8 Day Green Heart of Holland Guided

Start Point

Amsterdam

End Point

Amsterdam

Days

8 days & 7 nights

Price Per Person

EUR 0.00 Twin/EUR 0.00 Single


Tour Description

NOTE : DUE TO VARIOUS OPTIONS AND GROUP SIZES END BIKE OPTIONS ARE THESE SAIL & BIKE TOURS ON REQUEST PLEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION OR DEPARTURES PLEASE  CONTACT US ON CONCIERGE@ABOVE-5.COM 

During this eight days/seven-night, tour on board of the charming barge Lena Maria you will discover the ‘Green Heart’ of Holland by bike, a region steeped in history, natural attractions, world-famous cities and beautiful scenery.

Along the way, you will visit historical cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Leiden and Gouda. You will discover many culturally historic attractions and, more importantly, you will be able to immerse yourself in the heart of this fascinating and very Dutch part of Holland.

Also, if you are an art lover, you will enjoy the visits to Leiden, Haarlem and Delft where painters such as Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Vermeer lived and worked. But far from just being about big cities and Dutch history, this tour is also about the picturesque villages and beautiful scenery of the ‘green lung’ districts of the central part and South-Holland province. One thing is certain: by the end of the tour, you will not only go home with a new-found appreciation for bike and barge cruising but for everything that is Dutch.

A bonus during this tour is the fact that the Lena Maria docks in and around the city center of the various cities and villages visited at the end of each day’s cycling, giving you the opportunity to visit and explore at your leisure at night.

Day 1 Amsterdam

Place visiting
Center Of Amsterdam
Today's Highlights

Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board are from 2 p.m. in the center of Amsterdam.

After unpacking your luggage in your cabin you will still have plenty of time to explore this famous city.

Treat yourself to a canal tour, visit one or more museums or simply do some shopping.

An introduction to the tour will take place at 5.30 p.m., during which the crew will be presented and your first dinner on board will be served; your rental bicycles will also be distributed at this time.

Description

 For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!!

Day 2 Amsterdam – Zaandam

Place visiting
Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Haarlem (40 km/24 mi. or 55 km/34 mi.)
Today's Highlights

After a short cruise on board the Lena Maria, you are finally off and cycling today after first visiting the lovely open-air museum ‘Zaanse Schans’ in Zaandam where an authentic 18th and 19th-century Dutch village has been reconstructed. In the museum, you will learn about iconic Dutch traditions such as windmills and cheese and clog making.

You will then cycle to Haarlem where celebrated portraitist and genre painter Frans Hals lived and worked in the 16th century.

In the evening you can stroll through the lovely city center and the Grote Markt (market square).

If preferred, today’s cycling tour can also be extended with a visit to the sea locks of IJmuiden and the Kennemer Dunes.

During this cycling tour, you can visit some forts of the Defense Line of Amsterdam (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Description

For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!! 

Day 3 Haarlem - Leiden

Place visiting
North Sea coast – Leiden (42 km/25 mi. or 50 km/34 mi.)
Today's Highlights

After enjoying breakfast with your newfound cycling friends, you will pedal today along the North Sea coast through seaside dunes via the resorts of Noordwijk and Katwijk aan Zee to the vibrant university city of Leiden, the birthplace of celebrated artist Rembrandt van Rijn.

The city’s picturesque old city center is crisscrossed with canals lined by beautiful 17th-century buildings and is very definitely a must to see.

The longer cycling tour leads you from Haarlem to Cruquius (steam engine museum) and Hillegom (several flower nurseries) to Leiden.

Description

For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!!

Day 4 Leiden – Delft

Place visiting
Delft (35 km/22 mi. or 41 km/34 mi.)
Description

From Leiden you will cycle to Delft, famous for its Blue porcelain (Delftware), where you will have the opportunity to visit a porcelain studio. Another major attraction in the beautiful city center of Delft is the royal crypt of the House of Orange. The longer cycling tour brings you to seaside resort Scheveningen and to The Hague, where you can visit the Binnenhof (Parliament) and the Peace Palace (Vredespaleis) and then continues to end in Delft.

Day 5 Delft – Rotterdam

Place visiting
Kinderdijk – Schoonhoven – Gouda (several options from 23 km/15 mi. to 66 km/41 mi.)
Description

This morning you will sail from Delft on the Lena Maria through the remarkable international port of Rotterdam.  From here you can start cycling or you can hop on the “Waterbus”, a fast ferry that will bring you and your bicycle over the river in 30-40 minutes to Alblasserdam. From there you cycle just a few miles to Kinderdijk, world famous for an impressive row of 19 large windmills. These 19 windmills have a UNESCO cultural heritage listing and are a definite highlight – you will have the opportunity to visit one so don’t forget to bring your camera! From Kinderdijk you will cycle directly to the cheese city of Gouda, or if you prefer, on a longer tour via the silver city of Schoonhoven to Gouda, your destination for the day.

