Heart of Holland
Netherlands Bike + Barge Tours
Biking & boating historic cities in the Netherlands through the green heart of Central & Southern Holland
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length8 days
- Prices from€1234 Rates
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Overview
On this bike and boat tour in Holland, you will discover the "Groene Hart" or Green Heart of the country, a sparsely populated rural area surrounded by cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
This is the heart of the Holland of old: peat meadows, grazing cattle, windmills, typical villages, and lots of water.
It is also the stuff of the Dutch masters who captured this polder landscape bathed in that infamous otherworldly Dutch light in many works of art.
Contrast the old and the new on this lovely bike and boat tour in Holland!
Highlights
- Biking through the Green Heart
- Historical Amsterdam
- Rijksmuseum and Delft porcelain studio
- Small boat atmosphere
- Gouda, the Kinderdijk, Rotterdam, and Leiden
- Cycling the North Sea Coast.
Looking for something different? Here is a complete list of bike & barge tours in the Netherlands.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and embarkation in Amsterdam
Day 2: Amsterdam – Zaandam | Zaandam - Zaanse Schans – Haarlem, 24 or 34 mi. (40 or 55 km)
Day 3: Haarlem – North Sea coast – Leiden, 25 or 34 mi. (42 or 50 km)
Day 4: Leiden – Delft, 22 or 34 mi. (35 or 41 km)
Day 5: Delft – Rotterdam – Kinderdijk | Kinderdijk (Schoonhoven) – Gouda, 15 or 41 mi. (23 or 66 km)
Day 6: Gouda - Kudelstaart, 28 or 34 mi. (45 or 55 km)
Day 7: Kudelstaart – Aalsmeer – Amsterdam or Kudelstaart to Amsterdam, 19 or 23 mi. (approx. 30 or 37 km)
Day 8: End of the tour; disembarkation in AmsterdamParts in italics undertaken on board. Shorter routes may not feature all highlights in the itinerary. 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: Arrival and embarkation in Amsterdam
Lena Maria and Gandalf: Embarkation/check-in begins at 2 pm. You can leave your luggage on board from 11 am and can then set out to explore the city center, located within walking distance. A tour introduction takes place at 3 pm, followed by the distribution of bicycles, and a short test ride with your tour leader. Dinner is served on board this evening.
Flora: Embarkation and check-in begin at 2 pm. You can bring your luggage on board at 11 am but cabins will not be ready for check-in. After unpacking your luggage in your cabin, you will still have plenty of time to explore this famous city. Treat yourself to a canal tour, visit one or more museums, or simply do some shopping. An introduction to the tour will take place at 5:30 pm during which the crew will be introduced and your first dinner on board will be served, your rental bicycle will also be distributed at this time.Day 2: Amsterdam – Zaandam | Zaanse Schans – Haarlem, 24 - 34 mi. (40 - 55 km)
You visit the lovely open-air museum ‘Zaanse Schans’ after a short cruise to Zaandam. An old 18th and 19th-century Dutch village was reconstructed in the museum, where you can visit windmills, a cheese-maker, and a clog maker. You then cycle to Haarlem, where you are able to stroll through the lovely city center and the Grote Markt (market square) in the evening. If preferred, today’s bike tour can also be extended with a visit of the sea locks of IJmuiden and the Kennemer Dunes.Day 3: Haarlem – North Sea coast – Leiden, 25 or 34 mi. (42 or 55 km)
You cycle along the North Sea Coast and through the dunes, via the seaside resorts Noordwijk and Katwijk aan Zee. The day ends in Leiden, one of the oldest university cities. Here you can follow in the footsteps of the famous painter, Rembrandt, through the beautiful old city center.Day 4: Leiden – Delft, 22 or 34 mi. (35 or 41 km)
From Leiden, you cycle to Delft where a Delft Blue porcelain studio can be viewed and visited. The royal crypts of the House of Orange are also located in the beautiful center of Delft. From Delft, you can also visit The Hague. If you prefer not to cycle here, you can also take the or per train or tram. Highlights of today's route include the Binnenhof, the Peace Palace (Vredespaleis), and the Scheveningen seaside resort.Day 5: Delft – Rotterdam – Kinderdijk | Kinderdijk (Schoonhoven) – Gouda, several options from 15 to 41 mi. (23 to 66 km)
You travel by boat through the remarkable international port of Rotterdam, from Delft to Kinderdijk. The Kinderdijk offers an impressive view of 19 windmills in a row. From here, you cycle a shorter distance directly to Gouda, famously known for its cheese. You can also choose to take the longer route via Schoonhoven, also known as the silver city.Day 6: Gouda - Kudelstaart, 28 or 34 mi. (45 or 55 km)
You cycle to the small town of Kudelstaart, straight through the idyllic South Holland landscape with numerous little canals. At the mooring place on the banks of the Westeinder Plassen (“West End” Lakes), you can enjoy the beautiful view.Day 7: Kudelstaart – Aalsmeer - Amsterdam, 19 or 23 mi. (approx. 30 or 37 km)| or Kudelstaart - Amsterdam
Early in the morning, you can visit the large flower auction at Aalsmeer (entrance fee not included). After breakfast, you can choose to cruise through the City of Amsterdam to the mooring place or cycle into the city through the city park Amsterdamse Bos or along the Amstel river. Take some time to enjoy the attractions in the city center during the afternoon and evening.Day 8: End of the tour; disembarkation in Amsterdam
Bid the crew farewell and disembark after breakfast by 9:30 am. Please check your cabin for personal items. Before you leave, do not forget to hand over your cabin key to the crew. If you wish you can leave your luggage on board until noon, you may do so but please confirm with the crew.*Please note that if you choose the shorter route, you may miss some of the mentioned highlights.
