Holland by bike and sailboat on the Tulip Route

Do you want to live a unique and unforgettable experience? The discovery of the Tulip Route in the Netherlands by bike and aboard a sailboat will keep these promises. This Holland bike trip invites you to experience the blooming tulips in spring starting from the city of Amsterdam or Zaanse Schans. You will have the opportunity to visit the Keukenhof Gardens and admire the polders as you pass through picturesque towns and villages.
Points of interest during your stay in Holland:
- Keukenhof Gardens
- Amsterdam
- lake Ijsselmeer
- Alkmaar and Enkhuizen
- the polders
Day 1 - Amsterdam to Volendam
You are expected on the sailing boat Wapen Fan Fryslân between 1 and 2 pm. The crew will welcome you with coffee and tea.
At 14:30 the ship leaves the port of Amsterdam. During the sailing to Volendam, the guide will give you all the information about the trip, cycling and safety procedures in the Netherlands.
At the end of the afternoon, you can try out your bike. After your dinner on board, you will follow the guide for a walk through the center of Volendam, a picturesque village on the shores of Lake Ijsselmer.
Day 2 - Volendam to Hoorn (28 km) - sailing between Hoorn and Enkhuizen
On this first day of cycling, a hearty breakfast will be followed by a bike ride to Hoorn, a former city of the Dutch East India Company, which in the 17th century was one of the world's major ports.
On the way, you will pass through Edam, known for its famous cheese, covered with red or yellow wax.
If this beautiful village is famous for its cheese, it was once a very active port. Sailors took wheels of Edam cheese on their voyages to trade for spices and other riches from the Orient.
Later in the afternoon, you will join the ship to sail to Enkhuizen, a town with centuries of maritime tradition. You can spend some time exploring the "city of herring", its old harbor and the historic city center.
Day 3 - Enkhuizen to Oudeschild - full day sailing
Today, your ship will set sail for the port of Oudeschild on the island of Texel. You will be able to help with the navigation and the hoisting of the sails. No previous sailing experience is necessary. Of course, you can also relax and enjoy the sailing and the landscape along the IJsselmeer. During the sailing, you will enjoy a hearty lunch on board.
Day 4 - Oudeschild to Den Helder | Texel Wadden Island: round trip (43 km/29 mi. to 48 km/26 mi.)
This day invites you to discover the island of Texel by bike. You will pass through charming nature parks, and even on Texel, you will ride through fields of flowers! The markers lead you through picturesque fields and villages to the Ecomare seal sanctuary. At the end of your bike ride, you can taste a well-deserved local beer during a visit to the small brewery near Oudeschild.
In the late afternoon, the boat will take you back to the port of Den Helder.
Day 5 - Sailing from Den Helder to St. Maartensvlotburg - St. Maartensvolburg to Alkmaar by bike (33 or 55 km)
The first part of your cycling tour will take you to the north of Holland. This piece of land wedged between the North Sea and the IJsselmeer is home to the largest field of flower bulbs in the world!
Near Alkmaar, you will find beautiful tulip fields on your way to the North Sea. Thesandy beach is one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands. Nearby, you can visit the village of Bergen.
The boat will be waiting for you in the historical center of Alkmaar. This city is well known as the city of Dutch cheese. As you walk through the streets, you will be surprised by the beauty of Alkmaar's old town, with its well-preserved 17th century buildings and narrow, winding canals.
Day 6 - Alkmaar - Keukenhof - Alkmaar - bus tour
Today you will enjoy a beautiful bus ride through Holland's oldest tulip fields to the famous Keukenhof Gardens, the most beautiful bulb park in the world. It presents a firework display of color with its seven million blooming tulips in a magnificent architectural ensemble of traditional and modern gardening. You will also be able to admire a varied array of hyacinths, daffodils and many other bright flowers. In the afternoon, the bus will take you back to Alkmaar.
Day 7 - Alkmaar to Zaanse Schans (42 km)
In the morning you will drive towards Egmond and Limmen and here again you will have the chance to drive through colorful tulip fields. Nearby you will visit the Hortus Bulborum, a unique museum-garden dedicated to the preservation of rare and historical bulbs.
Over 4,000 tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other special flowers are planted here. You then reach Zaanse Schans, a unique hamlet with native houses and windmills built next to the river Zaan. This tiny village is dominated by its working windmills - the oldest was built in 1673. They were used to grind mustard seeds, spices and paint components, extract vegetable oil and saw wood into boards.
Day 8 - End of the bike trip in Zaanse Schans
End of your trip on the Tulip Route. After breakfast you can disembark until 9:30 am.