Bike and Barge North Holland Tulip Tour

Day 1: Amsterdam (23 miles)

Our cycling today is a loop to the beautiful Waterland region. We’ll enjoy views of the vast Ijsselmeer (former sea) along the dikes and ride through lush polderlands, old farmsteads, and quaint fishing towns.

In the village of Katwoude we visit a cheese farm and Dutch shoemaker. We return to Amsterdam and enjoy a wonderful dinner!

Day 2: Hoorn (25 miles)

Our ship sails early to drop us at the town of Volendam. It's just a short ride along the beautiful Ijselmeer dijk to the quaint town of Edam, named after the famous cheese.

We leave the water and pedal inland to enjoy the vastness of the Beemster Polder, an area drained between 1608 and 1612 for agricultural use. Coming eastward once more we enter the town of Hoorn, on the banks of the Ijsselmeer.

We'll take time to explore this typical Zuidersee town which now has a thriving marina and ornate period buildings from the Golden Age of East Indies trading. After dinner we enjoy a stroll with local guide, Lidia Tacx.

Day 3: Cycling Kingsday-Medemblik (28 miles)

Today is the most famous holiday of the Netherlands: Kingsday, celebrating the birthday of King Willlem Alexander. There is decoration and festivities everywhere as the Dutch love their king and an opportunity to party!

We'll head first to Enkhuizen with its finely decorated Renaissance buildings and the 17th century houses and warehouses of the former Dutch East India Company. Here we enjoy the open-air Zuiderzee Museum. We will witness life as it was over a hundred years ago as we take a guided stroll through an authentic fishing village.

From Enkhuizen we travel along the coast to Medemblik, explore the famous Castle Radboud and join in for Kingsday festivities.

Day 4: Den Helder (30 miles)

We relax today as we follow the coast of the Wadden Sea and partake of the Bloemendagen (Blooming Days) Festival of the Anna Paulowna polder. On our way we stop at the Onderneming windmill in Hipolytueshof for a personal tour!

Our destination is Den Helder, a bustling town famous for its residence of the Dutch Royal Navy. We visit the fascinating Marine Museum next to our boat docking.

Day 5: Visit to Texel (25- 35 miles)

After breakfast we take the morning ferry to Texel. It will take a full day to totally explore this unique island with its beaches, picturesque fishing villages and nature preserves. Suzie and Roger hope to share some of their favorite secluded bike paths.

We'll return to Den Helder on the late evening ferry and savor a hearty dinner onboard our barge.

Day 6: Alkmaar (28 miles)

Today, we ride the dunes of North Holland along the North Sea. We will enjoy miles of gently rolling terrain along paved paths, following sandy landscapes overseeing views of vast polder areas of summer crops and flowers.

As we turn inland, we'll partake of beautiful old farmsteads and stop by a bakery in Scharwoude village, where we find the oldest floating vegetable market. A short hop from here, we'll stop to photo three of the oldest windmills in Holland before heading Alkmaar, the biggest town in North Holland known for its beautiful historic center.

Day 7: To Amsterdam (30 miles)

After breakfast, we'll head into Alkmaar to see its popular cheese market. This exciting tradition with porters wearing white dress and straw hats is not to be missed. Our next stop is the lovely village of De Rijp for a Pannekoeken (Dutch pancake) lunch treat from Suzie. We’ll follow beautiful countryside into the museum village Zaanse Schanse - a delightful old hamlet with characteristic green wooden houses, charming gardens, tradesmen's workshops, and historic windmills.

We cycle winding bike paths in the lovely nature area of Het Twisk leading to the short ferry into Amsterdam. Tonight we celebrate a special captain's farewell dinner!

Day 8: Goodbye to the Netherlands

Saturday morning we breakfast, say our goodbyes and disembark at 9 a.m.

7 nights on lovely Flora boat-hotel with lower beds and private bath
Hearty breakfasts, 6 packed lunches and 6 wonderful dinners
Stops for Dutch favorites like Apple cake with coffee, Pannekoek lunch; afternoon wine and cheese parties
Visit to wooden shoemaker, working windmill and family-run farm, experience a medieval castle, tour museums like open air Zuiderzee and cheese museum in Alkmaar, enjoy a canal tour and other adventures along the way!
Day trip island of Texel
Guided town walks with locals
All ferry fees including passage to island of Texel
24 speed bicycle rental
Suzie and Roger as hosts and guides

Trip Difficulty

The Netherlands terrain is mostly flat and we can experience some wind and rain which are factors that impact cycling. We recommend this trip for an active person and recreational cyclist who can enjoy a leisurely 25-30 mile/day tour averaging 10-m.p.h. on easy/flat terrain.

Leisurely for us means we are never rushing and like to "smell the roses" enjoying the sites along the way. We take advantage of the Netherlands excellent bicycle infrastructure and enjoy cycling, whenever possible, on dedicated cycle paths and separate on-road bike lanes.

We do not use the assistance of a support vehicle on our tours. We find our guiding system with Suzie as leader and Roger as group sweep has proven effective for enjoyment and safety. You are always welcome to take a break from cycling and enjoy time onboard sailing to the next destination— quite a delightful experience!

Please note that daily mileages indicated on the Itinerary page are averaged as closely as possible. Due to unforeseen circumstances such as docking changes, weather, road and nautical factors, we reserve the right to change routes in view of your safety.

Transportation

Your trip starts in Amsterdam which is serviced by Schiphol Airport, located just a few miles from the city center where our boat is docked. There is both excellent public transportation and reasonably priced shuttle service available from the airport to the city.

As with all European trips, we advise our cyclists to arrive a few days early to acclimate to the time change, get acquainted with the new culture and sightsee beautiful Amsterdam.

Additional Information

We confirm your booking via email with a detailed Welcome Letter for your tour. In this letter you will find lots of pre-trip planning information like how to get to the trip start, pre-trip lodging in Amsterdam, weather, cycling in Holland, how and what to pack, international travel hints, tips on booking airfare, etc.

Suzie always asks that you contact her with questions or for help she can give you with your travel plans. Please visit our Trip Info page for more information!

We are delighted to host our tour on the Hotel Boat Flora. The ship features comfy cabins with private bath, a lovely eating salon and lounging area, and outside deck to enjoy a drink and views of the water.