Boat and Bike Amsterdam-Bruges MS Fluvius

Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board is at 1 p.m. At around 2 p.m. the MS FLUVIUS will depart from Amsterdam for Vianen, a small fortified village on the Lek river. After the distribution of bicycles, you can enjoy a short bicycle ride.

After breakfast you will cycle a beautiful route to silver city Schoonhoven. Then further through the Alblasserwaard to Kinderdijk. There an impressive row of19 large windmills appears (UNESCO cultural heritage). You can visit one of these mills. Then the barge takes you further to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland. Dordrecht is an important intersection in the shipping. Overnight in the historic port of Wolwevers-haven. 

During breakfast the ship sails to Tholen.You cycle through a forest area, “the Wouwse Plantage“, towards the south to the impressive Kreekrak lock. Then you will sail to Antwerp, which is not only known as diamond city, but also as native city of painter Rubens. You will find some of his paintings in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe (our lady) Cathedral”.

Today’s tour will see you cycle out of Antwerp on a beautiful cycle path along the picturesque tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde, 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.

The bike tour follows again the river Schelde in the direction of Ghent. Ghent is a lively university city, again, one with a rich past. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to discover the city some more or to shop in the lively centre. The city was founded in Roman times, where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. The convenient location has over the years brought much prosperity, culminating in the late 13th, early 14th century. The textile industry brought great wealth. In the city, many old patricians preserved. The Cloth Hall (1425) brought cloth merchants together. The main church is the St. Bavo Cathedral, which is built in different ages and in the different corresponding styles. In the cathedral are some masterpieces of medieval art, which "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb" by Jan van Eyck is the most famous. The ship is docked at the lock in Merelbeke, a suburb of Ghent (approx. 30 min by bike from the city centre).

During breakfast the MS Fluvius will sail to Moerbrugge, a suburb of Bruges. Start of your bike tour through the pleasant country side of Western Flanders around Bruges. Bruges also called the Venice of the North is maybe the most beautiful of all Flemish cities. Its old centre which dates from the Middle Ages is almost completely intact. Bruges was at that time a metropolis and center of commerce and art. You can still see this glory at the beautiful buildings. But Bruges is also a nice town for shopping or going out.

The last bike tour takes you to a quiet canal along where you’ll find lots of poplars, through an attractive polder landscape with nice small farm houses to the North Sea coast. A long sandy beach and numerous cafés provide enough variety during your lunch break. Then heading back to Bruges.

After breakfast till 09:30 am: end of the tour and disembarkation.