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Southern Holland 8-day Bike & Barge Tour (deN)
It doesn’t get any better than the Southern Tour of Holland on board your home away from home. Not only will you get the chance to visit a number of famous Dutch cities, but you will also uncover another side of Holland as you cycle through the countryside – the country’s “Green Heart”. It is here that you will see a landscape of water, meadows, grazing cows, windmills and picturesque farms… it is a landscape that is impossible to feel or look any more Dutch. In short the Southern Tour is the perfect tour for anyone wanting to see as much of “typical” central Holland as is possible in one week. What you will come away with at the end of the tour is a greater appreciation of why this part of the Netherlands attracts so many visitors from all corners of the globe every year. As well as being able to discover the natural beauty of Holland’s Green Heart you will visit:
The world famous city of Amsterdam
Utrecht, the geographical center of The Netherlands
Rotterdam, the busiest port in Europe
Delft, a city with close ties to the Dutch Royal family and the world renowned painter Johannes Vermeer
Haarlem, a sightseeing paradise
Other attractions over the course of the tour include the cheese city of Gouda, the windmills at Kinderdijk (Unesco World Heritage Site), the silver city of Schoonhoven, the dunes and beaches of the North Sea coastline and the open air museum “Zaanse Schans”.
The barge has a large salon with large panoramic windows on the upper deck that combines the restaurant, bar and a lounge area. Wi-Fi is available. On the partially roofed sun deck, chairs and sun loungers invite for a stay. Here you can relax and have a drink and enjoy the scenery while sailing. Bicycles will be stored on a separate part of the sun deck.
The lower deck has 21 twin cabins and one single cabin. Thirteen “regular” twin cabins in the middle and back (10 m² – 108 sq.ft.) have two single low beds (200 x 80 cm – 78 x 31 inches). One cabin has the possibility for a third bunk bed (above one of the beds). The single cabin (9 m² – 97 sq.ft.) has one low bed (200 x 80 cm – 78 x 31 inches). Eight “superior” twin cabins in the front (9,5 – 11,5 m² – 102 – 124 sq.ft.) have two separate beds, set next to each other as a hotel style bed (200 x 160 cm – 78 x 62 inches). The difference between twin and superior twin cabins on the lower deck is that the superior twins are the renovated cabins. All lower deck cabins have a small window that can be opened. Beds in the superior cabins are normally set as hotel-style beds (78 x 62 inches) or, optional, on previous request, can be arranged as 2 separate single beds (78 x 31 inches).
The upper deck offers twelve twin cabins, ten cabins (9-10 m² – 97-108 sq.ft.) with two single low beds and two have a double bed (200 x 140 cm – 78 x 55 inches). Four cabins have the possibility for a third bunk bed (above one of the beds). All upper deck cabins have a window that can be opened. All 34 cabins aboard have an individual climate control system, mini-safe, small wardrobe, hair dryer, 230V sockets and a private bathroom with shower, toilet and basin.
Tip: You can book a guided option
On a few departure dates you can book a fully guided option. That means you will cycle with a tour leader in a small group of max. 20 guests. If you have already booked a semi-guided tour on one of these dates, you can add the fully-guided option. (limited availability).
For 2019 the date is May 11. The surcharge for this ‘fully-guided’ option is € 125 pp.
8 days/7 nights, 7 x breakfast, Packed lunches, 7 x 3-course dinner
Coffee and tea on board till 4 PM
Welcome drink
Use of bed linen and towels
Daily cleaning of the cabin
Climate-controlled cabin
Daily briefings
Semi guided cycling tours (guest cycle independently, tour leader also cycles the tour);
Some short walking tours
Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
GPS tracks
Use of a waterproof pannier bag
Wi-Fi
Live music on board
Coffee and tea on board after 4 PM
Drinks
Bicycle rental or E-bike rental
Helmet rental
Personal insurances
Gratuities (at your discretion)
Entrance fees and excursions
Fees for ferries/water-bus
Transfers to/from the docking place
Parking fees
2019: Prices quoted are for a twin cabin on lower deck; superior cabins on lower deck (from 899 euro) and twin cabins on upper deck (979 euro) available on request.
If you would like to rent a bike (75 euro, 80 in 2020) or e-bike (175 euro 180 in 2020) please contact our office when booking: [email protected]
Slow Tours offers other Bike & Barge tours in Europe
Amsterdam – Haarlem
Embarkation and check-in from 2-5 p.m. in Amsterdam. Late afternoon the ship will sail to Haarlem. You will be invited at 5 pm for a welcome drink and first briefing on board.
