Bike and Barge in 8 days from Maastricht (the Netherlands) to Bruges (Belgium) June 13th 20th 2015 Biking kilometers per day: average between 30 and 50 Book a back-to-back: Amsterdam to Maastricht to Bruges in 15 days a great tour through the Netherlands and Belgium. June 6 th June 20 th 2015 Saturday: Maastricht Liège After check in at 4PM Merlijn sails the Meuse river to Liège. Liège is a historical und university city, the birthplace of the Emperor Charlemagne and the writer Georges Simenon. It is the cultural center of Wallonia with an intense artistic life as well as an important architectural heritage with an undeniable joide-de-vivre. After dinner you may want to explore this city more and try the famous Liège Waffle with a Café Liégois. Sunday: Liège Namur, cycling 36 Km During breakfast the Merlijn takes you further on the Meuse river to Ampsin, where your cycle tour sill start. The first interesting city you will pass will be Huy, a very charming city with lots of fountains and statues. It is one of the oldest Belgian cities and succeeded in maintaining authenticity. We will cycle further on the RAVel 1, the bike road in this area, passing impressive rock formations, such as the limestone rocks in Marche-les-Dames, a medieval city along the route with an interesting abbey.
Todays destination is the city of Namur, where the Merlijn awaits us, not far from the Citadel, already dominated by the Romans in the 10 th /11 th century. After dinner you will enjoy your stroll through this interesting capital of Wallonia and the province of Namur. Monday: Namur Charleroi Your cycling route starts after breakfast in the city of Namur and leads you along the Sambre river. Again you will follow the RAVel 1, the cycling route here in Belgium. First stop today may be city of Floreffe, with its medieval Abbey. If you don t want to climb up all the way to visit the Abbey, take a look at the watermill-brewery, where they show and serve you local products such as beer, cheese, smoked sausages and abbey-bread. After this visit your cycling continues along the meandering Sambre river, passing many charming villages and cities. Châtelet is known for its potteries and the chapel of Saint Roche. Your tour ends in the city of Charleroi, a rather big city, in an area marked by industrial activities (coal mining and steel industry), which has been nicknamed the Pays Noir ("Black Country"). Tuesday: Charleroi Brussels Early in the morning the Merlijn motors the Sambre further upstream, then sails into the Charleroi-Brussels Canal. Here we will experience the inclined plane at Ronquières, a boat lift; the boat floats in what is best described as a gigantic bathtub, which then rolls up a set of rails. After this exciting part of this tour your bike tour starts to Brussels, mostly along the Charleroi-Brussels-Canal, passing small industrial cities along the route. In Brussels we will be docked close to Schaerbeek. From here it is very easy to go by public transport into the city of Brussels. Your tour guide will accompany you and show around. There is so much to see in the capital of Belgium, take your time and enjoy your dinner tonight in one of the many restaurants in Brussels. Wednesday: Brussels Antwerp Rupelmonde Baasrode During breakfast we will sail further on the Canal until we reach Willebroek, situated on the Brussels-Scheldt Canal, the canal that leads us to the river Scheldt. Your bike tour takes you through the scenic landscape of Vlaanderen (Flandres) to the city of Antwerp where you will have time to explore this city.
Afterwards you will bike the river Scheldt upstream to the Merlijn who awaits you in Rupelmonde. Together we will sail, during dinnertime to Baasrode, another village on the Scheldt river. Thursday: Baasrode Merelbeke - Gent After breakfast we bike along the river Zeeschelde. Our first stop will be in Dendermonde, a charming country town on the Dender estuary. We follow this beautiful but capricious tidal river Schelde upstream to Merelbeke, here you will board the Merlijn and together we will sail to the city of Ghent, a lively university city, again one with a rich past. This city has its origins in Roman Times, at the place where the rivers Leie and Schelde converge. This favorable situation brought a great deal of prosperity over the years, which had its peak late 13th, early 14th century. Textile industry brought great wealth. In the city center many old patrician houses have been preserved. In the Clothmakers Hall (1425) textile merchants used to meet. The major church is St. Baafs Cathedral, built in various ages and in various styles. In the cathedral is a number of masterpieces of mediaeval painting, of which the Adoration of the Lamb by Jan van Eyck is the most famous. After dinner you are invited to join a boat tour through this wonderful city.
Friday: Gent Bruges We start with a sailing breakfast and take you to Aalter, where your last biking tour will start. It will take you through the pleasant countryside of Western Flanders to Bruges. Bruges, also called the Venice of the North, maybe is the most beautiful of all Flemish cities. Its old centre, which dates from the Middle Ages, is almost completely intact. At the time, Bruges was a metropolis, center of trade and art, which we can still fully enjoy. But it is also nice for shopping or going out in Bruges. In the afternoon you will have a walking tour through this city, you may want to include a ride through the canals. Farewell dinner on the Merlijn and your last overnight stay on board. Day 8 (Sat): Bruges After breakfast check out at 9AM We reserve to ourselves the right of changing schedule and/or program. If part of the route is not navigable the captain is entitled to change the schedule for safety reasons. Changes in schedule and program do not give you the right on free cancellation. Included in your trip 8 days Maastricht - Bruges: 7 nights of accommodation, 7 times breakfast buffet, 6 times lunchboxes, 6 times three course dinners Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and ice water free of charge Use of a 21-speed bike, including bike bag, water bottle and universal sized helmet Services of a tour guide Fees for harbors, bridges and locks Daily cabin cleaning service Boat tour in Gent Welcome drink Route information Ferry fares en route Not included: Insurances Inbound and outbound journey and transfers Organised city tours Drinks other than mentioned Entrance fees, excursions other than Gent Rate per person: 1.150 in a double room
Included in your trip 15 days Amsterdam Maastricht - Bruges: 14 nights of accommodation, 14 times breakfast buffet, 11 times lunchboxes, 12 times three course dinners Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and ice water free of charge Use of a 21-speed bike, including bike bag, water bottle and universal sized helmet Services of a tour guide Fees for harbors, bridges and locks Daily cabin cleaning service Welcome drink Lunch at a cheese farm Entrance to the Castle Gardens in Arcen Boat tour in Gent Route information Ferry fares en route Not included: Insurances Inbound and outbound journey and transfers Organised city tours Drinks other than mentioned Entrance fees, excursions other than mentioned Special Rate per person: 2.160 in a double room Payment: Cancellation fee: 20% of the price at the time of definite reservation 80% 1 month prior to starting cruise date If the cruise is cancelled until 6 months prior to starting cruise date 20% between 6 and 4 months prior to starting cruise date 50% between 4 and 1 month prior to starting cruise date 80% between 1 month and 1 day prior to starting cruise date 90% at the day of starting cruise date or later 100%