Amsterdam – Gouda – Bruges by Bike and Boat

Day 2: Oude Wetering – Gouda
28 miles/45 km

From Oude Wetering you will continue your tour over country roads, banks, and channels through the Green Heart and polders to the city known for its cheese: Gouda. This day is Sunday, the day many Dutch take out their bikes for a ride, and you can join them! Whoever thinks of Gouda thinks not only of cheese, pipes, stroopwafels (treacle-waffle) and pottery, but also of stained-glass windows, a fairytale-like town hall, and atmospheric canals. Gouda is a beautiful Old-Dutch city with a mostly intact city center.

The 'St. Janskerk', Gouda’s 123-meter-long church, with its renowned 'Goudse Glazen' (leaded light windows), the beautiful gothic town hall, and the 'Waag' (a building once used for weighing cheese) are absolutely worth a visit. Furthermore, one should not forget the Goudse Kaas-en Ambachtenmuseum (Museum of Cheese and Crafts museum), the Museum of Dutch Resistance, the 'Weeshuisplein' (famous square), the Catharinatuin, patios around the city, and the Museumhaven, a harbor where historical ships are moored. As on most days, after dinner you will take a walk through the city.
Overnight in Gouda.

Day 3: Gouda – Dordrecht
25 miles/40 km

From Gouda, you will cycle along quiet country roads and narrow cycling paths to Dordrecht. The route leads you past scenic polders and through Krimpenerwaard, the deepest-lying polder in the Netherlands. Upon reaching the dyke along the River Lek, you’ll take a ferry across to Kinderdijk. From the embankments of the Lek, you’ll enjoy an amazing view of the 19 windmills, now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The windmills at Kinderdijk were actively used until 1950. Today, a large pumping station manages the water levels in the polder. This is where you will take a break and have the opportunity to visit the interior of one of the windmills—an impressive piece of centuries-old engineering that remains functional to this day.

After a beautiful ride through the Alblasserwaard polder, you will arrive in Alblasserdam. A modern, fast ferry will then take you across to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the country, located at a busy crossroads of waterways. Dordrecht is also considered the birthplace of Dutch independence: in 1572, the first free State Assembly was held here. This historic meeting marked the beginning of the Netherlands as an independent nation, as it was in Dordrecht that the resistance against Spain first took shape.
Overnight in Dordrecht.

Day 4: Cruise Dordrecht to Willemstad | Cycle to Kreekrak | Cruise to Antwerp
35 or 40 miles/56 or 65 km

From Dordrecht, you will sail to the 17th-century fortified town of Willemstad. After a short stop to explore this charming little town, you continue past the Volkeraksluizen—one of the busiest lock complexes in Europe. The route then leads you through a flat polder landscape toward the woodlands surrounding Bergen op Zoom. After passing through this lively town, you will cycle over the “Brabantse Wal,” a wooded sand ridge formed during the Ice Ages. This area is well-known for its delicious strawberries and asparagus.

You will rejoin the barge at the large Kreekrak lock for a cruise to Antwerp. The journey along the river is fascinating, with impressive sea-going vessels passing by. Entering the Port of Antwerp is a highlight, as you sail past the striking modern Havenhuis (Harbour House). The historic city centre of Antwerp is certainly worth a visit—you’ll find the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of Our Lady) and the Rubenshuis among its many attractions. The barge will be moored in the Willemdok, near the Museum of Modern Art (Museum Aan de Stroom).
Overnight in Antwerp.

Day 5: Antwerp – Sint Amands
25 miles/40 km

This morning, you will first cross the Scheldt River via the historic St. Anna Tunnel, using the escalator with its moving wooden stairs—a truly unique experience. Cycling along the Scheldt, you pass Basel, considered one of Belgium’s most beautiful villages, and Rupelmonde, the birthplace of the famous 16th-century cartographer Gerardus Mercator.

On the way to Sint-Amands, the route takes you through nature reserves and wetlands such as Durme and Schausselbroek. The Durme mudflats are particularly noteworthy, as they represent one of the last freshwater marshes along this tidal stretch of the river, hosting a unique variety of flora and fauna. Sint-Amands itself is a tranquil village nestled in a bend of the Scheldt, offering a peaceful stop along your journey
Overnight in Sint Amands.

Day 6: Cruise Sint Amands to Dendermonde | Cycle to Ghent
29 miles/47 km

The day begins with a leisurely sail to Dendermonde. After disembarking, you will explore the beautiful market square, featuring the impressive 14th-century town hall and belfry. From there, you cycle along the Scheldt River to Berlare and later to Wetteren, known for its rose nurseries. Wetteren is the last stop before Ghent, making it the perfect place to enjoy a taste of Belgian beer before reaching the city and reboarding the ship.

Ghent takes pride in its rich history, but the city is far from a mere museum piece. It offers a striking blend of medieval architecture, chic shopping streets lined with elegant mansions, and old working-class districts from the early twentieth century, now bustling with students. The lively squares provide the perfect setting to relax and enjoy warm summer evenings well into the nigh
Overnight in Ghent.

Day 7: Ghent – Bruges
28 miles/45 km

This morning you will cycle through Ghent to the scenic countryside of Oost-Vlaanderen (East-Flanders), defined by its woods, fields, small villages, and castles. From the Aalterbrug (also for the shorter route) the last part of this route takes you over the former towpath along the canal of Oostende-Gent, the oldest canal in Belgium, to Bruges.

The impressive city of Bruges is the end destination for this brilliant bike and barge trip, with many of you likely to want to stay an extra day in this beautiful city. For exciting explorations by bicycle, you can take one of our fascinating Bruges day tours!

Bruges is known for its production of linen that used to be distributed all over Europe. During the 14th Century, the second city wall was built, and four mills still stand upon that wall today. In the 15th Century, Bruges was under the control of the Dukes of Burgundy, who brought luxury and prosperity to the city through the growth of arts and banking. From this period much has remained: the town hall, the many 'natiehuizen' churches, and the mausoleums of Marie of Burgundy (Duchess of Cleves) and Charles the Bold.

At the end of the fifteenth century, the Burgundy court disappeared in Bruges, marking the end of a prosperous period. In 1584, the city was concurred by the Spanish. Religious wars and the closing of the sea caused Bruges to fall into decay. Bruges developed into a poor city in the nineteenth century and missed the industrialization boom. It is partly because of G. Rodenbach's novel Bruges la Morte (1892) that Bruges rediscovered its identity as a city of growing arts and, later, a tourism center. Unmissable sights include the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady), Belort and Hallen, Gruuthusemuseum (museum of applied arts of Bruges) and the Kantcentrum (Lace Center).
Overnight in Bruges.

Day 8: Bruges

End of trip after breakfast (disembark before 10:00 am).