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The Netherlands (Holland) and Belgium

Bruges to Amsterdam

Bike and Barge Holiday

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

8 days

Prices from

£1,575 P.P.
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During this tour we will be exploring some of the world's most beautiful cities including Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Utrecht and Amsterdam, where you can experience a wealth of historical charm. The daily bike tours will take us through a variety of flat landscapes, along the River Schelde, through perfectly preserved historic villages and along winding dike roads.
Along the way we will cycle through the beautiful Dutch landscape of Zeeland, we'll visit a real Dutch cheese farm and also have the chance to explore the 19 Dutch windmills in Kinderdijk. The province of Zeeland is essentially one big river delta of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt Rivers and is famous for its fantastic beaches, whilst the Flanders region of Belgium boasts a number of world-famous medieval towns and has a well-deserved reputation for superb food and drink. There really is something for everybody on this holiday! 
Your accommodation for the week is on a specially designed barge (see the accommodation section below for more information). A local leader will be lead your cycling, however route descriptions are provided if you'd prefer to cycle independently from the group.
This tour is run in conjunction with a local partner and you will join their guests on the tour. You will spend your evenings sharing experiences of the day with an international group of cyclists over authentic regional cuisine, cooked and served on board the barge. Please get in touch if you'd like to know the make up of the group booked onto your chosen departure.
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Holiday Highlights

  • Staying on board a charming Dutch Barge
  • Cycling through beautiful Flemish cities
  • Enjoying leisurely evening meals, with a friendly mix of nationalities
  • Viewing the impressive 17th century windmills at Kinderdijk
  • Exploring the birthplace of famous Flemish artist Rubens
  • Marvelling at the illuminated streets of Ghent

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I felt it would be a wonderful experience, but it turned out to be better than I could hope for. First rate in every way. The pre holiday service by Skedaddle was also excellent, any questions I had were always answered promptly and professionally!

Rick, Canada

Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival into Bruges
9 Miles / 15 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Dinner

Embarkation time in Bruges is between 13.00 and 14.00. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 14.00 there is time for bike fitting and a short test-ride through the countryside around Bruges. After dinner your guide will take you for a short walk through the center of town.

We recommend coming to Bruges for a few extra days before the tour starts, so you have plenty of time to really explore this UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical city, aptly named the “Pearl of Flanders”. While you‘re here, make sure you visit one of Bruges’ many museums or simply take in the stunning beauty and culture of this unforgettable city from the comfort of a sidewalk café.

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Day 2
Bruges to Ghent
21 or 36 Miles / 35 or 57 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

You will start your first day of cycling pedaling towards Ghent through the beautiful Flemish landscape along the Ghent canal. On arrival in Ghent make sure you take some time to discover the best of what this historical city has to offer during an afternoon stroll. Ghent’s medieval center features lovely illuminated streets that are a must to explore, while the architectural richness in the center of the city has to be seen to be believed. During the Middle Ages Ghent was the 2nd largest European city, after Paris.

The ship will dock for the night at a lock, in a suburb of Ghent and approx. 30 cycling minutes from the city center. Before dinner a small canal boat will take you for a guided tour through the historic city.

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Day 3
Ghent to St Amands
24 or 32 Miles / 40 or 53 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast in Ghent you will cycle downstream through a diverse landscape along the tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde, located at the confluence of the Dender and Schelde rivers. There is only one way to describe the landscape along the Schelde and that is; magnificent. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour.

During this section of the Schelde the speed of the ship will be determined by the height of the tide. You will travel from Dendermonde to St. Amands by either bicycle or barge depending on the tides. Your floating hotel will be docked for the night in St. Amands.

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Day 4
St Amands to Antwerp
19 or 31 Miles / 32 or 49 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Today we will follow the Schelde river further downstream through the Temse region to Antwerp. Over the centuries the Schelde river has held strategic importance for the Romans, Vikings, Spanish and Napoleon. Today it is a beautiful waterway just perfect for bike and barge holidays!

Antwerp, your destination for the day, is a harbor city famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and as the birthplace of the famous painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens. There are many highlights in the city to discover including: the City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle. Dinner will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).

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Day 5
Antwerp to Dordrecht
12 or 22 Miles / 20 or 36 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today the barge will sail along the Schelde-Rhine Canal, over the huge Kreekrak lock system. Here your bicycle tour starts through the beautiful Wouwse Plantage forest to Tholen, a former fishing village amidst the large streams of the province of Zeeland.

From Tholen you will join the ship again for a nice afternoon sail to the city of Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities of the Netherlands. The guide will take you for an evening walk and tell you about the history of the Netherlands.

