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Green Heart of Holland 8-day Bike & Barge Tour (G)

  • 8days
  • Netherlands

Single bed room:
Twin bed room:
Double bed room:
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Bike & Barge Tours Europe
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8-day Bike & Barge Tour through Holland's prettiest countryside

During this eight-day, seven-night tour onboard a charming barge you can either cycle with the group or at your own pace and discover for yourself the ‘Green Heart’ of Holland. This is a region steeped in history, natural attractions, world-famous cities and beautiful scenery. Along the way you will visit historical cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Leiden and Gouda, uncover many culturally historic attractions and importantly, you will be able to immerse yourself in the very Dutch fabric of this fascinating part of Holland. If you are an art lover you will revel in being able to visit Leiden, Haarlem and Delft where Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Vermeer, all famous artists lived and worked. Far from just being about big cities and Dutch history, this tour is also about the picturesque villages and beautiful scenery of the ‘green lung’ districts of central and South Holland. One thing is certain, by the end of the tour you will not only come away with a new-found appreciation for bike and barge cruising, but everything Dutch!

Accommodation:

The barge has twelve spacious twin cabins (10,5 m² – 113 sq.ft.) with two separate beds. Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. Windows can be opened and the cabins have ventilation and central heating. Furthermore, you will find a hair dryer in each cabin. On the upper deck you will find the cosy lounge with the bar and dining area. Wi-Fi is available. The barge also has a beautiful sundeck, where you can have a drink. On nice evenings, or while cruising, you can enjoy the scenery from here

Included in the Bike and Barge Tour:

  • 8 days/7 nights accommodation onboard
  • 7 x breakfasts
  • Packed lunches
  • 6 x 3-course dinners
  • Coffee and tea on board
  • Welcome drink
  • Use of bed linen and towels
  • Daily cleaning of the cabin during the tour
  • Daily briefings by the crew
  • Fully guided cycle tours
  • Fees for ferries
  • Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
  • GPS tracks
  • Use of a waterproof pannier bag
  • Wi-Fi

Not included in the tour:

  • Drinks
  • 1x dinner 
  • Bicycle rental or E-bike rental
  • Helmet rental (10 EUR)
  • Personal insurances
  • Gratuities (at your discretion)
  • Entrance fees and excursions
  • Fees for ferries / water-bus
  • Transfers to/from the docking place
  • Parking fees
  • SGR Insolvency protection (mandatory consumer contribution SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme: € 5 per person

Arrival/parking/departure:

  • Parking in Amsterdam (valet parking): prices and pre-booking on request.

Notes:

  • The daily cycling tours will be accompanied by a knowledgeable and multi-lingual tour leader. During the days when 2 bicycle options are possible, the tour leader will make a choice for the longer or the shorter option together with the group. Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bike option.
  • You can also choose to ride individually with the help of a map and route notes (available onboard). GPS tracks will be sent to you 4 weeks before the start date of the tour.
  • In case you prefer a day of rest, you can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next town.
  • On the arrival day please bring your luggage on board from 11am.
  • Canal cruise Amsterdam: Ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise through Amsterdam – special price for our guests: 18 EUR (at the ticket desk approx.: 22 EUR). Please book your ticket in advance and you can collect it onboard your ship on the first day of the tour. 

If you would like to rent a bike (91 EUR), e-bike (245 EUR) or helmet (10 EUR), please contact our office: [email protected]

Slow Tours offers other Bike & Barge tours in Europe

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  • Day 1

    Amsterdam:

    Embarkation and check-in the crew will welcome you on board from 2pm in the centre of Amsterdam. After unpacking your luggage in your cabin you will still have plenty of time to explore this famous city. Treat yourself to a canal tour, visit museums or simply do some shopping. An introduction to the tour will take place at 5.30pm, during which the crew will be presented and your first dinner on board will be served: your rental bicycles will also be distributed at this time.

