Tulip Sail & Bike Tour: Amsterdam to Enkhuizen & Texel

You are welcome to check in on board between 1 pm and 2 pm. Once you settle into your cabin, the crew will offer you coffee or tea and a brief introduction to life on your sailing ship. At around 2.30 pm, the Mare fan Fryslân will leave Amsterdam harbour and set course for Zaandam. As you enjoy the river scenery, your tour leader will go through safety procedures and outline the week’s plan.

Later this afternoon, you’ll have the option to take a short test ride on one of the ship’s rental bikes. This gives you a feel for the route, the bike set‑up, and how comfortable you are before the real rides begin. Afterwards, dinner is served on board, a relaxed event to meet your fellow guests and talk cycling, flowers or Dutch culture.

In the evening, your tour leader will lead a gentle guided walk around Zaandam’s centre, passing traditional wooden facades, green windmills and a canal or two. It's a perfect introduction to Dutch architecture and local history. You can stop at a cosy café or simply enjoy the golden hour by the water. This calm, sociable evening sets the tone for your week.

After breakfast aboard, you disembark and begin cycling through the historic open‑air museum of Zaanse Schans. Here you will find fully operational windmills dating back to 17th century, along with traditional clog makers, a cheese farm, and a clock museum. You may wish to pause to learn about how wind power drove early industry in the region.

From there, you’ll ride through flat polder landscapes towards Limmen and Egmond‑Binnen. Along the way you pass stunning tulip fields in full bloom, forging a bright patchwork that defines Dutch spring. A highlight is Hortus Bulborum, a living archive of over 4,000 rare and historic flower bulbs, from tulips to daffodils.

Cycling onward, the route takes you to the coast at Egmond aan Zee, with its breezy dunes and sandy shores. Then it’s inland to Alkmaar, known for its classic cheese markets and beautifully preserved 17th-century architecture. Arriving in the late afternoon, you will find the ship moored close to the historic town centre. After docking, take time to wander through Alkmaar’s winding canals and narrow lanes, before meeting the group for dinner on board.

Today offers options for a shorter or longer ride. Following breakfast on board in Alkmaar, you cycle north through dunes and tulip fields. The scenery along the dunes of the North‑Holland Dune Reserve is striking, with sand ridges, wildflowers and occasional glimpses of the North Sea.

Artists’ village Bergen lies along one possible longer route. Its tranquil streets and galleries offer a cultural break amid the ride. You can adjust your distance to suit your pace, around 21 miles for the shorter route or up to 31 miles if you are keen to explore further north.

Both options lead to Den Helder, where Europe’s largest bulb‑producing fields spread between sea and lake. The sheer scale of flowering crops is a sight to behold. Late afternoon, the ship awaits your arrival. Dinner on board offers a time to share stories from the day. The evening invites you to relax aboard or take a short walk around Den Helder’s harbour.

Enjoy breakfast as the ship sails across the Wadden Sea to Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Isles. Disembark at the marina and begin cycling on the island’s quiet roads. There are two route options, a shorter loop of around 29 miles or a longer circuit of about 31 miles, both offering a scenic mix of dune landscapes, nature reserves and coastal lanes.

Along the way, you can visit the Ecomare seal sanctuary or detour to Oudeschild’s small harbour village and local brewery. Tulip fields continue even here, creating vibrant corridors of blossoms among grazing sheep. Inland, polders meet dunes and coast, giving variety without steep climbs.

After completing your loop, return to the ship for late afternoon sailing. You’ll have the evening free, either relax on deck or wander around Oudeschild, sampling beer or local treats before dinner aboard. The tranquillity of this island and the open sky make for a restorative and memorable day.

This morning, enjoy breakfast on board as the ship sails across IJsselmeer toward Enkhuizen. You are welcome to help with navigation or hoisting the sails under crew supervision, or simply relax and take in the open water views. A generous lunch is served on deck while sailing.

In the afternoon you arrive at the charming town of Enkhuizen, once a major trading port during the Dutch Golden Age. Disembark and spend the afternoon at your own pace. Wander along the docks, explore historic warehouses, or visit one of the local maritime museums. With no dinner served on board this evening, you have freedom to dine ashore in a local restaurant of your choice.

Later you may choose to return to the ship or continue your exploration under the early evening light. There is a relaxed yet historic atmosphere here, softened by canal-side cafés and ancient architecture. Overnight mooring in Enkhuizen offers quiet views and a peaceful end to the day.

After breakfast, the ship sails to Hoorn in the morning. You disembark and begin cycling through IJsselmeer polders and past rural fields toward Edam, famed for its red and yellow waxed cheese. Time permitting, pause to visit the village and learn about traditional cheese making.

Continuing onward, you cycle through rolling farmland toward Volendam, a picturesque fishing harbour with colourful boats and wooden houses. The ride covers about 15 miles on a shorter route or up to 20 miles for a longer variant.

You arrive in Volendam in the afternoon, where the ship will be moored. The bright and lively harbour town invites evening exploration, local musicians, fresh fish markets and welcoming cafés give a true taste of northern Dutch life. Dinner aboard brings the day to a pleasant close.

After breakfast, you board a comfortable coach for a full‑day excursion to the world‑famous Keukenhof Gardens. The scenic drive takes you through some of the oldest bulb‑growing areas, offering views of endless fields in bloom, not seen from the main roads.

At Keukenhof you have several hours to explore: vibrant floral displays, themed gardens, and artisan pavilions spread across 80 acres. The sheer variety of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils is breathtaking. It is a photographer’s dream and a peaceful place to stroll or relax in garden cafés.

In the afternoon you return to Amsterdam, where the ship awaits on the canal. The rest of the evening is yours. You may choose to sleep aboard or explore the city: walk along canals, browse local museums or enjoy a final evening meal ashore.

After breakfast, you may disembark until about 9.30 am. The tour concludes here, and you may choose to extend your stay in Amsterdam or continue your travels.

You leave with memories of fresh tulip fields, peaceful sailing on open water, gentle cycling, and Dutch culture in bloom.