Cycling through fields of spring flowers (Guided Tour)

Thursday Amsterdam, sailing to Spaarndam, cycling to Haarlem, 15 km

Embarkation is between 12 PM and 1 PM. The barge is moored at the Oosterdok in central Amsterdam, near the train station. After arrival on board, you can settle in and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It is also a good moment to become acquainted with the tour leader, skipper and crew and your fellow passengers.

You will first cruise through Amsterdam and over the North Sea Canal before reaching the village of Spaarndam. Here you can find the statue of Hansje Brinker on the IJdijk. Hansje is a character from an American novel. The brave boy saved the country from flooding by putting his finger in the dike. From here we make an easy ride into the beautiful city of Haarlem and you will see the first of many windmills. Haarlem, which rendered its name to Harlem, New York, is a lively city. The barge is berthed in the city centre, with a view of St Bavo’s Church and with easy access to the Grote Markt with its many outdoor cafés.

During dinner aboard the ship, the program for the next day and the global planning of the week are discussed. Instructions on cycling and safely procedures will also be given. As on most evenings the tour guide will take you on a walk around the city after dinner.

Friday Haarlem – Leiden, 40 km

Todays trip leads you through the oldest tulip fields of Holland and along the Keukenhof. Of course you’ll have time to admire the most beautiful bulb park in the world (tickets are included in the tour price). Keukenhof is the place where the spring breaks. An overwhelming blaze of colours, seven million flowering tulips in a magnificent 80-acres’ background of traditional and modern gardening architecture. You can also admire the various hyacinths, narcisses and many other colourful flowers. Before and after the visit to the Keukenhof you will ride through endless colourful fields of flowers. A spectacular sight. In the afternoon you reach the old university town Leiden.

Leiden is a historic city with many little courtyards, façades, and historical buildings built between the 15th and 18th century. It also is the birthplace of the painter Rembrandt van Rijn. Leiden houses the oldest and most prestigious university of the Netherlands. All members of the royal family have studied here in the recent past. The right to found a university was given to Leiden after the city broke the Spanish siege in 1574. Still today this event is celebrated each year on the 3rd of October. The ship is moored near the Zijlpoort, a gate that once formed part of the city walls.

Saturday Leiden – Kudelstaart, 45 km

As you ride out of Leiden you continue your tour around the Haarlemmermeer. Soon you will be in a flat and green landscape where you see windmills on the horizon. In case you have a lunch stop at the other side of the bridge in Leimuiden. Imagine that this Haarlemmermeer polder once was the biggest lake in Holland and nicknamed ‘the waterwolf’. The cycle route leads you through the green heart of Holland, an area characterised by small cycle paths, typical black and white cows and despite the work of mr. Leeghwater, a lot of water. Your destination for today is Kudelstaart: a small town bordered by the Westeinderplassen.

Sunday: Kudelstaart—Wormerveer, 45 km

You will have breakfast while sailing towards Amsterdam. Between the airport Schiphol and the city you disembark to continue your tour by bike along the river Amstel and right into the city. A ferry (don’t forget to take a look to the left where you see whale tail shaped building of the Eye filmmuseum) brings you to the other side of the river ‘IJ’. Here you leave the city behind and continue your tour through lush green polders towards the world famous hamlet of Zaanse Schans. A unique place where people live and work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area. The barge is moored in Wormerveer.

Monday: Wormerveer—Alkmaar, 45 km

From Wormerveer you will cycle through the most beautiful dunes of the Netherlands and if weather permits, you may like to swim in the North Sea during your lunch break at the beach. On the edge between the dunes and the green meadows you will find many more flower fields, perhaps even more than around the Keukenhof. The advantage is also that this area is much less crowded. Todays’ overnight stay is in cheese town Alkmaar. An historic lively city with many small and bigger shops. A little less than 400 heritage sites, canals and harbour dominate the townscape. An ideal place for the tour guide to take you on an evening walk and perhaps have a drink on one of the many outdoor terraces.

Tuesday: Alkmaar – Purmerend, 45 km

Today you can discover the origins of Beemster cheese and the birthplace of the man who defeated ‘the waterwolf’. The Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century, is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. This unique features earned Beemster a UNESCO world heritage listing Around the Schermer and Beemster polder a lot of the original windmills used for pumping out the water are preserved. There will be time to visit the windmills and museum at Schermerhorn and walk around the iconic village de Rijp to see the house where mr. Leeghwater was born. The day ends at the former market town Purmerend.

Wednesday: Purmerend – Amsterdam, 35/20 km

Purmerend lies at the edge of an area called ‘ Waterland’ where roads and water are nearby on the same level. The longer and most interesting route takes you to Edam, Volendam and Monnickendam. If time permits you can cross the lake Gouwzee to admire the traditional fisherman’s village Marken with its typical wooden houses. The short route takes you via Ilpendam and Watergang. The extensive network of bicycle paths ensures a relatively easy way back into the city, showing you some remarkable sites in the centre. Then it is time to say goodbye to your bike. Before the fare-well dinner you may want to go for a walk in town. At night there you may want to take a canal trip or go on a city walk through the centre of the city

In Amsterdam you can look back at cycling seven days in great variation of typical Dutch landscapes, towns and many highlights.

Thursday: Amsterdam, end of the tour after breakfast. Disembarkation before 10 AM