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 Day 1 Saturday: Arrive Amsterdam.
In the afternoon from 2.00pm onwards you will check in to the barge, be shown your cabin and meet your fellow travellers. If you arrive early there is space for you to leave your luggage while you have a look around Amsterdam. A pleasant way to discover this city is by taking a canal tour. Dinner is at 7.00pm
Day 2 Sunday: Breukelen to Utrecht, 19 or 25 miles (30 or 40km).
Your cruiser will sail to the small village of Breukelen where the River Vecht joins the Rhine. Your cycling route follows this small and beautiful river and en route there is the possibility to visit the gardens of the “fairy castle” of “De Haar”. From De Haar it is a shortish cycle ride to meet the Anna Marie Agnes in Utrecht. From Utrecht you will sail to Rotterdam. Every city should have a great piece of symbolic architecture. In Paris it's the Eiffel Tower; in New York, the Empire State Building; in Rotterdam it's the Erasmus Bridge. This cable-stay bridge links the northern and southern halves of the city, with a 2,600-foot span, in spectacular style.
Day 3 Monday: Rotterdam via Schiedam to Delft to Rotterdam, 25 miles (40km).
Cycling tour via the “jenever-city” of
Schiedam and through the Delfland to Delft. Whilst in Delft you can visit the world famous “Blue Delft” pottery! Delft centre is a beautiful town with lots of small alleyways and canals to explore. Leaving Delft return to Rotterdam to rejoin your fellow guests. Whilst you are enjoying your dinner, the barge will cruise to the cheese town of Gouda, arriving at about 8.0pm. The mooring place of the barge is about a 20 minute walk from the centre. In Gouda during mediaeval times it was obligatory for pharmacists, if they wanted to offer their clients a new potion, to taste all the ingredients in public. Some laws should never be changed.
 Day 4 Tuesday: Gouda to Schoonhoven, 19 or 31 miles (30 or 50km).
While you have your breakfast the boat will cruise from Gouda to Krimen aan den Lek. A ferryboat goes from Krimpen aan de Lek across the river Lek to Kinderdijk, probably the most famous village in Holland, as far as windmills are concerned. The mills, built around 1740, drain the excess water from the Alblasserwaard polders - which are situated below sea level - after which the water is sluiced into the river Lek. From here you will cycle through countryside to the Silver City of Schoonhoven on the Rhine river. This small city with its roots firmly planted in mediaeval times offers visitors a spectacular insight into Holland as it was centuries ago. Famous for it's magnificent handcrafted silverware Schoonhoven boasts an abundance of jewellery and gift shops.
 Day 5 Wednesday: Schoonhoven via Oudewater to Utrecht, 31 miles (50km).
Leaving Schoonhoven you cycle along country lanes and alongside canals to Oudewater. The witches' town is situated in the middle of Holland between Gouda and Utrecht. The town has a very picturesque centre, with the Witches Weighhouse built in 1595 as a well-known touristic attraction. In order to be able to fly around on a broomstick a witch has to be practically weightless. Women could be acquitted if it was shown that the weight of the accused corresponded with the "proportions of the body". Once you have spent some time in this picturesque town it is on to Utrecht to meet the boat. In the late afternoon you sail with the ship to Beverwijk.
Day 6 Thursday: Round trip from Beverwijk, 19 or 31 miles (30 or 50km).
Today offers 2 bike tours, both leading to Haarlem: the long tour goes through the dunes via Bloemendaal and Zandvoort and along the North Sea coast: the short tour goes inland with an optional stop over in the Cruquius Polder museum. From Haarlem it is back to Beverwijk. In the evening your ship will sail to Zaandam.
 Day 7 Friday: Zaandam to Amsterdam, 19 miles (30km).
Cycle 5km to the historical open air museum village “Zaanse Schans”. The Zaanse Schans is a delightful old hamlet on the banks of the river Zaan with characteristic green wooden houses, charming stylised gardens, small hump-backed bridges, tradesmen's workshops, historic windmills and engaging little shops. This enchanting hamlet gives an excellent impression of how a typical Zaanse village must have looked like in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Apart from the cluster of windmills and houses there are also several museums, restaurants and a visitors' centre to be found, as well as the possibility of taking a boat trip on the river. After your visit you cycle through the recreational area “Twiske” to reach Amsterdam, where you will spend the late afternoon, evening and night.
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
Enjoy famous cities, cultural highlights and the 'Green Heart' of Holland. This tour is the perfect introduction to the heart of the Netherlands.
ake you to, amongst other places, the "silver city" of Schoonhoven, Rotterdam, Delft (with a tour of the world famous “Blue Delft” pottery), Haarlem and the museum village of Zaanse Schans.
The "Anna Maria Agnes" is your home for the week for this tour of the 'Green Heart' of Holland. This medium-sized river cruiser - 236 feet long - has 38 cabins (11 cabins on the top deck), all with a full air-conditioning system, for 60-75 passengers. Most of the cabins have twin beds, some with a double bed. The salon with its large windows is very spacious and offers a restaurant area and a semi-separate lounge with bar and dance-floor. The partially covered sun deck has enough seating places for all guests. Bicycles are stored on the deck in front of the bridge. The vessel has been completely refurbished during the winter of 2004/2005. We use an operator in Holland for these holidays, and as they sell to other agents in Europe such as ourselves, it is likely you will have a mix of different nationalities on this tour adding to the cultural enjoyment.