South Holland Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Day 2: Amsterdam – Breukelen | Breukelen – Utrecht, 16 or 25 mi. (25 or 40 km) | Afternoon: Utrecht – Rotterdam
Day 3: Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – Rotterdam, 17 or 31 mi. (28 or 50 km)  
Day 4:  Rotterdam – Alblasserdam with the "waterbus"  |   Kinderdijk – (Gouda) – Schoonhoven, 19 or 36 mi. (30 or 58 km)
Day 5: Schoonhoven - Oudewater - Utrecht, 28 mi. (45 km)| Afternoon: Utrecht - Haarlem
Day 6: Haarlem– North Sea coast – Haarlem, 25 or 31 mi. (40 or 50 km) | Evening: Haarlem– Zaandam
Day 7: Zaandam - Amsterdam, 19 or 28 mi. (30 or 45 km)
Day 8: Departure 

On days that two distances are provided, you can choose between the longer and shorter route.

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Embarkation and check-in begin at 2 PM and completed by 5 PM. It is possible for you to bring your luggage on board at 9:30 however, cabins will not be ready for check-in at this time. While you are in Amsterdam make sure you take the opportunity to do some shopping, visit a museum, or enjoy a canal tour (reduced price tickets available on board, until 10 PM). A canal tour is a unique way to see the capital of Holland from a different perspective. Your first night on board will be spent in Amsterdam, so you will have plenty of time to explore the city.

Day 2: During breakfast: Amsterdam - Breukelen | Breukelen - Utrecht, 16 or 25 mi. (25 or 40 km) | Afternoon: Utrecht - Rotterdam
During breakfast, the boat will cruise to Breukelen. Following the distribution of bicycles, your first day of cycling is along the beautiful and winding river Vecht with its enchanting background of imposing castles, country houses, and quaint tearooms. There is simply no better way to start a bike 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. In the evening enjoy a short city walking tour.

Day 3: Rotterdam – Schiedam – Delft – Rotterdam, 17 or 31 mi. (28 or  50 km) 
You will cycle today via the "jenever" city of Schiedam (jenever is a traditional Dutch gin) and through the Delfland area to Delft which is famous, of course, for its blue earthenware. Visit the beautiful city center with its small canals, picturesque streets, bridges, and alleys. For many guests, a visit to the Delftware factories of “Royal Delft” is one of the highlights of the tour. Afterward, you will cycle back to Rotterdam. In the evening, enjoy a short walk around the city of Rotterdam.

Day 4: Rotterdam – Alblasserdam with the "waterbus"  |  Kinderdijk – (Gouda) – Schoonhoven, 19 or 36 mi. (30 or 58 km)
Today you can cycle the first part or the “waterbus” will take you and your bicycle to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling, you will reach Kinderdijk (UNESCO cultural heritage, with its impressive row of 19 large windmills). You then have the choice between a longer bike tour with a visit to the beautiful cheese city of Gouda and a short bike tour through the Alblasserwaard. Both tours end in the “silver city” of Schoonhoven, where you can visit a silversmith.

Day 5: Schoonhoven - Oudewater - Utrecht, 28 mi. (45 km)| Afternoon: Utrecht - Haarlem
Today you will cycle from Schoonhoven through the beautiful “Green Heart” of Holland via Oudewater (visit the Witches Weigh House) to Utrecht. Near Oudewater you can visit a traditional cheese farm where you can also buy delicious farm-made Gouda cheese. In the late afternoon, the barge will cruise from Utrecht to Haarlem, your destination for the night. 

Day 6:  Haarlem– North Sea coast – Haarlem, 25 or 31 mi. (40 or 50 km) | Evening: Haarlem– Zaandam
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.

*Departure dates between April 6 and May 11: On Thursday you have the opportunity to visit the world famous Tulip exhibition park “Keukenhof” in Lisse (by bicycle or public transport; transfers/tickets/entrance fee not included).

Day 7: Zaandam - Amsterdam, 19 or 28 mi. (30 or 45 km)
From Zaandam, your final day of cycling will take you to the open-air museum ‘Zaanse Schans’ with its beautiful windmills, traditional wooden houses, an old Dutch village, a cheese farm, and a traditional wooden clog maker. After exploring the museum continue to cycle through the recreational area of Twiske 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. 

Day 8: Disembarkation in Amsterdam
Disembarkation by 9:30 am.  End of your trip.

Parts in italics above will be covered by the ship.

*Aboard these boats, it is possible to do the tour as self-guided with route descriptions. Please specify at the time of booking if you wish to do this. Maps are available for an additional fee. Ask us for details.

