Belgium Bike Tour Reviews (page 5)
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★★★★★ Linda Vied August 28, 2022My First Bike Trip
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique IV (and reverse)
This was my first bike trip and whilst i am not an "avid" cyclist i do consider myself to be a regular cyclist and having paid attention to some prior training i thought i would be OK to do this trip and keep up with everyone. However, i found the pace to be difficult and was unable to keep up with most of the group due to the fact that at least 50%/60% of them were riding E Bikes!!
This trip would have been more enjoyable for me if the group had been split between regular and E Bikers.
The boat was above expectations in every respect and the captain and crew were amazing and created a very comfortable, warm and inviting atmosphere. The chef is a wonder and served some truly wonderful dishes. I thought i would return from this trip having lost some weight but instead i have gained!!! -
★★★★★ Lynn Danford August 28, 2022
Wonderful trip
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique IV (and reverse)
Terrific guides and a perfect mix of time in rural and urban areas. Enjoyed the beauty of the countryside plus some of the great cities of Europe. Surprised that so many in the group were using e-bikes. The frequency of rest stops was perfect. Food on the boat was excellent.
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★★★★★ David Reynolds September 14, 2022Met our expectations!
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This was our first bike and Barge trip. We enjoyed all aspects of the journey from Perrone to Bruges except for the rain the last day of biking. The crew was excellent!e was an excellent cook and provided a variety of excellent meals. The captain Marius took good care of us as did Henk the first mate. Our guide Sietse was excellent. He enjoys history and was able to tell us many things about the history of the countries we traveled through.
The Feniks can accommodate 14 guests but during this trip there were only seven guests. This allowed us to make good friends and be able to stay together while we were biking. It would have been crowded if there had been 14 guests on board. -
★★★★★ Roberta King September 25, 2022A Splendid Ride
· Highlights of Flanders: Belgium’s History, Art, Nature & Cuisine
This was a great, straightforward ride across Belgium.
We arrived in Brugge a day early to enjoy the town and met with Peter to get our bikes and gear for the ride.The navigation tool (a GPS) proved to be problematic, it was quite small and for us to read as we ride and was hard to follow and the paper map provided was not detailed enough to use for navigation.
We picked up a local bike map in Ghent and then a map book in Antwerp. With the map book we ditched the GPS and designed our own route on Belgium’s super amazing cycling network.
The bike network in Belgium is fantastic and we ride on dedicated roads, two tracks and canals to the Netherlands.
The bikes were great, belt drives instead of chains, which took some getting used to, but were comfortable and easy to use.
The hotels were super charming , unique and for the most part easy to find with help from google maps. Breakfasts were excellent on all stops.
Memorable moment is taking our bikes down and up two escalators to ride the river tunnel into Antwerp, slightly terrifying as we’d never done that before (and hope to not repeat).
The terrain was mostly flat with a few hills on the last day. The towns are lovely and we had fun exploring them.
Highly recommend this adventure, but secure the maps or books before you go.
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★★★★★ Amy Smith September 26, 2022
Great way to explore Belgium!
· Highlights of Flanders: Belgium’s History, Art, Nature & Cuisine
We enjoyed this tour greatly. Peter Fos, who owns the company, welcomed us in Bruges and gave us great bikes for the week. The tour included a Garmin Oregon 700, which is necessary to follow the route's many turns and bridges. One thing we really enjoyed was that each day's route ended at our hotel, which has not been the case on other tours. We appreciated the opportunity to shorten a couple of days by train. Hotels were nice, especially in Mechelen and Hasselt. All were located near the city center - not always the case on other self-guided tours. Be sure to request the brewery tour of Het Anker - it was one of our favorite parts of the trip and others on the tour who had not previously booked were unable to purchase tickets (sold out). We chose this tour in early September, which was a blessing and curse. Temperatures were comfortable, but there were several days with rain, although not the full day.
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★★★★★ Eileen Provost September 28, 2022Fantastic trip!
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique III (and reverse)
The crew, barge and guides were all top notch and the food was really good. Beautiful bike routes took us through lovely local scenery! Enjoyed walking tours in Antwerp and Bruges. Guides were super flexible and offered different options on a day with bad weather. Highly recommend!
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★★★★★ Donna Turner September 29, 2022
Great Trip In Every Way
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique III (and reverse)
We had a great time biking from Amsterdam to Bruges. For those concerned about biking so much, this is a very flat ride; easy on a road bike in my estimation, though many had E Bikes. The Magnifique III was beautiful, comfortable, and offered a great team of guides and hospitality professionals who took great care of us. A few of the days of the tour were not as exciting of a ride as far as what you see, but most days were beautiful, varied and offered unique experiences such as a bike museum where we got to ride some crazy bikes, a canal tour in Ghent, a city tour in Antwerp, a visit to an incredible workshop of a local craftsman. It rained a few days but we were prepared and it didn't bother us. So much fun. Get out there and enjoy an active vacation on a bike; you will not be sorry!
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★★★★★ Casey York October 21, 2022Amazing way to travel!
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Can’t wait to go on another trip! The barge was comfortable, food tasty, guide and staff wonderful and I really enjoyed the whole itinerary. The fortified cities shaped like stars were so unique and I enjoyed sailing on the boat, enjoying a happy hour glass on the deck after a long day biking.
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★★★★★ Vickie Brunstetter November 7, 2022The perfect way to experience the Netherlands and Belgium
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
I highly recommend this bike and barge. It is so nice to have the barge to come back to every night with food and drinks waiting. To not have tool pack up each day made for a much more leisurely trip. The weather was perfect and the guides excellent.