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Day 6
Dordrecht to Vianen
19 or 35 Miles / 32 or 57 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today the Waterbus, a fast ferry, will bring you and your bike to Alblasserdam, from where you cycle to Kinderdijk, the most famous windmills in the Netherlands with 19 UNESCO cultural heritage-listed windmills in a row (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water out of the low Alblasserwaard polder; here you can visit one of the windmills to get a real insight into times gone by.

We’ll then cycle via the Silver City of Schoonhoven to Vianen, a tranquil, fortified town on the River Lek, where we will spend the night.

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Day 7
Vianen to Amsterdam
22 or 28 Miles / 36 or 46 Kms Approx.
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  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

We’ll start our day with a gentle cruise to Breukelen, where we will disembark and start our final day of cycling along the Vecht River. Today we’ll be biking through an area well known for its beautiful mansions, small castles and grand houses with large gardens and parks. We’ll ride through the small villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland to Nigtevecht, where we can visit a traditional cheese farm. We continue through Muiden to finally reach our destination; Amsterdam!

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Day 8
Departure from Amsterdam
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  • Meals: Breakfast

Today it’s time to say goodbye to our floating home, as we disembark the barge and depart after breakfast, by 09:30am.

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The Cycling

Terrain

The route follows mostly flat terrain along quiet roads and cycle paths. Around 50% of the route is shared with traffic, and 50% is on cycle paths where you’ll be separated from motor vehicles. If any of the days are too long, or you would just like to put your feet up for a day, there is the option to stay on board the barge during the day. Due to the leisurely nature of the tour we do recommend a hybrid bike, however as the majority of the route sticks to tarmac the route is suitable for road bikes. (There may however be short sections on cobbles or hard-packed gravel or dirt roads where you may have to take extra care).

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Leisure Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
Grade 2: Gentle

Distances generally between 15-30 miles / 24-48 kms per day

For those looking for an easy-going route

Mainly on the flat

Some undulations and the odd cheeky challenge

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

Maybe you have recently got into cycling and would like to do more over consecutive days, or maybe you‘re looking for a more energetic alternative to your usual holiday? If you‘re looking for an opportunity to try some quiet roads, cycle paths or some accessible, cycle friendly routes these holidays might be for you. You’ll come across some gently undulating terrain and the odd cheeky challenge, so we’d generally expect those on a Grade 2 holiday to ride their bikes relatively frequently at home, perhaps commuting to work or heading out for some leisurely rides at the weekend.

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Dates & Prices

Private Departures

Private Departures

Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.

Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
09/05/2023 Magnifique III
Fully Booked
Return Date
16/05/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
11/05/2023 Magnifique II
Fully Booked
Return Date
18/05/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
18/05/2023 Magnifique IV
Fully Booked
Return Date
25/05/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
23/05/2023 Magnifique III
Fully Booked
Return Date
30/05/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
06/06/2023 Magnifique III
Fully Booked
Return Date
13/06/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
08/06/2023 Magnifique II
Fully Booked
Return Date
15/06/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
15/06/2023 Magnifique IV
Fully Booked
Return Date
22/06/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
20/06/2023 Magnifique III
Fully Booked
Return Date
27/06/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
22/06/2023 Magnifique II
Guaranteed
Return Date
29/06/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select
Start Date
29/06/2023 Magnifique IV
Fully Booked
Return Date
06/07/2023
Duration
8 days
Price
£1,765.00
Close Select

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Whats Included Tick

A) Barge accommodation (shared twin / double en suite cabins)

B) Linen and towels provided

C) Daily cabin cleaning

D) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L= Packed Lunch, D=Dinner)

E) English speaking local leader

F) Fully guided cycling tours and some short walking tours

G) Daily briefings

H) Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin) and / or GPX files (on request)

I) Coffee and tea on board

J) Fees for ferries / waterbus

K) Entrance Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp

What's not Included Cross

A) Bike rental (available if required)

B) Flights and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Single cabin (available if required)

D) Travel insurance

E) Personal clothing and equipment

F) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

G) Entrance fees to museums and other attractions en route

H) Ferry fares

I) Travel to barge on arrival day

J) Travel from barge on departure day

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The Essentials

Travel Options

We ask that you make your own way to your barge in Bruges. Boarding takes place on day 1 of the tour between 13.00 and 14.00. The ship stays overnight in Bruges so a late arrival is no problem. You’ll disembark in Amsterdam after breakfast, before 09.30.

