Itinerary
Highlights of Holland and Flanders: Amsterdam to Bruges
8 days / 7 nights | MS Magnifique II | Self-guided bike tours (upgrade guided tours possible)
Experience the charm of a bygone era on this exciting 8 day, 7 night tour where you will discover the best of what Holland and Belgium have to offer.
During the day you will cycle to world famous destinations such as Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, while at night you will relax in the comfort of your floating hotel.
Cycling on this tour is through the beautiful – and flat – Dutch countryside of Zeeland and the western Flanders region of Belgium. Attractions along the way include many charming villages, a visit to a real Dutch cheese farm, the 19 famous Dutch windmills in Kinderdijk and the world famous cities of Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges in the western Flanders region of Belgium. You will cycle through and discover the Dutch province of Zeeland, which is essentially one big river delta of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt Rivers famous for its fantastic beaches, water sport activities and Delta works and the Flanders region of Belgium famous for its medieval towns and a reputation for superb food and drink. As well as being able to discover many picturesque villages each day – both on your bicycle and on foot – you will:
The Magnifique III tours start and end on TUESDAY, the Magnifique II and Magnifique IV tours start and end on THURSDAY and the tours with the other ships start and end on SATURDAY.
Highlights of this bike and boat trip
✔ Colourful Holland and Flanders
✔ World famous cities of Amsterdam, Antwerpen and Ghent
✔ Visiting the windmills of Kinderdijk
✔ The premium barge MS Magnifique III
Itinerary from Amsterdam to Bruges
Day 1: Amsterdam
Embarkation and check-in is at 1 pm, where your crew for the week will be waiting to welcome you on board. At around 2 p.m. the ship will depart from Amsterdam for Vianen, a small fortified village on the Lek River. After dinner you have the opportunity to enjoy a short first test ride through the surrounding area.
Day 2: Vianen – Schoonhoven – Kinderdijk (32 km/19 mi. or 56 km/34 mi.) | Kinderdijk – Dordrecht
Today you will cycle along a beautiful route to Schoonhoven – nicknamed Zilverstad (“Silver City”) – a city renowned for its talented silver smiths since the 17th century. Later in the day as you cycle through the Alblasserwaard region you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 large windmills. All 19 windmills have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a definite highlight – you will have the opportunity to visit one so don’t forget to bring your camera! From nearby Alblasserdam you will take the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry, that will take you and your bicycle in approx. 10 minutes to Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland.
Day 3: Day 4: Dordrecht – Willemstad | Willemstad – Tholen (36 km/23 mi. or 44 km/28 mi.) | Tholen – Kreekrak lock – Antwerp
As you enjoy your breakfast aboard the ship, the ship will sail to Willemstad where you will start your day’s cycling. Willemstad is a beautiful old fortified town on the Haringvliet waterway. Your bicycle ride goes to Tholen, once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. But it is still a picturesque village with many relics of an eventful past. In the afternoon you will once again board the ship which will sail to the port city of Antwerp, situated on the river Schelde. Antwerp is famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and is a city with a long list of attractions including: the City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle. After dinner you can visit the beautiful old city center.
Day 4: Antwerp
Today your barge stays in Antwerp. This means you will have an entire day to discover this city of culture, filled with cobblestones and Flemish Baroque masterpieces. You can visit the Rubens House, the palazzo where the brilliant and versatile artist lived with his family. You will find some of his paintings to admire just a ten-minute walk away in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe (Our Dear Lady) Cathedral”. Other ideas for spending a pleasant afternoon here are to visit the famous beer brewery of ‘de Koninck’ for a tour and tasting, explore the fascinating Museum on the Scheldt River (MAS — Museum aan de Stroom) or go shopping in Antwerp’s welcoming shopping area. Dinner tonight is not included as you have the chance to dine at a restaurant of your choosing. If needed, your crew can provide restaurant recommendations.
Day 5: Antwerp – Temse – St. Amands (34 km/21 mi. or 49 km/31 mi.)
