Cycling from Amsterdam to Bruges

Overview

This is a wonderful self-guided holiday cycling from Amsterdam to Bruges, heading through the Netherlands down into Belgium, past towns, villages and canals – all the time on high-quality cycling paths. In eight days of cycling, you will discover many delightful places off the beaten track. Starting in Amsterdam and travelling in a southwestern direction you will pass through Gouda, Dordrecht, Willemstad, Zierikzee, Middelburg, Vlissingen (Flushing), Sluis, Damme and Bruges. They are among the most picturesque towns in the Netherlands and Flanders and are remarkably well-preserved and evocative of centuries past. The route is predominantly rural and passes through a number of nature reserves.

The city of Amsterdam
Local pastoral countryside and scenic bike lanes
Passing through the historic towns of the Netherlands and Flanders
The city of Bruges

Click to view map

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Amsterdam*

Your bicycle holiday starts in Amsterdam, famous for its gorgeous 400-year-old canal district, museums (the new Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Anne Frank etc), street artists and performers on Dam, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein, the notorious red-light district and more. This city is brimming with things to see and do, guaranteeing a dynamic beginning to your holiday. Try to arrive early so you have time to admire the elegant tree-lined canals and tall narrow townhouses and warehouses dating back to 17th century (World Heritage Site).

*Please note that the following surcharges are applicable depending on the timing of your holiday:
Stay in Amsterdam on Saturday: £24 per person
Stay in Amsterdam in the periods listed below: £40 per person per night
29, 30 and 31 March 2024
20 April 2024
26,27 and 28 April 2024
9, 10, 11 and 12 May 2024
17,18 and 19 May 2024

Minimum of 2 nights is required on these dates.

Accommodation: Westcord Art Hotel or similar

Day 2: Amsterdam – Bodegraven | 79km

After staying the night in bustling Amsterdam, plunge into the peace and quiet of the “Groene Hart” or Green Heart, a pleasant rural area of low-lying polders with peat meadows and grazing cattle. It’s a flat, open, spacious landscape where church spires and windmills touch the horizon and clouds are reflected in lakes and canals. For centuries, people flocked from far and wide to buy horses, cows, meat, turf, seed, cheese etc, at weekly and annual markets in Gouda. We recommend an evening stroll around the old part of town to soak up the yesteryear atmosphere and marvel at the large and attractive market square boasting a wonderful fifteenth-century town hall as well as a Weighing House (“Waag”).

Accommodation: Gr8 Hotel Bodegraven or similar
Cycling for the day: 79km. If this distance is too long for you then you can split the day by booking an extra overnight in Vinkeveen (48km and 38km)

Day 3: Bodegraven – Dordrecht | 38km

From Gouda you’ll cycle via the “Greenheart of the Netherlands” to the village of Kinderdijk, explore the site where 19 windmills have been standing majestically in rows since 1740. They were used to drain excess water out of the low-lying polder up into the River Lek. One of the mills is open to the public. Your destination, Papendrecht, is just a ferry crossing away from of one of the Netherlands oldest towns – Dordrecht, completely surrounded by rivers. Beautiful bridges take you across the water into the heart of town. Around the harbour, you will see many monumental buildings. The hotel in Papendrecht is just 3km outside the centre of Dordrecht on the north banks of the river.

Accommodation: Postillion Hotel Dordrecht or similar
Cycling for the day: 38km

Day 4: Dordrecht – Willemstad | 65km

The result of a major flood in 1421, Biesbosch is one of the few remaining wetland habitats in Europe where the ecosystem has adapted both to saltwater coming in from the sea through tidal creeks and to freshwater coming down in the rivers. It’s an ever-changing labyrinth of creeks and rivers encompassing countless little islands of willow woods and reeds, a paradise for birds. The ride takes you along the edges of De Biesbosch National Park. Round off the day in Willemstad, a fortified town shaped like a seven-point star.

Accommodation: Hotel Mauritz or similar
Cycling for the day: 65km

Day 5: Willemstad – Schuddebeurs | 50km

Today you will enter Zeeland, a province of the Netherlands marked by light, wind, water and lots of space. It is made up of islands so bridges and ferries will be carrying you across the waters as you drift down towards Belgium. Picture-book towns with ancient houses and cobbled streets are lined up for the coming days. Traverse a patchwork landscape of vast polders, idyllic countryside, rolling dunes and golden sand flats.