Day 6 Gouda – Kudelstaart

Place visiting
Kudelstaart (45 km/28 mi or 55 km/34 mi)
Description

The highlight of today’s cycling tour is the naturally idyllic beauty of the South Holland landscape. Your destination for the day is the village of Kudelstaart where the Lena Maria will be waiting for you. Along the way you will cycle along numerous small canals and past picture-perfect farms and small villages. At the mooring place on the banks of the Westeinder Plassen (‘West End’ lakes) there is a beautiful view to savor while enjoying a wine during or after dinner.

Day 7 Kudelstaart

Place visiting
Aalsmeer – Amsterdam (30 km/19 mi. or 37 km/23 mi.)
Description

If you are keen for an early start to the day you can visit the largest trade centre for plants and flowers in the world at Aalsmeer (optional extra, not included). The market is a hive of activity; it is guaranteed that you will never have seen so many flowers in the one place. After a late breakfast you can either stay on board the Lena Maria as it cruises through the City of Amsterdam to its mooring place or you can cycle into the city through the city park ‘Amsterdamse Bos’ or along the Amstel river. Once you reach Amsterdam take the opportunity during the afternoon and evening to go for a canal cruise, discover Anne Frank’s House, the Rembrandt House Museum, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and Dam Square, the very center and heart of the city.

Day 8 Amsterdam

Place visiting
End of your tour
Description

Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.

Good to know

Place visiting
-
Description

Parts that are printed in italics parts will be covered by the ship.

All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours. The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.

  • The daily cycling tours will be accompanied by a knowledgeable and multi-lingual tour leader.
  • During the days when 2 bicycle options are possible, the tour leader will make a choice for the longer or the shorter option together with the group.
  • Not all mentioned highlights will be visited during the short bike option.
  • You can also choose to ride individually with the help of a map and route notes (available on board). GPS tracks will be sent to you 4 weeks before the start date of the tour.
  • In case you prefer a day of rest, you can skip the bike tour and relax on board while cruising to the next town.
  • On the arrival day is it possible to bring your luggage on board from 11 a.m.

Included in this tour

Place visiting
Included in this tour
Description

8 days/7 nights

7 x breakfast

Packed lunches

7 x 3-course dinner

Coffee and tea on board

Welcome drink

Use of bed linen and towels

1 x cleaning of the cabin during the tour

Daily briefings by the tour leader

Fully guided cycling tours

Fees for ferries

Maps and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)

GPS tracks

Use of a waterproof pannier bag

Wi-Fi

Excluded in this tour

Place visiting
Excluded in this tour
Description

Drinks

Bicycle rental or E-bike rental

Helmet rental

Personal insurances

Gratuities (at your discretion)

Entrance fees and excursions

Transfers to/from the docking place

Parking fees

Additional options & information

Place visiting
Additional options & information
Description

Rental bicycle

Canal cruise Amsterdam: Ticket for a 1-hour canal cruise through Amsterdam 

Parking in Amsterdam

Map of Green Heart of Holland

Place visiting
Find your way
Description

For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!!

About this ship:Lena Maria

Place visiting
She brings you from city to city
Today's Highlights

The Lena Maria started her second life as a passenger barge in 2006. This ship was built by Hans de Lange who had previously built and operated similar vessels. The Lena Maria is a very comfortable ship, ideal for bike and barge tours in the Netherlands and very popular on the Hanseatic tour.

Description of the cabins
The Lena Maria has twelve spacious twin cabins (10,5 m² – 113 sq.ft.) with two separate beds. Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. Windows can be opened and the cabins have ventilation and central heating. Furthermore, you will find a hair dryer in each cabin.

Description of the ship
On the upper deck of the Lena Maria you will find the cozy lounge with the bar and dining area. Wi-Fi is available. The barge also has a beautiful sundeck, where you can have a drink. On nice evenings, or while cruising, you can enjoy the scenery from here.

Facts about the ship
Length:           45 m (148 ft.)
Width:             6,6 m (22 ft.)
Crew:              3
Cabins:           12
Pass.:              24 (max.)

Description

For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!!

AVAILABILITY

Place visiting
This Green Heart of Holland is always popular and in high demand
Today's Highlights

As this is one of the Green Heart of Holland what cover most of the famous sights around Amsterdam and popular places is always in high demand

11  May departure still open for booking

15 June  has still limited availability

22  June departure still open for booking

August 31 fully booked ,  Sorry

Its always possible to drop us a mail in order to see dates or other availabilities on other tours.

But there are options for group departures on request as well, Group means maximum 24  Person please drop our Concierge a mail in order to see what are the option.

TheGreen Heart of Holland are the best ways to see holland on the best way and experience the details of the live of the friendly Dutch people.

 

Description

For more information please contact our concierge@above-5.com or concierge@above5stars.com or chat with us via our website chat !!!