The Best of Holland and Belgium: Amsterdam to Bruges by Bike and Barge

Day 1: Amsterdam – Vianen
After boarding your floating home in Amsterdam harbour, you will set sail along the waterways to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek. Here you will receive your bicycle and enjoy a gentle first ride through the surrounding countryside.

Day 2: Vianen – Schoonhoven – Kinderdijk – Dordrecht (56 km)
You will cycle through the green heart of the Alblasserwaard to Schoonhoven, the "Silver City" renowned for its silversmiths since the 17th century. The day's crowning moment awaits at Kinderdijk, where 19 UNESCO-listed windmills stand in an iconic row — you will have the chance to step inside one and see how these remarkable machines once kept the low-lying polder dry. A fast ferry across the Merwede will carry you to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland.

Day 3: Dordrecht – Tholen – Antwerp (20 km or 36 km)
While you enjoy breakfast on board, the barge sails to Tholen. From there you will pedal through the atmospheric Wouwse Plantage forest and past the impressive Kreekrak lock before rejoining the ship for the sail into Antwerp. The city of diamonds, Renaissance facades and the medieval Steen Castle awaits — explore the Grote Markt and the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral before dinner on board.

Day 4: Antwerp – Dendermonde (48 km or 64 km)
A beautiful cycle path hugs the tidal Schelde River as you leave Antwerp behind. The landscape here is magnificent — wide water meadows, quiet villages and the slow rhythm of the tides accompanying you all the way to Dendermonde, a friendly town at the junction of the Dender and Schelde rivers.

Day 5: Dendermonde – Ghent (52 km)
The Schelde continues to guide you to Ghent, a lively university city with a staggering legacy of medieval architecture. Once the second-largest city in Europe after Paris, Ghent still commands attention with its Opera House, 18 museums, over 100 churches and the world-famous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Jan van Eyck in St. Bavo Cathedral.

Day 6: Ghent – Bruges (45 km)
You will ride through the gentle Flemish countryside of western Flanders into Bruges, widely known as the "Venice of the North." The UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic centre is one of Europe's best-preserved medieval settlements, its Gothic buildings woven seamlessly into the living fabric of the city. This evening is yours to discover Bruges' restaurants on your own.

Day 7: Tour around Bruges to the North Sea (38 km or 51 km)
Your final day of cycling follows a quiet canal past poplar trees and through an attractive polder landscape to the North Sea coast. You will have the chance to swim, stroll along sandy beaches and take in the dune scenery before returning to Bruges along a picturesque waterside path.

Day 8: Bruges
Disembarkation after breakfast. End of your tour.