Bike and Barge North Holland Tulip Tour

Day 1: Enkhuizen

Our trip starts Saturday afternoon in Enkhuizen-a harbor town that's a short train ride from Amsterdam. After settling your luggage we will fit bikes and head off to the town of Hem for a stop by our friend, Sjak, for a tour of his greenhouse, and talk about the flower culture in Netherlands and everything you wanted to know about Tulips!

We cycle back to Enkhuizen in time to celebrate a Welcome Dinner with the ship crew and guests!

Day 2: Medemblik.

This morning we will partake of the famous Zuiderzee Museum. Both an indoor and fascinating open-air museum, we will witness life as it was over a hundred years ago as an authentic fishing village on the Ijsselmeer.

From Enkhuizen we cycle beautiful naturescapes along the dijks and search for more flower fields into the ancient harbor of Medemblik. Here we visit the famous Castle Radboud, still an imposing reminder of Medemblik's prosperous history, and stop by the oldest bakery museum to try our hand at making traditional Dutch pastry.

Day 3: Texel

This morning we head into one of the oldest areas of North Holland and town of Hipolytueshof for a personal tour at the Onderneming - a real functioning windmill!

Somehere along our route, Elizabeth will meet us and we join her for an exciting sail to the beautiful Wadden Island of Texel.

Day 4: Day Off in Texel

We get to see the sunrise as we enjoy breakfast on Texel island this morning.

It will take a full day to totally explore this unique island with its beaches, pictuesque fishing villages, and nature preserves.

Suzie and Lydia guide you to some of their favorite sights and secluded bike paths!

Day 5: Makkum, Province of Friesland

This morning we sail during breakfast to Den Oever at the east point of the top of North Holland. Here we cycle the famous Afsluitdijk (19.7 miles) crossing the old Zuiderzee (sea).

Offering an amazing view of the Wadden Sea, this picturesque crossing by bike, has protected the Dutch against the force of water for over 90 years.

We stop for the night in the charming village of Makkum, known for beautiful beaches, history and the oldest pottery still produced in the Netherlands.

Day 6: Tulip Cycling to Historic Urk

Our final day cycles through the newest province of Flevoland.

One of the largest tulip regions in NL, every spring you can enjoy a sea of color and we will enjoy miles of this cycling the famous Flevoland Tulip Route.

We stop for the night in the former island of Urk sitting on the edge of a reclaimed polder.

Here we walk cobblestone streets, watch freshly caught fish traded at auction, climb the lighthouse standing guard for 175 years and enjoy the quaint village charm.

Day 7: Tulip Cycling and farm visit

After breakfast, we'll enjoy more tulip cycling towards the former settlement of Schokland, now a UNESCO Heritage site. Once an ancient island where people made their living from fishing,the people living on mounds were forced to leave from countless storms.

After a stop at a farm to enjoy a high tea, we head back to Elizabeth and sail across the water back to Enkhuizen.

Day 8: Good Bye to the Netherlands

Saturday morning we will have an early breakfast, say our goodbyes to our cycling friends and wonderful crew and disembark at 9 a.m. for home.

Enkhuizen is a short train ride back to Amsterdam.

Seven nights / 8 days on dutch boat-hotel, in comfy double occupancy rooms with lower berth sleeping. All rooms have private bathroom.
All hearty breakfasts, 6-packed lunches for picnics and 6 dinners.
Afternoon snacks
Special visits to working windmill, castle, Zuiderzee Museum, Afsluitdijk museum, Keukenhof Gardens ticket, and other exciting things we find along the way!
All ferry fees
Touring ebike
Town walks in most ports
Suzie and Lydia as hosts and guides

Trip Difficulty

The Netherlands terrain is mostly flat, but we can experience wind and rain which are weather factors that impact cycling experience and ability.

We recommend this trip for an active person or experienced recreational cyclist who can complete the daily miles under some adverse weather — if it should be present- and likes to average 10 mph on easy/flat terrain while enjoying a leisurely trip. Many folks like to rent e-bikes as they make the cycling easy and fun.

We will average 25 miles on most days and advocate a "stop and smell the roses" philosophy to cycling. Our group cycles together as a shared experience. You are always welcome to take a break from cycling and enjoy sailing from the deck of our Elizabeth — quite a delightful experience!

We do not use the assistance of a support vehicle on our Bike and Barge tours. Please also note that itinerary and mileage can change due to weather conditions or docking changes.

Transportation

Our starting town of Enkhuizen is an easy train ride from Amsterdam Central Station.

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

Please contact us for general trip information and registration information.

Upon registration we will send you a Welcome Letter full of pre-trip details including how to get to the trip start, our bike rentals, suggestions on packing, trip area and contact information, cycling and travel websites to enhance your trip experience, etc.

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