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★★★★★ Cate Adams November 8, 2022
Loved every minute. Can’t wait todo another
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
My husband and I booked this trip with several friends but we made many new friends on the trip. The guides were so knowledgeable and they too became friends. Each day we would start with a delicious breakfast, make our sack lunch and head out to get our bikes. The days were filled with wonderful cities and gorgeous countrysides. I don’t think you could have this kind of experience in a car or bus. We would have a morning break for coffee and later a stop for lunch either in city pubs or country inns. We returned back to the boat to find appetizers and the bar ready to receive orders. We could return to the comfort of our room for a hot shower or go in the hot tub. Always places you could find to be alone. The days followed the same routine, but the sites an food were always changing. Speaking of food, our chef did a fantastic job cooking for all 30 of us. The ship Captain and crew all pitched in to get our meals out quickly. Evening were sometimes optional tours or casual strolls along the water. Each day was magical.
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★★★★★ Dawn Richardson November 8, 2022
Unique Vacation Experience
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique III (and reverse)
We had a great time on our first Boat Bike Tour and enjoyed the new traveling experience. I've never been on a cruise and was slightly intimidated by the prospect, but the small boat/barge and biking all day was a great way to see from a new perspective. I enjoyed the guided biking all day and the food on the boat was exceptional. The whole crew was great and it was fun being with folks from all over the world. Definitely considering another tour in the future! We had to postpone twice with the pandemic and were thankful to be able to go and feel safe a couple of years later. Thank you!
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★★★★★ David Reynolds November 9, 2022
Wonderful Bike and Barge Trip from Perrone to Bruges
· · Bruges to Paris by Bike and Boat (and reverse)
This was our first bike and barge trip. A couple of our good friends were also on the trip. We were so fortunate that there were only seven guests on the barge and four crew members! The barge could accommidate 14 guests. All seven of us became good friends and enjoyed all parts of the trip together.
The crew was fantastic! Our guide, Sietse, made sure that we had a safe and memorable biking trip. He is very knowledgable about the route and the history of the region. Our chef cook, Hilde, is a gourmet cook and made every meal special. Henk, the mate is a jack of all trades helping navigate, take care of the barge and help Hilde in the kitchen. Marius, the captain, is a very knowledgable navigator and made sure that all aspects of the trip were comfortable.
Our cabin was small but comfortable and very clean. Each cabin has its own bathroom with a walk in shower.
The bikes were well maintained and if there was a problem, Sietse took care of it.
We did have rain off and on for a couple of days so make sure to take rain gear. The biking was not difficult but e-bikes are available.
We'd highly recommend this trip.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was our first bike and barge trip.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, France
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★★★★★ Kris Krause 11 months ago
Great way to see Belgium and Netherlands!
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
Being our first bike tour, we didn't know what to expect going into the tour, but we had a great time. The whole team was amazing from the first day to the last day. Having dietary restrictions, they were more than accommodating and didn't make it seem like a burden. All the stops along the way were great and our guide was so knowledgeable. Can't wait to do another one!
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★★★★★ Tamera Oswald 11 months ago
Great tour!
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
What a great way to experience the Netherlands. The country side was charming. Amsterdam was exciting. Gear place to visit.
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★★★★★ Tamera Oswald 11 months ago
Great tour!
· · Bruges – Antwerp – Amsterdam by Bike and Boat
What a great way to experience the Netherlands. The country side was charming. Amsterdam was exciting. Gear place to visit.
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★★★★★ Patricia Rose 11 months agoBucket List to Bruges
· Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland
A beautiful way to truly see the Netherlands! Our self-guided group of eight cyclists pedaled from Amsterdam to Bruges. Pleased how everything flowed so seamlessly. The bicycles, panniers, GPS and route maps provided by Tulip Cycling were top notch. Would recommend this tour for any level of cycling.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ Geraldine Donato 11 months ago
Couldn’t have been better!
· Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland
We did a self-guided tour with a 2-hour “tutorial” from Peter of Tulip Tours before we started out. He made sure we were fit properly to our bikes and understood everything about the navigation system so our ride was seamless! We planned an extra night in a couple of cities so we could enjoy more of the local activities and food (!) and decided to do more of that on our next tour. All the hotels were located convenient to town centers except the water hotel in Dordrecht, which was uniquely wonderful. Thank you to Tulip Tours for a wonderful biking experience in Holland and Belgium!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ Karen Goodkin 11 months ago
Water, windmills and tall skinny houses
· Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland
Loved everything about this trip. The route took us through beautiful areas, all avoiding cars and large roads. Accommodations were excellent and the choice of towns and small cities for overnight stays were charming and worth our while. Distinctive too. Bikes were incredible! All in all, an excellent bike trip.
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★★★★★ John Berg 10 months agoBeautiful way to see the Netherlands and Belgium.
· · Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Magnifique II (and reverse)
This is a great way to see the Netherlands and Belgium - small villages, beautiful landscapes, and an escape from the great crowds of tourists in the large cities. I especially appreciated the guides and the crew of the Magnifique II. All of them were great hosts. I felt we were on a friend's private yacht. The other guests were all very interesting and enjoyable companions on the trip. Being with a small group, who were all active and energetic people, meant we didn't have to wait for people before beginning our tours. The larger cruise ships tend to attract a more sedentary group, which means very slow movement and long waits before getting started. The biking part of made this trip outstanding as did the crew and our fellow travelers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is the first bike tour I have been on
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Belgium, Holland
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★★★★★ Terry Edeli 10 months ago
Amazing
· Amsterdam to Bruges: Cycling through South Holland and Zeeland
Lovely trip. The itinerary was expertly planned for the scenic and carefree routes. Hotels were great. Bikes excellent. Super service.