  • Day 2

    Amsterdam – Zaandam | Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Haarlem 40 km or 55km

    After a short cruise on board the barge, you are off and cycling after first visiting the lovely open-air museum ‘Zaanse Schans’ in Zaandam where an authentic 18th and 19th-century Dutch village has been reconstructed. In the museum, you will learn about iconic Dutch traditions such as windmills and cheese and clog making. You will then cycle to Haarlem where celebrated portraitist and genre painter Frans Hals lived and worked in the 16th century. In the evening you can stroll through the lovely city centre and the Grote Markt (market square). If preferred, today’s cycling tour can also be extended with a visit to the sea locks of IJmuiden and the Kennemer Dunes. During this cycling tour you can visit some forts of the Defense Line of Amsterdam (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

  • Day 3

    Haarlem – North Sea coast – Leiden 42km or 50km

    After enjoying breakfast with your newfound cycling friends, you will pedal along the North Sea coast through seaside dunes via the resorts of Noordwijk and Katwijk aan Zee to the vibrant university city of Leiden, the birthplace of celebrated artist Rembrandt van Rijn. The city’s picturesque old city centre is crisscrossed with canals lined by beautiful 17th-century buildings and is definitely a must to see. The longer cycling tour leads you from Haarlem to Cruquius (steam engine museum) and Hillegom (several flower nurseries) to Leiden.

  • Day 4

    Leiden – Delft 35km or 41km

    From Leiden you will cycle to Delft, famous for its Blue porcelain (Delftware), where you will have the opportunity to visit a porcelain studio. Another major attraction in the beautiful city centre of Delft is the royal crypt of the House of Orange. The longer cycling tour brings you to the seaside resort, Scheveningen. Onto The Hague, where you can visit the Binnenhof (Parliament) and the Peace Palace (Vredespaleis) continuing to end in Delft.

  • Day 5

    Delft – Rotterdam – Kinderdijk Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Gouda several options from 23km to 66km

    This morning you will sail from Delft through the remarkable international port of Rotterdam. From here you can start cycling or you can hop on the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry that will bring you and your bicycle over the river in 30-40 minutes to Alblasserdam. From there you cycle just a few miles to Kinderdijk, world-famous for an impressive row of 19 large windmills. These 19 windmills have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a definite highlight – you will have the opportunity to visit one so don’t forget to bring your camera! From Kinderdijk you will cycle directly to the cheese city of Gouda, or if you prefer, on a longer tour via the silver city of Schoonhoven to Gouda, your destination for the day.

  • Day 6

    Gouda – Kudelstaart 45km or 55km

    The highlight of today’s cycling tour is the naturally idyllic beauty of the South Holland landscape. Your destination for the day is the village of Kudelstaart where the barge will be waiting for you. Along the way, you will cycle along numerous small canals and past picture-perfect farms and small villages. At the mooring place on the banks of the Westeinder Plassen (‘West End’ Lakes), there is a beautiful view to savour while enjoying a wine during or after dinner.

  • Day 7

    Kudelstaart – Aalsmeer – Amsterdam (30 km/19 mi. or 37 km/23 mi.)

    If you are keen for an early start to the day you can visit the largest trade centre for plants and flowers in the world at Aalsmeer (optional extra, not included). The market is a hive of activity. It is guaranteed that you will never have seen so many flowers in the one place. After a late breakfast you can either stay on board the barge as it cruises through the City of Amsterdam to its mooring place or you can cycle into the city through the city park ‘Amsterdamse Bos’ or along the Amstel river. Once you reach Amsterdam take the opportunity during the afternoon and evening to go for a canal cruise, discover Anne Frank’s House, the Rembrandt House Museum, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and Dam Square, the very center and heart of the city.

  • Day 8

    Amsterdam

    End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30am.

    The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.

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Tours marked with are special prices.

Start End Max. No. Guests Accommodation Price p.p.
May 03 2025 May 10 2025 20 Single rooms 1,919€
Double rooms 1,279€
May 31 2025 Jun 07 2025 20 Single rooms 1,994€
Double rooms 1,329€
Jul 12 2025 Jul 19 2025 20 Single rooms 1,994€
Double rooms 1,329€
Sep 06 2025 Sep 13 2025 20 Single rooms 1,994€
Double rooms 1,329€

Car rental in Netherlands

If you would like to drive yourself before or after your tour, ask us for a quote on any brand new Renault, Peugeot or Citroen vehicle for driving in Europe.

Pick up your vehicle from most capital cities in Europe and return it to your drop off destination. Top insurance cover. Email [email protected] for a competitive quote

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