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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:
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 also 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, hairdryer, 230V sockets and a private bathroom with shower, toilet and basin.
2019: Prices quoted are for a twin cabin on the lower deck; superior cabins on the lower deck (from 899 euro) and twin cabins on upper deck (979 euro) available on request.
If you would like to rent a bike (85 EUR), E-bike (185 EUR) or helmet (10 EUR), please contact our office when booking: [email protected]
Slow Tours offers other Bike & Barge tours in Europe
Amsterdam – Haarlem
Embarkation and check-in from 2-4.30pm in Amsterdam. Late afternoon the ship will sail to Haarlem. You will be invited at 5pm for a welcome drink and first briefing on board.
Haarlem – North Sea coast – Haarlem 40km or 50km | 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 30km or 45km
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 25km or 40km
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 28km or 50km
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 30km or 58km
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 45km
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 9.30am
The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.
Tours marked with are special prices.
| Start | End | Max. No. Guests | Accommodation | Price p.p. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10 2021 | Oct 17 2021 | 72 | Single rooms | 909€ | ||
| Double rooms | 599€ |
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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