Fevery: $ 546 £ 319 $ 546 € 380 $ 583 kr 3121 kr 3121 CHF 416 $ 437
4 * Bed and Breakfast Bariseele (double or single room): $ 628 £ 367 $ 628 € 437 $ 670 kr 3590 kr 3590 CHF 479 $ 503
Single room: On request
City tax per person/night (payable on arrival): $ 3 £ 2 $ 3 € 2 $ 3 kr 17 kr 17 CHF 2 $ 2
extra options
Extra nights (not including bike rental)
3 * Hotel Fevery: per person/night: $ 79 £ 46 $ 79 € 55 $ 84 kr 452 kr 452 CHF 60 $ 63
4 * Bed and Breakfast Bariseele: $ 89 £ 52 $ 89 € 62 $ 95 kr 509 kr 509 CHF 68 $ 71
Extra day bike rental: $ 16 £ 9 $ 16 € 11 $ 17 kr 90 kr 90 CHF 12 $ 13
please note
Rates are based on double occupancy.
Information to read before you book.
Travel Details
Travel
Fly to Amsterdam or to Brussels International Airport.
Local Travel
The Brussels Airport train station is located under the airport building at level -1. The train ride from the airport to Bruges is about 1 1/2 hours and requires one changeover.From Amsterdam airport, take the train to Bruges, about a 3 hour ride depending on connections.
Climate
Although this tour is available year round, the following average high/low temperatures are for the months April through October in °F. Please check local conditions before arrival; April 51/44°, May 58/49°, June 63/54°, July 66/58°, August 68/59°, September 64/55° and October 58/51°
Tour Operator
This tour is operated by Pack and Pedal Europe. We do not run these tours ourselves, we never have. We work from the commission the European tour operators offer us plus a small administration fee of €20. We pride ourselves on the strong working relationship we have with all our tour operators and the services we provide.
see also
West Flanders & Bruges Belgium Every Saturday from April 30 to September 17, … From romantic rural landscapes and rustic farming villages to bustling town centers and gastronomic delights, this bike tour in Belgium, through characteristic …
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Self Guided |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 8 days |
| From | €580 |
Brussels to Bruges Belgium Every Saturday from April 30 to September 17, … The scenic Flanders region and pulsating city of Brussels make for a great cycling adventure! The two are filled with multicultural charm that includes …
| Tour | Bike |
|---|---|
| Type | Self Guided |
| Skill | Easy |
| Length | 7 days |
| From | €584 |
Customer Feedback
Beverly Allen 10 months ago
Biking in Belgium was wonderful.
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Alan Searle 10 months ago
One of the most fun vacations we have ever had. It was the right combination of new company, personal time, activity and interest. We'll do it again.
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Martin Bay 2 years ago
We are really impressed and will give all our friends top ratings on Brugge.
Great things to say about the hotel and the area. June is cool weather - bring jacket & light rain gear, but just expect to get a little wet every day and you won't be disappointed.
Paul and Mannie are great. One runs the hotel and one the B&B. They are very helpful and good people. There are not real "rides". You get a map, you ask questions and you go ride. It's just not that specific. A total beginner needs a little more hand-holding. Nancy & I did not.
Breakfast is filling & tasty. Cereal, juice, coffee (more American than most of the places in Belgium), toast, cheese, ham (really good ham), and a soft boiled egg every day. Plus yogurt, fruit, jams/jellies, and always something sweet like a cookie/chocolate. And an apple, kiwi, or banana to go.
You don't need to eat again until 2pm.
It stays light until 10:30, so you end up eating late.
Mondays & Thursdays pose the most challenge with eating out. And you have to venture outside the cirucular canal to find groceries who sell you sandwiches and trinkets at normal prices. Everything inside the canal is triple price.
All chocolate shops are good. Dumon is excellent because they are more creative and they put more thought into their display.
The cobblestones get a little old after awhile, but the bikes have spring seats and low-air tires so it's not too bad. Ride a road bike through the town at your own risk. :-)
Be prepared for wind. We were so surprised at the cooler June temps; very pleasant. A light jacket and a rain-proof attitude is all you need.
The hotel internet logs you off constantly, so every 30 min or so you have to log back on, but otherwise is very solid. I had good VPN all the time, so I could check work emails.
The B&B is larger rooms, with larger showers. If you are over 200 lbs, you get a little cramped in the hotel showers. But otherwise, the hotel is great value It's in a quiet area, and yet only minutes walking or riding to all the touristy things.
I'd Recommend the Groeninge Museum for art collection. It's fascinating and all the works are in top shape.
The Diamont Museum is a must is you have any interest at all in diamonds. The demonstration for an extra 3 euros each was well worth it.
And the restaurant across the street (forgot the name) is great value and offers free wifi.
There is no common language. You may hear Dutch, German, French or English spoken at any store. But everyone has enough English to get by. Paul says he can sell a room in 6 different languages. :-)
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Kimberley White 2 years ago
Our cycle trip to beautiful, medieval Brugges was exceptional. The routes were picturesque and diverse; small castles, forests, canals, sea views, beautiful farmland and interesting architecture.The bike paths are amazing, easy to follow and extensive . Our rental bikes were new, well-maintained and suitable for any level rider. Hotel Fevery was very comfortable and quaint; we especially enjoyed our hosts', Paul and Benny, who had many suggestions and helpful hints for our daily rides. Breakfast was super and filling with cheeses, meats, baskets of bakery fresh breads, and market fresh fruit.
Because the terrain is so flat and easy to cycle we recommend this bike trip to anyone who is just starting out on their quest to tour Europe by bike.
Ian and Kim White, Canada
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chris kopet 4 years ago
We had visited Bruges previously and wanted to return to this beautiful charming place. The routes took us in all 4 directions from the city; each was interesting and beautiful. We loved the B&B stay.
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Anne Millar 4 years ago
We really enjoyed the tour. This was our first time cycling in Europe and we are eagerly anticipating our next. We liked the flexibility of self-guided. The hotel was great and we loved Bruges!
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