PARIS TO AMSTERDAM, IRIS BIKE AND BARGE FROM BRUGES

OH LA LA, PARIS,

Your story begins in the City of Light, where we’ll welcome you in person. A comfortable airport shuttle will take you straight to your hotel in the heart of Paris. There, your guide will meet you, help you settle in, and share a few insider tips for making the most of your time in this unforgettable city.

As evening falls, you’ll board an elegant dinner cruise on the Seine, gliding beneath Paris’s glowing bridges while the city sparkles all around you—a perfect first evening to share with your fellow travellers.

If you’d like more time to explore Paris before the tour begins, we’re happy to arrange extra nights and adjust your airport transfers accordingly. Just let us know when booking, and we’ll take care of the details.

Transfer to Bruges, time to explore Bruges

After our transfer from Paris by bus, your adventure continues in Bruges, one of Europe’s most enchanting medieval cities. With its graceful canals, cobblestone streets, and beautifully preserved guild houses, Bruges feels like stepping into a painting.

We will take your luggage to the IRIS, and one of the guides will take you to explore Bruges. Take time to wander through the Market Square, where the Belfry tower chimes over bustling cafés and chocolate shops. Visit the Church of Our Lady to admire Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, or enjoy a quiet boat ride through the canals for a different view of the city’s fairy-tale charm. Take time to wander along peaceful canals, every corner of Bruges tells a story, from its medieval guildhalls to the scent of fresh waffles in the air.

Alternatively, you can also settle in at the IRIS and relax on board.

Bruges has long been known for its lace, beer, and art, and you’ll find all three around every corner. As evening settles in, the city glows softly under lantern light, and maybe you’d like a stroll after your dinner on board! It’s the ideal place to begin your journey through this country, surrounded by history, beauty, and the relaxed rhythm that defines the best of Belgium.

Bruges, cycle/sail to Gent

After breakfast, we will start our first bike ride to Gent. A nice ride through the countryside, into the beautiful town centre.

We will arrive early in the afternoon in Gent, a city that perfectly blends medieval charm with modern life. Gent is a lively university city, so there is a lot going on.

In the Middle Ages, it was one of Europe’s wealthiest cities—its wool and linen trade made it a powerful centre of commerce and culture. The grand buildings along the canals still tell that story today. Gent is one of Belgium’s best surprises—friendly, walkable, and full of quiet beauty. Cycle or walk along its canals, past stone bridges and gabled houses that have stood for centuries.

We arranged a boatride to get a nice impression of this town, and after that, —take time to explore the lively streets, browse the shops, or relax at one of the many cafés along the canals. For those who prefer a guided experience, your tour leader will offer a walking tour highlighting Gent’s cultural treasures, including the world-famous “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by the Van Eyck brothers in St. Bavo’s Cathedral. It’s one of Europe’s most celebrated masterpieces.

A short bike ride brings you to the IRIS.

Gent to St. Amands, Option to sail from Dendermonde

On today’s ride, we follow the Schelde River on a gentle 25-mile ride toward Dendermonde, a picturesque town at the meeting of rivers and history. Enjoy the peaceful countryside and classic Flemish scenery along the way. After a lunch stop there, we will continue along the river to St. Amands, where the IRIS will be waiting for us.

Back on board the IRIS, the evening brings a true Belgian treat—a beer tasting featuring some of the country’s finest brews. Cheers to another wonderful day!

St Amands to Antwerp 35 km/22 miles

Todays journey follows peaceful countryside paths toward Belgium’s sparkling port city—Antwerp, world-famous for its diamond trade. A relatively short ride, because there is so much to enjoy in Antwerp!

Antwerp was home to the celebrated painter Peter Paul Rubens, and several of his masterpieces can still be admired here. The city’s Golden Age in the 16th century brought great prosperity through trade and sugar refining, leaving behind elegant guild houses and ornate facades that still line the historic centre. Walking its cobblestone streets feels like stepping back in time. In the afternoon, we’ll go to the IRIS for some time off.Your guide will lead a walking tour of the city, sharing highlights and local dining tips. There’s no dinner on board tonight, so you’ll have the chance to enjoy Antwerp’s excellent restaurants at your leisure.

Antwerp to Dordrecht (NL): cycling from Tholen to Willemstad 40 km/25 miles

We set sail early from Antwerp—so don’t miss the boat! There will be a few hours of sailing before we can start riding. Our morning ride begins in Tholen, once an island in the Zeeland delta where fishermen thrived. Though now connected to the mainland, Tholen still shows off its harbour charm.

Cycling across the bridge, we follow quiet paths along the Volkerak Lock to Willemstad, a star-shaped fortress town named after King William of Orange. After time to explore its quaint streets, we sail on to Dordrecht, one of the Netherlands’ oldest trading cities. Its historic harbours and grand churches recall a rich past, including the famous Synod of Dordrecht that shaped Dutch Protestant history.

A day of water, history, and relaxed discovery!

Dordrecht-Kinderdijk-Schoonhoven-Vianen

We start the day with one of the true highlights of the trip: Kinderdijk. This remarkable 18th-century land reclamation project features 19 majestic windmills, standing proudly together as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can climb inside one for a closer look or simply enjoy a coffee with a stunning view of this iconic Dutch landscape. We’ll cycle to Kinderdijk, explore it, and ride right through its peaceful paths.

Today’s route is wonderfully rural—past farms, open fields, and grazing livestock.

We’ll stop in Schoonhoven, known as the Silver Town for its long tradition of silversmithing—an ideal place for lunch and a stroll. From there, we continue to Vianen, another charming riverside town, reached by crossing a small lock just before we arrive.

Vianen-Amsterdam

This morning, we’ll drop you off to cycle the final stretch toward Amsterdam—a beautiful farewell ride! The route winds through gentle countryside and past elegant 18th-century estates along rivers too narrow for our barge to sail. It’s a peaceful landscape, dotted with small villages, willow trees, and country houses that reflect the classic charm of Holland.

There may be time to stop at a local cheese farm, where you can enjoy lunch in the garden before continuing the ride toward the city. And just before reaching our barge in Amsterdam’s harbour, we can try out one of the most iconic cycle bridges ever, before we continue on the other side of the river, to get on a ferry and cycle through Amsterdam easily and safely.  And there she is: the IRIS, your home away from home! Right in the middle of the city, yet a tranquil location. Amazing, like your whole tour has been.

It’s the perfect ending to a journey filled with water, history, and the quiet beauty of the Dutch countryside.

Amsterdam, day of departure

All good things come to an end, and we hope your week has been everything you wished for—and more.

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye at 9:00 a.m. Your guides will be happy to help arrange a taxi to your hotel or to the train station. The easiest way to reach Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is by train—the station is directly beneath the airport’s departure hall.

Thank you for sharing this journey with us.
Tot ziens! Au revoir! See you again soon!