How much does the Green Heart of Holland boat and bike tour cost?

Prices for the 2027 season start at 1,449 euro per person for a full week on board, including seven nights with breakfast, packed lunches, six three-course dinners and a tour leader on every cycling day. Departures on the barges Sarah and Flora are priced from 1,549 euro per person. Bicycle rental is extra, at 98 euro per week.

When is the best season to cycle the Green Heart of Holland?

The 2027 season runs from early May to late September, with departures every Saturday from Amsterdam. May and June bring fresh green polders and long light evenings, July and August are the warmest and busiest weeks, and September offers quieter roads and softer light. Every published departure is currently listed as guaranteed.

How difficult is the cycling between Amsterdam, Leiden and Gouda?

Boat Bike Tours rates this tour difficulty level 1: very flat terrain, no climbs and well-surfaced Dutch cycle paths from start to finish. On the shorter routes daily stages run from 23 to 45 kilometres, about 217 kilometres over the week. Longer options are offered on most days, and wind rather than gradient is the only real effort.

Where does the tour start and finish in Amsterdam?

The tour starts and ends at Oosterdok in central Amsterdam, so it is a full loop with no one-way logistics to arrange. Check-in and boarding are from 2 p.m. on day one, and you disembark after breakfast by 9.30 a.m. on day eight. Transfers to and from the mooring place are not included.

Which ships sail the Green Heart of Holland route?

Departures are operated by three barges, Gandalf, Flora and Sarah, each carrying a maximum of 24 passengers. That small scale keeps the atmosphere informal and the group easy to guide. Your cabin is cleaned daily, bed linen and towels are provided, and Wi-Fi, coffee and tea on board are included in the price.

Can I visit Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans on this Holland tour?

Yes, both windmill sites are on the route. On day two you visit the open-air museum of Zaanse Schans near Zaandam, where an 18th and 19th century village has been reconstructed. On day five you cross the river by waterbus from Rotterdam to Alblasserdam and reach Kinderdijk, whose nineteen windmills hold UNESCO listing.

Are bicycles included on this Amsterdam boat and bike tour?

Bicycle rental is not included in the tour price. For 2027 a rental bicycle costs 98 euro per week and an e-bike 273 euro per week, the latter on request only and in limited numbers. Helmets can be rented for 10 euro with prior reservation. You may also bring your own bike and park it on board for 14 euro.

What meals are included while cruising through South Holland?

Seven breakfasts, packed lunches for the cycling days and six three-course dinners on board are included, together with coffee and tea and a welcome drink. One dinner is not included: on the evening in Gouda you eat ashore in a restaurant of your choice, with recommendations available from the crew. Drinks are always extra.

Green Heart of Holland Boat & Bike

North and South Holland

See all the photos

from€1,389

Bike & BoatTrekking bikeE-bike8 days / 7 nights217 km2/5Medium-EasyLoop

Short Description

Sail and cycle a full loop from Amsterdam through the Green Heart of Holland. Over eight days you will ride 217 flat kilometres between Zaanse Schans, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft, Kinderdijk and Gouda, with a tour leader on every stage and your barge waiting each evening.

Tour Program

Day 1: Amsterdam (0 km)
You will board your barge in the centre of Amsterdam from 2 p.m., where the crew will welcome you and show you to your cabin. At 3 p.m. your tour leader will introduce the week ahead, hand out the rental bicycles and invite you on a short test ride. On your return the first dinner will be served on board.

Day 2: Amsterdam – Zaandam – Zaanse Schans – Haarlem (40 km)
After a short cruise on the barge you will finally get into the saddle. You will first visit the open-air museum of Zaanse Schans in Zaandam, where an authentic 18th and 19th century Dutch village has been reconstructed and you will learn about windmills, cheese and clog making. You will then cycle on to Haarlem, where the celebrated portrait painter Frans Hals lived and worked, and in the evening you can stroll through the old centre and the Grote Markt. A longer 55 km variant extends the ride with the sea locks of IJmuiden, the Kennemer Dunes and some forts of the Defence Line of Amsterdam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 3: Haarlem – North Sea coast – Leiden (42 km)
After breakfast with your new cycling friends you will head for Leiden, the vibrant university city where Rembrandt van Rijn was born and whose picturesque old centre is crisscrossed by canals lined with beautiful 17th-century buildings. On this shorter route you will ride inland from Haarlem via Cruquius, with its steam engine museum, and Hillegom and its flower nurseries. The longer 50 km option instead follows the North Sea coast through the seaside dunes and the resorts of Noordwijk and Katwijk aan Zee.

Day 4: Leiden – Delft (35 km)
From Leiden you will cycle to Delft, famous for its blue porcelain, where you will have the chance to visit a porcelain studio. The other great attraction in the beautiful old centre is the royal crypt of the House of Orange. If you prefer a longer day, the 41 km option takes you first to The Hague, where you can see the Binnenhof and the Peace Palace, before continuing to Delft.

Day 5: Delft – Rotterdam – Kinderdijk – Gouda (23 km)
This morning the barge will sail you from Delft to Rotterdam. From there you will hop on the Waterbus, a fast ferry that carries you and your bicycle across the river to Alblasserdam in 30 to 40 minutes. A few kilometres further you will reach Kinderdijk, world famous for its impressive row of 19 large windmills with UNESCO cultural heritage listing. From Kinderdijk you will ride directly to the cheese city of Gouda, or take the longer 66 km route via the silver city of Schoonhoven. Tonight's dinner is not included and will be in town, in a restaurant of your choice, with recommendations available on board.

