Bike and Barge Tour in the Netherlands

Your bike and barge trip in the Netherlands begins in the charming town of Enkhuizen. After embarkation in the afternoon, you have the rest of the day to take a closer look at the small harbour town. Directly at the harbour, the Drommedaris catches your eye. The fortified gate dates back to the 16th century and once protected the harbour. Afterwards, explore the pretty old town with its canals, churches and cafés before returning to your ship.

Relax and start your first discovery tour today. You can organise it according to your own wishes. Explore Enkhuizen's hinterland with its countless canals and seemingly endless expanses, or sit back and relax on the town's own small beach. A visit to the Zuiderzee Museum is also recommended. The museum consists of an outdoor and indoor area. It mainly provides insights into the history of the Zuiderzee, which merged into today's IJsselmeer through dyking.

In the morning, let the fresh sea air blow around your nose as you sail across the IJsselmeer. When you arrive in Lemmer, you start a short trip through the western part of Friesland, the province of lakes, canals and canals. The shoreline stretches are perfect for a bike ride. You first reach the Tjeukemeer and then cycle back to Lemmer via Munnekeburen and Scherpenzeel. In Lemmer it is worth visiting the Woudagemaal. The world's largest steam pumping station still in operation has been used for over 100 years when water levels in the hinterland are too high and need to be pumped out.

Today's stage of your bike and barge trip in the Netherlands takes you along the south coast of the province of Friesland. With the IJsselmeer never far away, you cycle around the Sondeler Leien lake, cross the Rijsterbos forest area, pass the Mokkebank bird sanctuary and reach Stavoren. This is the oldest of the eleven Frisian towns and was the residence of the Frisian kings and later a Hanseatic town. By boat you cross over to Oudeschild on the island of Texel.

You will first spend your cycling day on Texel, the largest of the West Frisian Islands. You can plan your route according to your own taste. You can choose from routes of different lengths. Whichever you choose, you will not miss out on enjoying the varied landscape and the wildlife of Texel. Towards evening, you will sail from Oudeschild back to the mainland to the maritime town of Den Helder, which means Gateway to Hell. The harbour, ships and ship museums still characterise the town today.

With the North Sea in view, you cycle through the wind-swept dunes to Alkmaar. As the ship docks in Sint Maartensvlotbrug, you can also cycle only the first part of the stage. Alkmaar awaits you with a picturesque old town and many small museums. The charming cheese market is not only famous in Holland. Cheese has been tasted, weighed and sold on the market square since 1622.

There is still time for a leisurely stroll through Alkmaar before you set off by boat to Wormerveer. From there you cycle via the open-air museum Zaanse Schans with its historic windmills towards Volendam. Via the traditional fishing village of Volendam you cycle along the Markermeer via the small town of Hoorn to your destination Enkhuizen. 

After breakfast and disembarkation (until 9 a.m.), your bike and barge tour in the Netherlands already comes to an end.