From: $1,420 USD
Two famous cities in Belgium and the Netherlands are the first and last stops on this fascinating Bike and Boat holiday. You will enjoy Bruges, one of the most beautiful, historic cities of Belgium, and Amsterdam, the architecturally and culturally wonderful capital of the Netherlands. You will also visit the architecturally and cultural wonderful Antwerp, where you can visit the famous Rubens House, and Utrecht in Holland. You will notice subtle differences between the green Dutch polder landscape with water aplenty, quiet roads, and villages, the old island world of Zeeland with fields, creeks, winding dikes and dams, and the picturesque but drier countryside between the Flemish cities of Ghent and Bruges in Belgium. These two Belgian cities experienced their golden age long before the emergence of the Dutch as a mercantile powerhouse. The mighty rivers in this part of the Netherlands and Belgium are prominent features along the route, and you will be mesmerized by the Netherlands’ own world wonder, the Delta Works, which bear witness to Holland’s on-going battle against the sea
REVERSE ROUTE: Amsterdam Gouda Bruges
When you arrive on board the ship in Bruges between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. you can put your luggage away in your cabin and then enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It’s also a good moment to become acquainted with the guide, skipper, and crew – and of course your fellow passengers. Very soon we will head away from the city walls of Bruges for a trip to Ghent. We will mostly follow the canal between Bruges and Ghent to Aalterbrug, which offers a beautiful, peaceful cycle route with an unexpected variety of experiences.
After dinner we will have time to discover the character of the old city center of Ghent, easily reached from our berth. Ghent was a major trading center during the Middle Ages and still one of Flanders’ most important cities today. Its origins lie in Roman times, at the junction of the Leie and Schelde Rivers. The city center has many surprisingly well-preserved patrician mansions and architecturally delightful civic and commercial buildings. Especially noteworthy is the impressive St. Baafs Cathedral, built over various periods in a variety of styles. In the cathedral you can admire a number of masterpieces of medieval painting, including the renowned ‘Adoration of the Lamb’ by Jan van Eyck.
Today we will have the day at our free disposal. The city of Ghent is proud of its rich past, the many well-preserved guild’s and patricians’ houses as well as old warehouses, Gravensteen (a mediaeval castle), St Nicholas Church (with 13th century foundations), St Bavo’s Cathedral and the ‘Belfort’ (Belfry;14th century). But Ghent is much more than just a museum town. This lively city with its numerous squares and cosy pubs is an excellent mixture of mediaeval edifices, stylish shopping streets, splendid mansions, working-class quarters from the beginning of the 20th century which now often house students and busy little squares where people eat out till the wee hours on a sultry summer night.
You can also choose to go on an optional ride with your guide. The castles and luxurious villas in and around Destelbergen, at a stone’s throw from Ghent, are silent witnesses of the rich history of this municipality along the banks of the river Scheldt.
Today we will leave Belgium and arrive in the Netherlands. During breakfast we will sail to Sas van Gent and cycle through Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (Dutch-Flanders). With a short ferry trip from Breskens to Vlissingen (Flushing) you cross the Westerschelde. From Vlissingen it’s just 30 minutes cycling to Middelbrug, the capital of Zeeland.
Modern Middelburg has preserved and regained much of its historic and picturesque character. There are lavish 17th and 18th century merchant houses and storehouses standing along canals. The medieval abbey is still in use today, as a museum and as the seat of the provincial government.
First we will ride to the town of Veere, formerly an important trading place. From Veere we will cycle over the Veersgat- dam (here you have the possibility of a beach visit) to North Beveland. Soon we will reach the Oosterscheldedam. The enormous locks are built in this embankment and can be closed during storms and high tides protecting the south-west of the Netherlands against the sea. This embankment was one of the last in a series of barriers against the sea. When cycling along the embankment, one will realize why this has been one of the most difficult and costly challenges to protect the country now and in the future and to let seawater into the widespread Delta area. It is precisely why the Deltaworks are referred to as the one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. After this dam we will peddle to Zierikzee.
