Sailing home | Amsterdam to Bruges

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the barge.

Boarding.

After boarding the boat, you can stow your luggage in your cabin and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. This is also a great opportunity to get to know your guide, the captain, the crew and, of course, the other passengers.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.

Breakfast on the barge and preparation of your lunch box.

From Oude Wetering we continue our journey into the Green Heart along country lanes, canal and river banks and polders towards the cheese town of Gouda.

The name Gouda brings to mind not only cheese, pipes, syrup wafers and earthenware, but also painted stained glass windows, a fairy-tale town hall and the incomparable atmosphere of the canals. Gouda is a pleasant old Dutch town with a city center that has remained virtually untouched by the passage of time.

The beautiful gothic town hall, the Waag (public weight) and the large St. John’s church are well worth a visit! The latter is 123 meters long and renowned for its magnificent “Goudse Glazen” stained-glass windows. Gouda’s museums are as follows: Museumgouda (the Catharina Gasthuis Museum and the Moriaan Museum, the national pharmacy museum) the Goudse Kaas- en Ambachtenmuseum (Gouda Cheese and Crafts Museum) and het Verzetsmuseum Zuid-Holland (South Holland Resistance Museum). Other not-to-be-missed sights include the “Cultureel- en Havenkwartier” (culture and harbor district) with the “Weeshuisplein” (orphanage square), the “Catharina-tuin” (Catharina’s garden), several “hofjes” (small courtyards) and the Museumhaven Gouda.

As on most days, we’ll take a stroll around town after dinner.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.

Breakfast on the barge and preparation of your lunch box.

We cycle along the Dutch IJsel and the Krimpenerwaard, the lowest polder in the Netherlands, on narrow cycle paths to the river Lek. Here we cross the Lek to Kinderdijk by ferry. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known tourist attractions in the Netherlands. The site boasts the largest concentration of historic windmills in the country.

From the Lek dike, you have a splendid view of the 19 windmills, recently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is where we’ll take a break. We can also visit the inside of one of the mills.

Lunch box

After a beautiful excursion through the Alblasserwaard polder, we arrive at the shore of the Lower Merwede (Beneden-Merwede).

Take the ferry back to Dordrecht, the crossroads of several waterways and one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. During the 11th century, Dordrecht was known as Thuredrith. In 1220, Dordrecht was granted municipal rights under William I of Holland. In the Middle Ages, Dordrecht was an important port city with a storage and sales license for maritime trade (circa 1350), which meant that products transported into the city also had to be offered for sale there. In the 15th century, the town suffered many disasters (siege, flood, fire). But the city survived and played an important role in Dutch politics. In 1572, a historic meeting, the first meeting of the Free States of Holland, took place in the Hof. This led to the creation of the autonomous state of the Netherlands. Dordrecht was also the site of resistance against the Spanish. In the 16th century, Dordrecht lost its dominant position as a trading city to Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In 1618-1619, a national synod was held in Dordrecht (of the Dutch Reformed Church). A theological dispute had arisen within the church. The most ‘strict’ religious doctrine ended up winning the synod. The result was the “Dordtse Leerregels”, aimed at the losers. The synod also decided to have the Bible translated into Dutch (“state translation”). Key buildings include the Grote Kerk church with its unfinished tower (14th century), a landmark of the city. Another striking building is the Groothoofdspoort, from which you have a magnificent view of the lively river.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.

Breakfast on the barge and preparation of your lunch box.

Starting from Dordrecht, you will sail during breakfast towards the territory of the Great Rivers Delta. In the past, the numerous river arms were in free communication with the sea. Following the flooding caused by the North Sea in 1953, major works were carried out in connection with the Delta Plan. Numerous dams were built to retain water from the sea.

Most of Zeeland lies at or below sea level. In 1953, the dikes were low and in poor condition. In those days, the risk of flooding was once every 80 years. Thanks to Stormvloedkering, this risk is now less than once every 4,000 years.

In Willemstad, an old walled town, we’ll start a bike tour along the Volkerakdam (with the world’s most visited locks underneath) to the island of Goeree-Overflakkee. Today, the island is linked to the mainland by dams and bridges. These are part of the Delta Plan, implemented after the North Sea flood of 1953. The Delta Plan is a defense system that protects the south-western part of the Netherlands from sea flooding.

Shortly before the day’s final destination (Zierikzee, on the island of Schouwen-Duivenland) we visit the interesting Watersnoodmuseum. The museum is housed in one of the four caissons used to fill the last breach in the dikes. In November 1953, 10 months after the flood that breached over 300 dikes, the last breach was filled.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.

Breakfast on the barge and preparation of your lunch box.

On this day we cycle towards the North Sea, along the Oosterschelde to the Oosterschelde dam. The dam features huge slides that can be lowered in the event of heavy storms or high tides, protecting the south-east of the Netherlands from the sea.

This dam was one of the last in a series of barriers against the sea. When you pedal over it, you’ll realize that this Delta Plan structure was the hardest and most expensive to protect the country from flooding, while at the same time allowing sea water into the vast Delta territory. The Oosterscheldekering is sometimes called the eighth wonder of the world.

After the dam, we continue on to Middelbourg, without missing a visit to the picturesque town of Veere. Middelbourg is the lively capital of the province of Zeeland: many old houses and churches, a Gothic town hall and a charming shopping center make Middelbourg a harmonious town. Middelbourg is also home to the Roosevelt Academy, of which the medieval town hall on the market square in the heart of Middelbourg is the main building.

If we get the chance, we’ll sail to Vlissingen during dinner. This pleasant port town lies between the Scheldt and the North Sea. We highly recommend a stroll around town and along the boulevard!

Lunch: box lunch.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.

Breakfast on the barge and preparation of your lunch box.

The great crossing! Take the ferry from Breskens to Zeeland Flanders. Belgium is no longer far away.

Passing through a region full of small villages, creeks and winding dykes with sweeping views, we arrive at the Belgian-Dutch border at Sas van Gent, the former gateway to the port of Ghent.

After an hour and a half’s sailing, you’ll arrive in Ghent. From the quay, you can easily take the streetcar to the medieval center of this resplendent city.

The city of Ghent has a population of around 250,000. The name “Ghent” probably comes from the Gallic word Ganda, meaning confluence or mouth. The Lys and Scheldt rivers flow into the city. In 630, Saint-Bavon Abbey was founded by Saint Amand. In the Middle Ages, Ghent was one of Europe’s most important cities (in 1350, it had a population of around 56,000), thanks to the cloth industry. From the 14th to the 16th century, there were several revolts against the rulers and in the city itself. From 1584 (when the Spaniards regained control of Flanders during the Dutch revolt against King Philip II) to the 19th century, Ghent faced economic decline. Later, the city developed into an industrial and socialist city. The old town boasts many well-preserved guild and patrician houses, the Gravensteen (medieval castle), the Sint Niklaaskerk (St. Nicholas church, built in 1200), the 14th-century belfry and the Sint Baafskathedraal (St. Bavo’s cathedral, 14th century), home to the famous polyptych “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by the Van Eyck brothers. In the city center, there are many pleasant squares and cafés.

Ghent is a lively city with a rich past. But it has much more to offer than museums. The city is a successful mix of pleasant little squares, traditional beers, trendy shopping streets lined with beautiful mansions, … and student life.

Lunch: box lunch.

Dinner and overnight on board the barge.