5 Star Belgium Tour Reviews — 481 to 510 of 805

"Taking a vacation aboard the new Magnifique III is a ""must do"" for cyclists in Europe. We received a warm welcome as soon as we arrived and we were invited to a walking tour of Brussels by our guide on the first day. When we returned to the ship for dinner, we were introduced to an amazing team of individuals who went out of their way to ensure our vacation experience was outstanding. The chef announced the menu enthusiastically each evening which we followed with applause as our palates drooled in anticipation. We were never disappointed as the dinners were fantastic. We even had a barbecue on the deck, one evening, with a tasty selection of chicken, sausage, steak, or shrimp available to us.
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 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.  SHOW MORE 

I broke my wrist while half way through the trip. Everyone was very kind and supported me to make sure I was included in most activities.

Bike riding in Europe has been on my 'Bucket List' for many years and experiencing the Bike and Barge Tour on the Magnifique from Amsterdam to Bruges was perfect. The itinerary was varied and picturesque; things you never see when you go on typical tours of European countries. The bikes were comfortable and the rides offered the right amount of challenge for my first experience riding in Europe. The Barge was like a 5 star accommodation in your cabins and the common areas were perfect for relaxing and mingling with fellow travelers. The crew and guides Fred and Corrie were friendly, sincerely interested in you as a person, knowledgeable and very hard working. The food was delicious. I still marvel at how the chef prepared such high class meals in a small space and it was served to 30 passengers hot so we could all eat at the same time. I would recommend a Bike and Barge tour to anyone who wants to see Europe in a personal way. If I was to give a tip to people looking to ride a bike in Europe it would be not to be apprehensive about whether you can manage the rides as they are paced with the right amount of breaks. Practice riding at home so you are comfortable on a bike and ride safely. I am already looking to book another tour through Tripsite on a Bike and Barge. Thanks for a spectacular time.

Number of people was just right. Excellent choice for routes each day and enjoyed the end of day walks into the beautiful cities.

We truly enjoyed our barge, tour guides, barge staff and biking tour through the Netherlands and Belgium. The best way to see a country is through the back roads and trails. We will be back for another bike and barge trip!

Great trip, great barge, well organized, a list of fellow passengers for each cabin would have been helpful from the start
Keep in mind the MPS Zwaantje does provide hairdryers for each cabin, provides WiFi- a truly upscale barge.

The scenery - Bruges was like a storybook. The food - The chef on our barge went out of her way to accommodate my family’s vegan requirements, and she did it with style.

Great experience, highly recommend this trip. You have made us bike and barge travelers TIP: Bruges to Amsterdam is with the wind recommend this direction.

The crew of the Feniks, provided the most amazing experience. The food simple satisfying and enjoyable. Food fresh, tasty, and cooked well by the Nelje. Marius and Reinhold, provided amazing care of all our needs The accommodation small, efficient and clean. You always slept well. The guide Nina with her amazing knowledge showed us her secret places, backroads, canal paths, and bike paths. She encouraged all riders while challenging us beyond what we thought we could do. As a experience it exceeded my expectations. Looking for a different French/Belgium experience do this trip you never forget it. Will do another trip this way, and if possible on the Feniks...

The cycling, the food, and the crew were all amazing!!

Wow, such an amazing experience! Our tour was aboard the Zwaantje, traveling from Amsterdam to Bruges. I can not say enough about how fabulous the crew (Sam, Heather) and captain (Martijn) were. We also had an incredible chef (Frank), who spoiled us each day with amazing meals. We travelled with a barge full of friends and shared so many laughs a long the way. Our guide (Wieger) was very knowledgeable about every town we travelled through and was a pleasure to bike with each day. Such a wonderful way to see the countryside and experience the local charms of each city we visited. Loved our trip and we hope to experience another bike trip in the future. Zwaantje Bike and Barge Tour exceeded our expectations in every way.

Since we returned from our trip, a few of us have been discussing another bike and barge trip but sadly we are not sure we would go again simply because it could never be as good as the one we just took. The captain and crew of the Zwaantje were amazing, the food was a ten out of ten and our bike guide was fantastic. There is no way this trip could be improved upon.

We were lucky to be on board the beautiful boat Zwaantje. The Captain, Martin, our bike guide Weiger, 1st mate Sam, hostess Heather and cook extraordinaire Frank were absolutely the best you will ever get on a bike and barge trip. This small review does not do justice to the exceptional staff and food that was on this trip. All I can say is if you want a fantastic 5 star excursion of this kind, this is the boat to have it on. Again THANK-YOU to Captain Martin, bike guide Wieger, Heather, Sam, and the best cook in Europe, Frank for a once in a life time trip that my wife and I, along with the other 11 couples that we were with, will never forget. Trip of a life time!!

Martin and the crew of the Zwaantje made our trip unforgettable, the food and service far exceeded our expectations. Weigier, our guide was informative and made the rides a lot of fun. Highly recommend the Amsterdam to Bruges tour, especially on the Zwaantje. Look forward to trying one of your other tours.

The quality of life in both Holland and Belgium, what a difference from Spain!!!

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.

