Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
Self guided from EUR € 799
Bike and Boat Tour aboard Arkona or De Amsterdam
Countries: Holland
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Cruise the Green Heart of central and southern Holland as you cycle your way through picturesque farmland and captivating cities.
It doesn't get any better than this tour on board the De Amsterdam. Not only will you get the chance to visit a number of famous Dutch cities, but you will also uncover another side of Holland as you cycle through the country's "Green Heart."
You will see a landscape of water, meadows, grazing cows, windmills, and picturesque farms. It is a landscape that could not feel or look any more Dutch. In short, the Southern tour is the perfect tour for anyone wanting to see as much of "typical" central Holland as is possible in one week. What you will come away with at the end of the tour is a greater appreciation of why this part of the Netherlands attracts so many visitors from all corners of the globe every year.
Cycling cruises are a unique and "typical Dutch" concept, where a cycling holiday and a journey on a comfortable ship are combined. Cycling cruises are ideal for those who like to cycle during the day and explore beautiful areas without giving up a comfortable way of traveling. During our tours, you don’t have to pack and unpack your suitcases every day to travel from one beautiful place to the next! Explore the western part and the "Green Heart" of Holland during this exciting cycling cruise and enjoy many famous towns, interesting highlights, windmills, water, and beautiful scenery.
Highlights
- "Green Heart" of Holland
- Amsterdam and its canals
- Dom-city Utrecht
- Rotterdam
- Delft
- Gouda
- Windmills at Kinderdijk
- Schoonhoven, the silver city
- Haarlem
- North Sea Beach
- Open air museum "Zaanse Schans"
Learn More
Learn more about self-guided trips.
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Traveler photos
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Daily program
Cycling route distances are approximate.
Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Arrive at the boat between 2:00-4:30pm in Amsterdam. Explore downtown Amsterdam; you'll have time to shop, visit a museum, or take a canal tour (discount tickets available; please reserve in advance). A canal tour is a unique way to see the capital of Holland from another side. Welcome drink, dinner and first briefing on board at 5:00pm.
Overnight in Amsterdam.Day 2: Cruise Amsterdam – Breukelen | Cycle Breukelen – Utrecht | Cruise Utrecht – Rotterdam (12 miles/20 km or 24 miles/39 km)
During breakfast, you'll cruise to Breukelen where, following the distribution of bicycles, your first day of cycling will lead you along the beautiful and winding Vecht River with its enchanting background of imposing castles, country houses, and quaint tea rooms. There is simply no better way to start a cycle tour.You will follow the Vecht into the center of Utrecht where you will have the opportunity to explore the Dom Cathedral tower and the beautiful center of the old village. In the afternoon you will continue by ship from Utrecht to Rotterdam, your destination for the day.
Overnight in Rotterdam.Day 3: Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – Rotterdam (28.8 miles/48 km)
You will cycle today via the "jenever" city of Schiedam (jenever is a traditional Dutch gin) and through the Delfland area to Delft, famous for its blue pottery. Visit the beautiful city center with its small canals, picturesque streets, bridges and alleys. For many of our guests a visit to the Delftware factory is one of the highlights of their tour. Afterwards, you will cycle back to Rotterdam, where you can enjoy a short city walk in the evening.
Overnight in Rotterdam.Day 4: Ferry Rotterdam – Alblasserdam | Cycle Kinderdijk – (Gouda) – Schoonhoven (19 miles/30km or 36 miles/58 km)
Today you will start your tour with the "waterbus," a fast ferry that will take you and your bike to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach Kinderdijk, a village famous for its impressive row of 19 large windmills. All 19 windmills have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a definite highlight – you will have the opportunity to visit one so don't forget to bring your camera!You then have the choice between a longer bike tour with a visit to the beautiful cheese city of Gouda or a short bike tour through the Alblasserwaard. Both tours end in the "silver city" of Schoonhoven on the Lek River, where you can visit a silversmith.
