Full Itinerary and Tour details for

Northern Holland 8-day Bike & Barge Tour from/to (dW)

Prices starting from. Trip Duration. Max Passengers. 649 € 8 days 71

Start and Finish. Activity Level. Amsterdam to Amsterdam 1

Experience. Tour Code. Bike & Barge Tours Europe #B1/2570 Northern Holland 8-day Bike & Barge Tour from/to Amsterdam (dW)

Tour Details and Description

During this fascinating cycling cruise, you will discover the best of what the beautiful Provinces of North-Holland and offer. Explore flat “polder” landscapes – a polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments – the coast, towering sand dunes, long sandy beaches, historic windmills, the island of and the many picturesque harbour towns along the coast of IJsselmeer Lake. It is without a doubt a tour not to be missed! Nowhere else in the world will you find an area as fascinating as the Dutch Provinces of and Friesland, two areas rich in tradition.

Over the course of your week, you will be able to discover typical Dutch culture and cycle through a flat “polder land”, extensively reclaimed over the centuries from the North Sea and the former

Southern Sea (now IJsselmeer). What you will soon realize is the truth behind the proverb “God created the earth but the Dutch made Holland”, such has been the extent of land reclamation in the region you will be cycling through. Since the 17th century in an effort to save disappearing land from encroaching water, protective dikes have been built, low lying land has been pumped dry and tidal dams have been created in creeks to prevent flooding, with the result that today’s green flat polder landscape is full of agricultural enterprise.

Given the Dutch love for cycling, the region is crisscrossed with many quiet cycle tracks that stretch from one end of the region to the other. You will be amazed by the beauty of the North Sea beaches, the towering sand dunes – who said there were no hills in Holland! – the extremely bicycle-friendly island of Texel, the beautiful flat landscapes, small dreamlike farm villages and romantic picturesque harbour villages. During the second part of the tour, you will

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cross the large lake IJsselmeer to in the shower, toilet and basin. The suite has the same Province of Friesland. Other highlights during your amenities as the superior twin cabins but is larger. week tour include the open-air museum “Zaanse Schans”, the historic city centre of and the Included in the Bike and Barge old harbour cities of , , Tour: and Volendam, the islands of Texel and and • 8 days/7 nights – of course – Amsterdam with its beautiful canals. • Breakfast Accommodation: • Packed lunches • 7 x 3-course dinners The ship has a large salon with wide panoramic • Coffee and tea on board till 4pm windows on the upper deck that combines the • Welcome drink restaurant, bar and a lounge area. Wi-Fi is available. • Use of bed linen and towels On the partially roofed sun deck, chairs and sun loungers invite for a stay. Here you can relax and • Daily cleaning of the cabin have a drink and enjoy the scenery while sailing. • Climate-controlled cabin Bicycles will be stored on a separate part of the sun • Daily briefings deck. • Semi-guided cycling tours (guest cycle independently, tour leader also cycles the tour) The upper deck offers nine identical superior twin • Some short walking tours cabins (10 m² – 108 sq.ft.) and one suite (13 m² – • Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin) 140 sq.ft.), all with two separate beds set next to each other as a hotel-style bed (200 x 160 cm – 78 x • GPS tracks 62 inches). All upper deck cabins and the suite have • Use of a waterproof pannier bag a “French Balcony” (floor-to-ceiling sliding glass • Wi-Fi doors) instead of a regular window. • Live music on board

The lower deck has 24 twin cabins (10 m² – 108 Not included in the tour: sq.ft.). Three twin cabins in the front have two • Coffee and tea on board after 4pm separate beds, set next to each other as a hotel-style • Drinks bed (200 x 160 cm – 78 x 62 inches) and an • Bicycle rental or E-bike rental additional fold away bunk bed as optional third bed. • Helmet rental 21 twin cabins have two separate beds, set next to • Personal insurances each other as a hotel-style bed (200 x 160 cm – 78 x • Gratuities (at your discretion) 62 inches). All lower deck cabins have a window (80 • Entrance fees and excursions x 40 cm – 31 x 16 inches) that – for safety reasons – cannot be opened. On previous request, in most • Fees for ferries cabins beds, normally set as hotel-style beds, can be • Transfers to/from the docking place arranged as two separate single beds. • Parking fees

All 34 cabins aboard have an individual climate Notes: control system, digital TV, mini-safe, small wardrobe, hairdryer, 230V sockets and a private bathroom with • All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours.

