There is so much to see and do in Amsterdam, Ghent and Bruges that you probably want to stay longer in these towns. This trip gives you all the time to see the attractions and taste the atmosphere. Amster-dam offers plenty to do as far as culture is concerned. You will visit the picturesque towns like Zierikzee, Middelburg and Vlissingen along the rivers, cycle through the polders and past the famous Delta Works where the struggle against the sea becomes visible. A few days’ cycling brings you to Ghent, one of the most delightful places in Flanders. You will encounter a different atmosphere in Flanders to what you experienced in the Netherlands. The meadows, housing construction, forests and rivers all seem to be untidier than in the Netherlands, but that makes it all very picturesque. What you certainly must not miss is Belgian beer. In Bruges you will have plenty of opportunity to visit the town: the boat is moored at the front when you sail into Bruges.
You can also do this trip the other way round: in that case you board ship in Bruges and spend two nights there. Then you cycle to Ghent, where you spend another extra day. You cycle the route according to the Bruges-Amsterdam program. Once in Amsterdam, you have a full extra day for discovering the city.
In Amsterdam the boat is moored at the Oosterdok close to Central Station in downtown Amsterdam. You have all opportunities for visiting most highlights in town. You can visit the Anne Frank Huis: it is the place of hiding where the Jewish Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during the Second World War.
Another possibility is the diamond-cutting businesses. Or what would you think of Madame Toussaud? Besides famous Dutch people from all eras, Madame Toussaud also has moving wax images. A display there also shows what Amsterdam looked like 300 years ago. Besides the famous museums like the Rijks-museum (with the ‘Night Watch’ by Rembrandt) and the Van Gogh Museum that you really shouldn’t miss, you can also have a look at the Wallen, the famous red light district of Amsterdam.
Ghent is one of the friendliest places in Flanders, Belgium. The museum of contemporary art is definitely worth visiting. There is also the museum for Fine Arts (including Rubens), one of the oldest museums in the country. And don’t forget to go out in the evenings! Ghent is a dazzling city where the richly decorated facades are wonderfully illuminated at night.
Monumental Bruges is a town you could walk around in for days. Besides museums, Bruges has countless restaurants and outdoor terraces where you can enjoy the relaxed pure Flemish atmosphere to its fullest.
Highlights include:
- Amsterdam
- Ghent/Bruges (Belgium)
- Old historical towns
Bruges – Amsterdam
wed Bruges, embarkation at 4 PM near Buiten Kathelijnevest, round tour 15
thu Bruges
fri Bruges – Ghent 52
sat Ghent
sun Ghent – Goes 42; or sailing to Hansweerd Goes 46
mon Goes – Willemstad 75; or off board in Zierikzee 53
tue Willemstad – Gorinchem 48
wed Gorinchem – Vianen 51
thu Vianen sailing to Breukelen – Amsterdam 48
fri Amsterdam,
sat Amsterdam debarkation before
10 AM near Central Station
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