Day 1: Amsterdam, boarding begins at 1 pm and must be completed by 2:00 pm! Sailing to Spaarndam and cycling to Haarlem, 9 mi. (15 km)
Day 2: Haarlem – through the dune area – Leiden, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 3: Leiden – Delft, 25 mi. (40 km)  
Day 4: Delft 
Day 5: Delft – sailing to Rotterdam/ferry to Kinderdijk – cycling to Gouda, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 6: Gouda – Oude Wetering, 25 mi. (45 km)
Day 7: Oude Wetering – Amsterdam, 28 mi. (45 km) 
Day 8: Amsterdam

Day 1: Amsterdam, boarding, complete by 2:00 pm; Sailing to Spaarndam and cycling to Haarlem, 9 mi. (15 km)
After arriving onboard the ship, you can put your luggage away in your cabin and then enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It is possible to bring your luggage on board at noon but the cabins will not be ready for check-in. Check-in begins at 1 pm.   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 will take you by boat to Spaarndam, known as the village of Hansje Brinker, and from here take an easy bike ride into the beautiful city of Haarlem. You must be very prompt in boarding as the boat will depart the mooring shortly after 2 pm.
Back on board, the program for the next day and the rest of the week will be explained to you as you enjoy a lovely dinner. 

Day 2: Haarlem – through the dune area – Leiden, 25 mi. (40 km)
Today starts with a short tour by bicycle to the center of Haarlem, where you can see some of the city's typical almshouses. Upon departure from Haarlem, you may cycle to the 'Cruquiusgemaal' (Cruquius Pumping Station), one of the three steam-powered pumping stations that drained the Haarlemmer Lake between 1849 and 1852. Now a museum, it gives you an excellent idea of the Dutch 'battle against the water'. During the summer months, cycle through the dunes to the beach.

Day 3: Leiden – Delft, 25 mi. (40 km)  
You leave the city and cycle South along the Vliet canal. In Voorschoten you turn westwards towards the coastline. At 'Wassenaarse Slag' you can take a break on the beach. 
The Wassenaarse Slag is an entrance to the beach near the Dutch town of Wassenaar. The coastline is over 8 km long.
The route to Delft takes you along the water once again. The old center is a well-preserved medieval city with canals, a magnificent town hall, and a royal tomb in the Nieuwe Kerk. It is well worth a visit.

Day 4: Delft  
Today you can enjoy the day at your leisure. You can stay in Delft and discover the old center, visit The Hague by public transport, or go to Rotterdam by bike.
Delft  
Delft is a beautiful town to wander through and learn more about the famous Dutch painter, Vermeer at the Vermeer Center or visit the Nieuwe Kerk. When the weather is clear the view from the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) is spectacular. A large part of the Southern Tour can be seen from here!
The Hague
The city of The Hague has wide avenues, parks, and stately mansions. Possible visits are Peace Palace (housing the International Court of Justice), the 'Binnenhof' with the 13th-century 'Ridderzaal' (Knights' Hall), seat of the Dutch Government and Parliament. Every third Tuesday of September the Queen's Speech is delivered in the Ridderzaal. The Mauritshuis, a former palace, is now a famous museum with paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Rubens. It also houses 'Panorama Mesdag', the largest panoramic, circular painting in the world, depicting 19th-century Scheveningen. Of the many royal palaces in The Hague, only a few are still operational. You may see the Noordeinde Palace and the Huis ten Bosch Palace.
Rotterdam  
This bustling city has many architectural highlights, some interesting museums, and is the main port of Holland. Skyscrapers stand in the scaffolds and rise steadily towards the stars. On the Maas River, Erasmus Bridge is the gateway to the Kop van Zuid district. The modern architecture makes up what is known as ‘Manhattan on the Maas’. Here you can find the New Orleans and the Maastoren, the highest residential tower and the highest office building in the Netherlands. With so much of the city changing on a daily basis, it is internationally known as a city of architecture. The city also offers historical significance and some interesting museums such as the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, where you can find Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Dali, and Dutch Design. 

Day 5: Delft – sailing to Rotterdam/ferry to Kinderdijk – cycling to Gouda, 32 mi. (40 km)  
The first part of today's route will be sailing through the center of Rotterdam, thus giving you the best view of the modern architecture of this city. Your cycling day starts in Kinderdijk and will take you through the Alblasserwaard,
situated in between rivers and showcasing a variety of scenery, featuring water and meadows. The many inundations and the slowly sinking surface made water management essential in this fenland. Canals and ditches were dug and windmills were constructed; of the latter, nineteen remain today. After a visit to one of the mills, you will continue by bike, ending in Gouda. The city of ‘stroopwafels’ (treacle-waffle) and pottery, but also stained-glass windows, a fairy-like town hall, and atmospheric canals. Gouda is a real old Dutch town with a virtually intact town center

Day 6: Gouda – Oude Wetering*, 28 mi. (45 km)
From Gouda you will continue your tour over country roads, banks and channels through the Green Heart and polders to Oude Wetering, a sleepy village between the lakes of Braasemmermeer and Westeinderplannen. On the way you pass the wetlands of Reeuwijkse Plassen north of Gouda and will ride through typical Dutch countryside with many waterways, green pastures and of course some windmills.

*Please be aware that sometimes the boat will need to dock in Uithoorn due to docking availability. In this case, the itinerary will change slightly.

