Top of Amsterdam 2026

Bike and Barge Top of Amsterdam

This boat and bike tour brings you over small dykes and country roads of Northern Holland.

Not until the 17th Century large parts of the area north of Amsterdam were recovered from the sea and reclaimed through the use of hundreds of windmills. It’s here that you will find the typical Dutch landscape of polders, mills and harbours. Many of the windmills are still in working order. You can get a feel for the old Dutch atmosphere in Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Edam and Volendam: traditional costumes, sailing ships and long johns on the clotheslines. If you want to experience what it was to live in one of those villages in the old days we recommend to visit 'het Zuiderzeemuseum'.

On day 4 you’ll sail to Texel, an island with thousands of sheep and a magnificent nature reserve. Back on the mainland the route brings you to Holland’s most beautiful dune area. These are also the only kilometers you will be cycling above sea level!

Alkmaar will also provide a good picture of ancient times. It is the capital of Dutch cheese with its own cheese market and weigh-house for cheese. In Zaanse Schans, a lovely little hamlet on the banks of the river Zaan, the mills, houses, shops and traditional Dutch crafts bring the past to life.

Highlights include:

• Typical fishing villages as Volendam and Enkhuizen
• Isle of Texel
• Alkmaar, the capitel of cheese
• The land of Leeghwater, the Purmer and the Beemster

Day to day schedule

Day 1 Amsterdam, sailing to Wormerveer

The barge is moored at the Oosterdok in central Amsterdam, near the train station. You are expected to arrive at our barge on Thursday between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM. When you arrive 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 of course your fellow passengers. 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.

In the evening or on Friday morning, the tour guide will take you on your first short bike ride around Zaandam. You will visit the world famous hamlet and open air museum of Zaanse Schans. A unique place where people live and work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area.

Day 2 Wormerveer—Alkmaar, 40 km

After a good breakfast we jump on our bicycles. 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. 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. Its weigh-house was the first in the country (for weighing and trading of cheese).

Day 3 Alkmaar—Den Helder, sailing to Texel 50 km

From Alkmaar, we cycle up north. You enter the area of the Schoorlse Duinen (Schoorl Dunes), where you will find the highest dunes in the country. During the last century many pine trees were planted here so now it is a rather woody region. Bergen is an artists’ village which attracts many painters, writers and architects. You pass by the unique nature reserve Het Zwanenwater (The Swans’ Water), with its lakes and boggy hollows in the dunes. A little further you cycle on the Hondsbossche Zeewering (Hondsbossche Sea Dike), with a spectacular view of the North Sea. From Den Helder, the Dutch Naval port, we sail to Texel. Texel is the biggest of the Netherlands’Wadden islands and famous for its diversity in landscapes, sheep and birdlife. The Wadden Sea is unique. It is the largest unbroken system of intertidal and mud flats in the world and an UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 4 | Texel, round trip 35/48/62 km

The isle of Texel, which is one municipality, is the largest of the Dutch Waddeneilanden (Wadden islands). The average length of Texel is 20 km and the average width 8 km. Texel is highly appreciated by bird-watchers. In springtime about 80 different types of birds breed here, mainly in the dune areas, but all in all about 300 different species have been perceived on Texel. A tour around this island with its numerous cycle tracks is well worth the effort. You can choose between round trips of 35, 48 or 62 km. The guide will cycle the 35 km.

Day 5 Texel, sailing to Medemblik—Enkhuizen 35 km

From Texel, we sail across the IJsselmeer to Medemblik. First we have to cross the locks in the Afsluitdijk, a 32 km long dike that has protected the Netherlands against the force of water for over 90 years. In Medemblik we hop on our bikes. Medemblik is a historic fishing town and lies where land and water meet; past and present are inextricably linked. Todays trip ends in Enkhuizen, a town which came into existence when two adjoining villages amalgamated. You can end your day with a visit to the Zuiderzeemuseum. This museum, which consists of an indoor and outdoor part, shows you the history of everyday life around the Zuiderzee until the middle of the 20th century. Enkhuizen itself is an very nice old harbor town.

Day 6 Enkhuizen—Hoorn, 30 km

After a last morning stroll through the streets of Enkhuizen you continue on your bike on the dike with a wonderful view over the Markermeer on your left and West-Frisian villages on your right-hand side. The recently (1976) built dike from Enkhuizen to Lelystad (in the Noordoostpolder) appears on the horizon. This was meant to be a polder dike for a huge new polder: the Markerwaard. However, the plans were never executed: with time perception changed. The environment and fresh water supply became more important. So today the dike is there, but no polder...We spend the night in Hoorn, a historic port city located on the Markermeer and a very important VOC city in the Golden Age (1602-1702).

Day 7 | Hoorn - Amsterdam, 46 km

The first part you sail to Volendam, originally a small fishing community, now a tourist attraction. Here your last cycling stage starts. You cycle to Monnickendam where you can see the towns many old gables, plaques, churches and towers. Then on to Marken, a former island with many green painted wooden houses and its own particular character. Near the lighthouse there is a nice little beach where you can enjoy your lunch and perhaps take a swim in the fresh water of the IJsselmeer. The last part of the stage takes you through an area called Waterland. You will understand why it is called that when you see that the houses and other buildings are almost at water level and that the ground is soggy. At the end of the afternoon you will reach Amsterdam. Once you are back at the boat in Amsterdam it is time to take leave of your bikes. In the afternoon there still is some time to go into town and after dinner you may want to finish off your trip by going on a city walk or taking a trip on one of Amsterdam's canal boats.

Day 8 | Amsterdam, end of the tour after breakfast. Disembarkation before 10 AM

Included

• All nights on board (incl. bedding, towels, soap)
• Breakfast and dinner on board
• Lunch packages when on the road
• Coffee and tea on board
• Tour guide, cycles with the group
• Min. 3 city walks with tour guide
• Free WiFi (limited available in lounge and on deck)
• Road book, 1x per cabin
• Ferry fares on the route
• GPS-tracks (on request)

Not included

• Bicycle rent (see below)
• Entrance fees to museums; approx. € 25,- per tour
• Personal insurance

2026

• Rental bike per week, bike insurance included € 120,-
• E-bike per week, bike insurance included € 235,-
• Special meal requirements (vegetarian/ pescatarian, or if they are on a medical diet), please indicate this when booking. In case of gluten free or lactose free diet there is an additional charge of € 100,- per diet per week. When ordered upon arrival the additional charge is € 150,- per diet per week, to be paid on site.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to offer vegan meals. The space in the kitchens on our ships is limited (for storage and preparation) and therefore we cannot guarantee that the meals are completely vegan.
• We do not allow private e-bikes on board (due to safety regulations).

Dutch Barge Cruises reserves the right to cancel tours with fewer than 12 participants up to 21 days prior to the date of departure. The program is subject to change without notice.

Please note that the tour prices are based on the current fuel price.Should the fuel price increase more than 5% (reference date May 2025), then we need to ask a supplement. Even for reservations already made.