Land of knights, seafarers & cheese makers

"Victory begins at Alkmaar” – A tour for all ages with the inspiring stories of the people who made Holland (or we should really say ‘the Netherlands’). You’ll be riding on the country’s extensive network of safe and scenic cycle paths.

Not only will you cycle through beautiful and varied landscapes – from Dutch low-land ‘polders’ with Friesian cows to ancient fenland – but you will also visit historic towns with medieval houses, windmills and an impressive castle. The tour includes a steam train journey and a ferry boat crossing of the ‘Zuiderzee’. Our tours are rewowned for offering the most scenic routes.

You can start any day of the week except Saturday (subject to availablity) and your personal tour departure and finish are attended by our own expert staff. Back-up support is at hand throughout your tour. Your tour price includes hybrid bicycle rental (e-bike option available at a supplement), luggage transfers by courier and you will be staying in superior hotels within walking distance of the local sights.

There is an option on this tour of a family room for two adults and up to two children sharing during each overnight stay wich provides an attractive reduction on the tour price.

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Highlights

• Historic city canals with grand houses

• Delicious cheese & chocolate

• Sweeping green landscapes and windmills

• Picturesque villages and farm houses, including Giethoorn

• Northwestern Europe’s largest fenland National Park

Learn More

Learn more about self-guided tours.

Interested in adding to your itinerary? Take a look at our cycling day tours in Amsterdam.

Daily program

Please note: this tour begins on a cycling day. The tour operator recommends arriving a day early and booking an evening in Amsterdam.

Day 1: Zaandam – Alkmaar (26 miles/42 km)
Your tour starts this morning with your personal welcome and introduction in Zaandam (about 10 minutes by train from Amsterdam).

Zaandam is famous for the Zaanse Schans with its many windmills, historic chocolate and biscuit factory, and green wooden houses. It also has a cheese factory and clog workshop! You'll then ride through lowland ‘polders’, crossing rives and canals on several small ferries (one operated by yourself manually).

The picturesque village of De Rijp has a choice of attractive cafés and restaurants – perfect for a refreshment stop. Later, you’ll arrive in the ‘other’ cheese capital of Holland, Alkmaar, which has had weekly cheese markets since the 17th century. Alkmaar played a pivotal role in the 80-years war with Spain in the 16th century, which led to the establishment of the Dutch Republic. It boasts hundreds of monumental buildings along it’s ancient canals and another highlight is beer museum ‘De Boom’ where you can taste a delicious selection of craft beers.
Overnight in Alkmaar.

Day 2: Alkmaar – Hoorn (23 miles/36km)
Leave Alkmaar behind and turn once again to the lowland ‘polders’ on your way to Broek op Langedijk. Visit the ancient ‘floating’ auction where fruit and vegetables are brought to market on boats, sailing through the auction building. Next, you cycle past several striking windmills and imposing historic farms dotted across the green landscape.

Your final destination today is Hoorn. Founded around AD 1000, Hoorn has a rich history and was one of the most prominent ports in the East Indian spice trade during the Dutch Golden Age which is still evident in many beautiful historic houses. Its port is a popular area with several characterful cafés and restaurants.
Overnight in Hoorn.

Day 3: Hoorn – Enkhuizen (1h20m stream train ride followed by 14 miles/22km bike ride)
Today is an even more special day, which starts with a ride to Medemblik on one of the beautifully restored steam trains making its way along canals and a patchwork of farmers’fields (steam train does not operate on Mondays). Medemblik has for centuries had a strategic position on the Zuiderzee – later the IJsselmeer lake – and boasts an impressive castle from 1288 as well as a picturesque harbour and several other attractions.

Cycle along the shores of the IJsselmeer lake to another charming historic harbour town, Enkhuizen. It’s not only home to the largest fleet of traditional sailing vessels in the Netherlands but also hosts the Zuiderzee Museum. This open-air museum is packed with houses, workshops, a school and much more from towns along the coast of the Zuiderzee (‘South Sea’) which became a huge lake in 1932. You can easily spend more than a day in Enkhuizen!
Overnight in Enkhuizen.

Optional extra day: To make the most of your visit, why not book an optional extra day here and stay one more night in Enkhuizen?

Day 4: Enkhuizen – Lemmer (21-26 miles/34-42km)
Another special day sees you cross the IJsselmeer lake by ferry boat to Stavoren (1h30m) – enjoy this nautical experience on the large, sturdy ship. Stavoren, the oldest town in Friesland province, is home to plenty of characterful Friesian houses and has a rich seafaring history dating back to before 1000AD.

Cycle further through Friesland, which boasts beautiful lakes and canals, forests, small villages, and plenty of wildlife. There is a choice of two different, equally attractive routes, either 42 km past the town of Sloten or a shorter version of 34 km. Your final destination today is the charming fishing village of Lemmer, home also to the largest still-operational steam-powered pumping station in the world (a UNESCO monument).
Overnight in Lemmer.

Day 5: Lemmer – Blokzijl (27 miles/43km)
The highlight today is the National Park of Weerribben-Wieden, one of the most breathtaking nature areas in the Netherlands and the largest marsh and fenland in Northwest Europe. Thanks to human hands cutting peat and reed, a unique landscape was created, full of lakes, canals, reedlands, marshes and forests, dotted with historic villages. It’s a breeding ground for exceptional plant and animal species - water soldiers and lillies are at home here, while yellow iris and cottongrass add colour to the landscape, and you may spot the large copper butterfly for example.
Overnight in Blokzijl.

Day 6: Blokzijl – Kampen (22 miles/35km)
After a good night’s sleep, cycle through the quaint village of Dwarsgracht to Giethoorn, affectionately known as the 'Dutch Venice', but much more rural and a must-see destination. Its bridges link the narrow paths to small islands with quaint farmhouses adorned by painted shutters and thatched roofs.

You'll cycle further through the National Park Weerribben-Wieden on your way to the Hanseatic town of Kampen on the banks of the River IJssel. It has one of the best preserved old town centres of the Netherlands, including the gates of the ancient city wall and a windmill called d'Olde Zwarver (‘the Old Vagabond’). Colourful murals, old commercials from the last century, including elaborate Art Nouveau versions, are another attraction.
Overnight in Kampen.

Day 7: Departure
After breakfast, check out and return to Amsterdam (1h30m by train) or travel to your next destination.

Photos

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Dates & Prices

Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.

Included services

• 6 nights in double rooms (shower/toilet) in superior hotels
• Breakfast/breakfast buffet
• Tour briefing on arrival
• End of tour meeting
• Luggage transfer from hotel to hotel
• Tourist information
• Breakdown assistance
• Hotline for assistance during tour
• Top-class aluminum standard multi-speed bicycle with handlebar bag
• RidewithGPS navigational app
• Equipment delivery in Abcoude; pick up in Bruges

In the period around the Dutch Grand Prix pricing on this tour will be adjusted. Please inquire for pricing for these travel dates.

Tour Company

Map

Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.

Surface and terrain

On this tour, you'll bike from south to north and from west to east since the most common wind direction is southwest.

Most of the cycling will be flat and along paved routes and cycle paths. The distance varies each day, and on the longer days you have options to shorten the mileage by train. The cycling is sometimes broken up by ferry rides across waterways.

How to get there

Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schipol Airport
Nearest train station: Zaandam central station (start) and Kampen Zuid station (finish)

Tips on getting to and from your tour.