Belgium Bike Tour Reviews — 1 to 30 of 80
Christopher J Braudy
2 weeks ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
I suggest getting to Amsterdam at least two days ahead, both to enjoy the city and to have sufficient time to check that the bikes fit you. We rented the e-bikes and that was great for the headwinds out of the southwest all week. For my part, I often used NO assist once getting the bike going. The Dutch bikes were surprisingly enjoyable to ride.
About the GPS tracks, here's what I urge you do. The provided GPS route are great but do NOT include CUE SHEETS. Although I have a Garmin, I really prefer using Ride with GPS Read More (RWGPS) on my phone. So:
1. Download RWGPS to your phone and pay for a subscription so you can save the routes for offline use. That way even without cell coverage, they work.
2. When you click on the supplied GPS route links provided by Tripsite, they will open automatically in RWGPS. There is an option to generate a cue sheet. DO THAT.
3. Save the routes for offline use.
4. In your RWGPS settings, switch to metric units. We found it fun think in kilometers for the trip.
5. Purchase a phone mount. If you have one already it will likely not fit on the Dutch bike handlebars. I got two on Amazon for $16 each and my wife and I found it was fantastic for the riding. To get what we used, search for "TruActive Premium Bike Phone Mount Holder".
6. Bring a battery back and short cable for your phone. It will fit nicely in the front bag.
7. If using an iPhone, use low battery mode. There is no need to go to Airplane mode. With low battery mode, you get all phone features; the phone will however dim when not used. That's a minor inconvenience for the super battery life it will give you.
Thanks for the wonderful trip Tripsite.
Gail S.
1 month ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Excellent e-bikes, informative instructions, fabulous hotels, gorgeous and safe routes for riding.
Maria Fernanda G.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
O que mais gostei foi passar pelas cidades pitorescas e lindas do trajeto, ver o mar e a natureza singular dessa região. A manutenção das bikes deixou muito a desejar, por duas vezes tivemos que parar e buscar apoio para conserto, o que também ficou por nossa conta apesar de utilizarmos os telefones de apoio. Já tive outras duas experiências com a tripsite e as bikes eram ótimas, o que não posso dizer dessa vez.
María Magdalena U.
3 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
I loved it! all the routes are incredible, the places where we arrive, hotels, landscape, etc. The only thing that you have to be aware is to use google maps u other device because in my experience it was so difficult to follow the numbers of the route or to follow the maps. The rest was amaizing.
TERRY E.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Bike very good, sturdy and easy to operate.
Accommodation of a very mixed standard, 1] the Brugges accomodation being totally unacceptable for both the price and the city location. Room very small and pokey, with stairs and no place for bags, toilet in a cupboard! Exceptionally disappointing end to our trip. Reception staff obsessed with the Voucher system [unlike other locations!], and quite disinterested in cyclists. We arrived after a days riding in the rain and had to wait whilst she discussed a menu intem for about five minutes with a local!, 2] the accommodation out of town, about 3 kilometers, on about night 5 was totally inappropriate for cyclists, with again the hotel owner only interested in his up-market restaurant guests and barely tolerating cyclists, we asked if we could have a drink in the front lounge at about 5.30 and was told it was fully booked for dinner, on Read More checking at 7.15 still no guests had arrived!, and 3] the Hotel Piccard was impossible to find from the maps and number given.
The route itself was excellent for 95% of the time, on possibly three [3] occassions the numbers were inadequate or incorrect, and required us to ask locals for directions back to the track, it would be good if a Company staff member had actually ridden the track at some stage and corrected this situation.
And finally, when paying for the A tour, it is not unreasonable to expect that the maps and instructions be personalized as to the days that ferries are and are-not available - this small detail was hidden in the notes and if one was not particularly pedantic in preparing for the next days travel could easily have been missed and spent a very frustrating, and tiring day cycling.
JANET B.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
The most memorable part of our trip from Amsterdam to Bruges was that my husband and I experienced the adventure with our son and daughter in law. As far as suggestions go, I would suggest that the local operator needs to step up their game on support and maintenance of their bikes. Initially, there was no representative to fit the bikes, nor did they provide any tools for adjustments to be made. My husband is 5’10” and a medium size bike was provided instead of a large. His first 2 days of biking was so very uncomfortable necessitating that he resort to an e-bike for the remainder of the trip.
