Southern tour bike and boat on Liza Marleen

Cycling cruise on the Southern Netherlands route on the Liza Marleen

Discover the green and cultural heart of the Netherlands by bike. Take a step back in time, to the 17th century and imagine yourself in the center of Haarlem, Leiden or Delft In historic towns you can visit museums (Vermeer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh), go shopping or have a drink. On board the Zwaan, you will see one of the largest seaports in the world, Rotterdam. Then, discover the eighteen mills of Kinderdijk, built around 1750 and essential for the polders. A visit to Amsterdam is also to be expected on the southern route!

Highlights of the stay :

• Historic towns Haarlem, Leiden, Delft
• Gouda, city of cheese
• Rotterdam harbor
• The 18 windmills of Kinderdijk

Day 1 - Amsterdam

Amsterdam, boarding at 2 p.m. and navigation to Spaarndam then bike to Haarlem. 15 km
On board, you can leave your belongings in the cabin and then enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Now is the time to get to know the guide, the captain and his crew as well as your fellow travelers.
This first river trip takes you to Spaarndam where you cycle your first kilometers to the beautiful city of Haarlem. Back on board, the program for the next day as well as the rest of the week will be detailed for you at dinner time.

Day 2 - Haarlem - over the dunes - Leiden. 38/48 km

Today, exploring the streets of Haarlem, You can visit the "Cruquius Gemaal" (Cruquius pumping station): one of the three steam pumping stations that regulated the level of Lake Haarlemmer between 1849 and 1852. You can then pedal along the dunes to the beach.

Day 3 - Leiden - Delft. 41 km   

You leave the city heading south and drive along the Vliet canal. In Voorschoten you head west towards the coast “Wassenaarse Slag”. You can get to the beach by Meijendel in the south or by Wassenaar in the north direction. The route to Delft takes you along the canals to the ancient medieval city and the royal tomb in the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church).

Day 4 - Delft

Free day, do your program as you wish. You can stay in Delft to explore the old center and / or visit The Hague by getting there by bus.
Delft is a beautiful city to walk around, famous for the blue color of its pottery. You can learn more about the painter Vermeer at the Vermeer center or visit the Nieuwe Kerk. From the Nieuwe Kerk, the view is impressive for a large part of your route!

Day 5 - Delft - navigation to Rotterdam / Kinderdijk - then bike to Gouda. 42 km

The first part of the route is by river to admire the modern architecture of the center of Rotterdam as well as its port. The cycle route starts in Kinderdijk and takes you to the Alblasserwaard region. This region is completely surrounded by water and takes its name from the river that crosses it: Alblas. The significant number of floods have made water management an essential element in this marsh.
The long route passes through the "stork village" of Groot-Ammers, crosses the river Lek and enters Schoonhoven, a town known for its silver industry. The route ends in Gouda. Who says Gouda, does not only say cheese but also "stroopwafels" (Dutch wafers), pottery, or even stained glass.

Day 6 - Gouda - Oude Wetering. 45 km

From Gouda you continue your journey through country lanes, canals, polders, to Uithoorn. In this region people used to depend on agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture is becoming more and more difficult due to subsidence of soils.
A polder was built. Around 1885, several fortifications were built around Uithoorn, as part of the defense line of Amsterdam. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a nearly 135 km circle of fortifications around Amsterdam.

Day 7 - Oude Wetering - Amsterdam. 45 km

Today you ride in the polders and along the Waver and Amstel rivers. The name Amsterdam, derived from Amstelredamme, indicates that the city was originally a dam (dam) of the Amstel.
You enter Amsterdam by following the Amstel. The wide network of cycle paths ensures an easy and pleasant return to the city, as well as the discovery of remarkable sites in the center.
Now is the time to leave your bikes. Before and / or after the farewell dinner, you can take a walk in the city center or navigate the canal thanks to the many boats offering this service.

Day 8 - Amsterdam

The stay ends with breakfast before 10 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 : 

Departure from Amsterdam

• On 17/07 and 14/08
• Low season : 17/07
• Mid season : 14/08

Included :

• Full board stay (picnic lunch)
• Travel documents : we will provide you with the information relating to the progress of your stay as well as the itinerary upon validation of your reservation, subject to change.
• Guided loop tour

Not included :

• Transport to the place of departure
• Personal expenses
• Visits

Options :

• Bike rental (helmet included)
• Theft insurance for rented bikes
• Cancellation insurance
• Extra night(s) at the start or end of the tour in a hotel in Amsterdam

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 49 km of cycling per day, or about 3 to 4 hours of cycling.

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 7-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.

Cancellation insurance :

In order to guarantee the refund of costs in the event of cancellation of your stay, you can take out cancellation insurance. 

Boat description : click here.