Embarkation is from 1 to 2pm when the crew welcomes you onboard. There is then a welcome meeting where you will meet the crew and receive your bicycle. We then go on a short ride through the countryside around Bruges to get used to the bikes. After dinner you are invited to join a guided walking tour through the centre of Bruges. Probably the most beautiful Flemish City, Bruges has a long history stretching back to the Vikings. A network of cobbled streets and canals lined with wonderful old town-houses criss-cross the city centre. Every now and then these give way to quaint squares accommodating wonderful old churches and museums. We spend the night at our mooring in Bruges.

Our first day of cycling takes us towards Ghent, through the beautiful Flemish landscape, along the Ghent canal. Before long we arrive in the lively University City of Ghent where the Schelde and Leie Rivers meet. This may have been one of the factors that contributed to the town’s phenomenal success as trading centre in the middle ages – at one time it was the second largest city north of the Alps after Paris. The opulence and grandeur of the city’s past is still evident in the lovely old churches and merchants’ houses in the beautiful old town centre. The barge moors for the night in Merelbeke, a suburb of Ghent a 30 minute ride from the centre. Before dinner we enjoy a canal boat tour of the historic city.

After breakfast in Ghent we start cycling alongside the Schelde River to Dendermonde, a lovely old town that sits at the confluence of the Schelde and Dender rivers. The town has a beautiful old Grote Markt (town square) lined with inviting bars and cafés . Rest assured we will have time to explore this pleasant old town. From here, the state of the tide will determine whether it is possible to continue cycling along the river the 15kms to St. Amands or whether we re-board the boat and cruise this final section. Either way, we will moor in the sleepy little riverside town of St. Amands for the night.

After breakfast we begin cycling downstream, alongside our old friend the Schelde River. We’ll be pedalling through the Temse region a particularly beautiful stretch of the river. Our destination today is Antwerp, a city that has long been associated with the diamond trade. It is also the home of Peter Paul Rubens and many of his works hang in the city’s Onze Lieve Vrouwe Cathedral. The picturesque City Square with its tall, narrow majestic town houses is another highlight as is the medieval Steen Castle.

Our boat cruises along the Schelde-Rhine Canal and into the huge Kreekrak lock system. We disembark here for a lovely ride through the natural beauty of the Wouwse Plantage forest. Afterwards we cycle through the charming village of Bergen Op Zoom before crossing the bridge to the picturesque fishing village of Tholen. Here we re-board the boat and enjoy an afternoon cruise past the impressive Volkerak lock system, and the fortified town of Willemstad to Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in Holland, where we moor for the night. After dinner your guide will take you for an evening walk around the historic town.

Today starts with a short 10 minute waterbus ride to Alblasserdam, where we disembark with the bikes. A short ride brings us to Kinderdijk, a village that has an impressive collection of 19 windmills, which were originally built to pump the Alblasserwaard polder dry. Today, a modern pump does most of the hard work but the windmills are still fully functioning and all bar-one have resident families living inside. The unoccupied windmill is a museum, which you are welcome to explore during your visit. From here we cycle to Schoonhoven, renowned for it’s silversmiths, which explains how it came by its nickname of Zilverstad or Silver City. As you might expect there are many silverware shops to browse as well as a silver museum. We then pedal on to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek where the boat is waiting for us and moors for the night.

During breakfast the boat cruises to Breukelen where we disembark for our last cycle ride of the holiday. Enjoy the views along the Vecht River, as it’s an area famous for beautiful mansions, impressive houses, small castles and gardens. One last stop is in Nigtevecht where we can visit a traditional cheese farm before cycling on to the vibrant city of Amsterdam. The boat remains moored in Amsterdam overnight allowing us to experience an evening in this exciting city.

After breakfast it’s time to disembark, by 9.30am, and head for home or your next adventure.