Keukenhof, near Lisse in the Netherlands. Photo courtesy of the Netherlands Board of Tourism

Quiet bike paths just outside of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo via Flickr:Francesca Cappa
4.8/5 (14 ratings)

Tulip Tour - 5 day

Netherlands Bike + Barge Tours

Mini barge/bike tour during Tulip Time!

This five day Holland bike and boat tour in peak Tulip season goes through some of the most beautiful areas of the "Garden of Amsterdam." The tulips blossoming herald the awakening of Spring and this journey offers an excellent opportunity to visit the most beautiful highlights in and around the capital of the Netherlands. There are many museums and shops to entice you in Amsterdam, the smallest metropolis of Europe, and the canals, which quite recently have been listed on the UNESCO world heritage list, are famous all over the world. Highlights include the historical city of Haarlem, the world famous flower exhibition, the Keukenhof near Lisse, and the world's largest flower auction near Aalsmeer.

A comprehensive list of all of our bike and barge tours in Holland can be found here.

Tour Dates

2017
Comfort Plus boats: 
Fluvius: April 1, April 5, and April 9, 2017
Magnifique: March 25, March 29, April 2, April 6, and April 10, 2017
Magnifique II: March 26, March 30, April 3 and April 7, 2017

On the Comfort class boats:
La Belle Fleur:  Mondays, April 3, April 10, April 17, and April 24, 2017

Where You’ll Stay

On the Comfort Class boats the La Belle Fleur or the Comfort Plus boats, the Fluvius, Magnifique, or the Magnifique II

What’s Included

  • On the La Belle Fleur
  • Accommodations for 5 days/4 nights on board
  • 4 x breakfasts, 5 x lunches, and 4 x dinners
  • Afternoon coffee and tea
  • Tour guide
  • 8 speed bicycle equipped with pannier bag, water bottle holder, helmet, and bike lock
  • Daily briefing of the program
  • Route descriptions
  • Short city tours according to program
  • Entrance fees for Keukenhof, the cheese farm, and the auction of Aalsmeer
  • On the Fluvius, Magnifique, and Magnifique II
  • 5 days/4 nights on board
  • 4 x breakfast, 5 x lunch, 4 x three-course dinner
  • Welcome presentation
  • Bicycle Rental
  • Tour guide
  • Daily coffee and tea until 4 pm

What’s Not Included

Tulip Tour - 5 day Map

TourBike+Boat
TypeGuided
SkillEasy
Length5 days
From€589 Rates
Client Reviews

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Skill Level

Easy guided bike and boat tour of relatively low mileage. Terrain is very flat and consists mainly of well maintained cycling paths. Head winds can at times be bothersome.

Tour Boats

Day-To-Day Itinerary

Tulip Tour - 5 day Map

On the La Belle Fleur:

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam, Amsterdam - Zaandam, 21 mi. (35 km)
Day 2: Zaandam - Haarlem, 15 mi. (25 km)
Day 3: Haarlem - Leiden, 27 mi. (45 km)
Day 4: Leiden - Kudelstaart, 21 mi. (35 km)
Day 5: Kudelstaart - Amsterdam, 13 mi. (22 km) (Disembark approx. 4PM)

Day 1:  Arrival in Amsterdam, Amsterdam - Zaandam, 21 mi. (35 km)
At noon, the crew of the La Belle Fleur (formerly the Eva Josiena) welcomes you on board in Amsterdam. During lunch, you can meet your fellow travelers and the tour guide. In the afternoon, your first Holland cycling tour begins through nature to the museum village of Zaanse Schans to visit the mills there.  After this visit, you will meet the boat in Zaandam, where it will be docked for the night.

