Cycle Amsterdam to Bruges

Make your own way to Amsterdam and check into the first hotel. Amsterdam is one of Europe's crown jewels and there is so much to see and do here. If you arrive early make sure you go for a walk to marvel at the 17th century townhouses and warehouses in the World Heritage listed canal district. The Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark or a canal cruise are just some of the many ‘must-do’s’. We can assist booking with pre-tour accommodation on request. Amsterdam gets very busy, we recommend booking well in advance.

From bustling Amsterdam you cycle into the peace and quiet of the “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. Continuing through a typically Dutch polder landscape, you'll pass small farming communities and picturesque historical towns. Oudewater is famous for it Heksenwaag (Witches Weighhouse) where women accused of witchcraft were weighed to prove their innocence. For centuries, people have flocked to Gouda and its markets, coming from far and wide to buy horses, cows, meat, turf, seed, cheese, etc. We recommend an evening stroll to soak up the atmosphere and marvel at the market square with its wonderful fifteenth century town hall as well as a Weighing House (“Waag”). Overnight in Gouda* *subject to availability in Gouda, or you may be booked to stay overnight in Oudewater (or Bodegraven).

More cycling today through the 'Green Heart' - you will visit Kinderdijk, where 19 windmills have lined the canal since 1740, the epitome of Dutch countryside. You can visit an authentic workshop and learn (more) about Dutch water management. Your destination is Papendrecht, a water ferry crossing away from one of the Netherlands' oldest towns, Dordrecht, which is completely surrounded by rivers. Beautiful bridges take you across the water into the heart of town, and around the harbour you will see many monumental buildings. The hotel in Papendrecht is just 3km from the centre of Dordrecht, on the northern banks of the river.

The result of a major flood in 1421, Biesbosch is one of Europe's few remaining wetland habitats, where the ecosystem has adapted both to saltwater coming in from the sea through tidal creeks, and to freshwater flowing from the rivers. It’s an ever changing labyrinth of creeks and rivulets encompassing countless little islands of willow woods and reeds, a paradise for birds. The ride takes you along the edges of this National Park. Round off the day in Willemstad, a fortified town in the shape of a seven-point star. Please note you will only cycle through the Biesbosch park on days that the ferry departs. It does not operate daily. There is an alternate route for days with no ferry departures.

Today you will enter Zeeland, a province of the Netherlands marked by light, wind, water and lots of space. This region is made up of islands, so you crisscross today, taking bridges and ferries on the way towards Belgium. Picture-book towns with ancient houses and cobbled streets await in the coming days, as you traverse a patchwork landscape of vast polders, idyllic countryside, rolling dunes and golden sand flats. Overnight in Zierikzee/Schuddebeurs.

A wander down the narrow streets of Zierikzee is a delight. Quaint houses recall the town's glory days, when ships set sail with salt, wool, fish, grain and red dye as far afield as the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Today's route continues to the charming village of Veere. From 1541 everything that was exported from Scotland to Holland (mainly wool) came ashore here and was distributed from Veere. For 300 years, this commerce brought prosperity and a lively Scottish expat community. Walk in their footsteps as you take a tour of the sights. Cycling further south, you will discover the nostalgic splendour of Middelburg, the capital of Zeeland. In the 16th and 17th centuries it was one of the most important centres of trade in the Netherlands. The usual hotel is in Middelburg, or dependent on availability Vlissingen further towards the coast (standard hotel). An optional hotel upgrade is available to stay at Vlissingen 4* hotel - must be requested at time of booking.

After a hearty breakfast, hop on a local ferry at Vlissingen to Zeelandic Flanders, with its winding country roads, pollard willows, wet meadows and scattered villages. Crossing the border into Belgium, you will reach the charming town of Damme on the banks of the romantic Damse Vaart. From here, it’s a short stretch to Bruges, known as the 'Pearl of Flanders'! Bruges is truly enchanting, and has been welcoming tourists for some 150 years. With most of its medieval architecture intact, it remains exceptionally well preserved and will give you a sense of times gone by when it was the centre of the European wool and cloth trade. Overnight in Bruges.