7 nights | 24 miles/day
Guided from EUR € 1240
Bike and Boat Tour aboard Zwaan, Anna Antal or Clair de Lune
Countries: Holland
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Holland’s Super Tulip Tour
Between April and mid-May we offer special tulip tours. The program of this Super Tulip Tour is totally dedicated to this beautiful flower. You will cycle through the fields spring flowers and tulips, learn all about growing tulips in a tulip park and of course you visit the "Keukenhof" the flower auction in Aalsmeer.
The tulip originated in Turkey. The tulip bulb reached The Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. The flower and bulb were thought to be so special that a lively trade arose quite quickly. In 1634 there was one single bulb that was so expensive that a whole canal-side house in Amsterdam cost the equivalent. In 1637 the government took the speculation in hand and the bulbs dropped in price drastically. The bulb and flower became "normal."
The route leads through vast fields of tulips. You will visit the world-famous, 32-hectare park The Keukenhof, where you can admire the wonderfully colourful fields with flowering bulbs in peace and quiet.
Around Alkmaar you will find the most beautiful dunes in the country. From Alkmaar to Purmerend the route leads you through the 17th century polders. When time permits you will visit a water mill. The last part of the week the green "Waterland" surrounds you, while you’re cycling through the Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century.
Highlights
- Cycling through the tulip fields
- Tulip garden and Keukenhof
- Flower auction at Aalsmeer
- Beemster Polder
- Zaanse Schans
Learn More
Learn more about guided tours.
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Traveler photos
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Daily program
The following planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.
You are expected on the barge on Saturday by 2:00pm, at which time the boat leaves its mooring place in Amsterdam. The barge cannot wait due to the opening hours of bridges and locks, so plan your arrival accordingly.
Day 1: Arrival and embarkation in Amsterdam – Spaarndam (9 miles/15 km)
You are expected on the barge between 1 and 2 pm. When you arrive on board the ship, you can put your luggage away in your cabin and then enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It is also a good moment to become acquainted with the guide, skipper, and crew and of course your fellow passengers.The first part of the tour you will cruise to Spaarndam – known as the village of Hans Brinker – and from here we make an easy ride into the beautiful city of Haarlem.
Haarlem, which rendered its name to Harlem, New York, is a lively city with good shopping possibilities. At the same time there are many interesting 17th-century sights here. Back on board, after the bike ride, the programme for the next day and the rest of the week will be explained to you at dinner time.
Day 2: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Leiden (25 miles/40 km)
Today's trip leads you through the oldest tulip fields of Holland, including a visit the most beautiful spring park in the world. Keukenhof is the place where the spring breaks. An overwhelming blaze of colors; seven million flowering tulips in a magnificent 80-acres background of the Keukenhof gardens, traditional and modern gardening architecture. You can also admire the various hyacinths, narcisses, and many other colorful flowers.You spend the night in Leiden, which is a historic city with many little courtyards, façades, and historical buildings built between the 15th and 18th century. Leiden, meaning "built on waters," came into existence around 800 AD as a marketplace at the confluence of the rivers Old and New Rhine, the Vliet and the Mare. It was a center for the medieval linen industry. For a long time, it was second only to Amsterdam in importance.
A well-known episode of Leiden's history is the Spanish occupation in the 16th century. In 1574 the Spanish siege was eventually broken as a result of a deliberate inundation and the assistance of the Protestant fleet called the "Geuzenvloot." This fact is still celebrated annually on October 3rd. As a reward for its courage in the face of the Spaniards, Leiden was given the right to found a university in 1575. Leiden is also the city where Rembrandt van Rijn was born.
Day 3: Leiden – Kudelstaart (28 miles/45 km)
Today you continue your tour around the Haarlemmermeer. Imagine that this polder once was the biggest lake in Holland and nicknamed "the waterwolf." The cycle route leads you through the green heart of Holland, an area characterized by small cycle paths, black and white cows, and despite the work of Mr. Leeghwater, a lot of water. Your destination for today is Kudelstaart: a small town bordered by the Westeinderplassen.Day 4: Visit to flower auction; cycling Zaanse Schans – Wormerveer (28 miles/45 km)
In the early morning, you can visit one of the many flower auctions in Aalsmeer. Every day "Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer" sets the world price for flowers and plants. This happens by bringing supply and demand together by means of the auction clock- a fascinating process during which large and small batches of flowers are sold within fractions of seconds. As a visitor to Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, you will walk over a specially designed gallery.Enjoy the gorgeous flowers; experience the hustle and bustle of the auction. The flowers and plants that are sold at the auctions are exported all over the world, a logistic wonder. Afterwards, you will have breakfast while cruising in the direction of Amsterdam.
