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

Day 1: Bruges (11 km)
You will board your floating home in Bruges harbour in the early afternoon. After a welcome meeting and bicycle fitting, a short ride through the flat countryside around the city will warm your legs for the week ahead. In the evening, the tour leader will walk you through the illuminated centre of this UNESCO-listed Flemish jewel — a city of lace, chocolate, and perfectly preserved medieval facades.

Day 2: Bruges – Ghent (57 km)
Your first full day in the saddle will take you east along the Ghent Canal, pedalling through the gentle Flemish landscape from one great medieval city to another. Ghent was once the second-largest city in Europe after Paris, and its architectural richness — over a hundred churches, eighteen museums, and the world-famous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Jan van Eyck — will reward an evening's exploration.

Day 3: Ghent – Dendermonde (40 km)
You will follow the tidal Schelde River downstream through a diverse landscape of water meadows and quiet villages. The day ends in Dendermonde, a friendly town at the confluence of the Dender and Schelde rivers, with a handsome town hall on a cosy square — the perfect setting for a Belgian beer.

Day 4: Dendermonde – Antwerp (48 km)
The Schelde will continue to guide you through the Temse region and the small village of Baasrode to Antwerp. This stretch of river held strategic importance for Romans, Vikings, the Spanish Empire, and Napoleon. Antwerp is a city of diamonds, Rubens, and Renaissance facades — explore the Grote Markt, the Cathedral, and the medieval Steen Castle. Tonight's dinner is yours to discover in one of the city's many restaurants.

Day 5: Antwerp – Tholen – Dordrecht (20 km)
While you enjoy breakfast, the barge will sail through the impressive Kreekrak lock system. You will cycle through the beautiful Wouwse Plantage forest to Tholen, once an island in the Zeeland waterways and still a picture-postcard village. Back on board, the barge will carry you through the Volkerak locks to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland. The tour leader will take you for an evening walk through its storied streets.

Day 6: Dordrecht – Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (57 km)
A fast ferry will carry you to Alblasserdam, where the day's cycling begins with the highlight of the route: the 19 UNESCO-listed windmills of Kinderdijk, standing in their iconic row above the low-lying polder. You will visit one from the inside to see how these remarkable 18th-century machines once kept Holland dry. From Kinderdijk, the route continues to Schoonhoven — the Silver City, renowned for its silversmiths since the 17th century — and on to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek.

Day 7: Vianen – Amsterdam (38 km)
During breakfast, the barge will cruise to Breukelen. Your final day of cycling follows the Vecht River through an area famous for its grand mansions, small castles, and manicured gardens. You will pass through the charming villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen, and Vreeland, stopping at Nigtevecht to visit a traditional Dutch cheese farm. The route continues through the fortified town of Muiden before arriving in Amsterdam, where the barge awaits at the harbour.

Day 8: Amsterdam (departure)
Disembarkation after breakfast. End of your tour.