Day 7: Oude Wetering – Amsterdam, 28 mi. (45 km)
Today you will first ride to the village of Uithoorn  The name De Uithoorn (or also De Uythoorn) was used at the end of the Middle Ages for the location of the lower courts of the deanery of Saint John. The village was formed around its courthouse. People depended on agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture became increasingly more difficult due to the steady soil subsidence. From circa 1600 on, peat extraction became important and resulted in the formation of large ponds, which in turn would be made into polders later on. Circa 1885, several fortifications were built around Oude Wetering and Uithoorn as part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam. From Uithoorn you start your ride into Amsterdam. Amsterdam's name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city's origin as a dam of the river Amstel.

Enter Amsterdam following the Amstel River. The extensive network of bicycle paths ensures a relatively easy way back into the city, showing you some remarkable sites in the center. Then it is time to say goodbye to your bike. Before the farewell dinner you may want to go for a walk in town. At night there you may want to take a canal trip or go on a city walk through the centre of the city.

Day 8: Departure from Amsterdam
End of the trip after breakfast.

Day 1: Rotterdam
Day 2: Rotterdam - Dordrecht, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 3: Dordrecht - Gorinchem, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: Gorinchem - Utrecht, 34 mi. (55 km)
Day 5: Utrecht - Schoonhoven, 26 mi. (42 km)
Day 6: Schoonhoven - Rotterdam, 28 mi. (45 km)
Day 7: Rotterdam, 25 - 44 mi. (40 - 70 km)
Day 8: End of tour

Day 1: Rotterdam
Arrival in Rotterdam. Embarkation at 4:00 pm. Rotterdam is a city with many faces. It is an important port city, classy shopping city, and hip artists’ city, but most important, it is a city of architecture. Many say that Rotterdam is one of the most interesting cities in Europe.

Day 2: Rotterdam - Dordrecht, 25 mi. (40 km)
You cycle along the waterfront via Krimpen aan den IJssel to Kinderdijk, the site of the most famous group of windmills in the Netherlands. Dating back to the18th century, the 19 well-preserved mills have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. You continue through the polder area of the Albwasserwaard to reach Dordrecht, Holland`s oldest city, granted a town charter in 1220. Many well-preserved buildings dating from this time remain. The city`s rich history and the marvelous historic port area will enchant you.

Day 3: Dordrecht - Gorinchem, 25 mi. (40 km)
After a short ferry ride, you reach the beautiful De Biesbosch National Park, where several rivers come together to form a fresh-water delta of approximately 8,000 hectares. It is a wonderful place to bike. You may also enjoy canoeing through the labyrinth of rivers and creeks. The park is also very special for bird enthusiasts, due to the many kinds of waterfowl that forage here. You continue your tour through the Rhine-Delta area, crossing over to Gorichem by water taxi. Do not miss out on the picturesque Old Town of this small but charming city.

Day 4: Gorinchem - Utrecht, 34 mi. (55 km)
Today an interesting and varied tour awaits. From Gorinchem, you cycle via Leerdam, famous for Leerdammer cheese into the fortified city of Vianen. You can stop for a short break in one of the numerous street cafes. You then take the ferry to cross the Lek and cycle to Vreeswijk with its narrow lanes and then to the little town of Nieuwegein. You could take a short side trip to Fort Jutphaas, hidden in a green oasis in Nieuwegein. The day's destination is Utrecht, considered the heart of Holland, and once the most important city in Holland.  One of the unique features of the city is the wharf system in its inner canals. Before the city was fully canalized, parts of the Rhine River flowed through the city center.

Day 5: Utrecht - Schoonhoven, 26 mi. (42 km)
Take some time to explore the beautiful town of Utrecht, before getting back on your bike. You cycle through the beautiful polder landscape via Oudewater, with its famous Witches` Weigh House museum. The history of weigh houses is sometimes tragic. Generally used as a central site where people could come to weigh their crops and livestock, many have a dark side. Witches were thought to be light enough to float on water so the accused was put on a weigh house scale to see the results. They were generally rigged and countless innocents burned or drowned thanks to the superstitious test. (None of the so-called witches ever weighed here at Oudewater was sentenced). The day's destination is Schoonhoven, the Silver City of the Netherlands, with its typical Dutch Old Town.

Day 6: Schoonhoven - Rotterdam, 28 mi. (45 km)
From Schoonhoven, you cycle at a leisure pace to the city of Gouda, famous for its cheese. When the weather is fine, you may take a detour for a refreshing bath in Lake Reeuwijkse Plassen. Today’s destination is Rotterdam. 

Day 7: Rotterdam, 25 - 44 mi. (40 - 70 km)
Today you will have two options for today’s cycling tour, the first one will lead you to Delft and the second directly to the governmental seat of Den Haag, to the North Sea coastal town and health resort Scheveningen, and back. Alternatively, you can also go back to Rotterdam by train (fare not included € 15 p.p. Rush hour travel from 4:30 pm to 6 pm is not possible.)

If you are booking a March, April, or early May tour date, you could use this day to visit the Keukenhof. You can purchase tickets online and the onboard tour guide will assist you planning the trip via public transportation which will include train, bus, and taxi.

Day 8: Rotterdam
Official end of tour. Check out by 9 am.