This morning you will cycle out of Antwerp along a picturesque section of the Schelde River to St. Amands your home for the night. There is only one way to describe the
landscape around the Schelde and that is “magnificent”. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour.
Day 6: St. Amands – Dendermonde | Dendermonde– Ghent (52 km/32 mi.)
Today you will continue to follow the river Schelde to Ghent where the ship will moor for the night at a lock in a suburb of town. Ghent is a lively university city that boasts a rich history. Since Roman times Ghent’s position at the junction of Leie and Schelde Rivers has ensured that it has been a successful trading port. In total the city features an Opera House, 18 museums, more than 100 churches and over 400 historical buildings. Major attractions are St. Bavo Cathedral where a number of masterpieces of medieval art including the world famous ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’ by Jan van Eyck are kept and the 91-meter-tall belfry of Ghent, one of three medieval towers that overlook the old city center.
Day 7: Ghent – Bruges (22 km/13 mi. or 45 km/28 mi.)
Today you will cycle from Ghent through the beautiful Flemish countryside of western Flanders to Bruges, widely described as the ‘Venice of the North’ and arguably the most beautiful of all the Flemish cities. Bruges attracts more than two million visitors every year who come to see the picturesque medieval town center of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic city and a long list of historic attractions. An outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement, Bruges has managed to maintain its historic fabric as it has evolved over the centuries, with the result that today the city’s original Gothic buildings form an integral part of the town’s identity. While you are here you can visit one of Bruges many museums or simply take in the stunning beauty and culture of this unforgettable city from the comfort of a sidewalk café. Dinner tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Day 8 (Sat): Bruges
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Please note: All cycling distances stated above are approximate only.
Itinerary Bruges to Amsterdam
Itinerary from Bruges to Amsterdam
Day 1: Bruges (11 km/6 mi.)
Embarkation time in Bruges is between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. The ship awaits you in the Bruges harbor. After a welcome meeting with the crew at 1:30 PM the ship departs at 2:00 p.m. from Bruges to a suburb where there is time for bicycle fitting an a short test-ride through the countryside aroud Bruges. During dinner the barge sails into 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 favorable situation brought a great deal of prosperity over the years. Textile industry brought great wealth. In the city center many old patrician houses have been preserved. In the Clothmakers’ Hall (1425) textile merchants used to meet. Major church is St. Baafs’ Cathedral, where you can admire a number of masterpieces mediaeval painting, of which the ‘Adoration of the Lamb by Jan van Eyck is the most famous. We advise you to come to Bruges one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historical city of Bruges, aptlynamed the “Pearl of Flanders”. While you are there make sure you visit one of Bruges many museums or simply take in the stunning beauty and culture of this unforgettable city from the comfort of a sidewalk café.
Day 2: Ghent – Dendermonde/St. Amands (40 km/24 mi. or 53 km/32 mi.)
After breakfast in Ghent you will cycle downstream through a diverse landscape along the tidal Schelde River to Dendermonde located at the confluence of Dender and Schelde rivers. There is only one way to describe the landscape along the Schelde and that is: “magnificent”. It is without doubt one of the natural highlights of the tour. During this section of the Schelde the speed of the ship will be determined by the height of the tide. You will travel from Dendermonde to St. Amands by either bicycle or barge depending on the tides. Your floating hotel will be docked for the night in St. Amands.
Day 3: St. Amands – Temse – Antwerp (32 km/19 mi. or 49 km/31 mi.)
Today we will follow the Schelde river further downstream through the Temse region to Antwerp. Over the centuries the Schelde river has held strategic importance for the Romans, Vikings, Spanish and Napoleon… Today it is a beautiful waterway just perfect for bike and barge holidays! Antwerp, your destination for the day, is a harbor city famous for handling up to 80% of the world’s rough diamonds and as the birthplace of the famous painter Sir Peter Paul Rubens. There are many highlights in the city to discover including: the City Hall, one of several majestic buildings constructed during the Renaissance period, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle. Dinner will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Day 4: Antwerp
Today your barge stays in Antwerp. This means you will have an entire day to discover this city of culture, filled with cobblestones and Flemish Baroque masterpieces. You can visit the Rubens House, the palazzo where the brilliant and versatile artist lived with his family. You will find some of his paintings to admire just a ten-minute walk away in the “Onze Lieve Vrouwe (Our Dear Lady) Cathedral”. Other ideas for spending a pleasant afternoon here are to visit the famous beer brewery of ‘de Koninck’ for a tour and tasting, explore the fascinating Museum on the Scheldt River (MAS — Museum aan de Stroom) or go shopping in Antwerp’s welcoming shopping area. Dinner tonight is not included as you have the chance to dine at a restaurant of your choosing. If needed, your crew can provide restaurant recommendations.
