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2008 Holland Bike & Barge Bruges-Amsterdam - Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart the U.S. and begin your crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.

Depart from the U.S. for Belgium. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive Brussels

Upon arrival at the Brussels airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area: VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. (Please note: Also make certain your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so that your VBT representative can identify you.) After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Please wait here while your representative helps make arrangements for your transfer via taxi or minibus to your Brussels hotel (transfer time approximately 30 minutes depending upon traffic). VBT provides you with a city information packet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Brussels during your stay. You have the rest of the day to relax or to begin your exploration of the city. Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you fly in earlier than the scheduled program dates, transportation from the airport will be at your own expense.

Hotel: NH Grand Place Arenberg Hotel - Extension Hotel

Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Brussels

From your hotel located in the center of the city, walk the cobbled streets to popular sites or hop on a tram right outside the hotel. Stroll the Grand Place, Brussels' magnificent central square that boasts the country's finest Baroque guildhalls. Visit the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, where you can see Belgium's premier collections of ancient and modern art including works by Pieter Breugel the Elder, Rubens and the Belgian Surrealists. End your day with regional specialties at one of Brussels's many delightful restaurants.

Meals: B  Hotel: NH Grand Place Arenberg Hotel - Extension Hotel

Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Brussels

Continue to explore and stroll through the squares and streets of Brussels on your independent trip extension.

Meals: B  Hotel: NH Grand Place Arenberg Hotel - Extension Hotel

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart US/Fly to Brussels

Depart from the U.S. for Belgium. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR All Guests Meet in Bruges

VBT No-Air Package guests: Upon arrival at the Brussels airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. After exiting the customs area, transfer on your own to Hotel Oud Huis de Peellaert (Hoogstraat 20, B-8000 Brugge, Belgie; telephone +32 [0] 50 33 78 89) in Bruges. You are responsible for your own transportation to the hotel. Taxi cost is approximately 175 euros/$210 USD (travel time approximately 1 hour, longer during rush hours). VBT Air Package Guests: Upon arrival at the Brussels airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If any portion of your luggage appears to be lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area: VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. (Please note: Also make certain your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so that your VBT representative can identify you.) After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Please wait here while your representative helps make arrangements for your transfer via taxi or minibus to your Bruges hotel (transfer time approximately 1 hour depending upon traffic). VBT Pre-Trip Extension guests: Today, transfer to Bruges to join the other guests. You will be collected from the hotel lobby by a VBT representative at 12.00 noon for your transfer to Bruges. Please note: Your VBT Trip Leaders will meet all guests in the Bruges hotel lobby at 2 p.m. If you miss this appointment, make sure you join the group at 6 p.m. for the briefing and cocktail reception, or call the front desk and leave a message for your Trip Leaders. After checking in, you have free time to explore Bruges before gathering with your VBT Trip Leaders and traveling companions for a welcome reception and briefing at 6 p.m. Tonight, try one of Bruges's wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Hotel: Hotel Oud Huis De Peellaert

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Full day in Bruges

Today, join your Trip Leaders for a guided orientation tour of Bruges. The rest of the day is yours to sightsee and shop in Bruges, a city that has been compared to a vast open-air museum. Be sure to go to the top of the Belfort Tower for a panoramic view of the city and all its medieval splendor. You might wish to visit the 12th-century Basilica of the Holy Blood, said to contain a small vial of Christ's blood that was brought to Bruges from the Holy Land in 1149. Or stop by the Memling Museum, housed in one of the oldest surviving medieval hospitals in Europe. Tonight dinner is on your own.

Meals: B  Hotel: Hotel Oud Huis De Peellaert

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Embark barge/Warm-up ride and cruise to Ghent

After breakfast, spend more free time in Bruges. Later, walk to our barge in time for a 2 p.m. departure. At the docks, meet the barge crew and another Trip Leader, who welcomes you aboard with refreshments. Cruise out of Bruges on a charming canal; the barge stops before dinner so you can take a warm-up ride to Aalter. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner on board, followed by a talk on canal navigation from our captain, who discusses the route we will take on our journey. We moor in Ghent, one of Belgium's most beautiful cities.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR Tour Ghent/Cycle to Dendermonde

After breakfast, take a short walking tour of the city with a local guide, then use your free time for self-guided exploration. Ghent is located at the confluence of the Schelde and Leie rivers. This “City of 200 Bridges” was founded around AD 600 and boasts many beautiful buildings dating back to medieval times, when the textile industry brought great wealth to Ghent's merchants. In the city center, many old, patrician houses have been preserved. One historic building is the Cloth Makers' Hall, built in 1425, where textile merchants used to meet. The city's major church is St. Baaf's Cathedral, constructed and added to in various styles over many centuries. In the cathedral, admire a number of masterpieces of medieval painting, including Jan van Eyck's famous “Adoration of the Lamb.” After lunch on your own in Ghent, cycle along a beautiful bike path beside the river, where you can view the magnificent landscape around the Schelde River. Your destination is Dendermonde. This evening, your Trip Leaders teach a language class.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Cycle from Dendermonde to Temse/Continue ride to Antwerp

Today, cycle from Dendermonde to Temse along the Shelde River, arriving in Temse in time for lunch on your own. After lunch, continue cycling to Antwerp. Meet the barge at one of Antwerp's historic docks in the afternoon, then eat dinner on your own in town.