Day 2: Zaandam - Haarlem, 15 mi. (25 km)
After breakfast, the barge sets sail to Spaarndam. After the locks of Spaarndam, your cycling trip for the day begins. Riding through the tulip fields, your journey takes you to the North sea beaches. There you have the time to enjoy a beach walk before you cycle to the city of Haarlem. This old city is famous for its courtyards, many of these you can visit to get a view of the typical dutch way of life. Haarlem is more than its numerous courtyards, its monuments and old houses are a beautiful sight to see.

Day 3: Haarlem - Leiden, 27 mi. (45 km)
Following breakfast, your cycling tour begins in the direction of Lisse, stop and visit the famous Keukenhof, and enjoy the tulip fields in all forms, shapes, and colors. After visiting the Keukenhof, you continue your cycle tour to Leiden. In the afternoon, you can stop at one of the many tulip fields along the way and enjoy a walk through it. After dinner on board the boat, you can explore the city of Leiden with a tour guide. Leiden is an old beautiful city that received the UNESCO protection title. It contains the oldest university in Holland and is also the birthplace of many of the Dutch masters including Rembrandt, Lucas van Leiden, and Jan Steen.

Day 4: Leiden - Kudelstaart, 21 mi. (35 km)
Not only is Holland famous for its Spring tulips, but it is also famous for cheese making. During today's tour en route to Kudelstaart, at stop at a cheese farm is on the agenda. Here you can learn everything about the process of cheese making. Tonight the boat will dock in Kudelstaart, a small village near Aalsmeer.

Day 5: Kudelstaart - Amsterdam, 13 miles ( 22 km)
Today begins early, with a visit to the tulips auction in Aalsmeer. This auction is one of the biggest flower auctions in the world. After the auction, you can enjoy the old West part of Amsterdam from the sundeck of the boat as the La Belle Fleur reaches Amsterdam once again. Once the boat is moored, the guide takes you for a walk around this historic yet modern city and you can enjoy the beautiful old canal houses or “grachtenpanden”, but also the small streets of the old city center. After coffee, the crew of La Belle Fleur says goodbye and wishes you a safe journey home. Disembarkation approximately 4 PM.

On the Fluvius, Magnifique, and Magnifique II: 

Day 1: Boarding in Amsterdam, Amsterdam - Zaandam
Day 2: Zaandam - Zaanse Schans - Zaandam - Haarlem, 6 mi. (10 km)
Day 3: Haarlem - Keukenhof - Kudelstaart, 25 mi. (40 km)
Day 4: *Kudelstaart - Aalsmeer - Amsterdam, 22 mi. (35 km)
Day 5: Departure from Amsterdam

Day 1: Boarding; Amsterdam - Zaandam
Boarding will be between 2 and 4 PM in Amsterdam. At 5 PM there will be a short dinner cruise to Zaandam. Once you have arrived, you will have time for a short evening stroll through the center of the city. 

Day 2: Zaandam - Zaanse Schans, 6 mi. (10 km)| Zaandam - Haarlem
The first half of today's bicycle ride brings you to the open air museum, Zaanse Schans (entry included). Here you will find beautiful windmills, an authentic traditional Dutch village, a cheese factory and a clog maker. Afterwards, you will return by bicycle to the ship. In the afternoon, you can choose between a boat trip of approximately 2.5 hours or a bicycle trip to Haarlem (approx. 14 miles). 

Day 3: Haarlem - Keukenhof - Kudelstaart*, 25 mi. (40 km)
Your ride to Keukenhof will begin after breakfast. (You could also take a bus if you prefer, fare not included).  Keukenhof is 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 your visit, you will continue on bike to Kudelstaart, where the ship will be waiting for you on the shores of the Westeinder Lakes. Entrance fee for the Keukenhof is approximately €25 per person. If you have taken a bus to the Keukenhof, then a taxi from Keukenhof to the boat at Kudelstaart will be approximately €55 (max. 7 persons).