Day 6: Gouda – Kudelstaart (45 km)
The highlight of today is the quiet beauty of the South Holland landscape. You will cycle along numerous small canals and past picture-perfect farms and small villages towards the village of Kudelstaart, where the barge will be waiting for you. At the mooring on the banks of the Westeinder Plassen there is a beautiful view to savour over a glass of wine during or after dinner. A longer 55 km variant is available.

Day 7: Kudelstaart – Aalsmeer – Amsterdam (32 km)
If you fancy an early start you can visit the largest trade centre for plants and flowers in the world at Aalsmeer, an optional extra that is not included; the market is a hive of activity and you will never have seen so many flowers in one place. After a late breakfast you can either stay on board while the barge cruises into Amsterdam, or cycle into the city through the Amsterdamse Bos park or along the Amstel river. Once there, the afternoon and evening are yours for a canal cruise, Anne Frank's House, the Rembrandt House Museum or the Royal Palace on Dam Square.

Day 8: Amsterdam (0 km)
Your tour ends here. After breakfast you will disembark by 9.30 a.m., with the centre of Amsterdam right on your doorstep.

Available departures

Month

Ship

Next: 1 May 2027 · 13 departures · from €1,389 p.p.

May 2027

- Twin Lower deck€1,549
- Twin or triple Lower€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549
- Double Lower€1,549
- Twin Lower deck€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549
- Twin Lower deck€1,549
- Twin or triple Lower€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549

Jun 2027

- Twin Lower deck€1,549
- Twin or triple Lower€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549
- Twin Lower deck€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549

Jul 2027

- Twin Lower deck€1,549€1,449
- Double Lower€1,549
- Twin Lower deck€1,449
- Twin Lower deck€1,449
- Twin or triple Lower€1,449€1,389
- Twin Lower deck€1,449
- Twin Lower deck€1,449
- Twin or triple Lower€1,449€1,389

Tour details

LoopGuidedMinimum 2 peopleMinimum age 16 years

✅ What is included in the trip?

🏨 Overnight stay and breakfast
🍽️ Packed lunches
🍽️ 6 dinners (drinks excluded)
🍷 1 welcome drink
🧍‍♂️English speaking tour guide
🗺️ Maps
📲 GPS or navigation APP
👜 Waterproof bike bag
💧Biodegradable water bottle
🚢 Fees for ferries
🛜 Wi-FI on board
☕️ Coffee and tea on board till 4 PM
🧍‍♂️ Welcome briefing

❌ 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

🙋 Common questions

How much does the Green Heart of Holland boat and bike tour cost?
Prices for the 2027 season start at 1,449 euro per person for a full week on board, including seven nights with breakfast, packed lunches, six three-course dinners and a tour leader on every cycling day. Departures on the barges Sarah and Flora are priced from 1,549 euro per person. Bicycle rental is extra, at 98 euro per week.
When is the best season to cycle the Green Heart of Holland?
The 2027 season runs from early May to late September, with departures every Saturday from Amsterdam. May and June bring fresh green polders and long light evenings, July and August are the warmest and busiest weeks, and September offers quieter roads and softer light. Every published departure is currently listed as guaranteed.
How difficult is the cycling between Amsterdam, Leiden and Gouda?
Boat Bike Tours rates this tour difficulty level 1: very flat terrain, no climbs and well-surfaced Dutch cycle paths from start to finish. On the shorter routes daily stages run from 23 to 45 kilometres, about 217 kilometres over the week. Longer options are offered on most days, and wind rather than gradient is the only real effort.
Where does the tour start and finish in Amsterdam?
The tour starts and ends at Oosterdok in central Amsterdam, so it is a full loop with no one-way logistics to arrange. Check-in and boarding are from 2 p.m. on day one, and you disembark after breakfast by 9.30 a.m. on day eight. Transfers to and from the mooring place are not included.
Which ships sail the Green Heart of Holland route?
Departures are operated by three barges, Gandalf, Flora and Sarah, each carrying a maximum of 24 passengers. That small scale keeps the atmosphere informal and the group easy to guide. Your cabin is cleaned daily, bed linen and towels are provided, and Wi-Fi, coffee and tea on board are included in the price.
Can I visit Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans on this Holland tour?
Yes, both windmill sites are on the route. On day two you visit the open-air museum of Zaanse Schans near Zaandam, where an 18th and 19th century village has been reconstructed. On day five you cross the river by waterbus from Rotterdam to Alblasserdam and reach Kinderdijk, whose nineteen windmills hold UNESCO listing.
Are bicycles included on this Amsterdam boat and bike tour?
Bicycle rental is not included in the tour price. For 2027 a rental bicycle costs 98 euro per week and an e-bike 273 euro per week, the latter on request only and in limited numbers. Helmets can be rented for 10 euro with prior reservation. You may also bring your own bike and park it on board for 14 euro.
What meals are included while cruising through South Holland?
Seven breakfasts, packed lunches for the cycling days and six three-course dinners on board are included, together with coffee and tea and a welcome drink. One dinner is not included: on the evening in Gouda you eat ashore in a restaurant of your choice, with recommendations available from the crew. Drinks are always extra.