Day-To-Day Itinerary
8-day tour
Day 1: Arrival in Bruges
Day 2: Bruges - Middleburg/Vlissingen, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 3: Middleburg/Vlissingen - Schuddebeurs, 36 mi. (57 km)
Day 4: Schuddebeurs - Willemstad, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 5: Willemstad - Papendrecht, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 6: Papendrecht - Gouda, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 7: Gouda - Amsterdam, 50 mi. (80 km)
Day 8: Departure
*All distances are approximate.
Day 1: Arrival in Bruges
Bruges is known as the pearl of Flanders. It is truly an 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.
Day 2: Bruges - Middelburg/Vlissingen, 38 mi. (61 km)
After a hearty breakfast, hit the tracks and pedal to the charming little town of Damme on the banks of the Damse Vaart. Then continue to the border and enter Zeeland, a Dutch province marked by light, wind, water, and lots of space. It is mostly made up of islands so bridges and ferries will be taking you across the waters as you drift northeast. Picture-book towns with ancient houses and cobbled streets But first you will pass through Zeelandic Flanders with its winding country roads, pollard willows, wet meadows and scattered villages. Your hotel for the evening is located in Middelburg however, it is possible to book an upgraded hotel in the coastline town of Vlissingen for a supplement.
Day 3: Middelburg/Vlissingen - Schuddebeurs, 36 mi. (57 km)
Today you will discover the nostalgic splendor of the city of Middelburg. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the most important centers of trade in the Netherlands. Next on the agenda is the charming village of Veere. From 1541 everything that was exported to Holland from Scotland (mainly wool) came ashore 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. A wander down the narrow streets of Zierikzee is an absolute delight. Quaint old houses take you back in time to the town's glory days when ships set sail for the Baltic and Mediterranean to sell salt, wool, fish, grain, and red dye.
Day 4: Schuddebeurs - Willemstad, 31 mi. (50 km)
Today, your last day in Zeeland, you will traverse a patchwork landscape of vast polders, idyllic countryside, rolling dunes and golden sand flats. Your day will end in Willemstad, a fortified town shaped like a seven-point star.
Day 5: Willemstad - Papendrecht, 38 mi. (61 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 riverlets encompassing countless little islands of willow woods and reeds, a paradise for birds. Pedalling 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 counts over a thousand historical buildings and three nostalgic canals. The hotel is in Papendrecht, but if you like to stay in Dordrecht this is possible, you can upgrade to ****Hotel Bellevue Groothoofd, right in the old center and on the crossroads of 2 major rivers.
Day 6: Papendrecht - Gouda, 33 mi. (53 km)
Today's route leads to the village of Kinderdijk where nineteen majestic windmills present a unique sight. They were used to drain excess water out of the low-lying polder up into the River Lek. As you ride your bike towards Gouda, cruising at about two meters below sea level, enjoy pastoral countryside and wonderful cloudscapes. For centuries, people flocked from far and wide to buy horses, cows, meat, turf, seed, cheese etc., at weekly and annual markets in Gouda. We recommend a stroll around the old part of town to soak up the yesteryear atmosphere. Walk all the way around St. John’s church and the market square boasting a 15th-century town hall and a Weighing House (“Waag”).
Day 7: Gouda - Amsterdam, 50 mi. (80 km)
Plunge into the “Groene Hart” (green heart), a pleasant rural area of low-lying polders with peat meadows and grazing cattle. It’s a flat, open, spacious landscape where church spires and windmills touch the horizon and clouds are reflected in lakes and canals. Your bicycle holiday ends in Amsterdam, famous for its gorgeous 400-year-old canal district. This city is brimming with things to see and do. As always, street artists and performers draw crowds on Dam, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein. A new attraction is “Het Grachtenhuis” (Museum of the Canals). You'll also want to visit the newly renovated Rijksmuseum and Maritime Museum?
**If this day is too long for you, you can actually change the itinerary and spend an overnight in Woerden (43 km) and then continue on to Amsterdam (49 km). See short itinerary below.
Day 8: Departure
End of tour, after breakfast.
9-day tour
Day 1: Arrival in Bruges
Day 2: Bruges - Middleburg/Vlissingen, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 3: Middleburg/Vlissingen - Schuddebeurs, 36 mi. (57 km)
Day 4: Schuddebeurs - Willemstad, 31 mi. (50 km)
Day 5: Willemstad - Papendrecht, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 6: Papendrecht - Gouda, 33 mi. (53 km)
Day 7: Gouda - Woerden, 27 mi. (43 km)
Day 8: Woerden - Amsterdam, 31 mi. (49 km)
Day 9: Departure
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Travel Details
This tour is run by Dutch Bike Tours.
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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Tour Reviews
Debora Z. 3 months ago Verified Reviewer
This was a great trip even though we had a far amount of rain. We enjoyed the challenge. So many memories. Going thru the Dutch country side and how clean and neat all the houses looked. Out in the middle of nowhere in a field a cow was giving birth to two calf's. My husband and I were self guided and we had fun finding all the little water crossing. Riding into Amsterdam on our last day was intense but now I feel I can ride anywhere. All our accommodations were unique and wonderful. This was our second trip with Trip site. Thank you.
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Zachary S. 3 months ago Verified Reviewer
Most memorable is simply the experience of riding through beautiful countryside and getting a feel for the landscape, towns, farms, etc. One suggestion for others/the trip planners - we loved all of it but would have enjoyed a layover day now and then to really explore a particular city or area (like Gouda). Overall, fantastic trip and well organized.
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Ann H. 6 months ago Verified Reviewer
It was truly wonderful to see the countryside and bike through the small towns.
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Sarah L. 6 months ago Verified Reviewer
This was a fantastic trip. The combo of GPS and descriptions helped us get to our next stop. We saw and did things off the beaten path. It was great!
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Jim C. 12 months ago Verified Reviewer
Meeting the native people from the Netherlands and Belgium. Meeting other cyclists on the tour routes.
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Jon T. 1 year ago Verified Reviewer
Middelburg was the highlight for us - the town, our hotel, and the surrounding countryside were beautiful. Overall we had a great time on our bike trip. A few details:
- I had to reschedule our trip after initially booking. Tripsite staff were super helpful and I was relieved at how easy rebooking was.
- Our bikes didn't come with waterproof panniers, GPS, or a repair kit as promised. We got the repair kit and GPS at our third hotel but were bummed we never got the panniers
- Our original itinerary had a mistake that had us riding 100km miles the first day and 10km the second day. It was fixed after we pointed out the issue.
- The route was very pleasant and well-paced.
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Darren T. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
The most memorable part: The views and experiences we shared together as we ride along.
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Jann H. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
The most memorable part was biking into Schuddebeurs in Holland after a long but beautiful day of cycling to discover we were staying in the most beautiful inn in a lovely village setting.
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Patricia M. 3 years ago Verified Reviewer
Loved the trip. GPS wasn't dependable all the time, especially in Amsterdam.
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Michelle C 4 years ago Verified Reviewer
This was our first bike tour (second for the two other couples in our party) and we truly enjoyed it. It was a good amount of daily biking, a mostly flat ride, with nice places to stop along the way. We liked all of the hotels - though two could have been more conveniently located in town - and the breakfasts were always great. We made use of the printed directions, maps, bike route number system, and GPS to find our way - each system seemed to work better at different points of the journey. There were a couple mix-ups with missing or misplaced signage on the bike route, but other than that, things went smoothly. We've posted pictures and more info about our trip at http://intentionaltravelers.com/4-reasons-self-guided-bike-tour/ . Thanks for a great trip!
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