You can view all of our bike & barge tours in Europe or look at all our featured trips including hiking, multi-adventure, active cruises, & more.
Boats & Bikes
- Flora
Standard Class Barge
Captain Berthus and Hostess Jonne van den Berg proudly welcome you on board their newly renovated boat. Along with the talented cook and enthusiastic crew, you will feel right at home! Read More
- Gandalf
Standard Class Barge
The Gandalf is a small passenger "green" barge with a delightful home-like atmosphere that is largely powered by the sun. Accommodating up to 20 passengers, it sails under the Dutch flag and has been drifting through the canals and waterways of Belgium and the Netherlands for many years. Read More
- Sarah
Standard Class Boat
After years of use as a cargo ship, the Sarah was transformed into a passenger boat in 2002. The interior has been designed to take full advantage of the space with an emphasis on comfort. Read More
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodation for 7 nights
- Welcome drink
- 7 Breakfasts, 6 packed lunches & 6 three-course dinners
- Coffee & tea on board
- One weekly cabin cleaning
- Fully guided cycling itinerary
- Daily tour briefings
- 7-speed hybrid city touring bike (Velo de Ville C100 or Gazelle Chamonix) with a unisex frame, handbrakes, gel saddles, integral frame lock, pannier bag, repair kit with pump
- Detailed maps & route descriptions, one set per cabin
- GPS tracks
- WiFi (You may pay a small fee. Do note that due to the steel construction of the ship, the signal strength and download speed will not be what you are accustomed to.)
- Carbon offset payment to the non-profit organization Justdiggit
What’s Not Included
- Individual arrival and departure to/from the boat
- Drinks on board
- Entrance fees and excursions
- Fees for ferries/water bus
- Electric bike ( Velo de Ville CEB 200 with Nexus 7 gears and crank Bosch motor (400 WH) offering 4 support levels). Available with supplement. See pricing.
- Helmets (available with a supplement. See pricing.)
- Gratuities
- Bike protection
- Trip Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates & Pricing
Standard Class Boats
Flora
Saturday departures
June 17, July 8, & August 12, 2023Gandalf
Saturday departures
April 29, May 6, June 3, June 10, July 15, July 22, September 2, & September 9, 2023Sarah
Saturday departures
May 20, May 27, July 29, August 5, & September 16, 2023April May - September Twin/lower deck $ 2072 £ 1094 $ 1,839 € 1234 ₪ 5033 ¥ 189987 NZ$ 2234 NOK 14977 kr 14605 $ 1,351 $ 2156 £ 1138 $ 1,913 € 1284 ₪ 5236 ¥ 197685 NZ$ 2325 NOK 15584 kr 15197 $ 1,405 Triple/lower deck* $ 1963 £ 1036 $ 1,742 € 1169 ₪ 4767 ¥ 179980 NZ$ 2116 NOK 14188 kr 13836 $ 1,280 $ 1980 £ 1045 $ 1,757 € 1179 ₪ 4808 ¥ 181519 NZ$ 2135 NOK 14310 kr 13954 $ 1,291 Twin/single-use $ 2953 £ 1559 $ 2,620 € 1759 ₪ 7172 ¥ 270740 NZ$ 3184 NOK 21343 kr 20813 $ 1,925 $ 3079 £ 1626 $ 2,732 € 1834 ₪ 7477 ¥ 282287 NZ$ 3319 NOK 22254 kr 21701 $ 2,007 *3rd bed in triple cabin is only suitable for a child
Standard Class Boats
Flora
Saturday departures
April 27, July 20, & July 27, 2024Gandalf
Saturday departures
June 1, June 8, July 13, August 3, August 10, & September 7, 2024Sarah
Saturday departures
May 18, May 25, June 15, June 22, August 10, August 17, September 14, & September 21, 2024April May - September Twin/lower deck $ 2207 £ 1165 $ 1,958 € 1314 ₪ 5359 ¥ 202304 NZ$ 2379 NOK 15948 kr 15552 $ 1,438 $ 2291 £ 1209 $ 2,032 € 1364 ₪ 5563 ¥ 210002 NZ$ 2469 NOK 16555 kr 16144 $ 1,493 Triple/lower deck* $ 2039 £ 1076 $ 1,809 € 1214 ₪ 4951 ¥ 186908 NZ$ 2198 NOK 14735 kr 14369 $ 1,329 $ 2123 £ 1121 $ 1,883 € 1264 ₪ 5155 ¥ 194606 NZ$ 2288 NOK 15341 kr 14960 $ 1,384 Twin/single-use $ 3213 £ 1697 $ 2,851 € 1914 ₪ 7804 ¥ 294603 NZ$ 3464 NOK 23225 kr 22648 $ 2,095 € $ 3339 £ 1763 $ 2,963 € 1989 ₪ 8110 ¥ 306150 NZ$ 3600 NOK 24135 kr 23535 $ 2,177 *3rd bed in triple cabin is only suitable for a child
Extra Options
Electric bike rental $ 176 £ 93 $ 156 € 105 ₪ 428 ¥ 16166 NZ$ 190 NOK 1274 kr 1243 $ 115 Helmet rental (advanced reservation required) $ 17 £ 9 $ 15 € 10 ₪ 41 ¥ 1540 NZ$ 18 NOK 121 kr 118 $ 11 Canal tour of Amsterdam (Advanced reservation required. Ticket will be waiting on board.) $ 25 £ 13 $ 22 € 15 ₪ 61 ¥ 2309 NZ$ 27 NOK 182 kr 178 $ 16 Electric bike rental $ 227 £ 120 $ 201 € 135 ₪ 551 ¥ 20785 NZ$ 244 NOK 1639 kr 1598 $ 148 Helmet rental (advanced reservation required) $ 17 £ 9 $ 15 € 10 ₪ 41 ¥ 1540 NZ$ 18 NOK 121 kr 118 $ 11 Canal tour of Amsterdam (Advanced reservation required. Ticket will be waiting on board.) $ 29 £ 15 $ 25 € 17 ₪ 69 ¥ 2617 NZ$ 31 NOK 206 kr 201 $ 19 Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
