Along the North Sea - a Tulip Tour
Netherlands Bike Tours
A bike tour in the heart of tulip country
- Tour Type
- Skill Level
- Length4–7 days
- Prices from€324 Rates
- Book This Trip
Overview
Did you know that the North Sea Cycle Route is the world's longest signed international cycle route, passing through 7 countries?
This bike tour in Holland focuses on the polder land of the North Sea and then also leads into the lovely inland. You will be based in Noordwijk aan Zee, founded around 1200 as a fishing village, and the perfect setting for a cycling holiday all year round!
During tulip season, the area around Noordwijk is an important region for the bulb flower industry. In the past, the dunes were dug out and today have been transformed into fields for the cultivation of tulips and other bulb flowers. Add to your tulip themed experience by visiting the Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, one of the world's largest flower gardens. Keukenhof will be open from Saturday, March 20 to Sunday, May 9, 2021.
Highlights
- Tulip fields and Keukenhof (during Tulip Season)
- Versatile region of Noordwijk
- Endless sandy beaches and dunes of the North Sea
- Fishing route and villages
- Wonderful cycling infrastructure
A full list of all of our bike tours in the Netherlands can be found here.
Itinerary
This tour is very flexible in regards to length. Below you will find the routes that are available and you can choose based on your personal preference and length of stay.
Bulbfields Route (visit the Keukenhof), 23-27 mi.
This route is especially attractive during the Spring when a lot of the bulbs are in bloom. But also at other times of the year because of the wide variety of bulbs being grown, particularly in August and September when lots of dahlias and gladioluses are in full bloom. From Noordwijk, the route goes through the center of Noordwijkerhout, where you can visit the old little white church. Passing the Oosterduinse Lake (you can go for a swim during the summer) and along the Leidsevaart (canal), you’ll arrive at the bulb fields near Hillegom. Via a very narrow bike path along a small creek and over the historic Veenenburgerlaan (road), you will arrive at the Keukenhof (the famous annual flower show) near Lisse. Passing the old ruin of fortress Teylingen, you’ll arrive in Voorhout. On the way to Rijnsburg, you’ll follow de Elsgeester road through the Elsgeester polder (polder =land reclaimed from the sea) back to Noordwijk.Meijendel Route, 23-28 mi.
This route meanders over quiet bike paths through the dunes going south of Noordwijk and over the busy boulevard of the town of Katwijk to the water conservation area of Meijendel. At the 1.25 mile long boulevard in Katwijk, you will find the St. Andreas Church from the year 1572 and the light tower from 1605. It is one of the oldest in the country. During the summer months, you’ll find a “bomschuit” from 1911 in front of the lighthouse. The small version of this ship was used to fish for shrimp. Through the water conservation area, you’ll cycle to the rich region of Wassenaar-Zuid. Via the old town center, the route goes to the recreation area of the Valkenburgse Meer (meer=lake). Here you can visit the Railroad Museum. Following the “Oude Rijn” (Old Rhine), you’ll cycle through the center of Rijnsburg and via the Elsgeesterpolder (polder = reclaimed land) back to Noordwijk.Vlietland Route, 32-37 mi.
Going South, your itinerary leads hrough dunes and brings you to Katwijk and Wassenaar. You will pass the castle Duivenvoorde if you follow the description to visit the castle. Following the Vliet (a canal) you reach the recreation area of the Vlietland. Going straight through the University city of Leiden back to Noordwijk. You have the opportunity to leave the route and visit the old center of Leiden. *The first extension makes a detour through the center of Leidschendam and follows the Vliet (canal) until the drawbridge. *The second extension from the drawbridge directs you to the recreation area of Vlietland. Besides an excellent view over the lake with its water birds, you can run into Scottish Highlanders as well. (cattle). These two extensions give you the opportunity to cycle 32.1 or 35.7 miles. And with the two extensions, a total of 36.9 miles.Wijde AA Route, 38 mi.
You cycle via Noordijkerhout and the bulb fields near Lisse to the “Rooversbroekpolder” (polder = reclaimed land). Cycling along the Ringvaart (canal) of the Haarlemmermeerpolder and along the Braassemermeer (meer=lake), you will arrive at the little ferry over the Paddegat. You’ll reach Woubrugge and soon the beautiful bike path, the “Wijde Aa” after which this route is named. You will see some old windmills near Hoogmade. Via Rijpwetering, through the scenic polders, you’ll arrive in Warmond and from there back to Noordwijk-binnen (an old historic center) and Noordwijk.Country Estates Route, 23-35 mi.
This route goes through the beautiful dunes south of Noordwijk to The Hague. The “Coepel” dunes lie between Noordwijk and Katwijk up until the “Wassenaarse Slag” and the nature reserve “Berkheide”, followed by the wooded water conservation area of “Meijendel”. You’ll cycle through The Hague, passing the Peace Palace, the Royal Palace Noordeinde and the “Binnenhof”. Then via the “Haagse Bos” (bos=forest), you’ll enter into Wassenaar, where you’ll continue the route. The country estates seen en route include De Wittenberg, Rust en Vrede, De Wiltzanck, Hartenkamp, Backershagen and the Pauw. The route will also pass the “Valkenburgse Meer”, a recreation area that also has the Railroad Museum. You’ll cycle along the “Oude Rijn” (Old Rhine River) to Katwijk aan de Rijn. Over the terrain of the “Van den Berghstichting” (an institution for people with a mental handicap), the route will bring you back to Noordwijk.Fisherman's Path, 11-30 mi.
