Boat and Bike Amsterdam-Bruges MS Fluvius
Boat and Bike Amsterdam - Bruges
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.
Departure Bruges
After breakfast till 09:30 am: end of the tour and disembarkation.
The route
Almost all of the cycle routes can be classified as "easy".
Included Services
- 7 nights tour and accommodation on board of MS Fluvius in the booked category
- Program according to the routing
- Welcome drink
- Full board (7 x breakfast, 6 x picnic lunch during bike tours, 6x coffee and tea in the afternoon till 4 PM,
7 x 3 course dinner) - Daily cabin cleaning
- Use of linen and towels
- Daily briefing on the respective bike tours
- Tour guide for guided bike tours (for 18 persons or more two tour guides)
- All charges for harbours, bridges and locks
- Printed instructions and detailed maps for daily bike tours (deposited on board, 1 per cabin)
- Fees for ferries
Services not included
- Journey to Amsterdam and from Bruges
- parking fee
- shuttles
- bike rental
- entrance fees and excursions
- town maps
- drinks on board
- tips
- insurances.
Arrival/departure and parking-information
- Central railway station Amsterdam near landing stage.
- For example: Parking Oosterdok www.parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl/english, economy fare approx. € 20.-/24 h. No reservation possible.
- Return transfer by train from Bruges to Amsterdam approx. 40 € per person.
Embarkation: from 1.00 pm to 1.30 pm • Disembarkation: After breakfast, until 09:30 am • Bicycles on board (brand/model may change): Bikkel unisex bicycles, 7 gears, pannier bag, hand brakes and pedal brakes or (only a few) hand brakes only (subject to availability). E-Bikes (Bikkel 1be E2, 8 gears, hand brakes only, pannier bag) are only available after prior request (by booking) and confirmation and at limited number. Please indicate your body height when you book. To bring your own bike: on request only, due to lack of space on sundeck (max. 4 own bikes) • Cycle Tours: individual tours or daily guided bike tours by one guide (for 18 persons or more two guides). If there are two guides on board you can often choose between a shorter and a longer tour. Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bicycle option. It is also possible to ride the bike tours individually. Tour description and maps are available on board. The kilometers/miles indicated for the cycle tours are approximate. The quality of the cycle ways along this route is excellent. Most of the way is paved or asphalted and does not have any gradients of note. This makes the trip suitable for cyclists with an average physical condition. • Luggage on board: we recommend waterproof rain gear, bike helmet, sun hat and sports shoes. We would like to ask you to do without hard-side luggage as storage space in the cabin is very limited! • Alterations of schedule or program: subject to change. In case that as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons a route cannot be taken, the skipper reserves the right to change the route for your safety (this would not be a rea-son for fee-free cancellation) • Travel documents: EU-citizens (without special situations like dual citizenship, main residence abroad or a limited-validity passport) are required to have a valid passport or ID-card, not expiring within six (6) months of the return of your cruise. We kindly ask non-EU citizens, EU-nationals with multiple citizenship or anybody who has to respect special legal entry requirements for the country to visit, to inform about visa and entry documents at the competent embassy. • This trip is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility.
MS Fluvius
With MS Fluvius through the most beautiful cities of Holland and Flanders. Highlights are Amsterdam, Antwerp, Gent and Bruges.
