Saturday: Arrival at 2 PM; biking to Purmerend, 20 km
When you arrive on board the ship you can put your luggage away in your cabin and then enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It is also a good moment to become acquainted with the guide, skipper and crew, and of course your fellow passengers. Your bicycle will be handed out to you and you can join a short tour on bike from the ship's berth through the quieter parts of the city heading north. This route takes you through the Dutch ‘Waterland’ region (Waterland). The villages and houses stand on ground that is virtually level with the surrounding water. The soil is peaty and soggy. It is a region with a characteristic and age-old Dutch landscape. The polder landscape is scattered with ditches, waterways, drawbridges, mills, historic villages and most of all: wooden houses. You stay the night in the city of Purmerend.

Sunday: Purmerend – Schagen, 45 or 25 km
Today’s stage takes you through the 'droogmakerij' ‘Beemster.with the 17th century towns of Schermerhorn, Graft and De Rijp. A 'droogmakerij' is a specific type of polder: a (part of a) lake around which first a dike was built and which was then reclaimed or impoldered. Graft and De Rijp are two proud, typical 17th century villages that enjoyed great prosperity at the heyday of the fishing and whaling industries. Through Alkmaar, also called the City of Cheese, you will cycle to Schagen, it is also possible to embark in Alkmaar and sail the last part.

Monday: Schagen -Tulip garden- Alkmaar, 70 or 50 km
From Schagen you will cycle trough the dunes; in this area you will find the most beautiful part. In Anna Paulowna, the centre of the largest tulip areas in the Netherlands you will visit a tulip garden where you can learn all there is to know about tulips and tulip growing. Your destination for today is Alkmaar, also called the City of Cheese. A little less than 400 heritage sites, canals and the harbour dominate the townscape. 

Tuesday: Alkmaar – Zaanse Schans - Haarlem, 50 km
Today you have time to pay a visit to the Zaanse Schans, a unique hamlet where people live and work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area. The hamlet is dominated by three operating windmills, the oldest built in 1673, for grinding  mustard, spices, paint and oil and for sawing wood into planks. As you walk through the village you will see a clock museum, an old-fashioned grocery store, a house with period furniture, a clog maker and a cheese farm. From the Zaanse Schans you sail to Haarlem. Haarlem, which rendered its name to Harlem, New York, is a lively city with good  shopping possibilities. At the same time there are many interesting 17th-century sights here.

Wednesday: Haarlem – Keukenhof - Leiden, 45 km
Today you visit the Keukenhof gardens, the most beautiful spring park in the world. Keukenhof is the place where the spring breaks. An overwhelming blaze of colours of seven million flowering tulips, in a magnificent 80-acres' background of traditional and modern gardening architecture. The many blossoms, the flowering rhododendrons and azaleas are a feast to the eye! You spend the night in Leiden, which boasts 14 museums.

Thursday: Leiden – Kudelstaart, 45 km
Today you bike from Leiden to Kudelstaart: a small town bordered by the Westeinderplassen. You will go right through the green heart of Holland, an area with small cycle paths, lakes, small rivers, cows and cheese.

Friday: Kudelstaart – flower auction Aalsmeer – Amsterdam, 50 km
In the early morning you can visit one of the many flower auctions in Aalsmeer. Every day ‘Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer’ sets the world price for flowers and plants. This happens by bringing supply and demand together by means of the auction clock- a fascinating process during which large and small batches of flowers are sold within fractions of seconds. As a visitor to Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, you will walk over a specially designed gallery. Enjoy the gorgeous flowers, experience the hustle and bustle of auction. the flowers and plants that are sold at the auctions are exported all over the world. Afterwards you will cycle to Amsterdam.

Saturday: Day of Departure
Amsterdam, end of tour after breakfast.

One week not enough?
It is easy to combine the tours we offer. Even combining with a Bed & Bike tour is easy to do. These are self-guided biking tours staying at hotel accommodation. Duration of these tours is from 2 days up to 8 days.

Amsterdam City card
To people who would like to extend their bike holiday with a few days in Amsterdam, we offer in 2011 the 'I Amsterdam Card'. You can buy this card through us when reserving a bike tour.
The 'I amsterdam Card' consists of a chip-card, a public transport ticket,  a pocket guide and provides over 40 free and 50 discounted offers on major tourist attractions and restaurants. This card is comparable with a City Card offered in many European Cities.
Should you want more information about this card, please send us a message at information@cycletours.nl