Freewheel - Amsterdam to Bruges

Amsterdam to Bruges

Netherlands

From £715 P/P

An enjoyable tour taking you from Netherlands into Belgium, passing historical towns, villages, and canals along the way (all whilst on great quality bike paths). You’ll be thankful to visit these gems. Heading southwest from the Dutch capital you will pass numerous picture-perfect places such as: Gouda, Dordrecht, Willemstad, Zierikzee, Middelburg, Vlissigen (Flushing), Sluis, Damme and the famous Belgian city of Bruges. The route also provides many nature reserves.

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Itinerary
Itinerary

Day 1 – arrival in Amsterdam

After making your own way to Amsterdam, get to know the Netherland’s famous capital. Visit the 400-year-old canal district, exquisite museums such as the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank’s house. See performers and artists on Dam Square, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein, and of course visit the world-famous red-light district. Should you arrive early, you can visit the tree-lined canal systems, thin townhouses, and the 17^th-century canal ring, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city truly does have endless things to do and deserves the popularity it has.

Day 2 – Amsterdam – Gouda / Bodegraven 79km

Time to get on your bike and say goodbye to the cosmopolitan life of Amsterdam. Head into a more idyllic landscape in “Groene Hart” or green heart, here you will find typical polders, peat meadows and feeding livestock. The scenery here is strikingly flat and open and is filled with church spires and windmills reflecting into the lakes and canals. Gouda has been a popular market destination for hundreds of years, with people coming from miles away to buy horses, cows, meat, turf, seeds, cheese and so on. In the evening why not take a small walk in the Old Town and embrace the historical atmosphere. You will find a beautiful market square, 15^th century town hall and Weighing House or “Waag”.

This 79-km route can be divided into two shorter versions of 49km and 38km, which would be done by booking an additional night in Woerden. You could even ride some of the way and catch the train for the rest, making the journey 56km.

Day 3 – Gouda / Bodegrave – Papendrecht / Dordrecht 38km

From Gouda, head to Kinderdijk or the “Green Heart of Holland” which is home to 19 windmills which date back to 1740. The mills were originally used to drain excess water from the low-lying polder and pump it into the River Lek, on this day you can visit one of them. Your stay for the night is Papendrecht, to where you need to catch a ferry from Dordrecht. Dordrecht is one of Holland’s oldest towns and is bordered by rivers. You can reach the town centre by one of the numerous bridges and see impressive buildings at the edge of the harbour. Just a 3km stretch separates you and your hotel in Papendrecht, just on the north shore of the river just from Dordrecht town centre.

Day 4 - Papendrecht / Dordrecht - Willemstad 65km

Your first port of call for the day is Biesbosch, which due to a high flood in 1421 is now one of a handful of wetlands in Europe where the ecosystem has adapted to salt and freshwater from both the sea and rivers. The constantly changing system of creeks and rivulets contains small islands of willows and reeds, making a fantastic home for birds. Cycle on the edge of the National Park and finish your day off in Willemstad, a walled town which is shaped like a star with seven points. Please note you can only cycle Biesbosch Park on the days that the ferry runs. For the days when the ferry doesn’t run there is an alternate route.

Day 5 - Willemstad - Schuddebeurs 50km

Today it’s time to head into the province of Zeeland, which is characterised by brightness, wind, water, and big spaces. Navigate this region of islands by bridges and ferries in the direction of Belgium. You’ll pass fairy-tale towns with old houses and cobbled streets, as well as a landscape stitched with polders, tranquil landscapes, curved dunes, and amber sand flats.

Day 6 – Schuddebeurs – Middelburg / Vlissingen 43km

The first stop on your route is the delightful town of Zierikzee, take a stroll down the thin streets and see the little old houses. You will be reminded of the history of exports of salt, wool, fish, grain, and red dye would leave for destinations as far as the Baltic and Mediterranean. Continue to Veere, a pleasant place where Scottish wool was distributed in 1541. This industry brought wealth into the town for 300 years and it is now alive with an expat community. Head on south into your stay for the night of Middelburg, this is the capital of Zeeland and boats an interesting history being one of the Netherlands’ most important centres of trade in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

Day 7 – Middelburg / Vlissingen – Bruges 66km

Enjoy a delicious breakfast and then set off on your last day of cycling. Head to Vlissingen and then get on a ferry to Zeelandic Flanders where you will find meandering country roads, pollard willows, damp meadows and dotted villages. Hop over the border into Belgium where you will be greeted by the charming town of Damme, which lies on the edge of Damse Vaart. From here you don’t have to travel far to reach Bruges aka “the pearl of Flanders”. This charming and magical location has been enchanting visitors for over 150 years. The majority of the old architecture remains in good stand, as well as the town centre which gives a nostalgic taste of its past as a hub for European wool and fabric trade.