* Depending on availability of berths the ship could possibly be moored in the next village Oude Wetering or Aalsmeerderbrug

Day 4: Kudelstaart - Aalsmeer - Amsterdam, 22 mi. (35 km)
After a quick breakfast, you will cycle to the flower auction in Aalsmeer (not open in the weekends and holidays*). Early each morning, millions of flowers are auctioned off here and instantly sent out to all corners of the world. By 10 AM you will return aboard in Aalsmeer where an elaborate brunch will be awaiting you. Afterwards, you can choose to make your way on board to Amsterdam or you can finish the last stage of the journey on bicycle. During the afternoon and evening, you will have time to visit the inner city flower markets. Individually, you may choose to visit a museum, do some shopping or even take a boat trip through the canals. 

*A free canal tour is then offered.

Day 5: Amsterdam
After breakfast, you will have to say goodbye to your wonderful crew. Please leave your cabin by 9:30 AM. It is possible, upon talking with the crew first, to leave your luggage on board until 3:30 PM, so you can explore Amsterdam once more. 

*All distances are approximate. The above-planned itinerary is subject to change due to changing wind and weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances having to do with mooring requirements, etc

You can view all of our bike and boat tours or look at our featured bike trips, specials, and news.

Email or Call 800-951-4384 +1 570-965-2064

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Customer Feedback

  • R. Vaughan 4 months ago

    The Magnifique II ship was beautiful and very comfortable. The ship's crew were outstanding and very friendly. We especially enjoyed touring with tour guide Tom. We would love to take another trip similar to this in other regions and countries.

    Boat: Magnifique II

     Reply

  • D. Hunts 4 months ago

    Highly recommend this trip!

    Boat: Magnifique II

     Reply

  • D. Keener 4 months ago

    We loved the entire trip. The bikes trips were great - always lots to see with just the right amount of time in the saddle. My sister (who is not used to much cycling) loved her electric bike.

    Boat: Magnifique II

     Reply

  • L. Bendz 4 months ago

    This was my second bike and barge trip on the La Belle Fleur for the tulip tour and it was fantastic. We had an excellent guide, Koehn, who selected lovely routes thru rural settings and we saw amazing fields in bloom, the national park leading to the North Sea and the Amsterdam Forest on return. The barge sparkled and Sanders and Els were very warm and welcoming. Our room was very comfortable. The new bikes had very comfortable seats and were lighter & BETTER for riding the 13 to 23 miles/ day distances. Unfortunately we hit a week of rainy inclement weather so we wore every warm layer we had plus scarves and rain gear. Our fellow travelers from Canada and Brazil were very good sports. I can't wait to try the France river trip on the Mosel River next time!! Thank you for making this trip of memories possible!!

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • K. Vandermeer 4 months ago

    The trip was awesome... Even tho it rained EVERYDAY...had a great time. The guide was great and he was able to adjust route to accommodate group. The scenery was incredible and enjoyed every day . The bikes were perfect with 8 gears to meet the needs of trip...

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • P. Shackleton 4 months ago

    Absolutely fabulous people(both tour guide & barge owners), amazing routes and clean accommodating facilities. The food was plentiful and some of it quite good. Some meals were a bit thin and breakfast & lunch too much the same stuff. However, for the cost of this trip it was very satisfactory; I have recommended the Fleur d Bell and thank all organizers for a smooth and memorable trip!

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • L. Vandermeer 4 months ago

    The boat crew were both very nice, friendly and helpful. The bike guide was wonderful - such a great guy, wonderful sense of humour, very kind and considerate. He was also very knowledgeable about the places we went. The bikes were excellent. The routes we took were wonderful - made very good use of the great Dutch biking infrastructure, and we went through a very interesting mix of countryside, villages, pretty urban neighbourhoods, etc.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • L. Epstein 5 months ago

    More hot breakfast food. The route was semi-urban and suburban and that could have been made clearer beforehand. I liked doing one or more interesting stops each day. Keukenhof day was terrific, including cycling by tulip and hyacinth fields.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • L. Daugherty 5 months ago

    My trip was wonderful. Sander and Els were incredible hosts and Arie was a fantastic guide. The information from Tripsite was spot on and very helpful. The only glitch I had was that the Tram stop for the boat was not correct but we found the barge without too much difficulty. I would definitely recommend this trip.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • B. West 5 months ago

    The experience was very good; the only negatives are beyond anyone's control! I was not adequately prepared for the wind, which was far stronger than I anticipated, and I didn't have anything to protect my ears and eyes. My eyes and lips were severely windburned one day. Goggles, or at least wraparound sunglasses, and a headband to cover the ears are a definite must!

