Rhine and IJssel bike and boat - Zwaan

The Netherlands by bike and by boat, along the Rhine and the Ijssel on the Zwaan

Bike and boat trip through the typical landscapes of the Dutch countryside. This circuit goes through the center of the country on the banks of the Rhine and the Ijssel.

Highlights of the stay :

• Arnhem
• Deventer and Kampen, Hanseatic towns
• De Hoge Veluwe National Park
• The traditional costume of Spakenburg

Day 1 - Amsterdam

Boarding at 2 p.m., settling in your cabin and sailing on the Amsterdam-Rhine canal to Wijk bij Duurstede.
The week's program is transmitted to you during dinner.

Day 2 - Wijk bij Duurstede - Wageningen - Arnhem / 40 km

During your breakfast, you cruise to Wageningen. Try out the bikes and take the first route to the De Blauwe Kamer nature reserve (blue room), a paradise for bird watchers. You continue into the Hoge Veluwe National Park, 5,400 hectares of surprising natural wealth. You can visit the Kröller-Müller Museum, especially if you are a Van Gogh fan (a visit to the museum extends your journey by 20 km).
You pass through residential areas and pretty parks like Sonsbeek and Zijpendaal before arriving in central Arnhem. The city suffered much damage during the Second World War.
Arnhem is known as the "Park City" largely because of its century-old parks, which stretch
in the city center.

Day 3 - Arnhem - Doesburg - Zutphen / 45 km

You leave the Rhine and continue along the IJssel following the Hanze Route (Hanseatic Towns Tour), a signposted cycle route. The village of Doesburg but especially the tiny town of Bronkhorst, the smallest town in the Netherlands, are to be discovered.
Then continue to Zutphen or take a slightly longer route to admire the picturesque mansions and rural estates of Vorden.
During dinner, the Zwaan sails to Deventer, where you can take a guided walking tour. Between 1000 and 1500, the city developed thanks to its port. Deventer was a member of the Hanseatic League. The monumental buildings bear witness to its historical richness.

Day 4 - Deventer - Zwolle / 48 km

Start the day with a circuit along the banks of the IJssel before taking a ferry across the river. You can visit the charming Hanseatic town of Hattem.
If you wish, you can extend the stage with a detour to the east of Veluwe. In this mainly forested natural region, the cycle paths take you through peaceful villages. It is also possible to follow the IJssel to reach Zwolle. This Hanseatic city reached its heyday in the second half of the 15th century.
During dinner, the boat sails to Kampen, which you can visit on foot. Kampen is the most important Hanseatic city in the Netherlands, with a long tradition of trade and navigation and more than 500 monuments.
Do not miss: the Saint-Nicolas church and the city gates. You can also admire a replica of a medieval merchant ship.

Day 5 - Kampen - Elburg - Harderwijk / 44 km

In the morning, the boat sails to Harderwijk. You cross the Randmeren, the lakes between the large, recently built polders and the Veluwe. The Flevopolder and the Noordoostpolder were built on the bottom of the IJsselmeer. Today, the two large polders are home to more than 400,000 inhabitants.
Harderwijk is a former fishing port. In the 16th century, the city had the largest fish market in the Zuiderzee. It is a fascinating city to explore.
Take the opportunity to take a bike ride around one of the Randmeren, Lake Veluwe.

Day 6 - Harderwijk - Spakenburg / 45 km

Today there are two two options:

• bike ride along the shores of the lake
• Slightly longer alternative where you enjoy the lake and adjacent forests.

You spend the night in Spakenburg, a former fishing port. It is one of the last places in the Netherlands where women still wear the traditional costume.

Day 7 - Spakenburg - Amsterdam / 35 km

After breakfast, you can go by bike or by boat to Huizen.
From Huizen you cycle to the walled towns of Naarden and Muiden, famous for their historic castles.
Then you take quiet roads to the city of Amsterdam. The afternoon and evening are spent in Amsterdam. Take the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, Dam Square and its Royal Palace, or to take a canal excursion by riverboat (optional).

Day 8 - Amsterdam

Amsterdam, end of the trip after breakfast before 10:00 a.m.

Due to the navigation plan, the route may be reversed or changed.

General information :

• 8 days and 7 nights
• Comfort level of the barge : Comfort
• Child prices : please contact us

Dates :

Departures 2023 :

Departures on Saturdays 20/05, 27/05, 03/06, 10/06, 15/07 and 05/08/2023

Included :

• Full board (picnic lunch)
• Travel book: we will provide you with information about your stay and the itinerary upon validation of your reservation, subject to change.
• coffee and tea on board
• free wifi (limited to the lounge and the deck)
• accompanying guide
• at least 3 guided city walks
• roadmap (in English) 
• gps tracks on request

Not included :

• Transport to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits
• All that is not mentioned in the section “included”

Options :

• Bike rental (helmet included)
• Theft insurance for rented bikes
• Cancellation insurance

Level :

1 2 3 4 5 6

Ground :

Flat, very smooth roads and paths. 90% program on cycle paths.

Weather :

Contrary to popular belief, the temperature in the Netherlands is similar to the temperature in France. Near the coast, the weather is sometimes windy.

Technicality :

0 to 40 km of cycling per day, or about 3 to 4 hours of cycling. Easy route. No difficulties, accessible for anyone.

Bibliography :

Guide and maps about the Netherlands on cartovelo.fr

Participants :

On board, you will meet an international community of all ages, men, women, singles and couples with children. We offer boats with 20 to 26 places in cabins of 2 and 3 people.

Accompaniment :

People responsible for your bike and boat holidays are : 
On board, the captain and his mate. They are responsible for the smooth running of the vacation on the boat, and bring the boat from stage to stage. The cook prepares the meals.
Participants are accompanied by a guide. This will help you in the event of a breakdown, advise you on the route to follow and give you the necessary tourist information. He or she is multilingual.

Meals :

Breakfast : on board, you will find a substantial and dutch breakfast, worthy of a cyclist.
Lunch : after the breakfast, you will prepare by yourself a “lunch” (sandwich, fruit, snack, drinks).
Snack : after the daily route, you will find, when you arrive on the boat, various drinks such as tea and coffee prepared for your return, with a cake.
Dinner : at least three very good quality dishes. After dinner, you will have a choice of coffee and tea.
Other drinks, such as wine, beer, lemonade and mineral water, are not included but can be purchased on board at a reasonable price.

Bike :

At the beginning, on Saturday afternoon, a bike corresponding to your height, will be assigned to you. After a test ride, you will sign a receipt. The bike (21-speed bike) will be at your disposal all week until Friday afternoon, when the bike is handed over. The bike will be fitted with panniers as well as an anti-theft device, a container and a tire repair kit. If you prefer a 4-speed bike, please let us know (this must be specified when booking). It will not be possible to order a bicycle once on the boat. If you take your own bike, it cannot be insured against theft by our company, you will have to make the necessary arrangements with your usual insurer. Do not forget your anti-theft. The return of your bike will be at your expense.

Transport :

By train : the departure towns for the bike and boat tours are served by the railway.
Amsterdam train station is very well connected : several trains daily run to and from France.
Thalys is faster.
By plane : AMSTERDAM international airport.

Your vehicle : 

We strongly advise against parking cars on the streets of Amsterdam. Information on guarded parking lots in the city can be found on the website Parking Centrum Oosterdok.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the refund of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. To learn more, please click here.

Boat description : click here.