Beginning in the lovely city of Delft, this self-guided tour is set in the Netherlands' provinces of South-Holland and Zeeland, and the Belgian provinces of East and West Flanders. On this tour you'll explore Golden Age cities of the 15th and 17th centuries. This tour features tranquil canal-side cycling, expansive beaches, and golden sand dunes. Since most of this tour's route follows official bike paths along flat, easy-to-cycle terrain, it's the ideal tour for novices.
This tour is scheduled to begin on May 25 and June 8, 2003.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
Flying into Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, you'll travel via train from the airport to Delft (less than an hour's ride). Delft is one of the Netherlands' most charming smaller cities. Quintessentially Dutch, the old city center looks very much as it did during its Golden Age of the 17th Century, including its ring of canals. More than 600 official national monuments survive in Delft's center, including 60 bridges.
In addition to being one of South-Holland's loveliest medieval cities (dating back to 1100), Delft it also one of its liveliest cities. Visitors enjoy a huge selection of restaurants, outdoor cafes, coffee shops and bars. And of course, if you're collector, you'll want to check out the city's world renowned Delftware and perhaps even visit a factory. Originating here in the 17th century, Delftware is based on the ceramics imported from China by the merchants of the East India Company.
Day 2:
Free day in Delft.
Day 3:
Your ride from Delft to Brielle is relatively short, but features a diversity of sites. From the tranquil, bucolic landscape of Maasland to the natural and technological magnificence of the Rhine delta (the point at which Europe's largest river separates into numerous channels before emptying into the North Sea). You'll traverse the delta first, via ferry and then, atop a series of long bridges. But don't worry; the bridges you'll be crossing include bike lanes protected from all motorized traffic. As you cross the delta, you'll see all manner of river traffic, as this is the gateway to Rotterdam's port, the world's largest.
Upon your arrival in Brielle, you'll appreciate this unique opportunity to see and experience a Dutch village seldom visited by American tourists. You'll have plenty of time to explore Brielle's largely intact medieval street pattern and the wonderful medieval building facades lining its canals. From the tower of the Grote Kerk, you'll enjoy a great view of the harbor, surrounding fields, and sea.
Day 4:
Entering the province of Zeeland, your route from Brielle to Renesse features a fascinating first hand experience of the marvels of Dutch engineering. World renowned for their amazing land reclamation and storm surge protection projects, the Dutch have literally created much of the land over which you'll be cycling today. First, you'll ride atop the magnificent Haringvlietdam; to your right you'll see the high, deep blue waters of the turbulent North Sea; to your left, you'll see the much lower and calmer waters of the salt water lake known as the Grevelingenmeer.
On the island of Goeree-Overflakkee you'll pass through the quaint villages of Goedereede and Ouddorp before arriving at an even larger expanse of dam, the Brouwersdam. Again, you'll cycle atop the Brouwersdam enjoying breathtaking views of the North Sea and its expansive sandy beaches to your right. Shortly after your crossing of the Brouwersdam, you'll arrive on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland and soon after, Renesse, your day's destination.
Located on the coast amidst forested dunes, Renesse offers numerous recreational opportunities in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. With German as the second language of its residents and German flavors running throughout its cuisine, Renesse is a unique Dutch destination.
Day 5:
You'll begin your day with a ride through the grand coastal dunes with their wind-swept grasses and short, scrubby pines. Following your gentle roller coaster-like ride through the dunes, you reach the gargantuan Oosterscheldekering (the Oosterscheldt Storm Surge Barrier.) Built in the 1950's in response to a devastating flood that took the lives of 1850 people and countless animals, the Oosterscheldekering is part of the Delta Project, which effectively ended the possibility of future flooding. To learn more about the magnificence of Dutch public works projects, you can visit the Delta Expo center. After crossing one last, though much smaller dam, you'll reach the island of Walcheren and enjoy a short pastoral ride to Veere.
