Day 1: Embarkation in Amsterdam; cruise Amsterdam – Zaandam
Embarkation and check-in is 2:00pm with the crew welcoming you on board. As soon as all guests have arrived your five-day tour will start with a short cruise to Zaandam, famous for its windmills and cheese-making. Your barge will berth in the center of the city. Upon arrival, you can enjoy taking your new bike for a brief test ride through the surrounding area. In the evening, enjoy a short walk through the picturesque center of Zaandam.
Day 2: Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Zaandam (14-21 miles/24-34 km) | cruise Zaandam – Haarlem
After breakfast, you will enjoy a 5 km bicycle ride to the open air museum Zaanse Schans (entry included) which features beautiful windmills, traditional wooden houses, an old Dutch village, a cheese farm, and a traditional wooden clog maker. In the afternoon, after returning to your ship by bicycle, you have a choice to make: you can either cycle to Haarlem (14 miles/24 km) or take it easy while enjoying the scenery as your barge makes the approximate 2.5-hour trip.
In Haarlem visit the historical inner city complete with the Grote Markt and St. Bavo church. Your barge will be berthed in the center of Haarlem for the night, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy a short city walk in the afternoon or in the evening.
Day 3: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Oude Wetering (24-35 miles/39-57 km)
Today you will ride your bicycle to the Keukenhof, arguably the most famous flower park in the world where you can admire hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and many other flowers in full bloom.
After an extensive visit, you will get back on your bicycle and head to Oude Wetering, a small village, where your floating hotel will be waiting for you.
Day 4: Oude Wetering – Aalsmeer* – Amsterdam (16-18 miles/25-28 km)
This morning (bus trip at 6:30am) you are in for a real treat - a visit to the biggest flower auction in the world at Aalsmeer*. Early in the morning millions of flowers are auctioned off here and are instantly sent out to all corners of the world. By 9:00am you will return to your barge where a late breakfast will be waiting for you before you make your way to Amsterdam by bicycle.
During the afternoon you will join the barge sailing through Amsterdam. Later in the afternoon there is time to discover this amazing city. Visit the inner city flower market, go to a museum, do some shopping…there is just so much to do!!
*Optional visit! Entry to the flower auction is approximately €7 per person. The Aalsmeer flower auction is not available on weekends or holidays. Please be aware that a visit to the flower auction is not possible on March 31, April 8 and 28, 2021.
Day 5: Amsterdam
Disembarkation after breakfast by 9:30am.
All distances are approximate distances of recommended bike tours. Program and information provided are subject to change, such as, for example, changes in weather conditions. Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bike option. The company retains the right to change the program or to change the shipping time and/or the order of the program in the case it deems it necessary to do so.