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Bike/Barge Tour from Brussels
Route: Mechelen > Brussels > Antwerp > Willemstad > Hertogenbosch > Vianen > Amsterdam
Price: $1095/person (double occupancy), standard or standard plus barges.
Dates: Saturdays, June 7, 21 (reverse), 28; July 5 (reverse), 12; August 2 (reverse), 9, 16 (reverse), 23; September 6 (reverse), 13, 2008
This bike & barge route combines the countries Holland and Belgium in a very surprising and attractive way. In eight days time you will sail and cycle two countries from Capital to Capital from Amsterdam to Brussels. The week after that the trip will be reverse from Brussels to Amsterdam. This year the barge is waiting for you in Mechelen, the next day you visit Brussels and you will have plenty of time to visit this well-known city. The Flemish port town of Antwerp is another highlight. Belgium is famous for it’s tasty beer, so a visit to one of the fine pubs for a beer seminar and some beer tasting is scheduled for that day. Then cross the Belgian border into Holland and via the islands of Zeeland into the provinces of Brabant with its capital 's-Hertogenbosch, then the province of Utrecht with Tiel in the fruit growing area of the Betuwe, and finally the capital of Amsterdam. So different from Brussels and yet so close.
Day-by-Day Itinerary:
Saturday: bicycle ride apporx. 10 km
Arrival in Mechelen (approx. 20 minutes by train from Brussels). Your tour leader will invite you for a small ride to try out the bicycles in and around Mechelen. Overnight Mechelen.
Sunday: bicycle ride approx. 35 km.
After early rising you go with the tour leader by train to Brussels and walk to the town center. Time enough to visit the highlights of the Capital of Belgium, Brussels.You might want to try some of the culinary specialties: mussels, Belgium “Frieten” (fries), the famous (hand made) Belgium chocolates, waffles and of course all the different kinds of beers. Some pubs in Belgium sell over 250 kinds of beers. In the beginning of the afternoon you return Mechelen by train. Then the bicycle ride starts to the port town of Antwerp, where the barge is waiting for you.
Monday: No bicycling
You have all day to explore the great city of Antwerp. Your tour leader will guide you to the town center. Time enough to visit museum "The Rubens House", to do some window shopping or to relax and drink something in the outside coffee houses. You can taste some beers during a beer seminar in a typical Belgian Pub
Tuesday: bicycling approx. 40 km
The day starts with a sailing trip by barge from Antwerp across the Belgian/Dutch border to the peninsula of Tholen in the province of Zeeland. Then the group bicycles to the old fortified town of Willemstad, where the barge is waiting and you will be spending the night.
Wednesday: bicycling approx. 45 km
By barge to Geertruidenberg for your bicycle trip to the town of 's-Hertogenbosch, the charming capital of the province of Branbant, the countryside is a little different here from the Western part of Holland and Belgium.
Thursday: bicycling approx. 40 km
By barge to the town of Tiel, situated in the Betuwe "an area with lots of orchards", again another area of the Netherlands with a different landscape. Your bicycle trip goes from here via Wijk bij Duurstede to Vianen, where you spend the night on board of your barge.
Friday: bicycling approx. 25 km
After sailing the barge to Breukelen in the morning, you will start bicycling, enjoying the tiny villages and bicycling along the banks of small winding rivers on your way to the capital of Amsterdam. In the evening you may take a short guided walk with your tour leader in the center and maybe a canal boat trip (optional, not included).
Saturday
After breakfast your guide and crew say goodbye and your bike & barge tour has ended.
Included in tour:
• 7 nights accommodations on board of barge in double cabin
• Full board (breakfast + packed lunch + 3-courses dinner)
• Coffee and Tea on board
• Services of tour leader
• Information package with map
• beer seminar with beer tasting in a pub in Antwerp
• Several City Walks
• Use of 7-speed bicycles
• Credit card fee
• Booking fee
• Bicycle damage protection insurance
Not included in tour:
• Airfare
• Excursions not in program
• Drinks (other than coffee & tea)
• Transfer between airport(s) and barge in Mechelen and Amsterdam
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