A very important merchant town until the end of the 18th Century, Veere is now a charming tourist destination with a lovely marina and many surviving evidences of its Golden Age. Veere is perfect for relaxing, strolling and shopping. Of special interest is the village's gothic Stadhuis (city hall) with its storybook Renaissance tower.
Day 6:
After a ride through Zeeland's moated capital, Middelburg, you'll enjoy beautiful canal-side cycling to the port city of Vlissingen (Flushing), where you'll board a multi-level ferry with the capacity to carry hundreds of vehicles to mainland Europe. Before entering Belgium however, you'll pass through several quaint villages, cycle through rich, lovely farmland and finally enter the bustling border town of Sluis. Your passage into Belgium's province of West Vlaanderen is announced unceremoniously by a small sign flanking the path on which you're cycling.
The canals leading your way to Bruges are particularly lovely. Because these waterways previously linked Brugge to the North Sea, they are wide, straight and deep. On sunny days, the sweep of the tall poplars flanking either side of the canals is reflected in the mirror-like surface of these once busy merchant corridors.
Bruges experienced its Golden Age in the 12th and 13th centuries, when its population was equal to that of London. As a center of the cloth trade, Bruges traded with Asia and the Middle East, housed international banks and foreign embassies, and opened Europe's first stock exchange. We can thank Bruges' five-century economic decline for the survival of its wealth of late medieval buildings during WWI and WWII. When describing Bruges, words like charming, picturesque, and delightful, feel woefully inadequate. In Bruges, there is much to explore; from museums, churches and almshouses to fabulous chocolate, lace and tapestry shops, you simply won't want to leave.
Day 7:
After a ride through Zeeland's moated capital, Middelburg, you'll enjoy beautiful canal-side cycling to the port city of Vlissingen (Flushing), where you'll board a multi-level ferry with the capacity to carry hundreds of vehicles to mainland Europe. Before entering Belgium however, you'll pass through several quaint villages, cycle through rich, lovely farmland and finally enter the bustling border town of Sluis. Your passage into Belgium's province of West Vlaanderen is announced unceremoniously by a small sign flanking the path on which you're cycling.
The canals leading your way to Bruges are particularly lovely. Because these waterways previously linked Brugge to the North Sea, they are wide, straight and deep. On sunny days, the sweep of the tall poplars flanking either side of the canals is reflected in the mirror-like surface of these once busy merchant corridors.
Bruges experienced its Golden Age in the 12th and 13th centuries, when its population was equal to that of London. As a center of the cloth trade, Bruges traded with Asia and the Middle East, housed international banks and foreign embassies, and opened Europe's first stock exchange. We can thank Bruges' five-century economic decline for the survival of its wealth of late medieval buildings during WWI and WWII. When describing Bruges, words like charming, picturesque, and delightful, feel woefully inadequate. In Bruges, there is much to explore; from museums, churches and almshouses to fabulous chocolate, lace and tapestry shops, you simply won't want to leave.
Day 8:
Free day in Bruges.
Day 9:
Today's path parallels the canal which links Bruges to its old rival city, Ghent. Enjoy peaceful cycling through tiny towns before arriving at the bustling city of Ghent. Like Bruges, Ghent also reached its peak in the 12th and 13th centuries. In fact, during this period Ghent was the largest city in Europe. Though it too suffered a long economic decline, it was much more successful at cultivating new sources of wealth, and is today a vibrant city that is not focused solely on tourism. Ghent proudly offers many magnificent buildings from its Golden Age, including several spectacular cathedrals. With numerous cafes and bars spilling out onto the streets and a large, laid-back student population, Ghent boasts Mediterranean air about it.
Day 10:
Following breakfast, you'll take the train to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport or Brussels' International Airport for your flight home.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Prices are approximate and depend upon the support options and the class of hotels selected. The price estimate includes hotels, meals, bike rental, baggage transport, and roadside assistance.
Please note: To take advantage of some support options you will need to take this tour on May 25 or June 8, 2003. You may take this tour at any other time, but roadside assistance and baggage transport are available only when taking the tour on May 25 or June 8, 2003.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Netherlands
Belgium
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Ecotourism
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