    Other than that, everything was good. The cabin was comfortable, and the meals were excellent. It was a very good value. Most tours cover all but a few meals; this covers all of them. Captain Sander and Chef Els were wonderful hosts, and tour guide Arie went above and beyond to make sure everyone experienced as much of the region as possible. The day bike trips and the evening city walks were really interesting.

    Thanks for a great trip!

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • S. Hogg 5 months ago

    Wish we had managed to cycle close to some tulip fields.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Melody Knapp 10 months ago

    Sander and Els were perfect hosts. The food, the service, the accommodations were also perfect. I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the cabins. Sander and Els also were very willing to let me stay on the barge two additional nights after the tour for an affordable price. The biking was also very pleasurable, so much so that I was sad when I realized we were on our last day.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Sandi Branker 10 months ago

    Loved the trip and hope to do it another in 2016!

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Wayne Goodman 10 months ago

    I really loved: Tour guide, boat hosts, food, sights, other guests.
    I only enjoyed: quality of bike (could've been a better bike, but it was well maintained)
    Could've been better: speed of cycling (while I understand not everyone cycles at the same speed, there should be a ""fast"" group and a ""slow"" group
    --overall rating: 4.5 of 5

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Loretta and Lynn bendz 1 year ago

    We had an amazing experience with Sanders and Els in April 2015 and I can't wait to do it again! The food and bicycles and itinery were all excellent! We had great weather although the northsea beaches were a little windy. I liked being able to pack my lunch so that we had more time exploring delightful Netherlands! Thank you for this fantastic opportunity. Feel free to share our experience with anyone interested in bike barge tour in the future. Thanks again! Loretta Bendz

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Nancy Van Sas 1 year ago

    My husband and I have just returned from our honeymoon from Netherlands. Five of the 10 days were spent on La Belle Fleur with Sander and Els. I cannot say enough positive things about this bike and barge. I have been planning this trip for 8 years, so there were very high expectations that had to be met, which they successfully accomplished. The barge was very cozy with wonderful food served daily, including traditional dutch cuisine. The bikes (Gazelle) were great in traditional dutch style. Our guide was knowledgeable and kept us on pace of a very full 5 day schedule. I highly recommend this trip if you are looking for an adventure and to experience the country in true Dutch style. I know I will be back to explore more of this beautiful country, hopefully aboard the La Belle Fleur for another adventure.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Peg Hanson 2 years ago

    I had a wonderful experience with Sander, Els, and Arie (sp). The food was amazing, the bikes were comfortable and efficient..enjoyed the walking tours and all the history information. Would recommend to anyone that wants a comfortable easy tour.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Shirley Stephens 2 years ago

