What’s included

Here you have list about what it is included in the The Netherlands Tour:

• Accommodations for 7 days and 6 nights at our favorite beautiful hotels
• Full time experienced guide(s) who are with you throughout the trip, handle behind-the-scenes logistics and are there to help with anything from haggling for a rug to buying a tube of toothpaste
• Support vehicle(s)
• Admissions to tastings, historic sites and other scheduled events as noted in the detailed daily itinerary.
• Gratuities for hotels, meals and baggage
• Trip literature
• All transportation during the trip
• All breakfasts , lunch and dinners

Itinerary Notes

Sometimes changes to the itinerary are necessary due to the weather or special situations This can happen with little notice. If you’re flexible and have a sense of humour, you’re bound to have a fun and relaxing trip across this beautiful part of the world.

DAY 1: AMSTERDAM

A simple settlement at the mouth of the river Amstel, with open connection to the sea: this was Amsterdam in the 12th century. Back on board, after the bike ride, the programme for the next day and the rest of the week will be explained to you at dinner time.

DAY 2: AMSTERDAM – VOLENDAM

You now leave Amsterdam, which is still very quiet at this hour. A ferry takes you to the Amsterdam Noord quarter and soon you will be cycling through the rural area of Waterland. In this soggy peat land the houses and villages are hardly above the level of the water.
The former isle of Marken is visited. It was not until 1957 that this island was connected to the mainland by a dike and it has retained its own particular character. The inhabitants are the only ones allowed to use their cars, so Marken can only be visited on foot or on bike. The route continues to the historic village of Monnickendam, which received its municipal charter in 1355.
Now you continue your way along the Gouwzee dike to Volendam. Originally Volendam was a small fishing community. Practically all its inhabitants used to wear their distinctive and picturesque traditional costumes. Volendam started as a settlement when Edam dug its new, shorter waterway to the Zuiderzee in the 14th century. The old harbour became superfluous, a new dike was built and soon farmers and fishermen settled down. In the second half of the 15th century a new village came into being: Volendam.
From Volendam you sail in northerly direction towards the city of Hoorn. During the evening walk you will have the opportunity to get a good impression of this beautiful city with its rich past

DAY 3: HOORN – ENKHUIZEN

You continue on the dike with a wonderful view over the Markermeer on your right and West-Frisian villages on your left-hand side. The recently (1976) built dike from Enkhuizen to Lelystad (in the Noordoostpolder) appears on the horizon. This was meant to be a polder dike for a huge new polder: the Markerwaard. However, the plans were never executed: with time perception changed. The environment and fresh water supply became more important. So today the dike is there, but no polder…
The trip for today ends in Enkhuizen, a town which came into existence when two adjoining villages amalgamated. You can end your day with a visit to the Zuiderzeemuseum. This museum, which consists of an indoor and outdoor part, shows you the history of everyday life around the Zuiderzee until the middle of the 20th century.

DAY 4: ENKHUIZEN – MEDEMBLIK

The cycling tour starts on the IJsselmeer dike and is then left behind to go through a nature reserve and some typical West-Frisian villages. Then Medemblik comes in sight, the oldest city of West-Friesland (1289), with an illustrious past and with Radboud castle, dating from the 13th century. At Medemblik you get on board and sail the IJsselmeer and Wadden Sea to the isle of Texel.

DAY 5: TEXEL

The isle of Texel, which is one municipality, is the largest of the Dutch Waddeneilanden (Wadden islands). The average length of Texel is 20 km and the average width 8 km. Texel is highly appreciated by bird-watchers. In springtime about 80 different types of birds breed her, mainly in the dune areas, but all in all about 300 different species have been perceived on Texel. A tour around this island with its numerous cycle tracks is well worth the effort. You can choose between round trips of 35, 48 or 62 km. The guide will cycle the 35 km.

DAY 6: TEXEL – DEN HELDER – ALKMAAR

The ship takes you back to the mainland, where you disembark in the city of Den Helder, the Dutch naval port, situated at the mouth of the Noord-Hollandskanaal.
Today’s route takes you through the dunes. You pass by the unique nature reserve Het Zwanenwater (The Swans’ Water), with its lakes and boggy hollows in the dunes. A little further you cycle on the Hondsbossche Zeewering (Hondsbossche Sea Dike), with a spectacular view of the North Sea. You enter the area of the Schoorlse Duinen (Schoorl Dunes), where you will find the highest dunes in the country. During the last century many pine trees were planted here so now it is a rather woody region. Bergen is an artists’ village which attracts many painters, writers and architects.
Your destination for today is Alkmaar, also called the City of Cheese. Its weigh-house was the first in the country (for weighing and trading of cheese).

DAY 7: ALKMAAR – ZAANSE SCHANS – AMSTERDAM

Alkmaar’s famous Friday cheese market starts at 10.00 am. After leaving Alkmaar the stage takes you through the ‘droogmakerij’ land with the 17th century towns of Schermerhorn, Graft and De Rijp. In the next Zaandam, you will visit 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.
The last stretch of the trip takes you through ’t Twiske (the Twiske) Leisure Park. Since the beginning of the Christian era the peat region around the Zaan had been used for cattle grazing. In the peat land ditches were dug to help draining the land. The dried peat was used as fuel. Once you are back at the barge in Amsterdam it is time to take leave of your bikes. In the afternoon there is still some time to go into town and after dinner you may want to finish off your trip by going on a city walk or taking a trip on one of Amsterdam’s canal boats.

DAY 8: AMSTERDAM

End of tour after breakfast before 10am.

Travel Information & Recomendations

Travel to Amsterdam Schipol Airport:

• Arrival at Amsterdam airport. Take a short train ride to Amsterdam center, where the ship is moored

FAQ The Netherlands Tour:

• Can you rejoin the barge before the end of a stage?

  No, the ship doesn’t take the same route that the cyclists do. Sometimes the route may be altered because of weather conditions or repairs to bridges or locks and then the guests and the guide can arrange with the skipper to be met at a different place. Naturally you can always stay on board for one or more days.

• How large is the group on board?

  The size of the group depends on the barge scheduled on the tour. The capacity of the barges varies between 12 and 26 participants.

• How long are the daily cycling stages?

  The average distance on our Bike and Barge tours in Holland is 50km (32 miles). But don’t forget that Dutch countryside is very flat and the stages, taken at a leisurely pace, take seven to eight hours including a number or breacks and visits. The time spent on your bicycle is about 4 hours per day.

• What packing list do you suggest?

  Specialised cycle clothing may be handy but not strictly necessary. What you do need (among other things) is the following:

  – shorts/long trousers/track suit/legging
  – shirts/sweater/rain clothing
  – gloves ( in case you booked a tour for April and October. It can be chilly in the morning)
  – good shoes
  – sunglasses/cap/swimming costume
  – extra towel
  – soap/ insect repellent
  – hairdryer (220V)

The Netherlands Tour Map