Netherlands/Belgium
A Cycling Journey: Bike and Barge in Holland and Belgium
Program No. 10530RJ
From your floating home on a river barge, set out on a bicycle journey through lovely, historic towns to discover the local history, culture and art of Holland and Belgium.
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800-454-5768
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & PRICES
Standard | Bike Included | E-Bike Included |
---|---|---|
Standard |
A bicycle will be provided. |
An e-bike will be provided. |
Aug 16 - Aug 31, 2024
Filling Fast!
Sep 13 - Sep 28, 2024Jun 5 - Jun 20, 2025
Aug 14 - Aug 29, 2025
Sep 11 - Sep 26, 2025
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16 days
15 nights
29 meals
14B 1L 14D
1
In Transit
In Flight
8
Maastricht Field Trip & Lecture, Free Time
Maastricht
14
Vecht River, Barge to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
16
Program Concludes, Departures
In Flight
At a Glance
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the Dutch provinces of Utrecht, South Holland, Brabant, Zeeland, Limburg and the Flanders region of Belgium as you barge along scenic rivers and canals and cycle past windmills and through picturesque villages. With experts aboard the barge and in the field, learn about Dutch history and architecture, Roman influence in the Netherlands, the difference between the Flemish and the Walloons and much more.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Intermediate to experienced cyclists. Cycling up to 20-30 miles (five hours) daily on primarily flat terrain with frequent stops. Walking one mile on uneven terrain, standing for up to two hours and climbing stairs.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Learn about Antwerp’s medieval and Renaissance architecture, and admire Rubens' masterpieces in its Gothic cathedral.
- Cycle to the charming 13th-century trading town of Bergen op Zoom and Maastricht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands.
- Experience the canals of Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.
General Notes
Program itinerary subject to change due to water levels, lock and bridge schedules and local conditions.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Hendrik Robberecht
Hendrik Robberecht holds a degree in art history and archaeology from the University of Ghent. He has arranged study explorations for Flemish leaders in Belgium and taught courses in modern and contemporary art through the Flanders Tourism Office. His hobbies include listening to classical music and opera, travel, interior design, contemporary visual arts, and architecture.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Hendrik Robberecht
View biography
Hendrik Robberecht holds a degree in art history and archaeology from the University of Ghent. He has arranged study explorations for Flemish leaders in Belgium and taught courses in modern and contemporary art through the Flanders Tourism Office. His hobbies include listening to classical music and opera, travel, interior design, contemporary visual arts, and architecture.
Kees Grandia
View biography
Kees Grandia was born and raised in the city of Rotterdam. He received a teaching certificate in Dutch and English at the teachers training college in Delft and studied history at the University of Leiden and the University of Texas in Austin. In 1999, he returned to education at the Albeda College as a teacher of Dutch to immigrants. Kees currently works as an educational manager with Albeda College in Rotterdam. He enjoys a game of tennis, loves opera, and is interested in American politics.
Suggested Reading List
(21 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
A Cycling Journey: Bike and Barge in Holland and Belgium
Program Number: 10530
Dutch, A Rough Guide Phrasebook
An A-Z pocket dictionary, phrasebook and mini-guide to the Dutch language.
Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City
Russell Shorto opens this delightful ode to an adopted city with his daily journey, by bike of course, through his neighborhood to drop off his toddler son. He spins a tale of a diverse city wrestled from the sea, its coffee shops, canals and its personalities and politics, with panache.
Niccolo Rising
From the reigning queen of historical fiction comes this fast-paced, thoroughly-researched novel of ambition and worldly goods in 15th-century Bruges. This is the first volume in her House of Niccolo series.
Good Beer Guide Belgium
The seventh edition of Webb's invaluable guide to breweries, beers and bars.
Girl With a Pearl Earring
Chevalier's richly drawn novel imagines the story behind Vermeer's mysterious portrait of a turbaned girl with a pearl earring.
A Worldly Art
This appreciative analysis of Dutch art in its Golden Age (1585-1718) features 100 exemplary illustrations by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, Frans Hals and other Old Masters.
Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Soccer
A British journalist, Winner interviews football stars -- along with architects, political scientists and novelists -- in this insightful, humorous look at the transformation of Dutch society since the 1970s.
The Netherlands in a Nutshell
With information on the Dutch East India Company, Huygens, Spinoza, Van Gogh, the Great Flood, the Dutch overseas colonies and much more, Van Oostrom's popular primer covers the essential highlights of Dutch history.
The Coffee Trader, A Novel
An entertaining, suspenseful work of historical fiction set in Amsterdam. It's 1659 and in the new, capricious world of stocks and investment, a desperate Portuguese-Jewish trader partners with a Dutchman. Their idea: import the first shipment of coffee to the country. What follows is a wild tale of ruthlessness, greed and fortune.
Eyewitness Guide Brussels, Bruges, Ghent & Antwerp
This superbly illustrated guide features color photos and maps of city neighborhoods, with information on history, culture and sightseeing.
Benelux Map
Covering the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg at a scale of 1:400,000.
Why the Dutch are Different
Mingling history with travelogue, Coates speaks to why the Netherlands is such a fascinating country. He explains their world-famous culture of tolerance, the significance of milk, beer and the color orange in the lives of the Dutch and much more.
The Undutchables
A laugh-out-loud, irreverent guide to Dutch character and habits, including how to drink coffee and why you shouldn't even think about haggling over prices.
The Embarrassment of Riches
An engaging cultural history and much more, this book is a study of the Dutch in the 17th century and their surprising challenge to Spanish rule.
A Tall Man in a Low Land
Pearson, a British travel writer, journalist and comic, is an entertaining guide to Belgium and its traditions, culture, beer and chocolate.
Master of Shadows, The Secret Diplomatic Career of the Painter Peter Paul Rubens
Ranging from his home in Antwerp to London, Madrid, Paris and Rome, Lamster uncovers the gripping tale behind one of the world’s most famous painters and his double life as a secret agent, diplomat and political operative in 17th century Europe.
Tulip Fever
In this surprise bestseller, set in 1630s Amsterdam, a man contracts the talented painter Jan Van Loos to paint a portrait of him and his beautiful wife, Sophia. A vivid drama unfolds as a mutual attraction develops between Van Loos and Sophia.
Eyewitness Guide The Netherlands
Gorgeously illustrated and filled with excellent maps, this compact book covers Holland, its history, traditions, cultures and sights. With hundreds of color photographs and illustrations.
The Anatomy Lesson
A fictionalized account of the events surrounding Rembrandt’s first commissioned piece, the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Well-researched and vivid with period details that transport the reader back to 1600s Amsterdam at the height of Dutch artistic vigor.
The Autumn of the Middle Ages
A pioneering work of social and cultural history, this well-translated classic of 1924 is a richly detailed portrait of life, thought and art in 14th- and 15th-century France and the Netherlands.
Tulipomania
The story of the world's most coveted flower and the extraordinary passion it aroused, this vivid history traces the tulip from its origins on the Turkish steppes to its status as an absurdly desired object in Europe and its key role in the financial follies of 17th-century Holland.