William B.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
A fantastic trip. There were so many great town and villages along the way. The bike routes and hotels were very good. Unfortunately there was a strong prevailing wind from west to east. If we were to do this trip again we would go from Bruges to Amsterdam.
Tom R.
4 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
Bikes allow a good level of immersion into local culture. The Netherlands provides a great example of a prosperous, healthy and environmentally aware society. My observations are purely anecdotal but we in the US could learn a lot by following the example set by these kind and thoughtful people. I would recommend the Tripsite unguided bike tour from Bruges to Amsterdam to anyone. All arrangements and accommodations were fabulous.
Martin R.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Scenic Coastal Route from Amsterdam to Bruges
Netherlands, Belgium
Before starting, we thought we could average around 18 km/h but in reality, we were closer to the 15-16 km/ average pretty much every day. Main reasons for that were :
1. Head winds (sometimes quite strong) more than half of the time which slow you down
2. Stopping/starting to take pictures, admire the scenery. Every time you stop, you have to get back up to speed.
3. Cycling through towns and villages, you can't go very fast as there are Read More pedestrians and you are cycling on (sometimes very) uneven coblestones.
4. Getting lost. The GPS worked quite well in the country side but not as well once in larger cities. Not all wrong detours were the GPS fault though!
Some tips :
- Leave early if you would like to make some stops along the way (take a coffee, visit a windmill, etc.) and not arrive at your destination at 6 PM. This is especially true if you want to visit something at your end destination for the day as most attractions close around 5 PM.
- Plan your next day's itinerary the night before. Some days there aren't many lunch options along the way so make sure your timing is right. On day 3, we ended up doing a little more than 40 kms before lunch and ate around 2:30 PM because the area where we wanted to stop turned out to be a commercial area with no place to eat.
- Expect to do a few more kms every day because of wrong turns, things to visit, etc.
- Have a data plan. For us, because the GPS didn't always work so well in town, that's what we used to get to the hotels 4 of the 6 days.
- As mentioned in the documentation on how to prepare, make sure you are saddle ready. Based on our experience, the most difficult/painful day was the second one. After that, it got better every day.
Overall, we loved our experience and we highly recommend this tour without hesitation.
Willem S.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
The route is carefully planned to include as much rural bike paths and beautiful country side. As someone who grew up in the Netherlands, I am very impressed in the careful planning of green and agricultural area versus urbanization. The route led us via these green parts of the Netherland I hadn't experienced before. The cultural aspect in the selection of stop=over cities is also noteworthy and admirable.
All in all a great trip and highly recommendable.
Margi B.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
The biking routes were excellent! The recommended paths of the self-guided tour were well chosen, easy to follow, gorgeous and fun.
Kirsten M.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
Route: nice combination of countryside and small towns. The GPS tracks that were provided worked great on our Garmin device. Getting into Amsterdam was a bit unnerving so not sure if there would have been a little less busy route to the hotel.
Hotels: all were located near city center and within walking distance of town sites and restaurants. The Hotel Mondragon in Zierikzee was wonderful; the host at Hotel Loskade was very helpful and accommodating. The NH Bruges was an ‘upgrade’ and while the location was very good, the hotel itself was worn and in need of maintenance and upgrade. All hotels provided nice buffet breakfasts.
Bikes : the hybrid bike was comfortable and well maintained. The e-bike was comfortable and the battery had a very long charge time. The hybrid bike came with handlebars Read More that adjusted with a lever however the e-bike did not. The e-bike required a multi-tool to make this adjustment. A crank arm and pedal fell off the e-bike while riding and the thread was stripped taking some expertise to repair. Thankfully, our travel companion brought a multi-tool otherwise we would have been unable to fix these two issues in the field. Our travel companions had a couple mechanical issues and were told to find a bike shop for repair. That is fine if you are in a large town during the week, but on the road there were very few. Highly suggest including a multi-tool in the repair kit that is provided.
We had a pleasant week exploring!
Brenda S.
5 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
Your website should warn people if they choose a tandem bike, that only one pannier is provided for two people. No handle bar bag is provided.
An additional very low cost tool that should be included in every pannier is a bike multitool. You are riding a bike in the countryside and most times not near a bike store, let alone one that is actually opened when you need it. We had parts fall off bikes (e-bikes and tandem) that were not able to be fixed unless you had a multitool. A pedal fell off while riding, and of course no town in site for miles. We happened to have a bike multitool so we could continue on our ride.
