The Zuiderzee is irrevocably linked to the period in Dutch history called the Golden Age - the period in the 17th century when Holland was a powerful seafaring and trading nation. Dotted around the Zuiderzee are towns whose names were household words in both hemispheres. Monnickendam, Hoorn, Vollenhove, Harderwijk and of course Amsterdam at the center of the web, all bear witness to their rich pasts. Cycling and sailing around the IJsselmeer, as it is now called, is the ideal way to discover and experience this rich past for yourself.
In the space of a week you will pass through four different landscapes: the archetypical Dutch polder area with its windmills and drainage ditches, in the province of Overijssel the marshy region of National Parc 'de Weerribben', the heathed and wooded area of the Veluwe and the unique lake and peat bog region around the rivers Vecht and Amstel.
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Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Saturday: Amsterdam Arrive at barge at 4:00pm - meet the captain, crew and guide. Your guide will have a cabin list and after having stowed your luggage you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and meet the other guests. In the afternoon you can take a short cycle tour through the northern part of the city and maybe a little outside the city.
Day 2: Sunday: Amsterdam - Hoorn, 50km Take the ferry to Amsterdam North and then cycle through an area of small villages. Cycle on the dike of the former Zuider Sea (now the Marker Lake) for a while. A wonderful port city on this route is Monnickendam. From there you cycle via Volendam to Edam, which saw its glory years in the Golden Age of the 17th century. The trip continues through the North Holland polders. Finally, cycle along the former sea dike to Hoorn. This city was once an important seaport. In a museum, you can view a magnificent scale model of Hoorn as it was in 1650. You will also have the opportunity to look around the splendid old city center.
Day 3: Monday: Hoorn - Enkhuizen - Lemmer, 28km Bicycle to Enkhuizen. The route takes you along the dike with its scenic views and through villages of the region with beautiful houses, farms and gardens to Enkhuizen with its Zuider Zee Museum (open-air museum, history of the Zuider Zee Harbors 1880-1930). There is also a large indoor museum. In the afternoon, leave by ship for Lemmer, where you will spend the night. Lemmer is an old fishing village and port on the southern Frisian coast.
Day 4: Tuesday: Lemmer - Vollenhove, 45/65km From Lemmer, cycle through the green landscape of Friesland. Then you come to the northwest corner of the province of Overijssel. It is an area with a lot of wilderness, pastures, marshes and water. A large part of this area lies within Weerribben National Park. The next cycling destination is the old trade city of Blokzijl. You’ll then enter the moors again, where the villages lie along waterways. Traditionally, transport in some of these villages (Dwarsgracht, Giethoorn) was done only by boat, but there are now foot and cycle paths with numerous bridges. Via the Land van Vollenhove, with its wooded banks, woodland and old farms, you finally arrive in the city of Vollenhove.
Day 5: Wednesday: Kampen - Elburg - Harderwijk, 60/33km Depart by boat, disembarking near Ramspol (the longer route) or stay on the boat until Elburg. Cycle to Kampen (a major traders' town in the Middle Ages), beautifully situated along the IJssel. Along winding dikes (or in the event of a strong headwind, through woods in the polder of Eastern Flevoland) you cycle to the old fortified city of Elburg, where the participants in the short trip also can disembark. After lunch in Elburg, cycle along the coast of the former Zuiderzee and subsequently through elaborate forests towards Harderwijk. A major tourist attraction here is the Sealife Park.
Day 6: Thursday: Harderwijk - Spakenburg - Huizen, 69/46.5km Today there is a varied trip through woodland, parks, and a visit to Amersfoort. This city has a beautiful old city center, where the old, magnificent harbor has been preserved. You can shorten the trip by first sailing with the boat to Nijkerkersluis, disembarking there. Beyond Zwartebroek, the two routes meet again. The route continues along the river Eem to Spakenburg. In the (former) fishing village of Spakenburg some of the women still wear traditional costume.
Day 7: Friday: Spakenburg - Amsterdam, 46/57km Cycle past Naarden-vesting (fortress), Muiderberg, and Muiden with the castle Muiderslot. The route goes through Weesp and along the river Gaasp, but there is a shortcut. After Muiden, cycle along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal directly to Amsterdam, past urban expansion on the outer dike and into the former harbor areas in Amsterdam East.
In the evening many guests like to take a round trip on one of the canal boats.
Day 8: Saturday: Amsterdam End of tour after breakfast.
This Package Includes
Seven Nights Accommodations on Barge (Double Cabin)
All Meals While on Board (Three-Course Dinner Day 1 to Breakfast Day 8)
Services of a Local Multi-Lingual Guide
Route Description
Ferry Fares on Route
Use of 24-Speed Hybrid Bicycle (Panniers, Lock, Repair Kit, Water Bottle)
Booking Fee
Coffee and Tea on Barge
Extras Included for Comfort Plus: Daily Cleaning Service, Cabins with A/C, Breakfast Buffet, and a Four-Course Dinner
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