Day 5: Antwerp – Kreekrak locks | Kreekrak locks – Tholen (36 km/23 mi. or 20 km/13 mi.) | Tholen – Willemstad – Dordrecht
This morning, the ship will sail along the Schelde-Rhine Canal and over the huge Kreekrak lock system. Here your bicycle tour starts through the beautiful “Wouwse Plantage” forest to Tholen, Tholen once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Nowadays Tholen is connected to the mainland in various ways. But it is still a picturesque village with many relics of an eventful past. From Tholen you will join the ship again for a nice afternoon sail to the city of Dordrecht. Halfway the ship will pass the impressive Volkerak lock system. Dordrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands is your destination for the day. The guide will take you for an evening walk and tell you about the history of the Netherlands.
Day 6: Dordrecht – Kinderdijk | Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Vianen (32 km/19 mi. or 57 km/36 mi.)
Today you will start your tour with the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry that will take you and your bicycle in just 10 minutes to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 UNESCO cultural heritagelisted windmills – one of which you can visit (don’t forget your camera!). The windmills were constructed in the 18th century to pump water out of the low Alblasserwaard polder (a polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments). You will then continue to cycle via Schoonhoven to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek (Lower Rhine), where you will stay for the night and where you can explore at your leisure after dinner.
Day 7: Vianen – Breukelen | Breukelen – Amsterdam (36 km/23 mi. or 46 km/28 mi.)
During breakfast the ship will cruise to Breukelen where you disembark to start your final day of cycling. Ride along the Vecht River in an area famous for its beautiful mansions, small castles, impressive houses and their large gardens. After cycling through the villages of Nieuwersluis, Loenen and Vreeland you will arrive at Nigtevecht where you can visit a traditional cheese farm. Continue cycling through the historical town of Muiden and on to Amsterdam where you will meet the barge for the final time in the Amsterdam harbor.
Day 8: Amsterdam
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Map

Ship MS Magnifique III
MS Magnifique III
After the overwhelming success of the premium ships Magnifique and Magnifique II there will be another sister: the Magnifique III.
The upper deck has five spacious suites (16 m² – 172 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds, a small sitting area and a “French Balcony”: ceiling-to-floor sliding glass doors.
All cabins with very comfortable beds, an ensuite bathroom, satellite TV, mini-safe and hairdryer. The lower deck has fourteen beautiful twin cabins (12 m² – 129 sq.ft.) with two separate single beds and two single cabins (9 m² – 97 sq.ft.). In most cabins and all suites, on prior request, the beds can be set together as a double bed. On request, an additional third bed is available in one of the suites and one of the twin cabins (Pullman bed, above one of the other beds).
The cabins on the lower deck have portholes (fixed for safety reasons), upper deck suites have sliding glass doors that can be partly opened. The air conditioning in all cabins can be individually regulated.
On the upper deck there is a tastefully furnished salon with a restaurant, bar, a lounge with a wide screen TV, large windows and Wi-Fi (unlimited use of data). There is a partly covered teak wooden sun deck with chairs and table on the aft deck for the use by guests and a cycle shed (front deck). On the top deck you will find a Jacuzzi and deckchairs.
Travel Dates & Prices 2022
Bike and Barge Amsterdam - Bruges - MS Magnifique III
Travel Dates and Prices 2022 per Person
Please click at the travel data to open the request form.
