Day 1 Saturday: Arrive Amsterdam to Vreeswijk, 6 miles (10km).
At about 1.00pm your barge will sail from Amsterdam to Vreeswijk where you stay for the night. There is a short test ride to get used to your bicycle.
Day 2 Sunday: Vreeswijk to Gorinchem, 13 miles (20km).
First the barge takes you Vianen where you start your cycle ride. You follow a winding canal to the town of Gorinchem where you will stay for the night.
 Day 3 Monday: Gorinchem to Heusden, 13 miles (20km).
In the morning you visit a small market in Gorinchem. Using the local ferry you cross the river to visit Castle Loevestein, which used to be a prison in the middle ages. You cycle on to picturesque Heusden, a fortified town dating back to the 13th century.
Day 4 Tuesday: Heusden to Waspik, 9 miles (15km).
Today is Family Day! This means you are free to spend the day with your own family (or join another family if you wish!). Here are some ideas: a visit to the fairy-tale park of Efteling, go for a swim or spend the day on the dunes at Drunen. At the end of the afternoon you cycle back (on your own) to the barge in the village of Waspik
Day 5 Wednesday: Waspik to Gouda, 13 miles (20km).
Early sailing trip to the famous 19 windmills of Kinderdijk: nowhere in the world can you find so many traditional mills together! From here you cycle through the polderland Krimpenerwaard, which is approximately 2 metres below sea level, to the cheese town of Gouda.
Day 6 Thursday: Gouda to Alphen aan de Rijn, 12 miles (20km).
From Gouda you cycle to a cheese farm, where you see how cheese is made and also have a game of Dutch golf; your golf club is a wooden shoe! In the afternoon there is time to explore the town of Alphen aan de Rijn, or you can visit Avifauna, a birdpark with more that 3,000 birds (entry price not included).
Day 7 Friday: Alphen aan de Rijn to Amsterdam, 16 miles (25km).
The barge drops you off at Kudelstaart fropm where you cycle alongside the river Amstel all the way to Amsterdam. The afternoon is free for visiting Amsterdam. After dinner your guide invites you for a short city walk and you may wish to make a roundtrip of the Amsterdam canals.
Day 8 Saturday: Depart from Amsterdam.
It is the end of the tour and so it is time to say farewells, exchange contact details and make your way home. |
Cruise and Cycle
The "Waterland" is one of the barges used for this specially developed Family Holiday. The barge has 8 cabins with 2 bunk beds and 2 cabin with 4 bunk beds. There are 2 shared shower and toilet facilities. On the upper deck there is a saloon where meals are eaten and a separate room with an "honesty" bar. You help yourself to wine, beer or soft drinks and record what you have taken so that you can pay at the end of the week.