Enjoyed the accommodations, crew was great, and cycling was easy . Looking at another Bike & Barge adventure!

Most memorable part? All of it. Loved everything about it. Loved the cities and biking through the beautiful bike trails and seeing the countryside.

Loved the whole experience - the scenery, everything about the ship (comfort and food), and the people on the tour. The staff was outstanding the entire time. I had such a great time that I'll be doing another bike tour next year! This was my first, and the Magnifique II sets the bar so high that it'll be tough to meet, never mind beat, that! My suggestions are primarily around the bike itself, which could be better. It was really old and rusty in some places, and the gear indicator was so smudged that I couldn't tell which gear I was in. Also, was not convinced that the lowest gear on the bike was actually the lowest, as it felt harder than the 3rd gear on my bike. I had no previous experience with bikes with paddle brakes, so it took some getting used to, especially with starting and stopping, since I couldn't kick up the paddle on my starting foot to push off and mount. I'm very, very glad I brought my own saddle. I know the rental ones bothered at least one of the more experienced cyclists on the tour. Tripsite was not entirely helpful in this regard, and told me I'd have to bring my own tools to switch out the saddle. However, as I suspected, that was not necessary at all. The tour staff had the necessary tools and then some in order to make bike adjustments. I picked the direction (Bruges to Amsterdam) to avoid strong headwinds, and it mostly worked out. Did experience some, especially on the last day riding into Amsterdam. I trained for it, so it wasn't an issue. It bothered some of the folks, so you'd want to be prepared (or get an ebike). Finally, if you go during the rainy season, be prepared. We rode most of the 36 miles on the first day through rain, which was at times heavy, and had to sit out a thunderstorm for a while on another day. None of the above took away from the great trip I had. Just offering some tips for trip preparation and what to expect. I highly recommend this tour!

This was my first bike and barge trip and it won't be my last. The barge, staff and food were all excellent. The trail system in the Netherlands and Belgium was easy to follow and the countryside was beautiful. I'm ready to book my next trip.

I loved the biking through the country roads and the small towns that we stopped at were awesome!! This trip allowed us to visit and see places that the average tourist doesn't experience. Loved it!! Can't wait for another trip.

The staff on the barge were always very helpful and friendly.

Absolutely stress free opportunity to experience real heart of Netherlands and Belgium. Really enjoyed meeting new like-minded tripping companions.

My third trip booked through Tripsite.com and my third wonderful summer of biking! Three years ago, We traveled through Provence Villages. Last year through Slovenia and Croatia, and this year through Three Counties - Netherland, Belgium and Germany. We have LOVED each of these explorations: countrysides, villages, forests, inns, seasides, agriculture, architecture and delicacies. The days were never dull, they were not too difficult, they filled us with a sense of peace and joy. We completed our trip in Europe excited to dream of where our next Tripsite adventure might take us!

The staff on our Amsterdam to Bruges trip were all fantastic. Our cabin was a wonderful retreat at the end of the day. The cycling was easy even for someone who does not cycle. The one area where I could see some improvement was in the breakfast and lunch offerings. There was very little variety from day to day. Would have been nice to have some other options.

Amsterdam to Bruges July 2018. We loved the whole aspect of cycling to meet our barge (our floating hotel) at the end of each day. The accommodations on the Sailing Home were great and the barge is a handsome one. Staff were friendly and relaxed but attentive and personable. Our cycling guide Karline was very competent and kindly took us into almost every town each night for a walking tour. Her historical knowledge of the areas in the Netherlends and Belgium we visited were an unexpected bonus. The food was great on board and most enjoyable. I will definitely recommend this trip to others.

Our guide, Geert, would take us on an after dinner historical walking tour of each town where we were staying the night. Geert was extremely knowledgeable about every place we went. Between all we saw during the day while we were biking, and the after dinner walking tour, we learned so much! If Geert is your guide, don't miss a minute of his walks!

Really enjoyed the dedicated bike paths, the small villages/towns we stopped in for breaks. My only concern was the sometimes intermittent contact with the ship (cell service) and contingency plan should a participant become ill or injured or if the bike broke down.

The trip, from start to finish, far exceeded our expectations. We were welcomed aboard by a very lovely crew and shown to our cabin. Accommodations, while "cozy" were clean, attractive and storage spaces were very thoughtfully planned; it never felt claustrophobic. Meals were as good as any four star restaurant and my gluten free needs were met without any problems. I cannot say enough about the crew and our guides; they were outgoing, caring, accommodating and fun to be around. I can say as much for the guests. I felt as if I was with old friends (not just the "old friends" with which we were travelling.) The bikes were in good condition and guides made sure everyone had a bike to fit their size. The tour, scenery, quick visits to churches and castles, even the little unexpected things, like vending machines filled with chilled strawberries, remain fixed in my memory as the most special experiences. We were very lucky that the weather was perfect each day. The ride and short stops in beautiful little towns added to this wonderful trip, and our guides, Tom and Hilko made each stop interesting and fun. I could go on, but suffice it to say, this will not be our last trip with Tripsite!

The whole trip was fantastic. The food was amazing, staff was wonderful and the barge was comfortable and gorgeous. Bruges and Ghent were our favorite stops.