Travel Dates
Prices 2022 per Person in €
Start of trip: Thursday
S. 1
S. 2
S. 3
Twin Cabin
1379,-
1329,-
1229,-
Premium Twin
1879,-
1529,-
1729,-
Upper Deck Suite
1799,-
1729,-
1599,-
Twin as Single
2068,-
1993,-
1843,-
Triple Cabin
1329,-
1279,-
1179,-
Suite upper deck as Triple Cabin
1779,-
1729,-
1629,-
Season 1
May 03 - Jun 28 + Sep 06 - Sep 27
Season 2
Jul 05 - Aug 02 + Oct 04
Season 3
Oct 11 - Oct 18
Optional services / Notes
Cycle hire (7 gears)
95,- €
E-bike hire (on request)
210,- €
Parking own bicycle
10,- €
Parking + charge station own E-Bike
25,- €
- Single cabins are double cabins for single use.
- Triple cabin only for 2 adults + 1 child.
- Minimum number of participants: 24
Included
- 8 days/7 nights
- 7 x breakfast
- Packed lunches
- 6 x 3-course dinner
- Coffee and tea on board
- Welcome drink
- Use of bed linen and towels
- Daily cleaning of the cabin
- Climate-controlled cabin
- Daily briefings
- Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
- GPS tracks
- Use of a helmet
- Use of a waterproof pannier bag
- Water bottle
- Wi-Fi
- Carbon offset payment to the Non-Profit organization Justdiggit
Not included: 1x dinner (Antwerp), Drinks, Bicycle rental or E-bike rental, Personal insurances, Gratuities (at your discretion), Entrance fees and excursions (not mentioned under inclusions), Transfers to/from the docking place, Parking fees, fees for ferrys
Vaccination and health requirements for this tour:
For most of our tours, all travelers are subject to the rules that are imposed by the relevant authorities in the country of travel at the time of the trip. Currently (as of Nov. 1, 2021) this means either fully vaccinated, recovered or tested for almost all trips within the EU for EU citizens. In short: If you are allowed to (enter) a country and are healthy, you can also check in with us on board and enjoy your journey.
Tour level
Easy tour on flat cycle tracks and minor roads.
Bicycles
The bicycles on board is a unisex city bike with a low-entry and a riding position that is upright and comfortable. The bike is handmade in the Netherlands by Azor, specially designed by Boat Bike Tours. The bike consists of a lightweight aluminum frame and is equipped with responsive roller brakes (handbrake), a Shimano 7 speed nexus drive, Selle-Royal gel saddle (adjustable), an easy to use lock (fixed on frame) and the Schwalbe Marathon anti-puncture tyre. This all results in a lightweight, stable and reliable bike, good for many miles on the saddle.
The E-bike is an Azor Steps with Nexus 7 gears and hand brakes. The crank Shimano motor (400 WH) offers 4 support levels, The E-bikes have a comfortable gel saddle and a lock on the frame (or a comparable brand/model).
Bicycle rent is optional. Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles/e-bikes (limited number of parking places available). Guests can book a parking place for a normal bicycle or a parking and charge station for an e-bike for a small additional fee. For safety reasons it is no longer possible to charge the batteries of your own e-bikes in the cabin. The crew will inform you where on deck/ on board you can recharge your battery. However, the crew or tour operators are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of guests own bicycles or e-bikes. / Prices of other bikes (e.g. children’s bikes, “slip streamers”/tag-a-long, tandem bicycles etc. and child’s saddles (rear) are on request.
Upgrade guided tours
On this trip you have the opportunity to ride all bike tours together with an experienced tour guide (supplement see above). If you choose this option, the guide will show you all the interesting places and the most exciting sights along the way. For larger groups, a second guide will accompany you. Some entrance fees (canal tour through the center of Amsterdam, entrance to the Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp and canal tour through Ghent), shorter city walking tours and the cost of the ferries on the route are included in this upgrade.
Transfer between Amsterdam and Bruges
There is a good train connection between these two cities. Please visit one of the following websites for timetables, tickets or more information www.omio.co.uk or www.trainline.eu.