Tulip Tour between Amsterdam and Bruges

Day 1: Amsterdam to Haarlem

Official check-in begins at 1:00 pm but you can drop your luggage at 9:15 am to explore Amsterdam at your leisure. Lunch is not provided by the barge on this first day. At 1:30, the crew will host and introductory meeting with coffee followed by the first cruise to Haarlem on the North Sea Channel. Take a test ride for a short distance just outside of Haarlem to the mooring location in the city. Haarlem is a lovely city to take a stroll, as the narrow streets are lined by the monumental buildings built by master Lieven de Key. Enjoy a walk with the guides after dinner and maybe even stop at the Joppen Church for a locally brewed beer.

Day 2: Haarlem - Keukenhof - Oude Wetering

Your first cycling day is a special one! You will go from Haarlem to Leiden beginning with a visit to the Keukenhof. This flower exposition boasts 80 acres filled with 7 million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and many other flowers. Visiting this garden is a spectacular way to experience spring! Continue cycling to Oude Wetering where the boat awaits with a delicious dinner after an exciting day.

Day 3: Oude Wetering - Gouda - Kinderdijk - Dordrecht

No trip to Gouda would be complete without a visit to a cheese farm! Enjoy a tour of a traditional farm complete with a tasting and the option to buy some (sealed) products at the local shop. This area is lovingly referred to as the Green Heart of Holland, a fertile countryside dotted with farms, grazing cows, and lush vistas. Gouda is not only famous for the cheese but also the delicious Stroopwafels, a yummy treat you'll be sure to try. The Gothic architecture of the Town Hall is awe inspiring and there may even be time to visit the divine stained-glass windows of the St. Johns Church.

Along the route from Gouda and Dordrecht, the route will stop at one of the most iconic sites in all of Holland: the Kinderdijk. The Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site built around 1740, features 19 magnificent windmills. After visiting, you will pedal a little more to meet the Iris. Where the boat will embark and sail onwards to Dordrecht. During the crossing, you will be amazed at the fast ferries that are used heavily by commuters here. Dordrecht is the final destination for tonight.

Day 4: Dordrecht - Tholen

Enjoy breakfast as the Iris navigates to Willemstad. Willemstad has the charm of a storybook village with a small historic quaint harbor and a scenic town square. Within a few steps of the dock is a row of restaurants where you can overlook the harbor while enjoying a refreshing beer. Today's destination is Tholen. While it is connected to the mainland, Tholen still retains its picturesque charm and boasts many fishing and boating relics from its colorful past.

Day 5: Tholen - Antwerp

Today you'll have the opportunity to see a unique landscape while biking through Wouwse Plantation, it is an otherworldly place of sand dune forests and fields of heather. Any history buff will enjoy the visit to the Canadian and British World War Two Cemetery. Arriving back on the boat, you will enjoy a cruising lunch to Antwerp, home to the famous painter Peter Paul Rubens. Many of his paintings are still in the city to be admired. Antwerp’s Golden age was in the 16th century when its trade blossomed and while walking the streets, you feel as if you have been transported back 500 years.

Day 6: Antwerp - Dendermonde

Leaving Antwerp, the cycle path passes through tunnels and elevators totally dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists. The Scheldt river will be your guide and you will make various river crossings via ferry. Along the route, you will see many castles! Your day ends in Dendermonde, a Medieval city loaded with important heritage, where you will visit the 14th centure "Clothmaker's Hall", the site of an old wool trading center. The town square is a perfect place to enjoy a real Belgian beer.

Day 7: Dendermonde - Ghent

The typical Flemish countryside will be your backdrop, through small towns, lakes, and castles. You will eventually arrive in Ghent. One of Belgium’s oldest cities and the historic capital of Flanders, Ghent has retained more traces of its past than most other Belgian towns. In the center of the city, you will find the 14th-century Belfry standing about 300 feet high.

Day 8: Ghent - Bruges

You'll have more Ghent this morning, before getting on your bike for the last cycling stage. From Ghent, you will bike through forests and eat lunch at an old estate. Utilizing a rail-to-trail route, you will arrive in Bruges by bike. The Iris will be docked in the center so you can easily explore this delightful medieval town. Know as the Venice of the North and the darling of Flanders, Bruges boasts a historically intact city center that is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 9: Bruges

Today you'll say goodbye to the crew and your new-found friends after one last breakfast on board. You can leave your luggage until 12:00 and spend some more time in Bruges. The crew will be happy to arrange taxis and assist in your onward travel plans.

Average daily distances between 20 and 35 miles (32 and 56 km).