Cycling The Netherlands

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From 1000 windmills to 500 varieties of beer —The Netherlands and Belgium offer numerous possibilities.In the Netherlands, we’ll discover picturesque villages with over 1000 windmills, vibrant progressive cities, reclaimed land, and sandy beaches. Belgium offers us its world-renowned cuisine, hand crafted chocolate, and 500 varieties of beer! Both countries are multicultural and multilingual, and very bicycle friendly. At first glance this itinerary may seem a bit challenging, but keep in mind these countries are either at, or below sea level. The flat landscapes are a windfall for cyclists, allowing us to travel long distances with little difficulty.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Just outside the Dutch capitol of Amsterdam we begin cycling on a paved bike trail alongside the western shores of Lake Ijssel, heading towards the picturesque fishing towns of Volendam, Edam (famous for its cheese), and Hoorn (one of the great seafaring towns of the Golden Ages). If you would like, we will stop in Enkhuizen's open air museum, where it’s said the past comes to life. Our cycling trip then continues through Medemblik, known for its 17th century buildings and historic steam-driven industrial machinery. Then on to Den Helder, the base for the Dutch Royal Navy. From Den Helder, we take a ferry to the charming island of Texel.

Day 2: Day two is reserved for enjoying and exploring the island of Texel at your leisure. You may decide to visit the Late Gothic Hervormde kerk, a 15th century church, a 16th century antiquities museum near Den Burg, or the many interesting shops and delightful restaurants tucked away in the many small, quaint villages. If more exercise is on the agenda, you may choose to go for a hike in the beautiful forested areas or take a long walk on the beach.

Day 3: Back on our bikes and heading towards Den Helder and Afsluitdijk (Barrier Dam), as we finish the day in the town of Makkum. You may want to visit the local pottery factory which exports wares around the world, or view the luxurious motor yachts moored in the shipyard.

Day 4: We break from cycling to enjoy a day of sailing on a praam. Each of us will be part of the crew and will be instructed by the captain as to what our responsibilities will be. At some point during the trip, you may be requested to give the captain a break and take over the helm! Don’t worry about your experience level, this adventure is designed for the novice sailor.

Day 5: Cycle from Workum — known for the fine facades on the houses, and where traditional hand-crafted boats are still constructed — and continue on to Hindeloopen, through the picturesque town full of small canals with wooden bridges, and whose inhabitants still have their own dialect and traditional dress. Stavoren, as well as the other towns we pass through are part of an 11-town race, as well as a 124-mile ice skating marathon in the winter months. Continuing on through the very small villages of Oudemirdum, Lemmer, and Urk, with Lelystad (whose name honors the genius behind the massive land creation project) being our final destination for the day.

Day 6: Today we visit the Batavia Yard in Lelystad, named after a Dutch East India company ship, where we'll see a replica of the “De Zeven Provincien” (The Seven Provinces). Then, cycle to Almere, one of Holland’s fastest growing towns full of modern and unusual architecture, and on to Muiden, known for its 700-year-old Muiderslot castle. Nearby is the fortified town of Naarden which lies beneath a double ring of canals and walls, where we’ll see the 14th century church, Grote Kerk, with beautifully decorated wooden vaulted ceilings decorated with artwork based on stories from the old and new testaments. Next we’ll see The Nederlands Vestingmuseum (Dutch Fortress Museum), one of the six bastions of the fortress that houses many exhibits of Naardens eventful past.

Day 7: After breakfast we drive to Kinderdijk, known for its 19 working windmills and then continue on to La Roche-en-Ardenne in Belgium, arriving in the early evening.

Day 8: Today is spent in the town of La Roche-en-Ardenne, a charming little village that boasts a medieval castle that was occupied between the 9th and 18th centuries by Belgian royalty. We also enjoy a hiking adventure in the wooded forests as well as a few hours of peaceful river kayaking.

Day 9: In the morning we visit the historical Battle of the Bulge museum, the site of one of the fiercest confrontations of WWII. In the early afternoon, we drive back to Amsterdam where you prepare for your travels back home.

FeesPricing to be announced.

Approximately 250 miles of cycling is scheduled on this nine-day adventure. Beginning on the fringes of Amsterdam, we’ll ride through quaint fishing villages, cycle on the beach at Texel, around the barrier dam of beautiful Lake IJssel and finish at a magnificent 13th century castle next door to a fortified town surrounded by a moat.

La Roche-en-Ardenne, known as the Pearl of the Ardennes, is the center for hiking, biking, kayaking, and rafting in this region. It is beautifully set amidst hills, forests and narrow rivers. Our guide will accompany us as we float down the river in our individual kayaks.

Our guide will take us on a half-day hike through the beautiful Upper Belgian Ardennes where tranquil stone villages nestle in close to the entrance of the Ourthe River in the deep valley below. The rolling hills around La Roche are crisscrossed by beautiful hiking trails. You will be mesmerized with the beauty of both fields and forests.