Amsterdam and Bruges by bike and boat - Wending

Bike and boat trip between Amsterdam and Bruges

Come aboard the Wending barge for an unforgettable journey of sharing, encounters and discovery. Embark in Amsterdam and visit the most beautiful Flemish cities before cycling to Bruges. 

Points of interest : 

• Gouda
• The windmills of Kinderdijk
• The Delta works
• Ghent, Bruges and Amsterdam

Day 1 - Amsterdam - Oude Wetering - 15 km

Boarding between 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm on board the Wending. The boat is due to leave Amsterdam harbor at 2pm, depending on the opening hours of the bridges and/or locks. After settling into your cabin, get to know the crew and other passengers.
The boat sails towards Oude Wetering. Enjoy a bike ride in the surrounding area. 
Over dinner, you'll learn about the week's program and the next day. 

Day 2 - Oude Wetering - Gouda - 45 km

Cycle along the canals and polders to the town famous for its cheese: Gouda.
Take an interest in local pipe-making, syrup wafers, earthenware, painted stained glass windows, the enchanting architecture of the town hall and, of course, the canals. 
The historic city center is sure to please! 
Back to Wending for the night.

Day 3 - Gouda - Alblasserdam, boat to Dordrecht - 40 km 

Start the cycling stage along the IJssel and the Krimpenerwaard, the lowest polder in the Netherlands, on narrow cycle paths leading to the River Lek. After crossing the river, you reach Kinderdijk by ferry. Discover the famous windmills of Kinderdijk, the largest concentration of historic windmills.
After a beautiful ride through the Alblasserwaard polder, you cycle to the "Merwede" river (Beneden-Merwede). Your cycling tour ends in Dordrecht, the oldest city in the Netherlands.

Day 4 - Dordrecht - Zierikzee - 55 km

The Wending sails over breakfast to the Delta of the Great Rivers. You reach Willemstad and the Zeeland islands. A great deal of work has been done to retain water from the sea. This is known as the Delta Plan. Continue your journey by bike to Zierikzee, where you can visit the Watersnoodmuseum (Flood Museum).
Zierikzee is a beautiful town and the center of mussel cultivation. Zeeland mussels are famous the world over.

Day 5 - Zierikzee - Middelburg - 50 km

Your bike trip takes you to the North Sea, to the Oosterschelde dam and its imposing barriers, which can be lowered in the event of heavy storms or high tide. They protect the south-east of the Netherlands from the sea.
The Oosterscheldekering is nicknamed the eighth wonder of the world.

After the dam, your bike tour continues through the picturesque town of Veer to Middelburg, capital of Zeeland. In Middelburg, you'll see old houses and churches, as well as a Gothic town hall. You can also see the Roosevelt Academy.

Day 6 - Middelburg - Ghent - 45 km

This cycling stage takes you across the Westerschelde (Oosterschelde). You take the ferry between Vlissingen and Breskens.
You arrive in Belgium, passing through small villages, creeks and winding dykes, until you reach the Belgian-Dutch border at Sas van Gent, the former gateway to the port of Ghent.
You can opt for a shorter cycling route and embark here to reach Ghent. On the way, watch the bustling canal traffic from Ghent to Terneuzen and the large industrial complexes on the banks before arriving in Ghent. From the quay, you can take the streetcar into Ghent's medieval center.
Along the way, admire the many patrician houses, the Gravensteen (medieval castle), St. Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfort.

Day 7 - Ghent - Bruges - 45 km

In the morning, join us in the countryside of Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), with its forests and meadows, small villages and castles.
The last part of the bike tour takes you from Aalterburg (the short stage) to Bruges along the old towpath that runs alongside the Ghent-Ostend canal, the oldest canal in Belgium.
Bruges is the finishing point of your cycling and boating holiday in the Netherlands. In the afternoon and evening, stroll through the medieval old town. And why not stay an extra day to visit the city? 

