Dutch Villages of Friesland

Day 1: Amsterdam - Lelystad, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Lelystad - Sneek, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 3: Sneek - Leeuwarden, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Leeuwarden - Makkum, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 5: Makkum - Stavoren, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 6: Stavoren - Hoorn, 19 mi. (30 km)
Day 7: Hoorn - Amsterdam, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 8: Amsterdam, end of tour

All distances are approximate. The planned itinerary is subject to change, even on very short notice, due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, docking location changes, lock repairs,  etc.

Day 1: Amsterdam - Lelystad, 9 mi. (15 km)
Your boat will be moored and waiting in Amsterdam. Boarding takes place before 2 pm. In the afternoon, you sail to the new town of Lelystad, and after the short bike ride there, the program for the next day and the rest of the week will be explained to you at dinner time.

Day 2: Lelystad - Sneek, 28 mi. (45 km)
From Lelystad, the barge sails across the IJsselmeer to Lemmer and the group continues by bike to Sneek. You ride via the wooded Gaasterland region featuring the old village of Balk. Later on, you pass through IJlst, an idyllic little town with a narrow town canal, quaint houses, and a ribbon of linden trees. The banks of the connecting waterway between IJlst and Sneek are covered with a fringe of reeds and the occasional willow and alder. Riding through this green landscape you can enjoy the abundant flora and fauna special to this region. You will stay the night in the lively town of Sneek which is especially popular among water sports enthusiasts. Everybody loves the canals that adorn the center. Waterpoort (1613) is the town’s pride and joy. Way back when the town was surrounded by a defensive wall, this was one of the town gates through which boats were permitted to enter and leave town. In the local museum, you can get an impression of the Frisian history of seagoing and inland shipping as well as of shipbuilding and the ice-skating sport.

Day 3: Sneek - Leeuwarden, 25 mi. (40 km)
Riding out of Sneek you first pass through Boazum, featuring the wonderful example of Romanesque architecture, St. Maartenskerk Church. The centuries-old cultivated landscape in the northern provinces of the Netherlands came into being in the time before dikes existed. Artificial hillocks (terps) represented a safe haven when the surrounding lower land was flooded. Your route will entail passing through several of the terp villages.  Your route will feature a portion of the Slachtedijk, an impressive feat of engineering that reminds us of the daily fight the Dutch are engaged in to maintain control over water. Today’s destination is Leeuwarden, the vibrant capital of Friesland province. If the spoken language sounds different to you here, you are absolutely right. The Frisian language differs from Dutch and is an important aspect of local culture. 

Day 4: Leeuwarden - Makkum, 28 mi. (45 km)
You ride out of the provincial capital Leeuwarden and enter the flat land with meadows again. After about an hour of cycling, you reach the old university town of Franeker. It is a lovely town to walk around in. Here you can visit the world-famous 17th-century planetarium of Eise Eisinga. Via lovely villages with age-old churches, you will reach Makkum, a town famous for its pottery. If you want you can make a short detour to the interesting harbor of Harlingen, yet another of the famous Frisian Eleven Cities.

Day 5: Makkum - Stavoren, 25 mi. (40 km)
From Makkum you continue riding through the meadows to Workum, a town that flourished around 1300 when other towns lost their connection to the open sea. Next comes Hindeloopen, a town with its own dialect, traditional costume, and painting style. In earlier times Hindeloopen did not have its own harbor, only anchorage. The fleet was in Amsterdam while the captains spent the winters in their 'commandeurswoning' (captain's residences) in Hindeloopen. At Nieuwstad in the town center, you can admire these well-preserved houses. Today’s destination is the historic harbor town Stavoren. The city was granted city rights between 1060 and 1067, making it the oldest city in Friesland

 Day 6: Stavoren - Hoorn, 19 mi. (30 km)
In the morning you sail to Enkhuizen crossing the IJssel lake, since 1932 the largest freshwater lake in the Netherlands. Enkhuizen is a nice old harbor town to explore, and after arrival in Enkhuizen, you can visit the Zuiderzeemuseum. This museum shows you the history of everyday life around the Zuiderzee until the middle of the 20th century. Today's cycling stage will take you to Hoorn along the IJsselmeer dike, on your left the IJsselmeer and on your right, the lower-lying land. Hoorn was a major harbor in the 17th century with departures daily sailing for the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), America, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean.

Day 7: Hoorn - Amsterdam, 28 mi. (45 km)
You start your day navigating to Volendam, originally a small fishing community, now a tourist attraction. Here your last cycling stage starts. You cycle to Monnickendam where you can see the town's many old gables, plaques, chur­ches, and towers. Then on to Marken, a former island with many green painted wooden houses and its own particular character. Near the lighthouse, there is a nice little beach where you can enjoy your lunch and perhaps take a swim in the freshwater of the IJsselmeer. The last part of the stage takes you through Waterland. You will understand why it is called that when you see that the houses and other buil­dings are almost at water level and that the ground is soggy. At the end of the afternoon, you will reach Amsterdam. Once you are back at the boat in Amsterdam it is time to take leave of your bikes. In the afternoon there still is some time to go into town and after dinner, you may want to finish off your trip by going on a city walk or taking a trip on one of Amsterdam's canal boats. Did you know that Amsterdam boasts the largest historical inner city in Europe?

Day 8: Amsterdam, end of tour
End of the tour after breakfast, before 10 AM. If you have an early flight, ask the tour leader to arrange a taxi to the Airport.

If you’re looking for a different flavor, check out our full list of tours & trips including hiking, birding, and cruising.

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