You will cycle through the dunes, passing Langevelderslag, along the water conservation area of Amsterdam to Zandvoort. From there via the beautiful Fisherman's path, you bike to an area called “Kraantje Lek” and then through the rustic town of Aerdenhout. Riding further, you’ll pass the mansion of “Huis te Vogelenzang” and cycle through the bulb fields near De Zilk. Then via the dunes, you’ll ride back to Noordwijk.Westeinder Lakes Route, 32-43 mi.
From Noordwijk, you go North through the dunes to Zilk and around Vogelenzang to the estate “Oud Woestduin. Via the small forest “Groenendaal” you’ll reach the old center of Heemstede with its “Oude Slot”, a castle dating back to 1290. Past the large pumping house and the museum, “de Cruquius”, the route crosses “the Ringvaart” (a canal). You’ll pass the outskirts of Haarlem going to Vijfhuizen. From there you follow an old dike. Along this dike, you will find some fortifications, part of an old defense system around Amsterdam. In Aalsmeer, you will pass the Historic Garden and the Westeinder Lakes. Along the canals, the Amstel, and the Drecht you arrive at the Braassemer Lake where you will cross the canal, the Oude Wetering by ferry. Via the town, Nieuwe Wetering you follow the canal, the Ringvaart to the Buitenkaag. The route continues via Sassenheim and Voorhout back to Noordwijk.You can view all of our bike tours in Europe or look at our featured bicycle tours, specials, and news.
Accommodation
You will be accommodated In the 3 * Prominent Inn Hotel, the ideal base for your stay on the coast. Welcoming rooms, a stylish restaurant, extensive hotel facilities, and the personal service of the staff ensure that your stay in Noordwijk is an unforgettable experience.
Inclusions
What’s Included
- Accommodations for 3 or 6 nights
- 7-speed hybrid bicycle rental, 4 or 7 days
- Breakfasts
- Route descriptions & maps
- *GPS tracks available for download to maps.me (Highly recommended)
- *You must bring your own phone holder and battery pack
What’s Not Included
- Train ticket to Voorhout
- Taxi to Noordwijk
- Local tourist tax, approx. €3 per person/night
- Electric bicycle rental (3 available, advanced reservation required)
- Bike protection
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
2021
Arrival possible daily, year-round. The best time to see the tulips is early to mid-April.
Please Note
- Rates are based on double occupancy
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
2021
4 days/ 3 nights
Standard room: $ 505 £ 285 $ 503 € 324 NZ$ 542 kr 3329 $ 401 Including dinners: $ 129 £ 73 $ 129 € 83 NZ$ 139 kr 853 $ 103
Comfort room: $ 552 £ 311 $ 550 € 354 NZ$ 592 kr 3638 $ 438 Including dinners: $ 129 £ 73 $ 129 € 83 NZ$ 139 kr 853 $ 103
Sea view room: $ 602 £ 339 $ 599 € 386 NZ$ 646 kr 3966 $ 478 Including dinners: $ 129 £ 73 $ 129 € 83 NZ$ 139 kr 853 $ 103
7 days / 6 nights
Standard room: $ 880 £ 495 $ 876 € 564 NZ$ 944 kr 5795 $ 699 Including dinners: $ 257 £ 145 $ 256 € 165 NZ$ 276 kr 1695 $ 204
Comfort room: $ 649 £ 365 $ 646 € 416 NZ$ 696 kr 4275 $ 515 Including dinners: $ 257 £ 145 $ 256 € 165 NZ$ 276 kr 1695 $ 204
Sea view room: $ 1087 £ 612 $ 1,082 € 697 NZ$ 1166 kr 7162 $ 863 Including dinners: $ 257 £ 145 $ 256 € 165 NZ$ 276 kr 1695 $ 204
Extra Options
Electric bicycle rental (per day): $ 20 £ 11 $ 20 € 13 NZ$ 22 kr 134 $ 16
Extra nights
Standard room including bike rental: $ 125 £ 70 $ 124 € 80 NZ$ 134 kr 822 $ 99
Sea view room including bike rental: $ 148 £ 83 $ 147 € 95 NZ$ 159 kr 976 $ 118
Tourist tax payable on the spot approximately €3 per person/night.
Extra Info
Skill Level — Easy
This is an easy self-guided tour featuring flat terrain on designated bike paths. The daily distances can be adjusted.
Airport Info
Fly to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS).
Local Travel
From the Amsterdam Schiphol airport, you will take the train to Voorhout with a transfer in Leiden. You can purchase train tickets at the airport’s “Arrivals Hall” at the train ticket counter. The train terminal is located just down the escalator from the Arrivals Hall. The train from the airport to Voorhout is about 30 minutes and costs about €7,20/person, one-way, second class.
Climate
Please check local conditions prior to arrival. Holland is near or below sea level and experiences a Maritime climate influenced by the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean with relatively mild winters and summers that are not too hot. Holland has the perfect climate and soil for the Tulips.
Day of Rest
Since this is a based tour, you can pick any day to rest!
Remarks
Tulip season in Holland extends from the end of March to the beginning of May but is dependent on temperatures and the weather. We cannot predict the weather (we wish we could) so cannot predict when the peak season will be! The general consensus is that the best time to see the tulips in bloom in the fields is mid-April
> Bike pick up is not available on Sundays!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.Extra Stay
Extra nights possible by request.
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Tripsite.
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?
Photos
Reviews
Marlene Z.
2 years agoVerified Reviewer
Julie M.
3 years agoVerified Reviewer
D. Van Ruiten
5 years agoVerified Reviewer
Martha
6 years agoVerified Reviewer
philippa
9 years agoVerified Reviewer
Debbie
10 years agoVerified Reviewer
Tripsite Customer Reviews
Julie M.
3 years ago
Verified Reviewer
D. Van Ruiten
5 years ago
Verified Reviewer