Modern ship salon on MS Magnifique with white furniture, wooden floors, round portholes, and glass staircase railing.

Modern twin bed cabin on MS Magnifique III with white bedding, green wall cabinets, mirror, and wooden flooring for bike and ship travel.

Elegant dining salon aboard MS Magnifique with white tablecloths, dark chairs, panoramic windows with curtains, and modern lighting.

Itinerary

Arrival and embarkation time between 2 pm and 2.30 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.

You’ll start your first day of cycling by heading toward Ghent through the beautiful Flemish countryside along the Ghent Canal. Upon arrival in Ghent, be sure to take the time to discover the best of this historic city during an afternoon stroll. Ghent’s medieval center is characterized by beautiful, illuminated streets that are a must-explore, while the architectural diversity in the city center is something you have to see to believe. In the Middle Ages, Ghent was the second-largest city in Europe after Paris. The ship will dock for the night at a lock in a suburb of Ghent, about a 30-minute bike ride from the city center. Before dinner, a small canal boat will take you on a guided tour of the historic city.

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. Dinner on board.

Today we continue downstream along the Scheldt through the Thames region to Antwerp. Over the centuries, the Scheldt held strategic importance for the Romans, Vikings, Spaniards, and Napoleon... Today, it’s a beautiful waterway, perfect for cycling and barge vacations! Antwerp, your destination for the day, is a port city famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and is considered the birthplace of the famous painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens. There are many highlights to discover in the city, including: City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance; the historic Grote Markt; the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral; and the medieval Steen Castle.

This morning, the ship will sail along the Scheldt-Rhine Canal and through the vast Kreekrak lock system. This is where your bike tour begins, taking you through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” forest to Tholen; Tholen was once an island in the middle of the large Zeeland creeks, where many people made their living from fishing. Today, Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. Nevertheless, it remains a picturesque village with many remnants of an eventful past. From Tholen, you’ll board the ship again for a lovely afternoon cruise to the city of Dordrecht. Halfway there, the ship will pass through the impressive Volkerak lock system.

Today, you’ll start your tour on the “Waterbus,” a high-speed ferry that will take you and your bike to Alblasserdam in just 10 minutes. After just a few minutes of cycling, you’ll reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 UNESCO-listed windmills you can visit one of them (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were built in the 18th century to pump water out of the lowlying Alblasserwaard polder (a polder is a low-lying piece of land surrounded by dikes). You’ll then continue your ride through the Dutch countryside, passing through Schoonhoven, the “Silver City,” known for its silversmithing heritage. From there, follow the scenic route along the Lek River toward Vreeswijk, a charming historic village with a rich maritime past. In the evening, you can take your time exploring the quaint streets and canals.

During breakfast, the ship will sail to Breukelen, where you’ll disembark to begin your final day of cycling. Cycle along the Vecht River through an area famous for its beautiful manor houses, small castles, impressive homes, and large gardens. After cycling through the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen, and Vreeland, you’ll reach Nigtevecht, where you can visit a traditional cheese farm. Continue through the historic town of Muiden and on to Amsterdam, where you’ll board the barge for the last time at the Port of Amsterdam.

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

Tour character

Easy

You cycle through Belgium and Holland on flat and well-maintained cycle paths. The routes can be categorised as easy and are also suitable for inexperienced cyclists.

Map showing cycling route from Amsterdam to Bruges with red line connecting cities: Amsterdam, Vianen, Dordrecht, Tholen, Antwerpen, Gent, Dendermonde, Brügge.

Prices & Dates

Prices per person in EUR

Services & extras

Services

Included

7 nights in outside cabins on board the MS Magnifique III with shower/WC in the booked category
Programme as per itinerary
Welcome drink
Daily cabin cleaning
Use of bed linen and towels
Meals: 7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch for bike tours, coffee and tea on board, 6x 3-course evening meal
All harbour, bridge and lock fees
Daily cycle tour briefing on board
Detailed cycle maps and information material 1x per cabin (only available on site)
Guarantee certificate for package holidays through SGR (compulsory contribution to the SGR guarantee fund for end consumers to cover against insolvency: € 5 per person)

Not included

Arrival and departure
transfers
Bike hire
Entrance and sightseeing fees if not mentioned
City maps
insurance
Gratuities and personal expenses
Dinner on board in Bruges

Extras

Parking

For example, Oosterdok multi-storey car park
Car park directly at the central station (only for cars up to 2.10 m high). Saving rate approx. € 25 for 24 hours https://parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl/mededeling/english/

Embarkation: from 14:00
Disembarkation: After breakfast until 09:30.
Rental bikes on board: Smooth-running 7-speed unisex touring bikes from Velo de Ville with hand and coaster brakes or freewheel and pannier bag. 7-speed electric bikes from Velo de Ville with freewheel and pannier bag (limited number - early booking required). Please state your height when booking. Bringing your own bike: Due to the limited space available on the sun deck, bringing your own bike is only possible on request and only to a limited extent.
Cycle tours: Guided or individual. A cycle tour guide (two cycle tour guides for groups of 18 or more) is available for a guided cycle tour every day. If there are two cycle tour guides on board, on some days you can choose between short or long routes or between faster and slower cycling.
Please note: Not all the places/sights mentioned are visited during the shorter tours. Maps are available on board for individual cycle tours (only available on board). All kilometres mentioned are approximate distances of the recommended cycle tours
On-board language: English, German and Dutch
Cycle routes/level of difficulty: Pleasure cycling - the quality of the cycle paths is excellent, so this tour is also suitable for cyclists with a basic level of fitness
Vacation luggage: We recommend good rainwear, cycle helmet, sun hat and sports shoes.
Timetable and programme changes: Subject to change without notice. If, for example, a route cannot be travelled due to low water, high water or bad weather, the captain reserves the right to change the route for your safety (this is not a reason for cancellation free of charge).
Travel documents: EU nationals (with no special circumstances, e.g. dual citizenship, primary residence abroad or provisionally issued travel documents) require a valid identity card or passport for this trip, which must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip. If you have another nationality or several nationalities or if you have to observe special legal regulations, please contact your local consulate for information on the relevant visa and entry requirements.
This tour is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.