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 Day 1 Saturday: Arrive in Ghent.
If you fly into Amsterdam your coach will take you to Ghent, leaving Amsterdam at approximately 1.00pm and arriving at approximately 5.00pm. You will be able to join your fellow guests on board your floating hotel. 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.
Day 2 Sunday: Ghent to Bruges, 9 miles (15km).
You will take the train to Bruges and have time to explore this magnificent city
until the afternoon. Take another train to Dendermonde to rejoin your barge and
go for a short ride.
Day 3 Monday: Dendermonde to Antwerp, 31 miles (50km).
From Dendermonde you ride through the pretty Flemish countryside, alongside the
river Schelde, to Antwerp. In the afternoon your guide will show you around the
city. In the evening you may wish to visit some bars and try some Belgian beers.
 Day 4 Tuesday: Antwerp to Willemstad.
In the morning you will be able to spend some more time in Antwerp. Across the impressive waterways of Zeeland, the barge sails to the beautiful fortified town of Willemstad.
Day 5 Wednesday: Willemstad to Gouda, 25 miles (40km).
The barge takes you to the edge of the Biesbosch nature reserve for you to start
cycling. On the way to Gouda you will visit one of the world famous windmills of
Kinderdijk. After dinner your guide will show you around Gouda.
Day 6 Thursday: Gouda to Oude Wetering, 25 miles (40km).
You will enjoy an easy bike ride through some real Dutch meadowlands and end
your trip in the small village of Oude Wetering.
Day 7 Friday: Oude Wetering to Amsterdam, 19 miles (30km).
You will cycle alongside the river Amstel until you reach your final destination of Amsterdam, where you can visit the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh museum. In the evening your guide will take you for a walk around the centre or you can take a round trip of the canals.
Day 8 Saturday: Depart from Amsterdam.
It is the end of the tour and so it is time to say farewells, exchange contact details and make your way home. |
Cruise and Cycle
