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Sometimes Belgium gets overlooked as a prime vacation destination—crowded out by its more flamboyant sisters like France, Italy, and Germany. But Belgium is a fabulous place to visit; it’s got history, culture, architecture, and cuisine, not to mention gorgeous natural landscapes just begging to be explored on a bicycle. So if you’re looking for someplace different for your travels this year, here are 14 reasons to put Belgium on your short list.   1. Belgian beer—need we say more? It’s not really an overstatement to say there’s a bit of…

Thinking of a bicycle vacation this year? There’s a great case to be made for pedaling the prettiest routes in Holland. Did you know that there are over 35,000 kilometers of cycle paths in the Netherlands? It’s a place that absolutely caters to its cycling friends—trust us, there’s no better place to ride your bike. Still need convincing? Check out some of the sights and experiences in store for you if you take a bike tour in Holland this summer.   1. Pedal through the Hoge Veluwe National Park to…

What would be more delightful than to cycle and waltz your way down the magnificent Danube on a Bike and Boat touring adventure through four magical European countries – Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary? Well, that is what we did, all four of us and we range in age from 60 to 70 years young. We ate and slept on board the MS My Story, which is a forty four year old, 105 meter-long ship with a total of 74 en suite cabins. It has a staff compliment of forty…

Looking for a different way to explore the Netherlands? Two of the best ways to see the highlights of Holland are by bike and boat. Why? Boats give you access to sights you’d never be able to see by land as they travel through the waterways throughout the country. And bikes let you cover more ground than walking while still getting you up close to the all the main highlights of Holland. Here are 14 must-sees by boat and bike in the Netherlands:   1. Explore Museumplein, the cultural heart…

The Amsterdam to Bruges boat and bike cycling holiday is a seven night, eight day adventure, jam-packed with historical tales and sights of the unexpected in Holland and Belgium. It’s available either as a guided tour with the leadership of an experienced multilingual guide or self-guided under your own steam. It’s also probably one of the best cycling tours in Europe for a first-time holiday cyclist. Freedom Treks Marketing Manager Tara Rogers road-tested the tour with her husband Sean. Here’s how she got on.   Right on Point If you’ve…

What would be more pleasant than to cruise and cycle through the province of Noord Holland? That is exactly what a semi-retired couple from Butlerstown recently did. BIKE and boat holidays area unique way of discovering another country; cycling during the day and relaxing and dining with new friends on board the ‘floating hotel’ at night. The vessel, the Angela Esmee, accommodates 80 guests. There were seven flags flying on the two masts which represented the nationalities on board, which were Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the dining room we were seated with the other two English speaking couples, Gwen…

The German Rhine valley has been considered the embodiment of romanticism for centuries and it has kept its alluring charm to this day. The panoramic scenery, the luxuriant display of colour, the picturesque villages and towns and the wealth of historic buildings, in the form of castles, fortresses and churches are an absolute delight to the eye. To discover all of this last September, on a Bike and Boat Tour was an unforgettable experience. The Bike & Boat tour we decided to join was a beautiful and unique cycling and…

As anyone who has been lucky enough to enjoy a boat and bike tour on the mighty Danube River aboard either the MS Normandie, MS My Story or the MS Theodor Korner will eagerly tell you, all three barges provide the ticket to the ultimate in cycling holidays. Far from providing just another cycling holiday, a Boat and Bike Tours-organised holiday on the Danube effectively provides the best cycling holiday experience money can buy. Cycle along Europe’s best-known and most loved cycling route during the day and enjoy the ultimate…

Bike and Boat Cycle Touring in the Bordeaux Region As far as holiday destinations go it doesn’t come any better than the French city of Bordeaux for lovers of fine wine and cycling to combine their passions. Situated in the southwest of France in the Gironde department, the City of Bordeaux is widely recognised as one of the world’s major wine cities and, as a bonus for cycling enthusiasts, one of the most picturesque places in the country to enjoy a cycling tour. Tourists flock to the region to not…

E-bike Touring through the Champagne Region of France on MS Zwaantje For lovers of sparkling wine throughout the world, French champagne is the ultimate symbol of sophistication, celebration and good living. Such is the popularity of sparkling champagne, that it is said a bottle is opened somewhere in the world every two seconds! In the wine industry there is simply no other style of wine that is so feted and universally enjoyed. France’s Champagne region is centered around the towns of Epernay and Reims. The Abbey of Saint-Pierre, not far from…