Day 8 - Bruges

Your journey aboard the Wending ends after breakfast at 10 am. 

Due to the navigation plan, the route may be reversed or modified.

Discover Belgium and Flanders by bike on the Wending

Come aboard the Wending to discover Holland and Belgium, and the beautiful cities of Amsterdam and Bruges. The countries may be flat, but they offer a diverse landscape of polders, Zeeland islands, coves and winding dikes.

Tour highlights : 

• Gouda
• The windmills of Kinderdijk
• Delta works
• Ghent, Bruges and Amsterdam

Day 1 - Bruges, 21 km 

The barge is moored near the Bargeweg, just outside Bruges city center and a stone's throw from Bruges train station. You can come aboard between 12.30 and 1.30 pm.

Take time to share a cup of coffee or tea and get to know the guide, skipper and crew, and of course the other passengers.

The boat leaves the dock at 2 p.m. You can try out the bikes along the canal from Bruges to Ghent. It's an easy ride along quiet towpaths and roads. At Aalterbrug, the barge picks you up and sails back to Ghent. During dinner on board, the next day's program and the week's schedule are discussed.

Instructions on cycling and safety procedures are also given.

Day 2 - Ghent

Today you'll have a free day to explore Ghent. It's a city proud of its rich past, with many well-preserved guild and patrician houses and ancient warehouses. See the Gravensteen (a medieval castle), St. Nicholas Church (with 13th-century foundations), St. Bavo's Cathedral and the "Belfort" (14th-century belfry). This lively city, with its many squares and friendly pubs, is a clever mix of medieval buildings, elegant shopping streets, superb townhouses and early 20th-century working-class districts.

Enjoy the lively little squares where you can eat until dawn on a warm summer's night.

You can also go cycling with your guide. The ride takes in the castles and luxurious villas of Destelbergen and the surrounding area, which lies on the banks of the Scheldt.

Day 3 - Ghent - Middelburg, 45 km 

Today, you'll leave Belgium to cross the border into the Netherlands. Over breakfast, you'll sail to Sas van Gent before cycling to Zeeuws-Vlaanderen (Dutch Flanders). Enjoy a short ferry trip from Breskens to Vlissingen (Flushing) and cross the Westerschelde. From Flushing, it's a 30-minute bike ride to Middelbrug, the capital of Zeeland.

The modern town of Middelburg has retained much of its historic and picturesque character. Its sumptuous 17th- and 18th-century merchant houses and warehouses line the canals. The medieval abbey is still used today as a museum and also as the seat of the provincial government.

Day 4 - Middelburg - Zierikzee, 50 km

Cycle to the town of Veere, once an important trading center. From Veere, you'll cross the Veersgat dam (where you'll have the chance to enjoy a beach) to North Beveland and the Oosterschelde. The huge locks are built into this dam and can be closed during storms and high tides. They protect the south-western Netherlands from the sea.

As you walk along the dike, you'll understand why it's one of the most difficult and costly challenges to protect the country and let sea water into the vast Delta area. That's why the Delta works are considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers. After the dam, you reach Zierikzee.

Day 5 - Zierikzee - Willemstad and sailing to Dordrecht, 55 km

A beautiful bike ride on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland is on today's program. You'll visit Bruinisse. The village's main source of income is mussel fishing. On the Grevelingen dike, you'll see a statue of an open mussel. Continue to Willemstad (a former fortified town), where you will board the barge. Sail to Dordrecht, one of Holland's oldest cities, situated between several busy waterways.

Day 6 - Dordrecht, sail to Gorinchem, cycle to Vianen, 50 km

From Gorinchem, you reach Woudrichem (an ancient fortified town) and the Netherlands' most famous castle, Loevestein. You follow the meandering Linge River through the Betuwe. This region is known for its many orchards, and is sure to be covered in blossom in May. After Leerdam, famous for its glass, you continue north to Vianen.