There is a direct ferry route from Newcastle in the UK to Amsterdam and good train connections between Amsterdam and Bruges. The most convenient airport for this trip is into Brussels (BRU) and back from Amsterdam (AMS). Alternatively you can book a return flight to one of these airports and travel by train between the cities.

There are many flights from the UK to Amsterdam and the most convenient option to Brussels is from London Heathrow with British Airways or Brussels Airlines.

Please contact us for more detailed information on the specific flight schedules available for your holiday.

Please check with Skedaddle before making any travel arrangements so we can ensure they fit in with the holiday schedule.

Accommodation

3 boats to choose from: Magnifique II, Magnifique III and Magnifique IV

Please Note Upper deck suites are only available when making a booking for 2 people.

Magnifique II – Max 37 passengers The upper deck has four spacious suites (14 m² – 151 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds, a small sitting area and large panoramic windows, of which the middle part can be opened. The lower deck has thirteen cabins: one premium twin cabin (13 m² – 140 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds and a small sitting area and twelve beautiful twin cabins (11 m² – 118 sq.ft.) with 2 separate single beds. In most cabins, on prior request, the beds can be set together as a double bed. All cabins have en-suite facilities with a shower, toilet and sink. The cabins on the lower deck have portholes (fixed for safety reasons), upper deck suites have 2 m / 6.6 ft. wide windows (which can be partly opened) and the air conditioning in all cabins can be individually regulated. Furthermore, in each cabin you will find a flat screen satellite TV, a mini safe and a hair dryer.

Magnifique III – Max 40 passengers The upper deck has five spacious suites (16 m² – 172 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds, a small sitting area and a “French Balcony”: ceiling-to-floor sliding glass doors. The lower deck has fourteen beautiful twin cabins (12 m² – 129 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds and two single cabins (9 m² – 97 sq.ft.). In most cabins and all suites, on prior request, the beds can be set together as a double bed. cabins have en-suite facilities with a shower, toilet and basin. The cabins on the lower deck have portholes (fixed for safety reasons), upper deck suites have sliding glass doors that can be partly opened. The air conditioning in all cabins can be individually regulated. Furthermore, in each cabin you will find a flat screen satellite TV, a mini safe and a hair dryer.

Magnifique IV – Max 36 passengers The upper deck houses 10 generous suites, while the lower deck houses eight twin cabins and the dining room. The spacious suites, each measuring 16 m² (172 ft²), have two separate beds, set next to each other as a hotel style bed (200×160 cm – 78×62 inches), a cozy sitting area, and a large sliding window. The twin cabins below deck, measuring 12 m² (129 ft²) feature two single beds and fixed portholes. All cabins have their own private bathroom with shower, basin and toilet; as well as individually-regulated air-conditioning, flat screen satellite TV, mini safe and hair dryer.

Wi-Fi is available on all three boats, and on the top deck all three barges have a hot tub / Jacuzzi.

Bike Hire

Rental bikes on board are generally unisex city bikes with a step-through frame and a comfortable up-right riding position. The bikes are handmade in the Netherlands by Azor, specially designed by our local partner.

The bikes have a lightweight aluminium frame and come equipped with responsive handbrakes, a Shimano 7 speed nexus drive, Selle-Royal gel saddle (adjustable), an easy to use lock (fixed on the frame) and Schwalbe Marathon anti-puncture tyres.

We also have e-bikes available, however only a small number on each departure and so these are always on request. The e-bikes are typically an Azor Steps (or a comparable brand/model) with Nexus 7 gears and hand brakes. The crank Shimano motor (400 WH) offers 4 support levels. The E-bikes have a comfortable gel saddle and a lock on the frame.

Your tour leader will have both a puncture repair kit and a pump to help out with any bike issues along the way.

We always recommend bringing along your own helmet, however we can provide these locally if preferred at no additional cost. Please request at the time of booking.

It is not possible on this tour to bring your own pedals, however if you’d like to bring your own saddle please do let us know in advance, and we can double check whether this will be possible on your chosen departure, and whether you’ll need to bring along any specific tools.

You are welcome to bring along your own bikes if preferred, however the barges have limited space for bikes so this does need to be requested well in advance to secure a spot. Please contact us to check whether this will be possible on your preferred date.

If you‘re bringing along your own electric bike, again the spaces on board are limited so this is also on request. Please let us know in advance.

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News, Reviews & Stories

12 Hours in... Amsterdam!

Find out more about how to spend your time in Amsterdam!

Customer Story: Bruges to Amsterdam

Customer Story: Snapshots from Holland

Reviews

2

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