Through Holland by bike and boat - North route
By bike and ship through Holland - North route
A special way to travel…
On this tour we discover typically Dutch polder landscapes, numerous windmills, dunes, and miles and miles of the North Sea Coast. Highlights of his tour include the capital of Amsterdam, the beautiful North Sea island of Texel, romantic fishing ports, the open-air museum “Zaanse Schans”, and much more…
Total length: approx. 220 – 325 bicycle kilometres
Dates
Travel beginning: on Saturdays
Duration: 8 days (7 nights)
Itinerary
picture 1: CCH Tours/Jan Timmermans, Angela Esmee
picture 2: © BoatBikeTours/CCH Tours B.V.
picture 3: Tom Stout
1. Day: Amsterdam - Zaandam
Individual arrival in Amsterdam. Embarkation between 2 and 6 pm. Afterwards we can stroll through the old town, or make a tour of the canals. From approx. 6.30 pm, „dinner cruise“ to Zaandam.
2. Day: Zaandam - Alkmaar (approx. 50 km)
We should pay a visit to the open-air museum „Zaanse Schans“ (old Dutch wooden houses, windmills, etc.) Through the nice polderland we reach Alkmaar.
3. Day: Alkmaar - Den Helder/Texel Island (approx. 40 - 60 km)
We can start our bicycle tour in Alkmaar and cycle via the artist’s village of Bergen to the North Sea. Alternatively, we can go as far as St.-Maartensvlotbrug by boat. Along the North Sea Coast and through flat polder and coast landscapes, we reach the marine seaport of Den Helder. In the evening we take our boat and reach Oudeschild on Texel Island (depending on the weather, possibly by ferry or on day 4).
4. Day: Texel Island - Den Oever (approx. 15 - 65 km)
We can make plans for this day according to our own wishes: We can either spend the day at the beach or make a tour on the biggest Dutch North Sea island of Texel. Alternatively, we may visit the seal breeding station “Ecomare”. In the evening boat trip to Den Oever.
5. Day: Den Oever - Enkhuizen (approx. 30 - 50 km)
On board of our ship we travel to Medemblik. Then we have the choice of either cycling into the heart of the country or along the IJsselmeer coast to Enkhuizen with its beautiful seaport. The Zuiderzeemuseum, too, is well worth a visit.
6. Day: Enkhuizen - Volendam (approx. 50 km)
Via Horn we head into the „cheese city“ of Edam and farther into the old fishing port of Volendam.
7. Day: Volendam - Amsterdam (approx. 35 - 50 km)
Through the „waterland“ with its countless small lakes and canals, and possibly with a detour to the former island of Marken, we cycle back to Amsterdam.
8. Day: Amsterdam
Disembarkation until 10 am at the latest and individual departure.