From the lock at the Nieuwe Meer, you can cycle along the borders of the Amstel River into the city, and after the ferry into the green again to the Zaanse Schans, a unique hamlet where people live and work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area. The hamlet is dominated by three operating windmills, the oldest built in 1673, for grinding mustard, spices, paint and oil and for sawing wood into planks. As you walk through the village you will see a clock museum, an old-fashioned grocery store, a house with period furniture, a clog-maker and a cheese farm. Afterwards to Wormerveer.
Day 5: Wormerveer – Alkmaar (28 miles/45 km)
From Wormerveer you will cycle to and 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. Today's overnight stay is in cheese town Alkmaar. An historic lively city with many small and bigger shops. Nearly 400 heritage sites, canals, and harbors dominate the townscape.Day 6: Alkmaar – Purmerend (22 miles/35 km)
Today time to cycle into the polder landscape of the Beemster and Purmer, part of a big green polder area. The Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century, is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes, and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. Also, time to visit one of the big water mills at the Rijp.Graft and De Rijp are two proud, typical 17th-century villages that enjoyed great prosperity at the heyday of the fishing and whaling industries. You spend the night in Purmerend.
Day 7: Purmerend – Amsterdam (12 or 22 miles/20 or 35 km)
Purmerend lies at the edge of an area called "Waterland" where roads and water are nearby on the same level. We visit the nice village of Zunderdorp and Ransdorp. The better cyclists can cycle the long route to Edam and Volendam and if time permits you can cross the lake Gouwzee to admire the traditional fisherman’s village Marken with its typical wooden houses. In Amsterdam, you can look back at cycling seven days in great variation of typical Dutch landscapes, towns, and many highlights.Day 8: Departure from Amsterdam
After breakfast, the tour ends (disembarkation by 10:00am).Surface and terrain
The tour follows a flat terrain route. This tour has relaxed cycling with occasional hills.
Boats
Many of these barges are former working river vessels, converted specifically for this kind of passenger vacation. The barges comply with the strict safety regulations set forth by the Dutch Shipping Inspection Authorities. As there is limited under bed storage for suitcases, we recommend only 1 suitcase per person.
Do not expect a luxury cruise ship. The experience of the tour is built around guests being active cycling, and the layout of the barge supports a social environment in common spaces.
How to get there
Tour start and end: Amsterdam
Nearest airport: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
Nearest train station: Amsterdam Central StationThere is a train that leaves 6 times per hour from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Central Station. It takes about 15 minutes and costs approximately €5 per person one way.
A taxi from Schiphol Amsterdam Airport to the barge takes about 30 minutes and costs about €50. A taxi from the Central Train Station in Amsterdam to the barge takes about 5 minutes and costs about €15.
The barge will be moored in Amsterdam at Oosterdok 2 near the Nemo Science Museum, about 15 minutes by foot from the train station.
You must arrive to the barge on Saturday by 2:00pm.
Tips on getting to and from your tour
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Dates
Anna Antal: Apr 08, 15, 22, 29; May 06, 2023
Zwaan: Apr 08, 15, 29; 2023
Clair de Lune: Apr 01, 08, 15, 29, 2023Standard season: Apr 01, 2023 - Apr 14, 2023, May 06, 2023 - May 13, 2023
High season: April 15, 2023 - May 05, 2023
Prices
Anna Antal
Per person, double occupancy Standard season High season Standard twin cabin €1240 €1355 Bunk bed cabin €1050 €1150 Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin) €1335 €1465 Clair de Lune
Per person, double occupancy Standard season High season Double cabin €1240 €1355 Cabin with split-level beds €1240 €1355 Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin) €1310 €1480 Zwaan
Per person, double occupancy All seasons Twin/double cabin €1535 Luxury double cabin €1735 Single use cabin (1 person/1 cabin) €1980 Bike Rentals
Hybrid touring bike €100 Electrically assisted bike €195 Children's bike € 60 Child's seat €15 Tag-along €55 Additional Options
Gluten-free or vegan meals €75 Discounts
Child, ages 0-2 sharing a room with at least 1 full paying adult (on base package price) 100% Child, ages 3-11 sharing a room with at least 1 full paying adult (on base package price) 30% Included services
- 7 nights on board (including linens and towels)
- Breakfast and dinner on board
- Lunch packages when on the road
- Coffee and tea on board
- Tour guide
- Minimum 3 city walks with tour guide
- Road book (1 per cabin)*
- Entrance fee Keukenhof and flower auction
- Ferry fares on the route
- GPS tracks (upon request)
- WiFi (limited availability in lounge and on deck)
*The road book (1 per cabin) includes the detailed itinerary. Although the tour is guided, if you wish to cycle any of the days on your own, you may purchase a set of bike maps (must be ordered at time of booking). The bike maps are road maps which provide an overview of the entire area and not just the daily cycling route.
