Bike and Barge North Holland Tulip Tour

Day 1: Check-in on Kingsday (15 miles)

How lucky to start your trip celebrating with the Dutch on their favorite national holiday- Kingsday!

We intend to join in the festivities of this fun holiday in Amsterdam. We also plan to cycle north to the village of Katwoude and a visit to a cheese farm and Dutch shoemaker.

A wonderful welcome dinner awaits tonight!

Day 2: Hoorn (25 miles)

It's just a short cycle along the dike today to quaint Edam, named after the famous cheese.Here we enjoy a short walk of this town from 1200.

We leave the water and pedal inland to enjoy the vast Beemster Polder, an area drained between 1608 and 1612 for agricultural use. We stop to visit Kastanjehoeve, a working milk farm before heading into beautiful Hoorn.

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. Friend and local guide, Lydia Tacx, takes us on a stroll of her town.

Day 3: Medemblik (25 miles)

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 inland to Medemblik and partake of open-air Monday Market.

Day 4: Den Helder (25 miles)

We start cycling today through the Anna Paulowna polder boasting 100s of tulip fields.

On our way we stop at the impressive Onderneming in Hipolytueshof for a personal tour of a real working windmill by the town millers! Our destination is Den Helder, famous for its residence of the Dutch Royal Navy and fascinating Marine Museum next to our boat docking.

Day 5: Visit to Texel (25 miles)

The largest of protected Waddensee Islands, Texel takes a full day to enjoy its beaches, picturesque fishing villages and nature preserves. Guide, Tamara, will share some of her favorite routes and secluded bike paths.

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

Day 6: Alkmaar (28 miles)

Today, we ride the sandy dunes of North Holland along the North Sea. We will enjoy miles of gently rolling terrain overseeing views of beautiful flowers in the fields.

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. We'll stop to photo three of the oldest windmills in Holland before heading into Alkmaar, the biggest town in North Holland known for its beautiful historic center.

Tonight guests are free to enjoy the many cafes and restaurants in town for their dinner.

Day 7: To Amsterdam (28 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. We 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,
Visit to wooden shoemaker, working windmill and family-run farm, tour open air Zuiderzee Museum, and enjoy famous cheese market in Alkmaar. Tour includes Keukenhof tickets to enjoy before the tour.
Day trip island of Texel
Town walks with our knowledgeable guide!
All ferry fees including passage to island of Texel
24 speed bicycle rental

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 have developped a guiding system proven effective for enjoyment and safety of our guests. 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.