Reviews
Touring Bike
£12 per day
This relaxed week on board the De Willemstad or Poseidon gives you a gentle, close-up look at two of the most charming corners of the Netherlands. Each day brings something new: peaceful polders, quiet cycle paths, wide sandy beaches, historic windmills, tidy harbour towns and time on the island of Texel. You also drift across the IJsselmeer, visit postcard-pretty Friesland, and finish back where you started in Amsterdam. It is an easy, varied journey that shows you the rhythm of Dutch life from both land and water.
What to Expect
You will ride through polders reclaimed from the sea, past dikes, farms and lakes, and through nature reserves where the air smells of pine and salt. Holland’s famous windmills, cheese markets and wooden houses are not museum pieces here – they are woven into everyday life, and you’ll see them at your own pace.
A visit to Zaanse Schans brings Dutch history to life. Alkmaar treats you to its traditional cheese market. Texel offers wide open spaces, long beaches and cycle routes made for meandering. You’ll also stop in historic harbour towns such as Enkhuizen, Hoorn and Volendam, each with its own character and stories. And then there is Amsterdam, bookending your trip with its canals, museums and lively streets.
Life on Board
Your ship is your floating home. You sleep comfortably in your cabin with en-suite facilities, enjoy freshly prepared dinners, and relax with a drink on deck while the scenery drifts by. Every day you can choose a longer or shorter cycle route. And if you fancy a rest, you are welcome to stay on board for the day.
Cycling with Confidence
There is a tour leader on board who talks through the next day’s ride each evening and shares tips about what to see. You cycle independently using easy-to-follow directions, detailed maps or GPS via the Ride With GPS app. The route leader rides nearby and is always reachable by phone if you need anything.
Select the tour you are interested in to view the itinerary.
Check in between 2pm and 3.45pm. Spend the afternoon exploring Amsterdam, visiting a museum or taking a canal cruise. At 5pm you gather for a welcome drink, safety briefing and dinner. During dinner the ship sails to Zaandam for your first night on board.
Your first ride takes you through quiet villages and green polder landscapes to Zaanse Schans, a charming open-air museum filled with historic windmills, workshops and wooden houses. Continue through “The Land of Leeghwater” and stop in the old whaling village of De Rijp. Pass the windmills of Schermerhorn before reaching your ship near Alkmaar’s historic centre.
Cycle into the North Holland Dune Reserve, a peaceful stretch of forest and dunes where drinking water is filtered for the whole region. Stop at the beach or the artists’ village of Bergen, then return to Alkmaar with time to explore. In the afternoon you sail the North Holland Canal to Den Helder.
Take the short ferry crossing to Texel. Spend the day cycling through nature parks, meadows and dunes, or relax on the beach. You may want to stop at Ecomare, a seal rescue centre. Return by ferry to Den Helder in the late afternoon.
Cross the IJsselmeer during breakfast and arrive in Stavoren, one of Friesland’s historic “11 cities.” Choose between a gentle route through the Gaasterland nature area or a loop through Friesland’s lake district, or combine the two.
Extended loop 34 miles.
Sail back across the IJsselmeer to Medemblik. Take the short coastal ride directly to Enkhuizen and explore the old harbour and the excellent Zuiderzee Museum. For a longer route, cycle first to Hoorn, once an important Dutch East India Company city, then continue through small rural villages to Enkhuizen. In the evening you can join a short guided walk.
Extended loop 31 miles.
Enjoy breakfast as the ship travels to Volendam. Today’s ride takes you through the watery landscapes of Waterland, dotted with small lakes and narrow canals. Near Volendam you can visit a cheese farm. If you want a little more time on the bike, cycle out to Marken before travelling on to Amsterdam. Spend your final evening enjoying the city, and take a canal cruise if you missed it earlier.
Extended loop 31 miles.
Your tour ends after breakfast. Disembark by 9.30am.
We recommend flying to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and returning from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
3-star ship
3-star ship
Holland, The Netherlands • Amsterdam, The Netherlands
£12 per day
£34 per day
£2 per day
£4 per day
£2 per day
Bikes are not included. You are welcome to bring your own bike or hire one. Please see our bike hire section for details.
Flights are not included. Please refer to the what's included section for full details.
We will confirm your booking within 48 hours of receiving your enquiry. Please wait for confirmation before booking flights or making other travel arrangements.
Most itineraries include cycling on most days, with some rest or shorter days built in. Please check the itinerary for day-by-day details.
The latest you can book is 9 days before departure. This gives us enough time to confirm arrangements and accommodation.
You will receive full travel details, including accommodation, meeting points and local contacts, 3 to 5 weeks before departure.
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