Haarlem – North Sea coast – Haarlem (40 km/25 mi. or 50 km/31 mi.) | Haarlem – Zaandam
Today you can choose from 2 cycling tours. Both tours takes you through the beautiful Kennemer dunes, a national park where you can spot several bird species, Scottish Highland cows and Shetland ponies. After a visit to the seaside resorts Bloemendaal and Zandvoort you cycle through the forests and the center of Haarlem back to the ship. The longer cycling tour leads to the largest steam engine of the world, the Cruquius pumping station and back to Haarlem. During dinner your ship will cruise to Zaandam.
Zaandam – Amsterdam (30 km/19 mi. or 45 km/28 mi.)
From Zaandam your day of cycling will take you to the open air museum the Zaanse Schans (free entry), with its beautiful windmills, an Old Dutch village with traditional wooden houses, a cheese farm and a traditional wooden clog maker. After exploring the museum you cycle through the recreational area “Twiske” back to Amsterdam. The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer. Take the opportunity to go shopping, to explore downtown Amsterdam, to make a canal cruise or to visit a museum.
Amsterdam – Breukelen | Breukelen – Utrecht | Utrecht – Rotterdam (25 km/16 mi. or 40 km/25 mi.)
Your cycling tour starts in Breukelen. You’ll tour along the beautiful and winding river Vecht with its enchanting background of imposing castles, country houses and quaint tearooms. You will follow the Vecht into the center of Utrecht where you will have the opportunity to explore the beautiful historical city center: the Dom Cathedral with its tower, the canals, special shops and nice cafes. In the afternoon you will continue by ship from Utrecht to Rotterdam.
Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – Rotterdam (28 km/17 mi. or 50 km/31 mi.)
Today you will cycle via the “jenever city” of Schiedam and through the Delfland area to Delft, famous, of course, for its blue pottery. Visit the beautiful city center with its small canals, picturesque streets, bridges and alleys. For many of our guests a visit to the Delftware factory is one of the highlights of their tour. Afterwards, you will cycle back to Rotterdam, where you can enjoy a short city walk in the evening.
Rotterdam – Alblasserdam with the “waterbus” | Kinderdijk – (Gouda) – Schoonhoven (30 km/19 mi. or 58 km/36 mi.)
Today you can cycle the first part or the “waterbus” will take you and your bicycle to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach Kinderdijk (UNESCO cultural heritage, with its impressive row of 19 large windmills). You then have the choice between a longer cycling tour with a visit to the beautiful cheese city of Gouda and a short cycling tour through the Alblasserwaard. Both tours end in the “silver city” of Schoonhoven, where you can visit a silversmith.
Schoonhoven – Oudewater – Utrecht | Utrecht – Amsterdam (45 km/28 mi.)
Today you will cycle from Schoonhoven through the beautiful “Green Heart” of Holland along small villages and quiet roads to Utrecht. On your way you can visit a traditional cheese farm and in Oudewater you can visit the Witches Weigh House. In the late afternoon the ship will sail from Utrecht to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m
Tours marked with are special prices.
| Start | End | Max. No. Guests | Accommodation | Price p.p. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28 2020 | Apr 04 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 949€ | ||
| Double rooms | 599€ | |||||
| Apr 04 2020 | Apr 11 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 649€ | |||||
| Apr 11 2020 | Apr 18 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 649€ | |||||
| Apr 25 2020 | May 02 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,099€ | ||
| Double rooms | 749€ | |||||
| May 02 2020 | May 09 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,149€ | ||
| Double rooms | 799€ | |||||
| Jun 06 2020 | Jun 13 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,229€ | ||
| Double rooms | 879€ | |||||
| Jun 20 2020 | Jun 27 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,229€ | ||
| Double rooms | 879€ | |||||
| Jul 04 2020 | Jul 11 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,229€ | ||
| Double rooms | 879€ | |||||
| Sep 12 2020 | Sep 19 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,189€ | ||
| Double rooms | 839€ | |||||
| Oct 03 2020 | Oct 10 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 1,049€ | ||
| Double rooms | 699€ | |||||
| Oct 10 2020 | Oct 17 2020 | 72 | Single rooms | 999€ | ||
| Double rooms | 649€ |
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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