A nice ride on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland is on the program. We cycle to the village Bruinisse, known for it’s very isolated community. The main source of income is the mussel fishery, on the dike to the Grevelingen you will find a statue of an opened mussels. In the afternoon we will ride on to Willemstad (an old fortified town) where we meet the barge. Sailing to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities of Holland and located at the crossroads of busy waterways
From Gorinchem we will visit Woudrichem (an old fortified town) and the castle Loevestein, the most famous castle in the Netherlands. After our visit we follow the meandering river Linge through the Betuwe. This area is known for the large amount of orchards and therefore will be covered with blossoms in May. Along the city of Leerdam, famous for its glass, we continue our tour in northern direction towards Vianen.
During breakfast we will sail on the river Vecht to Breukelen (the U.S. Brooklyn is named after this quaint village). From here we’ll bike along the river banks, admiring handsome mansions on our final ride back to Amsterdam. After arriving in Holland’s capital city and returning your bike, you can rest or perhaps visit the town center, which is close by. Amsterdam began as a simple village at the mouth of the River Amstel but expanded rapidly with its famous rings of canals during its Golden Age. The palace on the Dam Square is sometimes called the 8th Wonder of the World because it’s built on 13,659 wooden piles. Amsterdam as we know it today is a cosmopolitan city with 40 museums, close to one million inhabitants, and a thriving economy. In the evening you might like to take a sightseeing round trip on a lively Dutch canal boat.
Our tour concludes in Amsterdam, near the Central Station, after breakfast. Departure is before 10 a.m.
Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full
Prices are per person in US Dollars – inclusive bike rental
Departure | Barge | Twin | Superior | Triple | Single use | |
May 16 | Sailing Home | $ 1,890 | $ 2,680 | |||
May 23 | Wending | $ 1,660 | $ 1,560 | $ 2,070 | ||
May 30 | Sailing Home | $ 1,890 | $ 2,680 | |||
June 13 | Sailing Home | $ 1,890 | $ 2,680 | |||
June 20 | Liza Marleen | $ 1,810 | $ 2,080 | $ 1,680 | $ 2,550 | |
June 27 | Sailing Home | $ 1,710 | $ 2,420 | |||
July 11 | Sailing Home | $ 1,710 | $ 2,420 | |||
July 18 | Wending | $ 1,510 | $ 1,420 | $ 1,880 | ||
July 25 | Sailing Home | $ 1,710 | $ 2,420 | |||
August 8 | Sailing Home | $ 1,710 | $ 2,420 | |||
August 15 | Wending | $ 1,660 | $ 1,560 | $ 2,070 | ||
August 22 | Sailing Home | $ 1,890 | $ 2,680 | |||
August 29 | Wending | $ 1,660 | $ 1,560 | $ 2,070 | ||
September 5 | Sailing Home | $ 2,060 | $ 2,890 | |||
September 12 | Wending | $ 1,790 | $ 1,690 | $ 2,230 | ||
September 19 | Sailing Home | $ 2,060 | $ 2,890 | |||
September 26 | Liza Marleen | $ 1,810 | $ 2,080 | $ 1,680 | $ 2,550 | |
September 26 | Wending | $ 1,660 | $ 1,560 | $ 2,070 | ||
October 3 | Sailing Home | $ 1,890 | $ 2,680 | |||
October 17 | Sailing Home | $ 1,710 | $ 2,420 |
The accommodations listed below are examples of those usually used on the tour. Depending on availability, you may be booked in a different accommodation of equal quality.
Van Gogh Tours
Hoorn, The Netherlands
+1(781)646-0096
Office hours 9 am – 5 pm EST
vangogh@vangoghtours.com
A well maintained, comfortable 24-speed hybrid bicycle is available free of charge for each participant. Men and women’s models are available in sizes appropriate to your height. The bikes come with helmets, grip shifters, hand brakes, carrier bag, lock, repair kit, water bottle holders, water bottle, and bike insurance. Electric bikes can be rented for this tour ($130 per person).We advise you only to rent an electric bike if you have first tried one at home. They’re heavier than regular bikes and therefore can be difficult to maneuver. In addition, you can rent children’s bikes, child seats, bike trailers, and tag-alongs.
The cook prepares all meals: a substantial breakfast and a three-course dinner of very good quality. A packed lunch may be prepared after breakfast. Tea and coffee will be ready when you arrive on board in the afternoon. There’s a bar on board with reasonably-priced beer, wine, and soft drinks. If you have special meal requirements, please mention this when booking. In the case of a Vegan/gluten-free and lactose free diet there is an additional charge of $85 per week.