Overnight in Schoonhoven.Day 5: Cycle Schoonhoven – Oudewater – Utrecht | Cruise Utrecht – Haarlem (22 miles/36 km or 27 miles/44 km)
Cycle tour from Schoonhoven through the beautiful "Green Heart" of Holland along small villages and quiet roads to Utrecht. On your way you can visit a traditional cheese farm and in Oudewater you can visit the Witches Weigh House. In the late afternoon the ship will sail from Utrecht to Haarlem.
Overnight in Haarlem.Day 6: Cycle Haarlem – North Sea coast – Haarlem | Cruise Haarlem – Zaandam (25 miles/40 km or 31 miles/50 km)
Today you can choose from 2 bike tours. Both tours take you through the beautiful Kennemer dunes, a national park where you can spot several bird species, Scottish Highland cows and Shetland ponies. After a visit to the seaside resorts Bloemendaal and Zandvoort you cycle through the forests and the center of Haarlem back to the ship. The longer cycling tour leads to the largest steam engine of the world, the Cruquius pumping station and back to Haarlem. During dinner your ship will cruise to Zaandam.
Overnight in Zaandam.*Departure dates between Mar 27-May 1: On this day, you have the opportunity to visit the world-famous tulip exhibition park "Keukenhof" in Lisse (by bicycle or public transportation; transfers/tickets/entrance fee not included).
Day 7: Zaandam – Amsterdam (19 miles/30 km or 32 miles/53 km)
From Zaandam your final day of cycling will take you to the open-air museum the Zaanse Schans (free entry), with its beautiful windmills, an Old Dutch village with traditional wooden houses, a cheese farm, and a traditional wooden clog maker. After exploring the museum you cycle through the recreational area “Twiske” back to Amsterdam. The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer. If you didn’t go for a canal tour on the first day, you will have the opportunity to do so today.
Overnight in Amsterdam.Day 8: Amsterdam
After breakfast: disembarkation by 9:30am and end of tour.Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
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Accommodation
Boats
- Upper deck
- 12 two-bed cabins with large floor to ceiling windows that can open from the top down to midpoint
- 2 single bed cabins with panoramic windows that open
- Spacious restaurant on lower deck
- Lounge on upper deck with large panoramic windows
- Bar and dance floor
- No laundry on board
- Partially Roofed sun deck
- No Laundry Services
Arkona
The Arkona is a new boat to our collection. It was completely refurbished in 2018 prioritizing comfort and elegance. It has two deck levels, a lovely dining room, and a partially shaded sundeck making it the perfect place to relax after a day of cycling. Read more
Overview
De Amsterdam
De Amsterdam is a very well-equipped river cruise ship. From dining in the restaraunt to enjoying the cozy, upper deck’s lounge/bar with dance floor and large panoramic windows, this is a ship with so much to offer. Read more
Overview
- Upper deck
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Bikes
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Standard Touring Bike - Azor
- Unisex, aluminum frame
- Handbrakes
- Shimano 7-speed nexus drive
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Fixed lock
- Schwalbe Marathon tires
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
Electrically Assisted Bike - Azor Steps (limited number, upon request)
- Nexus 7-gears
- Handbrakes
- Selle-Royal gel saddle
- Shimano motor (400 WH) with 4 levels of support
- Gel saddle
- Fixed lock
Included with the bike rental:
- Detachable pannier bag
- Pump
- Repair kit
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Bikes available to be rented (in advance at the time of booking) include:
- Standard touring bikes, 7-speed
- Electrically assisted bikes (limited number, upon request)*
- Children's equipment and tandems, in limited quantities (please inquire for pricing)
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
Equipment included with bike rental:
- Pannier bag
You can bring your own bicycles (for a small fee and depending on deck space, please contact us for more details). However, the crew or tour operator are in no way responsible for any damage, loss or theft of such bicycles.
Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. At this time, it is not possible to change the pedals.Saddle:
At this time, it is not possible to change the saddle. We recommend a universal padded saddle cover which can be pulled taught around the provided saddle.Helmets:
In the Netherlands, bikers are not obligated by law to wear a bike helmet. Please bring your own – good fitting – helmet. Bike helmets are only available onboard with an advanced reservation. Please book your helmet via our booking form (€10 fee).Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.Dates & Prices
Questions about pricing or options? Call +1-215-613-0874 to talk to a Tour Advisor now.
De Amsterdam
Saturdays, Mar 31 - Oct 4, 2025Season A: Mar 29, Apr 5; Oct 4
Season B: Apr 12; Sep 27
Season C: Apr 19; Sep 20
Season D: Apr 26; Jul 5, 12, 19, 26; Aug 2, 9, 6; Sep 13
Season E: May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Jun 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug 23, 30; Sep 6De Arkona
SundaysSeason A: Apr 6
Season C: Apr 20
Season E: May 4, 18; Jun 1, 15- Season A 2025 Mar 29, Apr 5, Oct 4 from € 8902025 departures: Mar 29, Apr 5, Oct 4
2025 March Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 October Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 890 Twin cabin upper deck € 1140 Suite upper deck € 1390 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1290 Twin cabin upper deck € 1665 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season B 2025 Apr 12, Sep 27 from € 9902025 departures: Apr 12, Sep 27
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 990 Twin cabin upper deck € 1240 Suite upper deck € 1490 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1440 Twin cabin upper deck € 1815 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season C 2025 Apr 19, Sep 20 from € 11402025 departures: Apr 19, Sep 20
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 1140 Twin cabin upper deck € 1390 Suite upper deck € 1690 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1665 Twin cabin upper deck € 2040 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season D 2025 Apr 26, Jul 5–Aug 16 & Sep 13 from € 12902025 departures: Apr 26, Saturdays Jul 5–Aug 16 and Sep 13
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 July Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 1290 Twin cabin upper deck € 1540 Suite upper deck € 1840 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1890 Twin cabin upper deck € 2265 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season E 2025 May 3–Jun 28 & Aug 23–Sep 6 from € 13902025 departures: Saturdays May 3–Jun 28 and Aug 23–Sep 6
2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 August Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 September Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 1390 Twin cabin upper deck € 1640 Suite upper deck € 1940 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 2040 Twin cabin upper deck € 2415 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10
- Season A 2025 Apr 6 from € 8902025 departures: Apr 6
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 890 Twin cabin upper deck € 1290 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1290 Single cabin upper deck € 1650 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season C 2025 Apr 20 from € 11402025 departures: Apr 20
2025 April Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 1140 Twin cabin upper deck € 1540 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 1665 Single cabin upper deck € 1980 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10 - Season E 2025 May 4, 18; Jun 1, 15 from € 13902025 departures: May 4, 18; Jun 1, 15
2025 May Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2025 June Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Double occupancy Twin cabin lower deck € 1390 Twin cabin upper deck € 1790 Single occupancy Price Twin cabin lower deck € 2040 Single cabin upper deck € 2300 Bike Rentals Price City touring bike, 7-speed Included Electrically assisted bike limited number, only on request€ 154 Helmet € 10
Included services
- 7 nights accommodation on board in climate-controlled cabin of chosen category
- Full board (7x breakfast, 6x self-made picnic lunch during bike tours, 7x three course dinner)
- Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels daily possible)
- Daily short cleaning of the cabin
- Welcome drink and speech on the first evening
- Experienced tour leader (multilingual) with daily briefings of the bike tours, some short city tours, during the day the tour leader is cycling the daily bike tour and can be reached on his/her cell phone while guests are able to cycle on their own if they wish
- Printed instructions and detailed maps for cycling tours (1 set per cabin); GPS tracks
- Wifi available
- Daily complimentary coffee and tea till 4:00pm
Please note that dietary restrictions may be accommodated for a surcharge. Please detail any requests at the time of booking.
Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
Surface and terrain
The terrain is flat and the cycle paths are mostly concrete or paved roads.
