Programme

 Day 1 

Saturday Amsterdam    

Individual arrival at Amsterdam embarkation at 16.00 hours, round tour by bike from the boat, approx. 20 km Back on board, after the bike ride, the programme for the next day and the rest of the week.

Day 2

Sunday Amsterdam – Haarlem  (47 km)

You disembark the ship and take a ferry across the IJ where the cycling starts in the Amsterdam-Noord district. Leaving the city behind you pedal through the recreation area 't Twiske (a 650 hectares' area, one third of which is water) to the 'Zaanse Schans'. The Zaanse Schans, with its traditional weatherboard houses, warehouses and windmills may give you the feeling of stepping back into the 17th or 18th century. Yet this is no open air museum, but a lively neighbourhood where people live and work. Further on to Haarlem , that offers you many interesting sites from the 17th century.

Day 3

Monday Haarlem - Leiden (48 km)

Today starts with a short tour on bike through the centre of Haarlem, allowing a better look at 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'. In summer you continue through the dunes to the beach, in springtime you can cycle through the bulb field area to the Keukenhof, a 32 hectares' park where every spring (March-May) the very best and most beautiful bulb flowers are shown to the world. The night is spent in Leiden, a historic city with many little courtyards, façades and historical buildings built between the 15th and 18th century.

Day 4

Tuesday Leiden - Delft   (49 km)

You leave the city of Leiden in a southerly direction and cycle along the Vliet canal. In Voorschoten you turn westwards towards the coastline. At 'Wassenaarse Slag' you can take a break on the beach. The route to Delft takes you along the water once again. The old centre of Delft is well worth a visit. 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!

Day 5

Wednesday Delft – visiting the Hague (Den Haag)

The city of the Hague has an international character with its wide avenues, parks and stately mansions. Possible visits are the Peace Palace, the ‘Binnenhof’ with the 13th-century ‘Ridderzaal’ (Knights’Hall),the famous paintings by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Rubens in the Mauritshuis of the largest panoramic, circular painting in the world Panorama Mesdag.

Day 6

Thursday Delft – sailing to Rotterdam, Kinderdijk – cycling to Schoonhoven/Vianen  (44 or 52 km.)

The first part of today's route will be sailed through the centre of Rotterdam, thus giving you the best view of the modern architecture of this port. Your cycling day starts in Kinderdijk and then takes you through the Alblasserwaard, situated between rivers and showing you a wide scenery of 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. Their jobs have almost been taken over by electric pumping stations. After a visit to one of the mills you will continue on bike. Via the 'storks' village' of Groot-Ammers you cross the river Lek and enter Schoonhoven renowned for its silver industry. The short route then mainly follows the Lek until Vianen, the somewhat longer route goes along the idyllic little river Vlist via Haastrecht to Oudewater. One more river crossing takes you into Vianen, a small, old, fortified town where we spend the night.

Day 7

Friday Vianen  - Amsterdam (42 km)

While having a breakfast cruise you pass through the dramatic locks in the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. Disembarkation in Breukelen, the charming town that rendered its name to Brooklyn, the well-known New York district. The final stretch takes you along meandering waterways and through smaller and larger villages. The diverse scenery of this route is very picturesque. On the river Vecht numerous 17th-century country houses for the upper middle class of those days can be seen. Elegant gazebos or 'teahouses' mark the corners of the spacious gardens on the water front. You cycle through Vreeland, Loenen and Nieuwersluis. Loenen is definitely one of the most beautiful towns upon the Vecht. Nieuwersluis is mainly known for the Willem III Kazerne, a military detention place. Before you know it you 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 centre. Then it is time to say goodbye to your bike. Before the fare-well dinner you may want to go for a walk in town. At night you may want to take a canal trip or go on a city walk through the centre of the city.

Day 8

Saturday Departure after breakfast

Period

Standard April 21; May 19 and 26; June 09, 16  and 30; July 7 and 14; August 18 and 25; September 1; Relax April 7, 14, 21 and 28; May 19 and 26; June 2, 16, 23 and 30; July 14, 21 and 28; August 4, 11, 18 and 25; September 1, 8, 15 and 22

Level 1/2

easy and flat itineraries. A tour suitable for all. The difference in altitude is less than 100 meters. the itineraries are all flat and often on bike paths. However the wind can be insidious and slow you down.   

Prices 2012

standard plus AA*

Per person in 2 berth cabin doppia  € 710,00 p.p.

2 berth cabin single use    € 940,00

3 berth cabin p.p. € 680,00

standard plus LM*

Per person 2 berth cabin  € 730,00 p.p.

2 berth cabin single use  € 960,00  

3 berth cabin p.p.  € 700,00

Reduction

0-2 years gratis; 3-11 years 30 % (*if child is travelling together with at least 1 one full-paying person)

Partecipants

minimum 12 persons