Day 8 – Return home

Have one last breakfast and then say goodbye to your trip!
Route Overview

Route Overview

Start point: Utrecht

End point: Utrecht

Total distance: approx. 341 km

Route of medium difficulty, this is a linear route that goes along canals and past lovely villages.
Getting There

Getting There

We recommend flying to Amsterdam airports to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.

Flights are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.

We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Rail Europe for European rail travel. There is customer car parking available at most hotels for a supplement. Please contact us for more details.

Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0161 703 8161 for more specific travel advice.

You do not need to go back to the starting point of the cycling holiday as all hire bikes are left at the final hotel.

Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
What’s Included?

What’s Included?

7 Nights included
3/4 Star Hotels
Breakfast included, half board optional
Detailed roadbooks with maps and tourist information
Rental bikes available
7-days a week service-hotline
Luggage transport to your next hotel
not included:
Amsterdam Sloterdijk / Amsterdam CS
Bruges - Amsterdam via Antwerpen
Parking available at the hotel
GPS-tracks available
The ferry crossing from Vlissingen to Breskens must b
Bike Hire

Bike Hire

About the Rental Bikes

This cycling holiday uses quality crossbar and unisex hybrid bikes. Quality Shimano components and puncture-proof tyres are among the components that will ensure you have an enjoyable cycle tour.

You will also receive a handlebar bag and map holder for easy navigation while. Prices advertised on the website include standard bike hire (unless stated). Colour and specification may vary from the image shown.

Unisex Bike (Colour may vary)

Rental Bike PLUS

E - Bike (Colour may vary)

Accessories

If you would like GPX files for a suitable device, please request them at the time of booking. Devices are not provided. Please ensure you bring any fittings required to attach the Garmin (or similar) to the handlebars. You might want to download maps onto your phone to avoid data charges when roaming.

All bikes are provided with standard flat pedals. You can bring your own cycling pedals but ensure that you have the correct tools to remove the pedals if the tour does not have a welcome meeting. You may also not be able to travel through airports with the tools if you are carrying hand luggage only.

You can rent a men's bike with a crossbar, unisex/female bike with a sloping tube or an electric bike for a supplement.

Gearing information available on request.

Frame Sizing

When you make a booking with us, we take your height(s) and the appropriate bike size is matched up accordingly. Unisex frame 21-gears with freewheel. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 / 43 cm. Unisex 7-gears-bikes with back pedalling brake. Sizes: 56 / 51 / 46 cm. Men’s speed bikes 21-gears with free wheel and crossbar. Sizes: 64 / 60 / 56 "sloping" cm. Helmets are not provided, and you will need to bring your own to use.

We always recommend wearing a helmet when on your cycling holiday!

Bike Hire Insurance

This cycle tour benefits from bike insurance against rental bike theft and damage in the holiday price. Please make sure you lock up the bike, leave it where told by the hotel, and treat your hire bicycle as if the bike was your own. Any negligent treatment of the bike will exempt you from cover. We advise you to ensure that you have adequate travel insurance for your cycling holiday prior to arrival.

Electric Bike Hire

Why not upgrade your cycling experience to an E-Bike (Electric Bike)? Using a power assisted bike is a great way to go on a cycling holiday and will help you smooth out inclines or longer days in the saddle. Each E-Bike features an LCD display, removable batteries for easy charging, and assistance up to 25 km/h. They have a range of around 120 km for each full charge.

E-Bike upgrade prices vary per tour, but if you require any more information about bike hire and electric bikes, please get in-touch with us on 0161 703 8161.
Hotels

Hotels

This cycling holiday stays in good quality hotels with private facilities carefully selected for their proximity to your cycle route and comfort. If you wish to know specific information about the hotel facilities, Wi-Fi and upgrades used on the holidays, please contact us on 0161 703 8161 for more information.

We will confirm the exact hotels prior to arrival.

You will receive your final hotel list approximately 4 weeks prior to your arrival date detailing the hotels used on your cycling holiday. If you wish to know more about the hotels prior to completing a booking form, please contact our Customer Services team via email or by phone.

Date & Prices

You can find out more about this cycling holiday by completing a Contact Form or call 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.

2022 Cycling Holiday Dates & Prices:

Season	Date	Prices per person	Arrival Day
Season 1	April May & September	£715	Friday Saturday & Sunday
Season 2	June July & August	£715	Daily
Single Room Supplement	All	£215
Half Board Supplement	All	£225

Bike Hire per person:

Bike Type	Price
Rental Bike	£95
Electric Bike Upgrade	£195

Reference DBT22

Date From	Date To
01 April 2022	30 September 2022

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