Embarkation and check-in is between 1-1:50 pm, where your crew for the week will be waiting to welcome you on board. At around 2:00 p.m. the ship will depart from Amsterdam for Vianen, a small, fortified village on the Lek River. After dinner you have the opportunity to enjoy a short first test ride through the surrounding area.

Today you will cycle along a beautiful route to Schoonhoven – nicknamed Zilverstad (“Silver City”) – a city renowned for its talented silver smiths since the 17th century. Later in the day as you cycle through the Alblasserwaard region you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 large windmills. All 19 windmills have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a definite highlight – you will have the opportunity to visit one so don’t forget to bring your camera! From nearby Alblasserdam you will take the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry, that will take you and your bicycle in approx. 10 minutes to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland.

As you enjoy your breakfast aboard the ship, the ship will sail to Willemstad where you will start your day’s cycling. Willemstad is a beautiful old fortified town on the Haringvliet waterway. Your bicycle ride goes to Tholen, once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. Then you cycle on to the destination of this trip, Bergen op Zoom. Bergen op Zoom is a historic fortified town that once lay on the open waters of the Oosterschelde. After dinner you can take a walk through the old town. Narrow streets, old town, market and church squares and idiosyncratic monumental buildings show the history of a rich and eventful past that goes back more than eight hundred years.

In the morning you will enjoy a small bike ride through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” surrounding Bergen op Zoom. In the early afternoon you will once again board the ship which will sail to the port city of Antwerp, situated on the river Schelde. Antwerp is famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and is a city with a long list of attractions 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 tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).

This morning you will cycle out of Antwerp along a picturesque section of the Schelde River to St. Amands your home for the night. There is only one way to describe the landscape around the Schelde and that is “magnificent”. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour.

Today you will continue to follow the river Schelde to Ghent where the ship will moor for the night at a lock in a suburb of town. Ghent is a lively university city that boasts a rich history. Since Roman times Ghent’s position at the junction of Leie and Schelde Rivers has ensured that it has been a successful trading port. In total the city features an Opera House, 18 museums, more than 100 churches and over 400 historical buildings. Major attractions are St. Bavo Cathedral where a number of masterpieces of medieval art including the world famous ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ by Jan van Eyck are kept and the 91-metre-tall belfry of Ghent, one of three medieval towers that overlook the old city center. Before dinner a small canal boat will take you for a guided tour through the historic city.

Today you will cycle from Ghent through the beautiful Flemish countryside of western Flanders to Bruges, widely described as the ‘Venice of the North’ and arguably the most beautiful of all the Flemish cities. Bruges attracts more than two million visitors every year who come to see the picturesque medieval town center of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic city and a long list of historic attractions. An outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement, Bruges has managed to maintain its historic fabric as it has evolved over the centuries, with the result that today the city’s original Gothic buildings form an integral part of the town’s identity. While you are here you can 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.

End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.

1st Day: Bruges (15 km/9 mi.)
Embarkation time in Bruges is between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The ship awaits you in the Bruges harbor. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 2 PM there is time for bicycle fitting and a short test-ride through the countryside around Bruges. After dinner the guide will take you for a short walk through the center of town. We advise you to come to Bruges one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical city of Bruges, aptly named the “Pearl of Flanders”. While you are there 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.
2nd Day: Bruges – Ghent (35 km/21 mi. or 57 km/36 mi.)
You will start your first day of cycling by pedaling towards Ghent through the beautiful Flemish landscape along the Ghent canal. On arrival in Ghent make sure you make the effort 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.
3rd Day: Ghent – Dendermonde/St. Amands (40 km/24 mi. or 53 km/32 mi.)
In the morning you will spend some time in Ghent. Later in the morning you will cycle downstream through a diverse landscape along the tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde located at the confluence of 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.
4th Day: St. Amands – Temse – Antwerp (32 km/19 mi. or 49 km/31 mi.)
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.
5th Day: Antwerp – Kreekrak locks | Kreekrak locks – Tholen (36 km/23 mi. or 20 km/13 mi.) | Tholen – Willemstad – Dordrecht
This morning, the ship will sail along the Schelde-Rhine Canal and over the huge Kreekrak lock system. Here your bicycle tour starts through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” forest to Tholen, Tholen once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. But it is still a picturesque village with many relics of an eventful past. From Tholen you will join the ship again for a nice afternoon sail to the city of Dordrecht. Halfway the ship will pass the impressive Volkerak lock system. Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands is your destination for the day. The guide will take you for an evening walk and tell you about the history of the Netherlands.
6th Day: Dordrecht – Kinderdijk | Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (32 km/19 mi. or 57 km/36 mi.)
Today you will start your tour with the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry that will take you and your bicycle in just 10 minutes to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 UNESCO cultural heritage-listed windmills – one of which you can visit (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water out of the low Alblasserwaard polder (a polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments). You will then continue to cycle via Schoonhoven to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek (Lower Rhine), where you will stay for the night and where you can explore at your leisure after dinner.
7th Day: Vianen – Breukelen | Breukelen – Amsterdam (36 km/23 mi. or 46 km/28 mi.)
During breakfast the ship will cruise to Breukelen where you disembark to start your final day of cycling. Ride along the Vecht River in an area famous for its beautiful mansions, small castles, impressive houses and their large gardens. After cycling through the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland you will arrive at Nigtevecht where you can visit a traditional cheese farm. Continue cycling through the historical town of Muiden and on to Amsterdam where you will meet the barge for the final time in the Amsterdam harbor.
8th Day: Amsterdam
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.

The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.

• Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
• On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
• If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
• On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
• Detailed cycling maps, route tips and a GPS app are available for guests who wish to cycle individually and at their own pace. The tour guide is always available via cell phone in case of questions, breakdowns or emergencies.