Cheese and Coasts Tour - 9 days

Arrival in Utrecht/Bunnik

Arrival in Utrecht.

Utrecht/Bunnik - Harderwijk 61 km

Todays scenery of woods, water and polder will enchant you. Hidden away in the woods youll find a famous pancake inn, a castle where Queen Beatrix will return to live when she retires and a palace where Juliana and Bernhard lived. Along the shores of Randmeren lakes youll reach Harderwijk which used be a prosperous port but is now no longer by the sea!

Harderwijk - Enkhuizen 61 km

Cycle through the woods and farmland of Flevopolder to Lelystad, where you can visit an exhibition on how the polder came to be. Cross Lake IJsselmeer atop a 32 km dike from Lelystad to Enkhuizen. You will see our Golden Age reflected in the historical buildings of pretty Enkhuizen. Dont miss the excellent Zuiderzee Museum!

Enkhuizen - Alkmaar 59 km

After looking around pretty Hoorn, which made its fortune trading in the Golden Age, you will set off on today’s coast-to-coast bike route from Lake IJsselmeer to the North Sea. You will pass by Holland’s oldest polder, Beemster, drained by windmills in 1612(!). You can also visit an interesting "museum windmill” as well as cheese town Alkmaar -the market is on Fridays.

Alkmaar - Zandvoort 57 km

The sandy beaches of the North Sea are backed by dune systems that safeguard the hinterland from the sea. Today you will cycle through a Dune Reserve and a National Park that protect the many species of dune flora and fauna. Cross the North Sea Canal by ferry. Zandvoort is a well-known seaside resort.

Zandvoort - Scheveningen 43 km

Behind the dunes, get the camera out again for the multicoloured bulb fields (daffodils, hyacinths and tulips). On the coast, check out the resorts and beaches which each attract their own crowd. When you arrive in lively Scheveningen with its famous Kurhaus and busy seafront, choose one of many attractions to visit in the afternoon.

Scheveningen - Gouda 63 km

The Hague, our seat of government, is brimming with things to do and see. Our pick: Vermeers "Girl with a Pearl Earring in Mauritshuis Museum and Mesdags tranquil "Panorama of Scheveningen. The route goes through the green heart of Holland via Bodegraven to the beautiful Gouda.

Gouda - Utrecht/Bunnik 50 km

The landscape of rivers, polders, lakes, woods, parks and marshy fens makes for a wonderful bike trip. You will see stately homes and castles along the way. You pass through the capital of the Green Heart: Woerden. A picturesque fortified town with its cheese warehouses and farmers' markets. The lively centre of the big city of Utrecht will draw you to its peaceful inner city canals and characteristic wharves, unique to Utrecht. Explore the pretty Museum Quarter, or go (window) shopping on some of the quieter shopping streets.

Return Home

After breakfast in your hotel, you will return home.