This is an easy bike and boat tour with average daily distances between 10 and 34 miles (15 and 55 km). The majority of the time you will cycle on dedicated bike paths or county roads, but there are times when entering or exiting towns/cities that you will share the road! On most days there will be a choice between two cycling options: a shorter/longer or quicker/slower tour (this depends on the day-to-day program). Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bike option. GPS tracks are available.
Airport Info
Fly to Amsterdam International Airport also known as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
Local Travel
Trains to Amsterdam Central leave from platforms 1, 2, or 3 which are all on floor below the airport terminal. Tickets can be purchased either at the ticket desk on the arrivals level or at the yellow machines using Euro coins or credit/debit cards (pin required!) The direct trains to the Amsterdam train station run every 10 to 15 minutes between 6:00 am and 12:30 am and the trip takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Short taxi ride to mooring location, or depending on the boat, embarkation point may be within walking distance. Docking/mooring information will be provided in your final travel information which we send approximately one month before your tour date.
Climate
Please check local conditions before your arrival. There are many good websites to visit to research average high/low temperatures, average rainfall, and other weather-related facts. The Netherlands has a temperate maritime climate influenced by the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Please see below for Monthly Weather Averages.
Remarks
A discounted ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise through Amsterdam is offered, which is offered at a discounted price. See pricing. Please book this at the time of reservation and we will invoice you. You can collect it on board of your ship on the first day of the tour.
Important to know
Travel documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements, and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements of the Schengen Agreement and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.
*Important note: Please check on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) status as once implemented, this will be required to visit any of the 26 Schengen-member countries for tourism, business, medical, or transit. This is an additional check on security rather than a visa.Ride with GPS
For those who want to cycle self-guided, or are interested in having the route on your personal smart device, Ride With GPS is an app that you can download for free on your mobile phone. This option is in addition to traditional printed route notes and printed maps. Once the app is installed, you can then download tour maps and daily itineraries directly to your smartphone. You will be able to use voice navigation on all the routes and access your tour content anytime.
Carbon offset
This tour is carbon neutral. To offset emissions that can't yet be reduced by any other means, carbon credits are purchased through the organization Justdiggit. Their mission is to cool down the planet by regreening Africa through rainwater harvesting, tree restoration, and the development of grass seed banks.
Covid-19 Info
Country Entry Requirements
Due to the changing requirements for entry, it is imperative that you stay up to date on requirements set by the country/countries that you are visiting. Please visit our Travel Restrictions Tool page and the country/countries government webpage for this information.
Extra Stay
As you will begin and end your tour in Amsterdam, why not book extra nights and visit the world-famous museums like the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum (with Rembrandts’ Night watch), the Anne Frank House, and enjoy the abundance of terraces and boutique-style cafes. We advise Booking.com for researching and reserving your extra nights. You can read a detailed description of the hotels offered including a clear listing of amenities and customer reviews and ratings.
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Boat Bike Tours.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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