"This was a tremendous trip. Nice mix of New Zealand s spectacular scenery and cultural highlights. In Australia Cairns was interesting for culture and great barrier reef, which is unfortunetely getting bleached due to rising ocean temps.The Sydney Opera house was amazing. Our Auastralian guide was knowledgeable and very organized. Only complaint was that at 37 folks the trip was too large in our opinion."
Uncover the captivating history and culture of two countries in a single trip
Windmills, canals, pitch-roofed farmhouses and vast skies—scenery straight out of a Dutch masterpiece
A welcoming bike culture of epic proportions
Luxuriate in hotels reminiscent of the 17th-century Golden Age
"Beauty lies in the hands of the beer holder"—sample Belgium's national treasure
Themes
Cultural, Cycling & Biking
What travelers are saying
"Until Covid clears, I would steer clear of Backroads. We were partially through their June 2020 Costa Rica tour when a guest tested Covid positive. She and her husband were isolated. The rest of the group were offered wimpy masks. Nobody was offered Covid testing daily and masks were not required of the guests or staff. The guides kept repeating "not in the CDC guidelines." Our group of six decided that the Backroads response was inadequate so returned home mid-excursion. The hotel and food was excellent, but the provided bikes were inadequate. The front derailleurs were poorly adjusted, and most of the riders had the chains come off during the first ride. Hikes or bike rides were conducted in downpours. Disappointed for charging such a premium price."
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Hiking & Walking, National Parks
What travelers are saying
"Clean and elegantly decorated ship, not gaudy like another cruise ship I have been on. I got a beautiful room with a balcony. The choice of foods was wonderful. I really enjoyed the shows and the music and the sightseeing."
Cycle along tranquil rivers and past meadows, dairy farms, quaint villages, and polder countrysides.
Get acquainted with local people — and local life — during a visit to a family home.
Join a local guide for a boat tour of Ghent, whose history dates to around 600 AD.
View the famous Kinderdijk windmills, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sip authentic Belgian beer during a special tasting on board.
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Cycling & Biking, Local Immersion & Homestays, Sailing, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel
What travelers are saying
"This was the first organized tour my husband and I have ever joined, so we were not sure what to expect , but it turned out to be the best vacation we've ever had. The scenery and food were amazing. We stayed in beautiful hotels. Most of the riding was on paved bike paths so we hardly ever had to deal with car traffic. Our leaders, Andrea and Martin, were funny, informative , and so helpful. We are already planning to go back to Italy with VBT this summer."
Cycle along tranquil rivers and past meadows, dairy farms, quaint villages, and polder countrysides.
Get acquainted with local people—and local life—during a visit to a family home.
Join a local guide for a boat tour of Ghent, whose history dates to around 600 AD.
View the famous Kinderdijk windmills, a UNESCO Heritage site.
Sip authentic Belgian beer during a special tasting on board.
Themes
Cultural, Nature & Wildlife, Cycling & Biking, Local Immersion & Homestays, Sailing, Photography, Small Ship Cruise, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel
What travelers are saying
"This was the first organized tour my husband and I have ever joined, so we were not sure what to expect , but it turned out to be the best vacation we've ever had. The scenery and food were amazing. We stayed in beautiful hotels. Most of the riding was on paved bike paths so we hardly ever had to deal with car traffic. Our leaders, Andrea and Martin, were funny, informative , and so helpful. We are already planning to go back to Italy with VBT this summer."
Discover Talbot House, or TOC H as it was known in army signallers' code
Visit the Thiepval Anglo-French Memorial, which bears the names of some 73,000 British
Visit Flanders Field Museum which presents the story of the First World War
See the Ypres, which was devastated during some of the worst fighting of the First World War
Themes
Cultural
What travelers are saying
"It took us two days, four airports to get to the start of our tour and then additional four days to get our luggage. We spent most of days shopping for essentials rather than enjoying our holiday. I had paid £8,000 for this holiday.
1) Travelshere tried to take money out my account twice. I had to contact my bank to get the transaction number to prove to them that I had paid.
2) Three weeks before departure they completely changed our flights ( presumably they got a cheaper deal)
3) Sent to us to wrong terminal for our flight, had to rush over to the right terminal
4) Madrid was snowed under, so the flights were delayed and there was no way we were going to make the connection, so they split the group. The main group was sent direct to destination from London and two couple with Indian names were sent to Madrid, knowing well that they were not going to make the connection.
5) The guide went with the main group and we were left to organise our way to the destination.
6) After four airports, endless queuing and two days we got to our destination ( so we lost two days holidays and the excursion), minus the luggage. No glutton free meals, so my wife traveled long distance without any food.
7) It took five days to get our luggage, so we spent most our spare time shopping for essentials in foreign land with limited local language skills. No help from any one.
8) When I complained, I got this terse letter while I am on holidays. Unfortunately, I can’t copy and paste this letter, which would have conveyed their attitude to whole mess.
There were so many issues that I can’t list all of them.
Needless to say I shared my experience of this company with my family, friends, work colleagues and fellow travelers."
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D
DLMeinert
Jan 2017
Written on
Excellent vacation, biking in Holland and Belgium, 6 days
Excellent vacation biking around Holland & Belgium with Backroads. See my videos to get a flavor for the trip.
https://vimeo.com/97188922 Biking in Netherlands,...