    We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and had no glitches. I would like to recommend the barge and bike trip around Amsterdam thru the US affiliate, "TripSite". The office was very helpful, pleasant and efficient. The information offered prior to the trip was excellent and unexpectedly thorough including a history of the history of the Netherlands! The excursion did not disappoint. The barge was compact, as expected but clean and comfortable. Most notably, the food was OUTSTANDING. The wife of the captain is an excellent cook and offered a different, interesting 3 course fair nightly. The passengers complimented her frequently after the meal and gave her special applause at the end. As promised we were offered coffee and cake just before disembarking. An extra detail but so nice for closure.The guide on our bike tour was fluent in English and happy to answer all questions. He was thoroughly knowledgeable in the bike routes, taking short a cut through the tulip fields because they had were largely harvested due to the very early spring. This allowed us an extra half hour at the OUTSTANDING Keukenhof Gardens. There was a medical emergency while we were biking necessitating an ambulance. He handled it efficiently without alarm. He and the captain called for taxis for those of us needing them at disembarkation and gave directions to trains, etc for others. They stayed around until all were on their way. One of us talked to a local bartender in Leiden while using WiFi there. He asked what boat we were on and offered that it was "the best". He asked about the food. When we said it was outstanding, he offered that passengers from other boats had complained about their food onboard. Feel free to share our experience with anyone interested in such a tour in the future. Thanks again for your help.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • D.W. 3 years ago

    Our Tulip Tour in Netherlands was the most fun I've had on a vacation in years. Although there was a super small group, our guide, Lia, and the crew, Sander and Els, treated us incredibly well. The weather was cold, but we rode bikes every day, and even though it was too cold to see tulips, we managed to enjoy ourselves the whole time. Lia was so knowledgeable about the people, lore, history, politics, and engineering of Holland that she made every moment come alive. One thing that surprised me were the many monuments to WWII and she explained the history and its impact on the people. In addition to the planned excursions, we were able to enjoy a few spontaneous stops along the way. With such a small group we found ourselves all together more than might have been expected, and never once did it feel as if anybody was bored with seeing the same few faces every day. Our crew were simply fantastic, telling us about the boat, the rivers in Europe, the locks we passed through, and the villages we stayed in along the way. The food was terrific, and even though the chef was a vegetarian, she prepared wonderful dishes that included meat with each meal. And the desserts each night were delicious. I've been thinking about this trip a lot ever since we came home, and I would be so glad to do it again. Marvelous vacation!

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

  • Jill Nicholas 3 years ago

    We had a wonderful week, despite the strong winds which made cycling more difficult. The tour guide was excellent and very supportive of any problems. The very late spring meant that we didn't see any flowering tulip fields, but the fields of daffodils and hyacinths more than made up for it. The crew of the Eva Josiena could not have been more welcoming.

    Boat: La Belle Fleur

     Reply

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Tulip Tour - 5 day Boats + Barges

Fluvius Photo

Fluvius Belgium, Netherlands Comfort Plus Class Boat The MS Fluvius can accommodate 36 guests. There are a total of 19 cabins with a shower and toilet, 2 low beds, air-conditioning, and individual adjustable ventilation system. 3 of these cabins are situated on the upper deck and 16 cabins are on the lower deck, 2 of which are single cabins. The salon with a bar is a large room for common use and has a semi-separate restaurant area. On the large, and partially roofed sun deck of the 70-meter long ship are comfortable tables and chairs along with a storage room for the bikes. The ship sails under the Dutch flag and has been sailing in Holland and Germany for many years.

La Belle Fleur Photo

La Belle Fleur Netherlands Comfort Class Boat The La Belle Fleur was built in 1929 and converted into a passenger ship in 1993. The former inland freighter, which has been restored into a hotel barge, is 44 meters long. The boat features cabins for 19 guests, a tastefully designed lounge area, and an expansive sun deck complete with tables and benches.

Magnifique Photo

Magnifique Netherlands Comfort Plus Class Boat The boat is 63 meters long and will be able to accommodate 32 guests. Other features include a beautiful salon with a spacious bar, a sun deck equipped with comfortable chairs, and a small whirlpool to relax in at the end of a long day of cycling. Delicious meals are served daily in the restaurant area.

Magnifique II Photo

Magnifique II Belgium, Netherlands Comfort Plus Class Boat In 2016, we saw the launch of a new premium barge, the Magnifique II, to wonderful reviews. The ship boasts a classical style with emphasis on superior comfort. Highlights of the barge include 4 upper deck suites, with cozy seating area, and lovely large panoramic windows. This ship has earned the premium designation!

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