Meals: B  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Visit Antwerp/Cycle to Tholen

This morning, visit Antwerp, known as the “Diamond City” and the hometown of the painter, Rubens. In the middle of the city, you find the Cathedral of Our Lady and beautiful old townhouses around the Market Square. During lunch on board, cruise through the impressive port of Antwerp. In the early afternoon, cycle across the Oesterdam in the Oosterschelde, which connects Flanders with Tholen, today's destination. Tholen once was an island in the middle of the large Zeeland streams, where many people fished for their living. Today, Tholen is connected to the mainland, but it remains a picturesque village with relics of an eventful past. Before dinner, the barge captain gives us a talk explaining Holland's waterway system, how its locks work, and what life on a barge is like.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Cycle from Tholen to Willemstad/Cruise to Dordrecht

This morning, cycle from Tholen to Willemstad along the impressive complex of locks known as de Volkerak. You have time to explore Willemstad, an old fortified town on the Haringvliet. From here, set sail to Dordrecht and have lunch on board. The barge moors in the city's historic center. Spend the afternoon exploring Dordrecht, one of the oldest towns in Holland and an important junction for shipping traffic. Dine in a regional restaurant in town.

Meals: B,L,D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 8 of BIKE TOUR Cycle and cruise to Kinderdijk en Vianen

During breakfast, sail over the river Noord to Kinderdijk, home to an impressive group of 19 windmills that date to 1740 and were used well into the 20th century. This site is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit one of the windmills before cycling to Schoonhoven, known as the “Silver City.” Spend the night in Vianen, a small city on the river Lek.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 9 of BIKE TOUR Arrive in Amsterdam

During breakfast this morning, cruise to Breukelen, where you begin cycling toward Amsterdam. Follow the beautiful river Vecht and the river Amstel, which lead you right into the city. Stop for a picnic lunch along the way. Tonight, enjoy the last dinner on board.

Meals: B, L, D  Hotel: Barge Iris Alternate Hotel: Barge Sailing Home .   The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 twin-bedded cabins, each with private shower and toilet. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. Inside, the salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night. Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own drinks and use the facilities of the barge (including ice, glasses and crew services); your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Day 10 of BIKE TOUR Depart barge/Explore Amsterdam

After breakfast, say goodbye to your barge crew, then walk through Amsterdam's winding streets to the hotel. During the walk, a Trip Leader leads an orientation tour of the city and takes us for a ride on the city's most famous transportation system: the tram! After checking in, explore Amsterdam on your own before a farewell dinner with the group.

Meals: B, D  Hotel: Hotel Vondel Alternate Hotel: Hotel Eden Rembrandt Square .   This unique 4-star hotel, situated centrally at the Amstelstreet at the corner of the famous and lively Rembrandt Square, has a contemporary style and offers elegant, personal service. Museums, shopping streets, restaurants and clubs are nearby.

Day 11 of BIKE TOUR Depart for U.S. or begin optional Amsterdam extension

VBT No-Air Package guests: Arrange your own transfer (approximately 35 euros/$49 USD for a taxi) to the Amsterdam airport for your departing flight (travel time approximately 20 minutes, longer during rush hours). VBT Air Package guests: After breakfast*, meet in the hotel lobby for transfer to the Amsterdam airport and your departing flight back to the U.S. Be sure you are waiting at the designated time and transfer location. VBT Post-Trip Extension guests: If you have chosen the VBT Post-Trip Extension, continue to stay in the Amsterdam hotel. Spend the next few days exploring at your own pace. VBT provides you with a city information packet, which includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Amsterdam. Before your extension begins, your Trip Leader or airport representative advises you of your transfer time: A taxi will meet you at the hotel's reception area on the last day of your extension and will transfer you to the Amsterdam airport. Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense. * Note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Meals: B  Hotel: Hotel Vondel - Extension Hotel Alternate Hotel: Hotel Eden Rembrandt Square .   This unique 4-star hotel, situated centrally at the Amstelstreet at the corner of the famous and lively Rembrandt Square, has a contemporary style and offers elegant, personal service. Museums, shopping streets, restaurants and clubs are nearby.

Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Amsterdam

Delve into Amsterdam's cultural and historic riches at your own pace during this independent trip extension. From the Van Gogh Museum to the floating flower market, you can expect to find an inexhaustible variety of delights in this cultured capital. Take in the superlative collection of art by Dutch Masters in the Rijkmuseum (under renovation until 2008, but with its most famous masterpieces still on display). Visit Anne Frank's house, including the attic where she and her family hid from the Nazis until they were betrayed. Your hotel is located near the major points of interest, and you have ample time to browse Amsterdam's huge array of elegant shops and be entertained by the city's animated street life.

Meals: B  Hotel: Hotel Vondel - Extension Hotel Alternate Hotel: Hotel Eden Rembrandt Square .   This unique 4-star hotel, situated centrally at the Amstelstreet at the corner of the famous and lively Rembrandt Square, has a contemporary style and offers elegant, personal service. Museums, shopping streets, restaurants and clubs are nearby.

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Amsterdam

Continue your independant exploration of the city's amazing cathedrals, art galleries, museums and shops.

Meals: B  Hotel: Hotel Vondel - Extension Hotel Alternate Hotel: Hotel Eden Rembrandt Square .   This unique 4-star hotel, situated centrally at the Amstelstreet at the corner of the famous and lively Rembrandt Square, has a contemporary style and offers elegant, personal service. Museums, shopping streets, restaurants and clubs are nearby.

Day 4 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Amsterdam extension concludes/Depart for home

VBT Air package guests: after breakfast*, transfer to the airport for your flight home. Please note: Be sure that you are waiting at the designated time and transfer location. VBT No-Air package guests: Your post-trip extension ends this morning. Continue your travels independently from here. Please note: VBT recommends that you check the time of your transfer in your “Transfer Reminder.” The transfer is prearranged by VBT and is prepaid. VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense. * Note: For guests with early morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Meals: B