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| Holland Meets Belgium- Amsterdam to Ghent | Ref: NL018 |
| 8 days / 7 nights | |
| Price: £490pp standard barge and £575pp comfort barge (based on 2 people sharing) | |
Type:  |
Guided:  |
Level:  |
| Distance: approx 95 miles | ||
travel :
- Fly to Amsterdam
For details of this tour but in the opposite direction, i.e. Bruges to Amsterdam click here
The "Tijdgeest" is one of the barges used on this tour. Classified as a Standard barge it has 14 cabins with bunk beds, all with their own facilities and will take up to 34 people. In the saloon where meals are eaten there is an "honesty" bar. You help yourself to wine, beer or soft drinks and record what you have taken so that you can pay at the end of the week.
We use an operator in Holland for these holidays, and as they sell to other agents in Europe such as ourselves it is likely you will have a mix of different nationalities on this tour adding to the cultural enjoyment.
Itinerary
Day 1 (saturday):
After joining your barge in Amsterdam, meeting the crew and other guests you will set off at approximately 1.00pm and cruise to Oude Wetering where the cyclists can try out their bikes. 7 miles.
Day 2 (sunday):
You enjoy an easy bike ride right through some real Dutch meadowlands and end your trip in the cheese town of Gouda. Free time in Gouda after your dinner. 22 miles.
Day 3 (monday):
You ride to the world famous windmills of Kinderdijk where you will visit one of the mills. After the visit you head for Dordrecht, and partially throught the natural reserve Biesbosch to Moerdijk. The night will be spent in the walled town of Willemstad, a real Dutch beauty! 25 miles.
Day 4 (tuesday):
Right across the impressive waterways of Zeeland the barge will take you to the lively town of Antwerp in Belgium. After arrival there is free time to explore this old port. Antwerp is not only known as 'diamond city', but also as the native city of the artist Rubens. In the Rubens House, where he was born, you can admire his work. In the middle of the city is the Cathedral of Our Lady and around the Market Square beautiful town houses from a rich past.
Day 5 (wednesday):
The day starts with a sailing trip to the outskirts of Antwerp. You will then cycle across the riverland of the river Schelde. In the charming provincial town of Dendermonde you will spend the night aboard the barge. 22 miles
Day 6 (thursday):
The barge leaves Dendermonde for a sailing trip on the tidal river Schelde to Ghent. You can enjoy the flat Flemish countryside to Ghent, a lively university city, again one with a rich past. The city has its origins in Roman Times, at the place where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. This favourable situation brought a great deal of prosperity over the years, which peaked in the late 13th and early 14th century. The textile industry brought great wealth and in the city centre you will see many old patrician houses that have been preserved. The owners of these houses, the textile merchants, used to meet in the Clothmakers’ Hall. The major church is St. Baafs’ Cathedral, built in various ages and in various styles. In the cathedral you can admire a number of masterpieces of mediaeval painting, of which the ‘Adoration of the Lamb’ by Jan van Eyck is the most famous. In the evening your guide will take you for a walk around the city. 19 miles.
Day 7 (friday):
Today you take the train to Bruges. After arriving there is a short guided walk past the many historic monuments in the centre of Bruges. From midday you are free to visit Bruges until you are ready to return by train to Ghent.
Day 8 (saturday):
Time to board the bus and make your way back to Amsterdam.
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Cycling Holidays in Holland
Cruise and Cycle
- Tulip Tour
- Spring Flowers
- Holland Meets Belgium
- Highlights of Holland
- Family Special - Tales and Castles
- Family Special - IJssel Lake
- Towns of the Golden Age
- Hanseatic Towns
- Amsterdam to Brussels
- Riverland Holland
- Around IJssel Lake
- Southern Holland
- Northern Holland
Hotel and Cycle
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