Brussels - Antwerp - Ghent - Bruges

Description
Program
Details
Ship

Belgium: Brussels - Bruges - Description

From Brussels to Bruges or reverse
A combination of cycling and sailing means: enjoying the beautiful valley of the Schelde river, the flat Belgian polder-land and the beautiful Flemish cities in a unique way. Take an active, yet relaxing tour, guided by your tour leader or ride individually, at your own pace. You will live on board the premium barge MAGNIFIQUE, launched 2010. The vessel has only 12 twin cabins with private facilities, TV and air-conditioning: therefore you will enjoy a very relaxing and family-like atmosphere during this cycling cruise. And when you would like to stay on board for a day: just enjoy the scenery from the sun deck or the cosy salon with large windows. Cultural highlights are visits to the historical cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, the most beautiful cities of Flanders.

Belgium: Brussels - Bruges - Programme

Day 1 (Sat)

Arrival in Brussels

The ship awaits you in the Brussels harbour where the crew will welcome you on board. Check-in from 1 PM. Take some time to explore the capital of Belgium: Just take a walk through the historical city centre, along the gothic town hall, the beautiful guild houses on the Grote Markt and of course along Manneke Pis (peeing little guy).

Day 2 (Sun)

Brussels – Vilvoorde | Vilvoorde – Mechelen – Willebroek, bike tour ca. 40 km / 24 miles

During breakfast the barge will sail to Vilvoorde. During your first bike tour you will visit Mechelen – remarkable about Mechelen are the over 300 buildings listed as historical building, 8 of these are churches, on less then 3 square kilometers. Continue through green, soft slanted hilly country, along picturesque villages and large country estates to Willebroek. In the mean time the barge will sail over the Willebroek canal to today’s destination.

Day 3 (Mon)

Willebroek – Antwerp, bike tour ca. 45 km / 27 miles

Tour from Willebroek via Lier to Antwerp. This harbour city on the river Schelde is one of the worlds major diamond cities and has many highlights: the City Hall is one of several majestic buildings constructed in the Renaissance, the historical City Square Grote Market, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe cathedral and the medieval Steen Castle.

Day 4 (Tue)

Antwerp – Dendermonde, bike tour ca. 50 km / 30 miles

Today’s bicycle tour will lead you upstream the river Schelde to Hemiksem: after just a short ascent you can easily continue cycling to Rupelmonde. Here, where the Rupel flows in the Schelde, you follow the Rupel for a little while and after a few miles you will reach the village Niel, that lies next to the nature reserve Walenhoek. Between Niel and Boom is a historical area where bricks are being manufactured since the Middle Ages. Cross the canal Brussels-Rupel to the water tower of St. Amands. Further again along the Schelde till you reach the beautiful city Dendermonde, the destination of today’s bike tour. A “must” is a short stop for a drink on the beautiful Flemish market square Grote Markt of Dendermonde.

Day 5 (Wed)

Dendermonde – Ghent, bike tour ca. 48 km / 29 miles

Today’s cycling tour will lead you to the beautiful city of Ghent, where the MS MAGNIFIQUE will be moored in Merelbeke, a suburb. Explore the pedestrian area in the town centre of Gent by bike or foot. The architectural richness in the historical centre of the city of Ghent (during the Middle Ages the 2nd largest European city just after Paris), has been maintained well. (docking place is the lock of Merelbeke, ca. 15 cycling minutes to the city centre of Ghent).

Day 6 (Thu)

Ghent – Vinderhoute – Bruges, bike tour ca. 40 km / 24 miles

After breakfast, you will leave for Vinderhoute. Part of the cycling tour leads along the canal Ghent to Oostende through the stretched Flemish landscape, until you reach Bruges. The „Venice of the North“ is well known as an important city of art and museums. Its city centre with lots of canals is put on the World Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while over viewing the Grote Market square with its hustle and bustle.

Day 7 (Fri)

Tour around Bruges to the North Sea, bike tour ca. 55 km / 33 miles

The last bike tour takes you first to a quiet canal along which you’ll find lots of poplars, through an attractive polder landscape with nice small farm houses. Via the small city of Damme (where Tuyl Uylenspiegel was born), than into the fashionable and exclusive seaside resort Knokke you will reach the North Sea cost. A 12 kilometre long sandy beach, numerous cafés and the attractive dune landscape of “Het Zwin” (a unique nature reserve) provide enough variety during your lunch break. The route continues through Sluis, a small Dutch village and back to Bruges riding along a small canal.