If a guest does not wish to cycle, he/she can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next harbor.
How to get there
Tour start and end
Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Nearest train station: Amsterdam CentraalTips on getting to and from your tour
Reviews
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★★★★★ Joe Eberly August 4, 2022
Great biking adventure
Holland is a beautiful country and there is no better way to see it and experience it than on a bike. We have never been on bike paths like they have, whether in a city or the middle of nowhere. We had great food at our lunch stops and everyone we met, passengers, crew and the locals were friendly. The boat was really nice as were the bikes. We plan to do another trip with BikeTours.
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★★★★★ Terrell May 17, 2019
The Best Way I can Think Of to See Holland!
This tour lived up to my expectations. Holland was beautiful. The boat accommodations and staff were great! The bike tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and very personable. The miles per day on the bike was not for the faint of heart. Do your research and get a e-bike (electric bike) for anyone who is not used to biking. If you are an American, bring your GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 27 to May 4, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one, including this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ 2pedallers July 7, 2018
An enjoyable trip!
A good way to see some of the sights in southern Holland. Not enough time to see everything, but enough variety in the routes to get a sense of the culture, history and geography of southern Holland.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 23 - 30, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Team Wuss July 4, 2018
Lowlands Adventure
Fantastic trip. Incredible tour in a beautiful country on an extensive bicycle infrastructure. In fact there are so many bike routes that navigation was sometimes a challenge. The download navigation option would have been helpful. The planned routes through the countryside were excellent. The bike/ boat approach is a great way to travel avoiding the daily packing. The accommodations were very nice, the staff was excellent, and the bicycles were well maintained. The dinners were good though basic with small portion size (a common observation in Europe). Breakfast was a very good buffet with fixings to make a sandwich for lunch. Definitely recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 9,2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Zaco June 30, 2018
Great tour.
Excellent Setup, great way to see Holland.
Weather always a risk in Holland. It was cloudy, cold-ish, sometimes wet, and quite windy (but the following week, after our tour ended, was perfect with not a cloud in the sky.) The tour is well planned and you see different parts of Holland. We knew of course about the water ways, windmills and such, but we did not realise Holland is basically a swamp...
Bikes are very good and crew on the boat and tour guides were very friendly and helpful.
The soccer world cup was a bonus (being soccer mad), and provided excellent entertainment from our perspective. But I would suggest planning your social activities on/off the boat in advance as there is no entertainment - it's not a Caribbean cruise :) There are a few cruise legs in the evening so you can't really get off the boat.
Food is good, the bar is good - buy an open bar ticket if you like a drop, it is cheaper that way.
One surprising commission is a laundry facility on the boat, or at least dryers, and no information on an alternative off the boat. In any case, who'd want to spend 2 hours in a laundromat off the boat? They ought to have a facility because naturally you go through a lot more clothes in a week of cycling, especially if the weather is not kind to you.
Most people were "senior citizens" on our tour, myself included (but I was an outlier in my family group). So bear this in mind if you look for younger company. Choose a harder tour if you have keen athletes in your family. I was with three in their 20s, all fit and eager (I'm 60+). They formed a breakaway group a few times. I decided to stay with the peloton and give chase later. I soon discovered it does not work with a peloton of one rider.- What was the date of your tour?
- 16 June
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ akvis August 17, 2017
Celebrating 60
I looked forward to this trip for a long time and I was not disappointed. The tour guide was helpful; the meals had added touches; the staff serving were great; the bikes were well maintained.
We enjoyed the areas we biked through, seeing a variety of different sights and places.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 8-15, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Julie November 4, 2015
Cheese, cocoa, windmills, clogs, delft, tulips...
So many things to see that represent the Netherland: cheese, tulips, windmills, cocoa, clogs and delft pottery. It was amazing to see the bike culture there and that bikes have the right of way over everything! The network of bike paths was amazing too! It was a fun combination of boat and bike. Most of our meals were provided too, which was nice after a full day of riding and exploring!
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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