Springtime boat and bike tour 2026

Springtime boat and bike tour

Blooming tulips and Historic Dutch Heritage

Cycle and sail the provinces of South and North Holland at the best time of year: when spring flowers are in bloom. This is when the tulip fields glow in a multitude of colors, thousands of daffodils compete with the sun, and hyacinth fields spread their sweet scent for all to enjoy.

But that’s just the beginning, because there’s a whole lot more to this region. You’ll be astounded by the enormous variety of different scenery you’ll see within such a small area. From your bike, you’ll see beautiful medieval cities and small fishing villages, centuries-old windmills and locks still in use, wide green fields and wetlands teeming with bird life. Get out of the wind and relax in the dunes by the North Sea, or feel the breeze in your hair as you stroll along the beach. You may even want to dip a toe in the sea, but beware! It’s cold!

This tour also takes you to the historical cities of Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Haarlem. Park your bike and explore them on foot. It’s the most relaxed way to enjoy their beauty (and to find the cutest little cafés). There are plenty of museums where you can delve into the history of the region. Learn about tulip growing in the area by visiting both the famous Keukenhof Gardens and the lesser-known Hortus Bulborum garden museum. Zaanse Schans open-air museum shows you what villages and village life looked like in the old days. And in Amsterdam, of course, there’s a museum for every interest, be it old Dutch masters or contemporary art, history or seafaring.

This wonderful bike and barge trip starts and ends in Amsterdam. A well-trained, multilingual tour leader gives you a daily briefing, a map and route descriptions, and then you´re off on your own to discover the treasures of this intensely Dutch area. Each evening, you’ll return to your floating hotel barge, docked in a harbor along the route.

The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You can make a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking.

You cycle independently
During this trip there is an expert and experienced tour leader on board. He or she will discuss the next day’s cycling routes on a daily basis and provide you with tips and information about the route. You will cycle the tours independently and at your own pace using a detailed cycling map, GPS directions via the free Ride With GPS app and printed route descriptions (available on board). The tour leader will also cycle the routes, so they will be riding nearby and can be reached by phone in case of emergencies, problems or questions.

Day 1: Amsterdam – Hoorn

At 1.30pm, the crew welcomes you on the ship and checks you in. After a safety briefing, the ship will head out towards the Ijsselmeer. Our first destination is Hoorn.

Day 2: Hoorn – Enkhuizen (40 km/25 mi. or 50 km/31 mi.)

While the exact field locations shift every year, the “West-Frisian” area is known for being the second biggest tulip region in the Netherlands. We’ve planned two different bike routes through the fields for you to choose from. Due to the semi-guided concept on this tour, you can cycle at your own pace and stop for photos as often as you’d like.

Day 3: Enkhuizen – Volendam | Volendam – Zaanse Schans (50 km/31 mi) | Zaanse Schans – Alkmaar

Early in the morning, your floating hotel will set off to take you to the famous village of Volendam. This is where today’s bike ride will start. You’ll cycle through “Waterland,” just north of Amsterdam. Hundreds of small canals and plenty of bridges make up the landscape as you cycle from one picturesque village to the next. The cycling tour ends at Zaanse Schans, an old Dutch village with beautiful windmills, still in use, and traditional wooden houses. There, you can visit artisans like a cheesemaker and a clog maker. Yet Zaanse Schans is more than just an open-air museum, because the people you see are actual inhabitants! Around dinnertime, your cruise continues on to Alkmaar.

Day 4: Alkmaar – Alkmaar (33 km/21 mi. or 50 km/31 mi.)

Today’s bike tour brings you to lovely tulip fields north of Alkmaar, then to seaside resort Egmond aan Zee, pleasantly situated in the dunes near the North Sea. The sandy beach is one of the most beautiful of the Netherlands and great for a walk, a swim or simply for enjoying the view. Close by, the pretty artists’ village of Bergen is definitely worth a visit. Both Egmond aan Zee and Bergen are close to the North Holland Dune Reserve, a 5,300-hectare (2.5 square miles) forest and dune area with unique landscapes. Return to the ship in Alkmaar for dinner.