Accommodation: Hostellerie Schuddebeurs or similar
Cycling for the day: 50km

Day 6: Schuddebeurs – Vlissingen | 43km

A wander down the narrow streets of Zierikzee is an absolute delight. Quaint little old houses take you back in time to the town’s glory days when ships set sail to sell salt, wool, fish, grain and red dye as far afield as the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Your route continues to the charming village of Veere. From 1541 everything that was exported to the Netherlands from Scotland (mainly wool) came ashore and was distributed from Veere. This contract brought the town not only prosperity but also a very lively Scottish expat community that stayed for 300 years. Walk in their footsteps as you take a tour of the sights. Cruising further south, you will discover the nostalgic splendour of the city of Middelburg, capital of Zeeland. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was one of the most important centres of trade in the Netherlands.

Accommodation: Hotel Piccard or similar
Cycling for the day: 43km

Day 7: Vlissingen – Bruges | 66km

After a hearty breakfast, you will cycle to Vlissingen. After Vlissingen hop on a ferry boat to Zeelandic Flanders with its winding country roads, pollard willows, wet meadows and scattered villages. Having crossed the border into Belgium, you will reach the charming little town of Damme on the banks of the romantic Damse Vaart. From here, it’s only a short stretch to Bruges, known as the pearl of Flanders. It’s a truly enchanting town that has been welcoming tourists for about 150 years. With most of its medieval architecture intact, it remains exceptionally well preserved and can really give you a sense of times gone by when it was at the centre of the European wool and cloth trade.

Accommodation: Brugge – Velotel or similar
Cycling for the day: 66km

Day 8: Onward travel

After breakfast, your cycling holiday has come to an end.

What to expect

Accommodation

Comfortable 3-star hotels during the trip and a 4-star hotel in Bruges. All places have been carefully hand-picked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.

Click to view default hotels

*Please note that hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.

Meals

Breakfast is included each day. You can enjoy the cosy restaurants along the way for lunch and dinner. The inclusion of dinners is possible upon request.

Difficulty and terrain

The route of the tour goes along beautiful cycle paths and small side roads. The terrain is mostly flat and some of the longer sections can be made easier by adding an extra day in the middle or renting an e-bike so the trip is suitable even for those who are new to bike travel (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.

When to go

This trip is available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in April, May and September. Daily in June, July and August. There will be obligatory supplements on specific dates (check the itinerary above).

The weather is best in July – August.

Getting there

FCO up-to-date travel advice on the Netherlands is available here, and on Belgium – here.

Click to view travel options

By plane

Our recommended airport for this tour is Amsterdam.

By train or bus

There are good train connections both in Amsterdam and Bruges. Parking is possible at the hotel in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is less than 4 hours by train from London St Pancras (see details or use the Omio planner above).

Inclusions

Included

7 overnights in 3 and 4-star hotels as listed in the itinerary
7 breakfasts
Luggage transfers between hotels
Detailed travel information including route maps, route description, tourist attractions info and important telephone numbers
GPS tracks
24/7 phone support by our local office/representative

Excluded

Airfare and connecting land transfers
Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
Personal expenses
Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
Any items not explicitly listed as included

Options, extras and supplements

If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
This holiday is NOT available for solo travellers
Half-board meal plan (dinner included for the evenings)
Bike rental
Theft insurance
One extra night in Amsterdam before the cycling holiday
One extra night in Bruges after the cycling holiday
Obligatory second overnight / supplement for the hotels in Amsterdam on specific dates – check the itinerary above

Bike rental

If you don’t bring your own, you can rent a bicycle from us, choosing between the following options:

Standard touring bike with 24-speed gear
E-bike, with a small electric engine and battery, which can be charged at the hotels

All bikes for this tour come with a defender lock with plug-in chain (cable lock that is attached to the regular lock)

Terms of use:

The bicycle(s) should only be used for their intended purpose and only by the cyclists listed in the booking
The bicycle(s) should be returned to us in the same clean condition in which you received them

Damage, loss and theft
The renter will be held responsible for damages to or loss of the bicycle(s) or parts of it, as well as bicycle keys, chains and locks, for such an amount as is determined by us according to standard market prices. Please note that you are not insured for damage to the bicycle(s) or for any damages to third parties.

Theft insurance
It is possible to insure your bike against theft. Bookable upon request.

Liability in the event of theft

If you did not purchase bicycle theft insurance from us before the start of the holiday, you will be held fully accountable for the sum determined by us according to standard prices.
If you purchase bicycle theft insurance from us, but don’t use the wheel lock, produce the original wheel lock key or a police theft report, you will be responsible for replacement cost, determined by us according to standard prices.

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