Day 8 (Sat)

Bruges

Disembarkation just after breakfast, at 10 AM: End of your trip.
In italics printed parts will be covered by ship.
All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours.
Program + details barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.

Belgium: Bruges-Brussels / Brussels-Bruges - Details

Included:

- Tour and accommodation on board 8 days / 7 nights (Sat.-Sat.) from/to Brussels or Bruges, cabin in the booked category on board of the MS Magnifique;
- Full board (7 x breakfast, 6 x picnic lunch during bike tours, 7 x three course dinner incl. 1 glass of wine);
- Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible); daily short cleaning of the cabin;
- Welcoming drink and -speech on the first evening;
- Tour leader (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city tours, daily guided bike tours: the tour leader is cycling with the group;
- Maps and info material on board;
- Daily coffee and tea till 4 PM.

Not included:

- Transfers to/from the docking places in Brussels and Bruges;
- Reservation costs €15,00 (obligatory surcharge);
- Rental bicycle, other transfers, parking fee, entrance fees & excursions, fees for ferries;
- Drinks on board, personal insurances, gratuities (at your discretion).

Bicycles:

The bicycles on board are mostly unisex touring or. trekking bikes with normal mount (ladies model), 7 gears, hand brake and/or pedal brake and pannier bag. Other bikes (e.g. E-Bikes, children’s bikes, tandems etc.) are unfortunately not available on this tour.
Guests are also allowed to bring their own bicycles (at no extra cost). However, the crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles. In Belgium bikers are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet. Bike helmets are not available on board.

Background information:

The General Conditions (travel conditions) of CCH Tours B.V. (incl. Boat Bike Tours) apply to cycling cruises, as well as to confirmation and cancellation of such tours. We would be pleased to send a copy of these conditions on request. These conditions constitute an essential part of the travel agreement when booking a tour.
In principle, children are very welcome on board. However, before booking, we advise you to satisfy yourself that your child is able to manage a cycle trip of 30-60 km. Children’s bikes, tandems, parent-and-child tandems, slip streamers etc. or child’s saddles are available on request. Of course you may stay one or more days longer on board (children under the age of18 years must be under supervision).
The interior of the ship is a no-smoking zone: smoking is only allowed on the sun deck. As a safety measure, a statutory smoking ban applies in all cabins; this means that all cabins and rooms on board are no-smoking zones.

Magnifique | Luxury ship

In February, the very well-equipped canal barge MAGNIFIQUE has been launched after having been refurbished and restyled. The 49 meters (161 ft.) long vessel offers 22 to max. 32 guests very comfortable accommodation in 12 cabins. Until 2008, the barge was operated under her former name "PRINCESS ROYAL" for river and canal cruises with guests from the USA.
In the period May through September, the MAGNIFIQUE will be offering various tours, for which you can book on an individual basis (per cabin): several "active cruises - highlights of Holland", various cycling cruises between Bruges an Brussels (Belgium) and between Bruges and Amsterdam. Click the link CYCLING CRUISES on top of this page for tour descriptions, departure dates and rates.
The MAGNIFIQUE is also available in full charter for groups and tour operators in periods throughout the year for shorter and longer tours in Holland and belgium, for events and as accommodation on location; tour programme, itinerary and catering can be offered customized, according to the wishes of the group.

On the main deck you wil find the spacious salon with large windows all around, accommodating a restaurant area, a bar, a lounge with cosy seats, as well as the partially roofed sun deck with tables, chairs, deckchairs and a whirlpool / jacuzzi. Bicycles can also be stored on deck. On the lower deck you will find 8 twin cabins (approx. 11 M² - 118 sq.ft. -, 2 single beds next to eachother), 2 suites (approx. 14 M² - 150 sq.ft. -, 2 single beds) and 2 single cabins (approx. 9 M² - 97 sq.ft.). All cabins have beds 90x200 cm, a flat screen TV, portholes (all windows can be opened), private facilities (bathroom with shower + toilet) and air conditioning. In some twin and both single cabins an additional bed as a bunk bed can be provided on request.