Day 5: Alkmaar – Zaandam (38 km/24 mi. or 47 km/29 mi.) | Zaandam – Haarlem

This morning you cycle to Egmond-Binnen and then to Limmen. In this village you’ll visit the Hortus Bulborum, a unique garden museum dedicated to the preservation of rare and historic bulbs. Some of the over 3,500 tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other flowers planted here are nearly extinct in the rest of the world. Your cycling tour continues through colorful tulip fields and brings you to Zaandam. The ship will be waiting for you to take you to Haarlem on a leisurely afternoon cruise. It will dock for the night within walking distance of the city center. Grab the chance to visit the exceptionally beautiful historical inner city at the end of the afternoon or after dinner. The Grote Markt (central market square) and St. Bavo church are impressive indeed.

Day 6: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Haarlem (49 km/30 mi.)

Today’s trip leads you through the oldest tulip fields of Holland to the Keukenhof Gardens. This flower bulb park is an overwhelming blaze of colors with seven million flowering tulips in a magnificent 80-acre setting of traditional and modern garden architecture. You can also revel in the beauty and fragrances of various hyacinths, daffodils and many other colorful flowers. In the afternoon you’ll cycle back to the ship in Haarlem.

Day 7: Haarlem – Amsterdam (31 km/19 mi. or 36 km/22 mi.)

Your last bike tour brings you back to Amsterdam. You’ll enter the city from the west through a pleasant green area. You can use the afternoon to discover more of this amazing city: visit the inner-city flower market, go to the Vondelpark, enjoy a museum, or just look at life in this city that never sleeps. There is something interesting to do for everyone. For those who want to do an end-of-day canal tour, we offer tickets at a reduced price.

Day 8: Amsterdam

End of your tour. Enjoy a good breakfast before disembarkation by 9.30 am.

Good to know

• Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
• On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
• If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
• The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
• On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
• Detailed cycling maps, route tips and a GPS app are available for guests who wish to cycle individually and at their own pace. The tour guide is always available via cell phone in case of questions, breakdowns or emergencies.

Included

• 8 days/7 nights
• 7 x breakfast
• Packed lunches
• 7 x 3-course dinner
• Coffee and tea on board till 4 p.m.
• Welcome drink
• Use of bed linen and towels
• Daily cleaning of the cabin
• Climate-controlled cabin
• Daily briefings
• Semi guided cycling tours (independent cycling, tour leader is available for questions and/or emergencies)
• Some short walking tours
• BBT cycling map and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
• GPS tracks
• Use of a waterproof pannier bag
• Biodegradable water bottle
• Wi-Fi is available in restaurant – data use is not included
• Carbon offset payment to the non-profit organization Justdiggit

Excluded in this tour

• Coffee and tea on board after 4 p.m.

• Drinks
• Bicycle rental or E-bike rental
• Helmet rental
• Personal insurances
• Gratuities (at your discretion)
• Entrance fees and excursions
• Fees for ferries
• Transfers to/from the docking place
• Parking fees
• SGR Insolvency protection (mandatory consumer contribution SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme: € 5 per person - will be specified separately on the booking confirmation)

2026:

• Rental bicycle: € 91 per week
• Rental E-Bike: € 252 per week (only on request, limited number available)
• Limitation of liability (damage) rental bicycle €14/week (only bookable in advance)
• Limitation of liability (damage) rental e-bike €28/week (only bookable in advance)
• Parking own bicycle: € 14 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
• Parking + charge station own E-Bike: € 28 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
• Helmets: A helmet can be rented for € 10 per week, only on prior reservation and payment.
• Canal cruise Amsterdam: Ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise through Amsterdam – special price for our guests: € 19 (at the ticket desk approx.: € 22). Please book your ticket in advance and you can collect it on board of your ship on the first day of the tour