The Tulip is the most beautiful flower in Holland. This bike and boat holiday takes you from Amsterdam to flower garden The Keukenhof, where you can admire a total of 800 varieties of tulips. A unique, unforgettable experience! The tulip was imported into The Netherlands around the year 1600 and became very popular. Prices went up to the extend thatone single bulb that was equal to a canal side house in Amsterdam!
A visit to the impressive flower auction at Aalsmeer is also part of the program as well as a cycle trip to the open air museum Zaanse Schans. Here you’ll find original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area.
Around Alkmaar you will cycle acrss the most beautiful Dutch dunes. Heading for Amsterdam again, the itinerary leads you through the 17th century polders. This landscape called “Waterland” surrounds you, while you are relaxed pedalling across the Beemster Polder back to the port in Amsterdam.Tulip

Thursday: Amsterdam – Haarlem (cycling: ± 15 km)
You are expected on our barge on Saturday the latest at 2 PM. The barge needs to leave the mooring place in Amsterdam at 2.15 PM. It is very important you are on time. The barge can’t wait due to the opening hours of bridges and/or locks. Boarding time is between 1 PM and 2 PM. When you arrive on board you can put your luggage away in your cabin and then enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It is also a good moment to become acquainted with the guide, skipper and crew and of course your fellow passengers. The first part of the tour you will sail to Spaarndam – known as the village of Hansje Brinker – and from here we make an easy ride into the beautiful city of Haarlem.

Friday: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Leiden (cyling ± 40 km)
Todays trip leads you through the oldest tulip fields of Holland and along the Keukenhof. Of course you’ll have time to admire the most beautiful bulb park in the world (tickets are included in the tourprice). Keukenhof is the place where the spring breaks. An overwhelming blaze of colours; seven million flowering tulips in a magnificent 80-acres’ background of traditional and modern gardening architecture. You also can admire the various hyacinths, narcisses and many other colourful flowers. You spend the night in Leiden which was Rembrandt’s hometown.

Saturday: Leiden – Kudelstaart (cycling ± 45 km)
Today you continue your tour around the Haarlemmermeer. In case you have a lunchstop at the other side of the bridge in Leimuiden. imagine that this polder once was the biggest lake in Holland and nicknamed ‘the waterwolf’. The cycleroute leads you through the green heart of Holland, an area characterized by small cycle paths, typical black and white cows and despite the work of mr. Leeghwater, a lot of water. Your destination for today is Kudelstaart: a small town bordered by the Westeinderplassen.

Sunday: Kudelstaart – Flower auction – Wormerveer (cycling ± 45 km)
Every morning „Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer” sets the world price for flowers and plants. As a visitor you can walk over a specially designed gallery to experience the hustle and bustle of demand and supply experience the hustle and bustle lead by the auction clock but also enjoy the gorgeous flowers that are showed in. While flowers and plants start their world tour you will have breakfast while sailing towards Amsterdam. Between the airport Schiphol and the city you disembark to continue your tour by bike along the river Amstel and right into the city. A ferry (don’t forget to take a look to the left where you see whale tail shaped building of the eye filmmuseum) brings you to the other side of the river ‘IJ’. Here you leave the city behind an continue your tour through lush green polders towards the world famous hamlet of Zaanse Schans. A unique place where people live and work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area.

Monday: Wormerveer – Alkmaar (cycling: ± 45 km)
From Wormerveer you will cycle through the most beautiful dunes of the Netherlands and if weather permits, you may like to swim in the North Sea during your lunch break at the beach. Todays’ overnight stay is in cheese town Alkmaar. An historic lively city with many small and bigger shops. A little less than 400 heritage sites, canals and harbour dominate the townscape.

Tuesday: Alkmaar – Purmerend (cycling ± 35 km)
Today you can discover the descent of Beemster cheese and the birthplace of the man who defeated ‘the waterwolf’. The Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century, is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. There will be time to visit the windmills at the Rijp and see the house where mr. Leeghwater was born.

Wednesday: Purmerend – Amsterdam (cycling ± 35 or 20 km)
Purmerend lies at the edge of an area called ‘ Waterland’ where roads and water are nearby on the same level. We visit the nice village of Zunderdorp and Ransdorp. The better cyclists can cycle the long route to Edam and Volendam and if time permits you can cross the lake Gouwzee to admire the traditional fisherman’s village Marken with its typical wooden houses. In Amsterdam you can look back at cycling seven days in great variation of typical Dutch landscapes, towns and many highlights.

Thursday: Amsterdam
End of the tour after breakfast, before 10 AM. If you have an early flight, ask the tourleader to arrange a taxi to the Airport.

Dates/Prices 2024 per person

Barge Zwaan

Barge Clair de Lune

Dates

Departure on: April 4, 11, 18 and 25; May 2

Included:
Stay aboard in a cabin 8 days/7 nights
Full Board (7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch, 7x dinner)
Coffee and Tea on board
Use of bed linen and towels
Tour leader
Some short city walks
Road Book (1x per cabin)
WI-Fi
Entrance Flower Park Keukenhof
Ferry Fares on the route

Excluded:
Journey to/from Amsterdam
Bicycle rental: € 125,- per week
E-bike rental: € 250,- per week
Excursions not in Program
Drinks on Board
Reservation costs of €15,00 per booking