Yes. A guide leads the cycling every day, with daily briefings on board. A cycling map and GPS tracks are also provided if you prefer to ride independently at your own pace.

How demanding is the cycling?

Gentle. Holland is flat, daily distances run from 41 to 50 km, and wind is the only real effort. On some days a shorter route is available, and you can always stay on board and enjoy the cruise instead.

Do I need to bring a bike?

No. Rental bicycles and e-bikes are available for the tour at an extra cost, in limited numbers, so it is best to reserve them when you book. You can also bring your own bike; on-board parking is limited and bookable in advance.

When does the tulip season run?

Departures are concentrated in late March and April, when the bulb fields and Keukenhof are at their peak. Bloom timing varies a little year by year with the weather.

Is the Aalsmeer flower auction guaranteed?

It is an optional early-morning excursion and the auction is closed at weekends and on public holidays, so on some departures the visit is not possible.

What is the difference with the Premium version?

This is the classic version of the 5-day tulip mini-cruise: same route and same highlights, aboard a comfortable standard-class ship rather than a premium one.

5-Day Tulip Tour Classic by Boat and Bike

North and South Holland

See all the photos

from€869

Bike & BoatTrekking bikeE-bike5 days / 4 nights141 km2/5Medium-EasyLoop

Short Description

Four nights, one comfortable ship and the most colourful weeks of the Dutch year. You sail out of Amsterdam, wake up in Haarlem and pedal straight into the tulip season: Keukenhof in full bloom, the dune reserve along the North Sea, the windmills of the Schermer polder and the wooden village of Zaanse Schans. A guide rides with you every day, the ship carries your luggage, and dinner is waiting when you get back on board. If you have a long weekend rather than a full week, this is the short, generous version of Holland in spring.

Tour Program

Day 1 - Amsterdam | Amsterdam to Haarlem
Check-in opens at 2 p.m. and the crew welcomes you on board. Once everyone has arrived the ship casts off for Haarlem, passing through a historic lock on the way. There is a short test ride to get comfortable on your bike, then a welcome dinner on board. The evening is yours to wander Haarlem at your own pace.

Day 2 - Haarlem to Keukenhof to Haarlem (50 km)
You cycle to the Keukenhof, arguably the most famous flower park in the world, where hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths are in full bloom. Take your time in the gardens, then ride back to Haarlem through classic Dutch countryside of canals, bulb fields and low horizons.

Day 3 - Haarlem to Alkmaar (50 km)
An early bus excursion leaves at 6:30 a.m. for the Aalsmeer flower auction, the largest in the world, where millions of stems change hands before most people have had breakfast. You are back on board by 9 a.m. for a relaxed late breakfast. Then a beautiful ride through the North Holland Dune Reserve, a protected coastal landscape of dunes, grasses and sea air where you may spot grazing cattle or wild ponies. A stop in the seaside town of Egmond is the moment for a coffee or a quick paddle in the North Sea before you continue to Alkmaar, where the ship moors near the centre.

Day 4 - Alkmaar to Zaanse Schans | Zaanse Schans to Amsterdam (41 km)
After breakfast you ride through the old windmill landscape of the Schermer polder to De Rijp, a small town of wooden facades, a fine church, a lock and an elegant town hall. From there you continue to the Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum of working windmills (you visit one), traditional wooden houses, a cheese farm and a clog maker. You rejoin the ship here for the afternoon cruise back to Amsterdam, with time in the evening to explore the city, the flower market or a museum.

Day 5 - Amsterdam
Disembarkation after breakfast, by 9.30 a.m.

Good to know
Route distances are approximate. On some days you can pick a longer or a shorter route, and on the shorter ones you may not reach every highlight. If you would rather not cycle on a given day you are welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship sails to the next mooring. The itinerary can change for nautical, technical or weather reasons. On arrival day you can leave your luggage on board from 11.00 a.m. A detailed cycling map and a GPS app are available if you prefer to ride at your own pace; the guide is always reachable by phone.

Available departures

Month

Next: 29 Mar 2027 · 2 departures · from €869 p.p.

Mar 2027

- Twin Lower deck€869
- Double Upper€1,149
- Twin Upper deck€999

Apr 2027

- Twin Lower deck€929
- Double Upper€1,209

Tour details

LoopGuidedCouplesFriendsMinimum 2 peopleMinimum age 16 years

✅ What is included in the trip?

🍽️ 4 dinners (drinks not included)
🍽️ Packed lunches
☕️ Coffee and tea on board
🍷 1 welcome drink
🧍‍♂️ Welcome briefing
🧍‍♂️English speaking tour guide
🚢 Fees for ferries
🗺️ Maps
📲 GPS or navigation APP
👜 Waterproof bike bag
💧Biodegradable water bottle
🛜 Wi-FI on board
📞 Local telephone assistance 7/7
🌷 Entrance to Keukenhof

❌ What is not included?

🚎 Transfers not listed as Included
✈️ Journey to/from the starting point
🍽️ Meals and drinks not listed as Included
🖼️ Entrance fees and extras not listed
🛡️ Travel insurance
🌎 Tourist taxes
SGR Insolvency protection (mandatory consumer contribution SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme: € 5 per person

🙋 Common questions

Is this tour guided?
Yes. A guide leads the cycling every day, with daily briefings on board. A cycling map and GPS tracks are also provided if you prefer to ride independently at your own pace.
How demanding is the cycling?
Gentle. Holland is flat, daily distances run from 41 to 50 km, and wind is the only real effort. On some days a shorter route is available, and you can always stay on board and enjoy the cruise instead.
Do I need to bring a bike?
No. Rental bicycles and e-bikes are available for the tour at an extra cost, in limited numbers, so it is best to reserve them when you book. You can also bring your own bike; on-board parking is limited and bookable in advance.
When does the tulip season run?
Departures are concentrated in late March and April, when the bulb fields and Keukenhof are at their peak. Bloom timing varies a little year by year with the weather.
Is the Aalsmeer flower auction guaranteed?
It is an optional early-morning excursion and the auction is closed at weekends and on public holidays, so on some departures the visit is not possible.
What is the difference with the Premium version?
This is the classic version of the 5-day tulip mini-cruise: same route and same highlights, aboard a comfortable standard-class ship rather than a premium one.