Boat and bike Bruges-Amsterdam MS Fluvius
Boat and Bike Amsterdam - Bruges
Arrival and embarkation time between 1 pm and 2 pm in the beautiful city of Bruges, also called “Pearl of Flanders”. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 2 pm there is time for a short test-ride through the countryside around Bruges. After dinner the tour leader will take you for a walk through the city centre.
Today your first bike tour to Ghent through the flat land of West-Flanders will start. Your destination today is the historical centre of Ghent. Enjoy the beautiful parts of Ghent during an afternoon stroll. The barge is docked at a lock in Merelbeke, in a suburb of Thent and approx. 30 cycling minutes from the city centre.
Your bike tour leads along one of the most beautiful parts of the Schelde, a tidal river, today. You will follow it downstream. In Dendermonde it is worth visiting the St. Alexius Beguinage (1288). The departure time will be set by the skipper and is depending on high or low tide as the tide has effect on the speed of the barge. If necessary, shipping to St. Amands and overnight stay in St. Amands.
Today we will follow the Schelde further downstream via Temse to Antwerp. There is a beautiful cycling track along the river and the scenery is magnificent. The harbour city Antwerp with it´s beautiful inner city is well known as diamond city and the city where the famous painter Rubens was born.
The barge will sail over the Schelde-Rhine Canal, over the huge Kreekrak locks. Here your bicyle 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 beautiful city Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland. Halfway the ship passes the impressive Volkerak lock system.
A fast ferry will bring you to Alblasserdam. From here you will cycle to Kinderdijk, famous for its impressive row of 19 UNESCO cultural heritage-listed windmills. You will continue via Schoonhoven to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek.
Shipping to Breukelen, where you disembark and your cycling tour starts. Ride along the small river Vecht: this area is well known for its beautiful mansions, small castles and beautiful houses with large gardens and parks. Over the small villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland to 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 harbour.
Amsterdam
After breakfast: end of the tour and disembarkation till 09:30 am.
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 Bruges and from Amsterdam
- 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.
- Guarded parking areas at the main station (Stationsplein), approx. 5–7 € per day. No reservation possible. Transfer by taxi from Stationsplein to ship berth approx. 15-25 €.
- Return transfer by train from Amsterdam to Bruges approx. 40 € per person.
Embarkation: from 1.00 pm to 2 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.
