Itinerary

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 in 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 that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.)

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative, 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). The transport companies name is Open Tours, telephone number 02 466 1111.

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.

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 around 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.

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart U.S./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 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.

Day 2 of Air Package Arrive in Bruges

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 that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.)

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative, 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). The transfer companies name is Bruges Service Keeman, tel. 050 33 4455

After checking in, you have free time to explore Bruges. Tonight, try one of Bruges's wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day 5 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Transfer to Bruges

Transfer to Bruges today 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.

After checking in, you have free time to explore Bruges. Tonight, try one of Bruges's wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day 3 of AIR PACKAGE Full Day in Bruges

Today, join our local guide at 9 a.m. in the hotel lobby 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 may want 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.

At 6:00pm meet our VBT Leader in the hotel lobby for an introductory meeting. Tonight, try one of Bruges's wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day 6 of Pre Trip Full day in Bruges

Today, join our local guide at 9 a.m. in the hotel lobby 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 may want 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.

At 6:00pm meet our VBT Leader in the hotel lobby for an introductory meeting. Tonight, try one of Bruges's wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Embark barge/Warm-up ride and cruise to Ghent

VBT No-Air Package guests: You are responsible for making your own way to meet the barge, the Iris, between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. Please note that you cannot arrive before this time. If you are late, you must contact the barge as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements as the barge will sail shortly after this time.
The barge will be moored next to bus parking Buiten Katelijnevest in central Bruges. The contact telephone number is ++31 651 437 444. Please refer to the information listed in the tour handbook.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Trip Extension guests: After breakfast, spend more free time in Bruges. Make sure your luggage is packed and ready to be transported to the barge before 11.30am. At 12.45pm join our VBT Leader in the hotel lobby and depart on a walk to our barge in time for a 2 p.m. departure. At the docks, meet the barge crew and our second VBT 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, and we will have a small language class. We moor in Ghent, one of Belgium's most beautiful cities.

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Tour Ghent/Cycle to Dendermonde

After breakfast, take a guided boat excursion to the centre 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 600 A.D. and boasts many beautiful buildings dating back to medieval times, when the textile industry brought great wealth to Ghent's merchants. Many old, patrician houses have been preserved in the city center. 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.” On Sunday morning there is a service in the cathedral and it is not possible to see this famous painting….only the replica…Please ensure you have lunch on your own in Ghent or buy something to eat as a picnic whilst you 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 will give you an insight into water management systems. You can also enjoy Belgium Beer tasting and a crew presentation.

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Cycle from Dendermonde to Temse/Continue ride to Antwerp

Today we 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.

Day 4 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, connecting Flanders to Tholen, today's destination along the Wouwse Plantage, a wooded area. 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. After dinner, we will have a home hosted visit.

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Cycle from Tholen to Willemstad/Cruise to Dordrecht

This morning we cycle from Tholen to Willemstad, a rural agricultural area. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the historical locks. You have time to explore Willemstad, an old fortified town on the Haringvliet. From here, set sail to Dordrecht. 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.

Day 6 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 extraordinary place 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.

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Arrive in Amsterdam

During breakfast this morning we will 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

Day 8 of BIKE TOUR Depart barge/Explore Amsterdam / VBT No-Air Package ends

VBT No-Air Package guests: After breakfast, your tour ends. It is important that you leave the barge no later than 9:00 a.m. Please refer to the information listed in the tour handbook.

VBT Air Package guests and Post Trip Extension guests: After breakfast, say goodbye to your barge crew and VBT Trip Leader, then with the other leader take an orientation walk through Amsterdam's winding streets to the hotel. After checking in, explore Amsterdam and enjoy dinner on your own.

Day 9 of BIKE TOUR Depart for U.S. or begin optional Amsterdam extension

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.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests.

* 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.

Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Amsterdam

Spend the next few days exploring at your own pace. VBT provides you with a City Information Packet, which includes 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.

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 Rijksmuseum. 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.

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Amsterdam

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

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

After breakfast*, transfer to the airport for your flight home. Be sure that you are waiting at the designated time and transfer location.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests

* 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.

Holland Bike & Barge Bruges to Amsterdam - 2010

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Brussels 2010 - 3 nights for only $445

Make your own discoveries as you explore Brussels, the lively city that is headquarters for both NATO and the European Union. Visit the Cathedrales des Sts. Michel and Gudule. See Belgium’s premier collection of ancient and modern art at the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts. Stroll around the Grand Place, the magnificent central square located in the old town, and discover Baroque guildhalls and countless, charming restaurants.

Available with Air Inclusive Package only.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $295.

Post-Trip Extension

Amsterdam 2010 - 3 nights for only $395

Make your own discoveries as you explore Holland’s exciting capital city. Stroll through the Rijksmuseum to view works by the great Dutch masters. Visit the Van Gogh Museum for an unforgettable look into the famous painter’s life and work. Shop at the floating flower market, or wander along the city’s many canals, lined with pretty gabled houses. See the home where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis, and where Anne wrote her famous diary. Explore endless art, dining and shopping from your centrally located hotel.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $395.

Accommodations

Hotel Oud Huis De Peellaert

With its two beautiful 19th-century buildings, this four-star hotel was completely restored and is now a protected monument built in Empire and classicist style. The hotel is located in the historical center of Bruges, just 150 meters from the “Grote Market” (Market Square) and has 50 elegant rooms, all with air-conditioning and modern conveniences. Breakfast is served in the “orangerie” room with a view of a charming inner garden. The 16th-century cellars have been transformed into a wellness center with fitness and sauna facilities.

Barge Iris

A luxurious and spacious two-deck, 24-passenger barge with a homelike atmosphere, the Iris was put into service in April 2005. Its 12 comfortable cabins have private bathrooms with showers, and the barge has air-conditioning and heating throughout. Common areas include a dining area and lounge with a bar, and a sundeck 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 Iris. 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.

Hotel Vondel

A wonderful first-class hotel located in the heart of vibrant, historic Amsterdam, the Hotel Vondel is extremely well suited for every traveler, thanks in large part to its special atmosphere and individual character.

Rating Level

Easy

This tour offers easy terrain throughout the trip and is ideal for beginning cyclists.