Overwhelming colors of spring
In April and May we offer special tulip tours, centered around the Tulip theme. You will cycle amid countless hectares of spring flowers and tulips. And, of course, you visit the world-famous park The Keukenhof.
Overwhelming colors of spring in Holland
The lightest cycling holiday, covering largely flat terrain, suitable for everyone and people of all ages; with distances to 45 kilometers. You spend about 4 hours on your bicycle.
In April and May we offer special tulip tours, centered around the Tulip theme. You will cycle amid countless hectares of spring flowers and tulips. And, of course, you visit the world-famous park The Keukenhof.
On this bike and barge tour you will ride through the green heart of Holland, with its meadows, ditches and farms. The route leads through vast fields of tulips between Leiden and Haarlem. You will visit the world-famous, 32-hectares flower garden The Keukenhof, where you can admire the wonderful colorful fields with flowering bulbs in peace and quiet. Over 7 million bulbs will bloom, with a total of 800 varieties of tulips. A unique, unforgettable experience! The tulip bulb, originally from Turkey, reached the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. The flower and bulb were thought to be so special that a lively trade arose quite quickly. In 1634 there was one single bulb that was so expensive, a whole canal house in Amsterdam could be bought with the money worth it. Apart from the beautiful flowers you also see the famous cheese city of Gouda. The 19 windmills of Kinderdijk (World Heritage List).The international port of Rotterdam and the Residence The Hague.
Cycling in a cycle country
Our carefully selected routes will lead you along the most beautiful spots of the country. The average daily distance is around 45 kilometers. Most participants prefer riding in a group with the cycling guide, but you can also ride individually. A road book is included (1x per cabin). Gps-tracks can be provided by e-mail.
Boarding time is between 12.30 PM and 1.30 PM. You are expected on our barge no later than 1.30 PM. You can recognise the barge by the banner with Cycletours written on it. The name of your barge is printed on the voucher, which you will receive separately. After arrival there’s coffee and tea on board. Other drinks are also available on cash payment. If you want you can bring your luggage in advance: from 11:30 AM onwards.
The mooring place of the barge in Amsterdam is harbour Oosterdok; Zip-code 1011 VX (near the Science Center: ‘Nemo’, Oosterdok 2).
The nearest airport to the embarkation point of the barge is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS). There is a direct train that leaves 6 times per hour from the airport to Amsterdam Central Station. It takes about 16 minutes. The price for a train ticket Schiphol-Amsterdam Central is € 6,- per person for a single journey. Walking distance to the barge is about 10 to 15 minutes. A taxi from the airport to the barge in Amsterdam takes about 30 minutes. It costs about € 60,-.
The nearest train station to the embarkation point of the barge is Amsterdam Central Station. Walking distance to the barge is about 10 to 15 minutes. A taxi from the station to the barge takes about 5 minutes: Costs about € 10,-.
If you arrive by car, we recommend you to arrive earlier to unload your luggage. You can find more information about parking possibilities at I amsterdam. The nearest parking is Parking Centrum Oosterdok, (about € 275,- per week, it is not necessary to reserve in advance; 500m walking distance to the barge).
The tour ends one week later after breakfast. Debarkation is before 10 AM. You will spend the night from Wednesday to Thursday on board in Amsterdam. After the tour ends in you can take the train back to Schiphol Amsterdam Airport. Should you have an early flight, no problem. You may leave as early as you need to.
On this tour the following barges are scheduled
The Anna Antal is a former shuttle barge which was converted into a luxury motor passenger ship for Bike & Barge tours in the Netherlands and Belgium. Read more..
The “Anna van Aemstel” is a former freight barge that started a new life in the early nineties as a luxury passenger motor barge. Since then the “Anna van Aemstel” is a familiar sight on several routes in the Netherlands and Belgium. Read more...
The “Liza Marleen” is a luxury motor passenger barge, built on the completely dismantled shell of a seafaring freight logger. This barge is ideally suited for trips on the wider waterways, like the Dutch Waddenzee, the IJssel lake and the Zeeland Streams. Read more...
The The MS ALLURE is a modern, converted inland waterway vessel. The ship offers a comfortable lounge/restaurant, a small bar and a sun deck. Read more....
The Zwaan is specialized in Bike and Barge tours. On board of the Zwaan you find a cozy dining room, a sun deck. In 2019 the Zwaan is renovated and equipped with air- conditioning in the cabins. Read more..
Rental bikes on this tour.
Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink in the salon or admire the setting sun on deck. Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury.
Free WiFi is (limited) available in lounge and on deck.
Most cabins are 2-person cabins (twin or double beds), but some barges also have single and triple cabins. All cabins have central heating and a porthole or window; they are provided with running water (hot and cold), private shower/toilet and 220 voltage. There is limited storage space in the cabin. We recommend 1 suitcase per person. You can slide the suitcase under the bed.
The captain/skipper, the chef and your tourguide all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The skipper is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the cook is in charge of the catering. A tourguide accompanies you during the bike ride and can assist in case of breakdowns. He/She will be your guide to point out the things of interest along the way and is multi-lingual (Dutch/English, a few speak German and/or French).
Your chef is used to cook delicious meals for hungry cyclists. Besides an extensive breakfast, you will also be offered a packed lunch for on the road. It consists of different types of bread and sandwich fillings, juice, a snack and a piece of fruit. Lunch package needs to be prepared by yourself after breakfast. Dinner is different every day. There is a first course, main course and dessert The meals on board are included in the price, as are coffee and tea. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks can be obtained at a reasonable charge. When you return on board after the day’s cycling, a cup of tea or coffee with a biscuit will be waiting for you.
If you suffer from food allergies or food intolerance (such as lactose- or gluten- intolerance/-allergy) or if you have special meal requirements (vegetarian; pescetarian; gluten free meals etc.), we ask you to mention this when booking, but no later than 14 days before arrival. Diets which need a special preparation or special ingredients can only be offered in limited form. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding as due to limited logistic possibilities on a barge we are not able to prepare complete specialized menus and special food requirements cannot always be met in all details.
In case of gluten free or lactose diet, there is an additional charge.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer vegan meals. The space in the kitchens on our ships is limited (for storage and preparation) and therefore we cannot guarantee that the meals are completely vegan.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board, including people from e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, France and United Kingdom. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time! We have people of all ages, solo travelers, couples and also families with children (during the school holidays). Most groups are made up of 12 to 26 people.
Holland is a cycling country: 17 million inhabitants all with bikes. The number of cyclists necessitates a cycling infrastructure: cycle paths (30,000 km), cycle routes (long and short distance), cycle bridges, cycle tunnels, cycle ferries and special signposts for cyclists. Cycling is part of normal life in the Netherlands; parents bring their children to school by bike, people go to work by bike, factory workers, doctors, even the prime minister! Cyclists, of course, have to observe traffic rules and regulations. The most important rule is to remember that you are not alone on your bike and that you are sharing the road with your group and other road users. Your guide on board will tell you all you need to know about the traffic rules and regulations.