Day 7 - Vianen, sail to Breukelen and cycle to Amsterdam, 40 km

Over breakfast, the boat sails to Breukelen (Brooklyn), from where you cycle to Amsterdam along two of Holland's most beautiful rivers, the Vecht and Amstel. Along the way, you can admire magnificent country houses and 18th-century mansions with their splendid, well-kept gardens. Amsterdam's name derives from Amstelredamme, meaning that the city grew out of a dam on the Amstel River. You enter Amsterdam along the Amstel River.

The extensive network of cycle paths ensures a relatively easy ride back into the city, while passing a number of remarkable landmarks. Before your farewell dinner, take a stroll through the city. In the evening, take a stroll along the canals or through the city center.

Day 8 - Bruges, end of trip after breakfast, before 10:00 a.m.

Due to the navigation plan, the route may be reversed or modified.

General information :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Comfort level of the barge : Standard
• Child prices : please contact us

Dates :

Thursday departures from Amsterdam: 

• Mid-season: 22/08
• High season: 19/09

Thursday departures from Bruges:

• Mid-season: 29/08, 26/09

Included :

• Full board stay
• Travel documents : we will provide you with the information relating to the progress of your stay as well as the itinerary upon validation of your reservation, subject to change.
• Guided line tour
• Helmet

Not included :

• Transport to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits
• All that is not mentioned in the section “included”

Options :

• Bike rental
• Theft insurance for rented bikes
• Cancellation insurance

Level :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Flat, very smooth roads and paths. 90% program on cycle paths.

Weather :

Contrary to popular belief, the temperature in the Netherlands is similar to the temperature in France. Near the coast, the weather is sometimes windy.

Technicality :

0 to 49 km of cycling per day, or about 3 to 4 hours of cycling. Easy route. No difficulties, accessible for anyone.

Bibliography :

- Guide and maps about the Netherlands on cartovelo.fr
- Guide and maps about Belgium on cartovelo.fr

Participants :

On board, you will meet an international community of all ages, men, women, singles and couples with children. We offer boats with 20 to 26 places in cabins of 2 and 3 people.

Accompaniments :

The people responsible for your bike and boat holidays are : 
On board, the captain and his mate. They are responsible for the smooth running of the vacation on the boat, and bring the boat from stage to stage. The cook prepares the meals.
Participants are accompanied by a guide. This will help you in the event of a breakdown, advise you on the route to follow and give you the necessary tourist information. He or she is multilingual.

Meals :

Breakfast : on board, you will find a substantial and dutch breakfast, worthy of a cyclist.
Lunch : after the breakfast, you will prepare by yourself a “lunch” (sandwich, fruit, snack, drinks).
Snack : after the daily route, you will find, when you arrive on the boat, various drinks such as tea and coffee prepared for your return, with a cake.
Dinner : at least three very good quality dishes. After dinner, you will have a choice of coffee and tea.
Other drinks, such as wine, beer, lemonade and mineral water, are not included but can be purchased on board at a reasonable price.

Bike :

At the beginning, a bike corresponding to your height, will be assigned to you. After a test ride, you will sign a receipt. The bike (21-speed bike) will be at your disposal all week until Friday afternoon, when the bike is handed over. The bike will be fitted with panniers as well as an anti-theft device, a container and a tire repair kit. If you prefer a 4-speed bike, please let us know (this must be specified when booking). It will not be possible to order a bicycle once on the boat. If you take your own bike, it cannot be insured against theft by our company, you will have to make the necessary arrangements with your usual insurer. Do not forget your anti-theft. The return of your bike will be at your expense.

Transport : 

By train : the departure towns for the bike and boat tours are served by the railway.
Amsterdam train station is very well connected : several trains daily run to and from France.
Thalys is faster.
By plane : AMSTERDAM international airport.

Your vehicle : 

We strongly advise parking cars on the streets of Amsterdam. Information on guarded parking lots in the city can be found on the following website : https://parkingcentrumoosterdok.nl.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the refund of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more, please click here.

Boat description : click here