Compare Amsterdam and Paris by Europamundo Vacations vs Cycling from Amsterdam to Brussels by Exodus Travels

Day 1: Amsterdam

Today’s Highlights: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel. Welcome to Europe!!!. On arrival at the airport we shall be waiting to transfer you to the hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts, information about the meeting place and start time can be found on the information boards in the hotel reception area.

Day 2: Amsterdam

Today’s Highlights: Picturesque typical village of Volendam. Boat on the I Jsselmeer lake. City tour of Amsterdam. Today we have a very exciting and beautiful day. We will go to Zaanse Schans with its mills, its canals and its typical houses . Volendam, a very picturesque fishing village. From Volendam, on a short boat trip we will go to Marken, an island that was united to the mainland by a fixed dike, their houses were built on stilts. In the afternoon we include a panoramic tour of Amsterdam to see its narrow canals, the Dam Platz, its official buildings and parks, and will also see the technique of diamond cutting. A large part of the visit will be done on foot. The information will be given through headphones. At the end of the day you will be taken to Rembrandtplein, one of the busiest squares in the city with plenty of restaurants from all corners of the world.

Day 3: Amsterdam - Brussels - Bruges –Paris

Today’s Highlights: Feeling Belgium. We will leave for BRUSSELS, and will have time in the Grand Place and take a stop to photograph the Atomium. Later in BRUGES, the marvellous Flemish city known as the "northern little Venice". Time for lunch. Continuation to France. PARIS, arrival at the end of the day.

Day 4: Paris

Today’s Highlights: City tour in Paris. Climb to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. Boat ride along the Seine. Evening transfer. Today we take a guided tour to discover the history, main boulevards and the breathtaking monuments of Paris. We end the visit at the Eiffel Tower. You will have the opportunity to climb up to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument (ticket admission included) . End your visit with a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy an afternoon of leisure to explore and relax! At sunset enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter, a very picturesque historic area where a wide variety of international cuisines await you. We will then return to hotel. Note: Sometimes queues to climb the Eiffel Tower are long. For organizational reasons, if deemed appropriate, the climb can be made at a different time of the day (of Monday).

Day 5: Paris

Today’s Highlights: Free time in the City of Light. We go to the centre of Paris, to the area of the Louvre Museum. Free time. If you wish we can accompany you to Benlux, one of the most complete and best-known perfumeries in Paris. Rest of the day free. It will be offered for travelers who are interested, an optional excursion to enjoy in Eurodisney.

Day 6: Paris

After breakfast, end of our services.

Day 1 Arrive in Amsterdam

Marvel at the townhouses along the 17th century canal district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You could also opt to saunter down the infamous red-light district which attracts millions of curious tourists every year; or enjoy the street performers on friendly Rembrandtplein. Overnight Westcord Fashion Hotel 4*, Amsterdam.

Day 2 Amsterdam to Gouda

Today's route takes you through the Green Heart of Holland, a true cycling paradise, with characteristic peat and polder landscapes, small farming communities and picturesque historical towns such as Oudewater. It was to this place that women who had been accused of witchcraft fled from all over Europe to try to have their innocence proven by weighing. Finish your ride in medieval Gouda, discover this beautifully preserved town centre, visit the Gothic town hall and St. John's church. Stop off at a bakery to buy fresh syrup waffles (Gouda is the hometown of the famous stroopwafels) and pick up some Gouda cheese. Overnight Best Western Plus City 4*, Gouda.

Day 3 Gouda to Papendrecht

From Gouda you'll continue through the Green Heart of Holland to the village of Kinderdijk. Explore the site on which 19 windmills have stood majestically since 1740 and used to drain excess water out of the low-lying polder up into the River Lek. You can even pay one of the mills a visit. Your destination, Papendrecht, is just a ferry crossing away from of one of Holland's oldest towns; Dordrecht, which is completely surrounded by rivers. Beautiful bridges take you across the water into the heart of town with its many monumental buildings around the harbour Overnight Leonardo Hotel 4*, Papendrecht.

Day 4 Papendrecht to Bergen op Zoom

Follow today's route past one of the few remaining freshwater tidal areas in Europe: the Biesbosch National Park. Crossing a one-kilometre-long bridge high above Holland's Diep river, you arrive in the south of the Netherlands. Continue through village after village, with Brabant hospitality enticing you in to stop for a cup of coffee and a big slice of fruit tart. Bergen op Zoom, today's destination, is 800 years old and the town's narrow streets, old squares and hundreds of monuments testify to a rich and dramatic past. Be sure to feast your eyes on Markiezenhof, a late-gothic mansion built by the local noble family in 1485, that now serves as a museum and archive, before you settle down at one of the many pavement cafes. Please note you will only be able to cycle through the Biesbosch park on days when the ferry is running, which is not daily. An alternative route will be provided for days when there is no ferry service. Overnight Grand Hotel De Draak 4*, Bergen op Zoom.

Day 5 Bergen op Zoom to Antwerp

The landscape along today's cycling route is predominantly wooded. On the border between the Netherlands and Belgium, catch your breath in De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide, a lovely cross-border nature reserve. The route takes you along the Scheldekaaien (quays on the River Scheldt) right into the historical heart of Antwerp, Belgium's most important port city and the largest town in Flanders. After seeing the historical centre you might like to venture to the hip and trendy parts of the city: 't Zuid and Het Eilandje. If you've worked up a thirst on your journey, consider a visit to the De Koninck beer brewery. It has been going strong since 1833 and has a new visitors centre welcoming guests wishing to look around and do some tasting. This brewery is best known for its 'bollekes', a type of rounded beer glass. Overnight Park Inn Hotel by Radisson 3*, Antwerp.

Day 6 Antwerp to Leuven

After a short stretch on the banks of the River Scheldt, change course to follow the River Rupel, the shortest river in the country (nearly 10km long). Along the way you'll see abandoned brick works and chimneys as silent witnesses of a tough industrial past. A good place to stop for lunch is the old town of Mechelen, within sight of the church tower of 13th century St. Rombold's cathedral or the Grand Place with its fabulous architecture. Continue along the River Dijle to end your day in the delightful university town of Leuven, where the oldest houses date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Also visit the early-Gothic church of St. John the Baptist (1304) and the Old Market Square (Oude Markt), nicknamed 'the longest bar counter in the world' due to the enormous number of bars and cafes on the square. Overnight Park Inn Hotel by Radisson 3*, Leuven.

Day 7 Leuven to Brussels

The hills of Belgian Brabant and the expansive Sonian Forest set the scene for today's cycle. There are also train options if you don't feel like cycling into the big city of Brussels. The city's main attraction is the fantastic Grand Place and the nearby little statue of Manneken Pis still draws the crowds although there's plenty more to see. Your visit to Brussels should involve culinary treats such as delicious hot waffles, chocolate, triple-fried frites and beer. You should also enjoy the shopping and culture; you'll be hard-pushed not to want to stay longer. Overnight Courtyard by Marriott 4*, Brussels.

Day 8 Depart Brussels

Depart from Brussels after a hearty breakfast.