Please note that special dietary needs can be accommodated upon request. Extra fees may apply; gluten-free/Celiac/vegan/lactose-free meals are an additional €75 charge. Please inform us of dietary requirements when booking your tour.
Bike rentals
Bikes available to be rented (booked in advance at the time of booking) include:
- Hybrid touring bike, 24-speed
- Electrically assisted bike, 24-speed, detachable lithium-Ion battery, unisex*
- Children's bike
- Child seats (rear of bike)
- Tagalong bike
*More about electrically-assisted bikes >
All above bike rentals will be equipped with the following at no additional charge:
- Pannier bag
- Lock
- Water bottle
- Repair kit (when cycling self-guided)
- Helmet
Bike Protection:
Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.Helmets:
Helmets are included with your bike rental. For safety and hygiene purposes, we recommend you bring your own or plan to purchase one upon arrival.More information about the electrically assisted bike
Your electrically assisted bike has 24 gears, a detachable lithium-Ion battery, hand brakes, pannier bags, a good lock, water bottle and you can get a repair kit. We draw your attention to the fact that you will be held responsible for damage to or theft of the bike, as long as the bike is not on board. (the E-bike has a value of more than € 2000). Never leave it unattended. Always lock it and fasten it to a fixed object, and don’t forget to remove the information panel from your steering wheel. If you didn't arrange cycle insurance when booking you can do this on board (the first day). Payment for insurance is required in cash at arrival.
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Route Map
Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.
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Reviews
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★★★★★ Frank Vaughan 5 months ago
Very nice trip
We had a great time on the trip. Small boat with not a lot of people, and the guide was very good. We got to see some amazing places and he even took us on some side trips. The riding was easy just as described, and after each ride the guide offered an optional walking tour of the area. We feel we really saw Holland! Our only complaint is the boarding instructions had us going to the wrong dock. Give yourselves plenty of extra time to board!
- What was the date of your tour?
- March 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ MarcieB 10 months ago
Tulips, Windmills, Canals and Camaraderie!
The Super Tulip Tour (Barge: Zwaan @ 14 passengers and 4 crew) was truly a delight from beginning to end. Our group of 8 Americans, 2 Canadians, 2 Norwegians and 2 French enjoyed polder pedaling, canal crossings and windmill wonders while taking in the tulip fields/gardens. The meals were served family style and were amazing! The rooms were well equipped with wifi, hair dryers, etc. and the crew was eager to please.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 30 - May 7, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- More than seven!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much 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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★★★★★ Jfletc3233 May 16, 2019
The tulips were beautiful
Overall the tour was very good. The ship’s crew was excellent and the food was wonderful. We were able to see a lot of tulips even though the tulips bloomed early this year. The tulips at Keukenhof were fabulous and not to be missed. I wish we could have had more time there. We saw lots of windmills and also happened upon a miller setting up his mill for operation it was fascinating. We learned about the creation of polders from sea and spend a fair amount of time on the polders. The scenery was really beautiful. On the negative side, we had to do a lot of riding in congested areas that weren’t especially interesting or historic. I wasn’t expecting this. Some of that may have been because a canal was closed and the boat couldn’t meet us where it was supposed to. Additionally, we had two guides during our tour one who started off with us for 2 days and another for the rest of the tour. Neither of them taught the inexperienced riders in our group how to ride as a group, communicate with each other about hazards coming up or when the group was slowing or stopping. As a result several people fell during the ride. Some of the riders on the tour explained those things to the newer riders and after that people rode better as a group.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 27, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many on our own.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Pat m May 4, 2019
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 20-27
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Johni June 25, 2018
Cycling around Amsterdam with Cycletours exceeded our expectations
This trip was a memorable experience. The cycling guide, chef, barge 'captain' were all helpful, friendly, and nothing was ever too much trouble.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 5 May 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Allan May 6, 2017
Great way to explore a foreign country
A really enjoyable way to discover a new country. We were fortunate to have a very helpful tour guide ,along with a first class chef providing excellent meals as well as very helpful barge staff. Our boat the Anna Anatel accomadated 17 guests and was an ideal group size for this type of activity.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 22/4/17-29/4/17
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Markh May 1, 2017
Great cycle tour!
We enjoyed the tulip tour very much. Our guide, Maria, did a wonderful job. She is very knowledgeable and makes everyone feel comfortable. The crew of the Sailing Home were also great! The bikes were in excellent condition.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8-15 April 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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