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• A knowledgeable and multilingual tour leader is available onboard. He/she will provide you with all necessary tour information during daily briefings. You will cycle the tours independently, at your own pace, with the help of a detailed cycling map, GPS-tracks and printed route notes (available onboard). • The tour leader will also be cycling the daily tours and can – for assistance – be reached on his/her mobile phone in cases of emergency or technical breakdown of the bicycle. • During days when several bicycle options are possible, not all mentioned highlights can be visited during the shorter cycling options. • If you don’t feel like cycling for a day (or more) you are welcome to relax and onboard while the ship is sailing. But please note: lunch will not be served on board. So you can enjoy your packed lunch. • On the arrival day please bring your luggage on board from 11am.

Arrival/parking/departure: Itinerary

• Parking in Amsterdam (valet parking): prices and pre-booking on request. • Departure Saturdays only Day 1

If you would like to rent a bike (85 EUR), e-bike Amsterdam Embarkation and check-in from 2-4.30pm (185 EUR) or helmet (10 EUR), please contact our in Amsterdam. Take the opportunity to go shopping, office when booking: [email protected] to explore downtown Amsterdam, to make a canal cruise or to visit a museum. At 5pm a welcome drink, dinner and first briefing on board. First night on board in Amsterdam.

Day 2

Amsterdam – Zaandam | Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Alkmaar 44km The first cycling trip of this tour takes you via small villages through the beautiful flat and green polder landscape. The first stop is at the Zaanse Schans open-air museum (free entry) with its

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traditional Old Dutch wooden houses, windmills and trip from/to Stavoren 43km or 55km The vessel will the cheese- and clog factory. After this visit you will cross the large inland lake IJsselmeer to sail to cycle through the “Land of Leeghwater”, a green Stavoren in the Province of Friesland. You can opt for polder area between Amsterdam, Alkmaar and a shorter or longer cycling tour: discover the nature Hoorn. Stroll through the former whaler’s village De area of Gaasterland or explore a part of the wide lake Rijp and pass by the windmills of Schermerhorn. Your district, that Friesland is well-known for. You can also ship will be waiting for you near the historical city combine both options. Night in the small harbour of centre of Alkmaar. Stavoren, one of the famous traditional 11 cities of Friesland. Day 3 Day 6 Dune tour: Alkmaar – 33km or 40km Today you can discover the beautiful North-Holland Stavoren – Medemblik | Medemblik – Hoorn – Dune reserve. This is a 5,300-hectare large forest Enkhuizen 30km or 50km The ship will cross the and dune area with its unique landscapes. In these IJsselmeer again during breakfast. Take the short dunes, the drinking water for almost the whole cycling trip from Medemblik along the IJsselmeer province of North-Holland is gained. After a visit to coast directly to Enkhuizen, where you can spend the the beach and artists village Bergen you will return to afternoon. Enkhuizen is an old city with many Alkmaar where you can visit ou can visit the wonder centuries of maritime tradition. The “herring city” the wonderful city centre. In the afternoon the ship boasts a beautiful old harbour, a historical old town will sail over the North-Holland Canal to the navy centre and the very interesting Zuiderzeemuseum. If harbour of Den Helder. you prefer a longer cycling tour, ride from Medemblik to the former town of Day 4 Hoorn, in the 17th century one of the world’s leading harbours. Enjoy your lunch break and make a short Ferry to North Sea island of Texel: cycling round trips stroll in the old city centre. Continue by bicycle to from 'T Hornje | Den Helder - (several Enkhuizen via some picturesque rural villages. In the options from 15km to 65km After breakfast, you’ll evening you can join a short city walk. take a 20-minute ferry ride (ticket included) from Den Helder to the isle of T the isle of Texel, where cycling Day 7 is beautiful on the largest of the Dutch North Sea Isles. Ride through meadows, nature parks and Enkhuizen – Volendam | Volendam – – dunes to small villages and have the opportunity for a Amsterdam 35km or 50km During breakfast, the ship stop and some bathing at the sandy North Sea will sail to Volendam. Your final day of cycling will beach, or visit the “E beach, or visit the “Ecomare” lead you through the beautiful area of Waterland, with seal sanctuary. In the late afternoon, you will return its hundreds of small lakes and tiny canals. Near by ferry to Den Helder. During dinner your ship will Volendam you will have the opportunity to visit a sail to Den Oever. cheese farm. Recommended (extra cycling miles) is a tour to the former island of Marken, to continue Day 5 through the water shaped region of Waterland back to the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam. The afternoon Den Oever – Stavoren | Southwest Friesland: round and evening are yours to enjoy everything

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Amsterdam has to offer. If you didn’t go for a canal cruise on the first day, you can do so today.

Day 8

Amsterdam End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m. The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.

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