The hotel provided in Willemstad was not satisfactory. We had low angled ceilings that you can easily bump your head on when turning around. The sky light leaked. The room had a bad smell.
The tour instructions for Amsterdam could have been updated to reflect all the bike path closures in the city. These paths had been closed for a long time, so alternate instructions to maneuver around the city would have been very helpful.
Kari T.
6 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
I loved the scenic routes through multiple towns every day. Take some time to stop and walk around in some of the along the way each day. The hotel accommodations far exceeded my expectations. They were all fantastic and in great locations. The staff at each were very helpful.
Be prepared for any weather. The weather can be unpredictable, so it's better to be prepared for anything!
David S.
7 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
Great to be able to see the sites at a manageable rate and to cover a lot of ground in doing so.
Ashley D.
7 months ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
My husband and I chose a bike trip from Amsterdam to Bruges in September 2023 for our Honeymoon! We had an absolutely fabulous time! Each hotel was delightful, breakfasts were fantastic! We were happy with our bikes, and the bike storage that was provided was ideal. We couldn't have been happier with our route, and each town along the way. We prepared for picnics each day, and that offered a nice rest in a beautiful place, giving us the energy to head to the next stop. We felt that we had time to explore and see the sites, and also relax as we went along. Make sure to get the GPS! Highly recommend, and hope to do something again in the future.
bozena • 7 months ago Tripsite Staff
Hi Ashley, thank you for your glowing review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a fabulous honeymoon bike trip. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future.
walkiria b.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
A wonderful trip! From arrival in Amsterdam to the end of the trip, the support provided by Tripsite was perfect. Revised bicycles, comfortable hotels and a well-planned itinerary. I recommend renting a GPS, the trails are saved and it makes the trip more peaceful. If possible, go by e-bike, there are so many opportunities to stop for photos and enjoy the beautiful cities along the way that we end up spending a lot of time on the journey.
Lilach L.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Romantic Bruges
Belgium
The B& B was very comfortable, good service and in a great location, the routes were also very scenic.
The main problem was the quality of the bike that was below average. The regular bike were essentially city bikes with technical problems and uncomfortable.
James A.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
This is a tremendous bicycle tour. The coastal routes on the first two days were very nice, the small towns we stayed in were charming, and the ride from Gouda to Amsterdam on the final day was very memorable. The GPS routes were very reliable and the paper maps were helpful as well. The only negative was that the bicycles should have been in better shape.
Chris Prince
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
This was our first trip through Tripsite since our honeymoon almost a decade ago, and I cannot say enough great things about how wonderful and easy it is to book through them. We upgraded to category A, and were extremely pleased by how nice the hotels were- well worth the slight price increase.
Highlights: Everything? The scenery is unbelievable. The North Sea ride was gorgeous. Gouda is as beautiful a city as I've ever seen. Swans everywhere, hardly any hills; Bruges is captivating; Willemstaad is idyllic; Zierkzee is quaint and beautiful; Middelburg is bustling and brimming with life. Unreal.
Lowlights: I can't really say there were. Papendrecht is an oddity here, Dordrecht across the river is much much cooler and worth wandering around. I will say that the hotel in Dordrecht and their lovely staff made it Read More worthwhile.
Recommended: RAIN SLICKER. It rained or misted all but one trip, I think. E-Bike, too- this isn't selling out. The headwinds and crosswinds are utterly brutal at times! We would 100% do this trip again!!!!
Elena P.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Seeing all the old buildings along the canal, seeing the North Sea, eating authentic stroopwafels, and having mussels in Belgium. Honestly the entire trip was amazing.
My only tip would be to rent an e-bike! We didn’t and encountered strong headwinds that significantly slowed us down, so we didn’t get to explore as much as we wanted to. Also, spend two nights in Bruges!
David D.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Bruges to Amsterdam Bike Tour
Belgium, Netherlands
What a lovely 6 day bike trip. The hotels, routes, and towns along the way were all special and memorable in their own way. My wife and I and our two teenage children loved it. I recommend doing it from Bruges to Amsterdam because by the time we reached Amsterdam, we were prepared to bike around that bike crazy town with the locals. Having my own GPS using the pre-programmed routes was incredibly useful in navigating the sprawling Netherlands cycle system. We loved that there was a protected/designated bike path often removed from cars for the majority of the time. Would absolutely do it again.
Norah and Dave
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Around Romantic Bruges
Belgium
Did this tour in August 2019. Had an incredible time. Benny is an amazing host. The B&B is so comfortable and the food is incredible. Our breakfast lasted us most of the day. Benny oriented us to the routes and gave us great advice on what to expect. Almost the entire route is on cycling/pedestrian paths so no worries about fighting traffic. The scenery is amazing. Lots of places to stop for refreshments on the way. The only advice I would give anyone is make sure you stay a few extra days in Bruges. It is so beautiful we would have loved to spend some more time just enjoying the town..
Malina C.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
The accomodation was excellent. The Netherlands are a wonderful place to explore on a bike, it looks like a natural park in whixh a few people live. I have rarely seen such respect and care for nature and animals, it was breathtaking.
Bike lanes are also in a very good shape.
JUAN CARLOS M.
1 year ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Excelent experience. All was Anna tell us.
The hotel & bikes woooow!!!
The only why, the Tulipanies was cut 1 week before. We don’t see this espectacular view.
All right. Great travel.
Marko J.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Beatiful scenery, nice people, windy whether :)
Eric P.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
Excelente cicloviagem, paisagens muito bonitas, vias super seguras e uma ótima organização pela tripsite!
Tahnee R.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
A few of the positives and suggestions...
Pros
Great bikes. High quality, both the regular and e-bikes.
Friendly, responsive and helpful staff. When a few of our group asked to exchange for e-bikes after a first very windy day, the local company (Dutch Bike Tours) was very friendly and drove them to us within a couple of hours (for a cost but that was expected).
The Netherlands is amazing for biking. Flat, accessed by a huge network of bike paths (seemingly every roadway), very well signed, drivers unexpectedly respectful to cyclists (compared to the U.S.), and so scenic.
Some lovely towns: we especially loved Gouda, Willemstadt, Zierikzee, Middleburg and Bruge.
Suggestions
Information: While we had contact with the local Read More company in our first trip (Lake Constance), we had no initial contact with the company and had to figure things out more on our own. Information that would have been helpful:
1) It would have been helpful to have some basic instructions on how to use an e-bike (we had to search for instructional videos on the web).
2) how the Dutch bike path system works and is signed was only briefly mentioned in the printed material. More detailed explanation would have been helpful.
Maps: The printed maps provided are not very helpful. They are too big for the plastic window on the bike, the font is tiny and can’t be read while biking, and the print quality is low so even harder to read the maps. We ended up using Google Maps to map out the cycle route the next destination each day. This worked but was not ideal because there is no place to put the phone securely (e-bikes don’t have the front bag) and the route missed the customized route suggested by the tour company. We would recommend anyone to get the GPS option (even just one person in a group having this would be helpful). Or even better, why don’t you just include a GPS unit, or, a Google MyMap link for each day so we can get easier access to the customized route. I think this should be provided without extra cost since the printed maps simply don’t work.
Hotel/Locations: While some of the hotels were quaint, locally owned, and in or very close to the center of town, others felt like chain hotels in the suburbs. Perhaps ask people to select not only if they want a slightly nicer hotel but how important it is to be in/close to the historic center of the towns. For us, this would have been more important than better amenities in the hotels. This was probably the most disappointing part of the trip, especially Pappendrecht, a newer town seemingly without a historic area when we could have easily gone a few extra miles to Dordrecht.
Silvia Susana D.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
The bike trip from Amsterdam to Brujas was excellent! The fisrt day was a little bit difficult to follow the maps and GPS but we made it :), the gps was very usefull , and the maps that they gave us too, using both things was perfect not to get loss. It is only a matter to get use to the signs and maps and GPS, but if you could I suggest to pay a litlle extra money and ask for the gps.
The hotels were beautifull and confortable, the only one I would take out of the route is the one in Papendrecht, not because of the hotel, the hotel was very nice, but the area is not really nice. I suggest that night to stay at a hotel in Dordretch. Dordretch is beautiful :).
The routes were so nice, I really enjoyed the tour, we didn´t have any problems with the bikes. Our luggage was always on time in our next hotel. so everything was perfect!
elke k.
2 years ago
Verified Reviewer
Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour
Netherlands, Belgium
We are from Mexico and this is our second time with tripsite. And definitely looking forward to do it again.
Amsterdam to Brugge is magic!!
The sites, the routes, the lodges and great food!!
We decided to do it on ebike and was an excellent choice.this way we could enjoy the road with the right effort.
The bikes were excelent and all the experience with tripsite is the best!
Looking for for our next trip!
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