Amsterdam – Breukelen
–
Vianen
Monday – 23
miles
Early in the morning the Elodie
will start sailing for Breukelen where this day's cycling tour will start.
Along the lovely river Vecht You
can enjoy the scenery of mansions in a beautiful surrounding.
Leaving the river we will head
for the caste of Haarzuilen. After a short stop at the castle
we will continue our tour through wetland, polders and
nice little towns to Vianen where we will spend the night.
Vianen - Dordrecht
Tuesday - 29/17 miles
Our bicycle tour starts in
Vianen along the meandering river Lek
you will proceed your journey for a stop at Schoonhoven. This old town is
well known for its Silver. You will be able to admire this in the many
Silver shops where the also produce their fine products. From Schoonhoven we cycle to Kinderdijk,
one of the most famous
attractions of Holland. Here you will find the largest collection of
windmills together in a park as they were originally
build. After this visit the next we will still have a short distance to
cover before you will get to the fast Ferry that will take you to
Dordrecht. This historical town calls for an evening walk.
Dordrecht – Rotterdam –
Delft
Wednesday 16 miles
On this day we cover the
necessary miles on your bicycle and by boat. We begin by sailing over the Noord
and Nieuwe Maas rivers to the largest port in the world, Rotterdam. One
doesn’t just sail past this city, also called “Manhattan on the Maas”. The
impressive harbour, Euromast and the modern architecture invite you to pay
a visit. From Rotterdam we move on to Delft.
Delft is a beautiful contrast compared to Rotterdam. The heart of the old
town with the “Nieuwe Kerk” (New Church) in the centre and its small canals
and beautifully decorated facades is a moving sight to the visitor.
All the
members of the Royal Family lie buried in the Nieuwe Kerk, together with
the father of the fatherland, William of Orange. The night is spent in Delft.
Delft – The Hague – Leiden
Thursday
24 miles
Before we leave Delft, we pay
a visit to a studio where earthenware is hand painted with the famous
“Delfts blauw” (Delft’s blue). Now on the cycle we follow our way to the
seat of government capital, The Hague. The houses around the hunting
castle “de graven van Holland” (The Earls of Holland) grew into a town,
and the castle gave it its name, ‘s-Gravenhage. The area is exceptionally
cycle-friendly and that makes a visit by bicycle something special. You
cycle along the many cycle paths, straight through the city whilst left
and right you can admire the government buildings, museums and stately
facades of the mansions. The town ends abruptly on the beach of
Scheveningen with its charming boulevard and fishing port. The Hague has
many attractions such as “Panorama Mesdag”, a painting of enormous
measurements, 14 meters high and a circumference of 120 meters. Or
Madurodam, where you can follow the development of Holland from the
miniature construction pieces. At the end of the day you cycle back to the
the university town of Leiden.
Leiden – Haarlem
Friday– 22 miles
Today we cycle through dunes,
polders and bulb fields to Haarlem. The “keukenhof” is in bloom until the
end of May. We pay a visit to this flower show. Cycling through the dunes
you smell the sea. For some of us, there is an irresistible urge to look
out over this vast expanse of water with the murmur of the waves breaking
on the shore. We give in to this. Just before Haarlem there is the old steam
pumping-station Cruquis. A museum has been established here, from which
you can in very short time get an insight into an astounding example of
Dutch water management. Arriving in Haarlem, we will pay an after-dinner
visit to the Hans Brinker monument in Spaarndam
the boy who saved Holland from a big flood.
In Haarlem we spend the night in front of the facades of the old Dutch mansions.
Haarlem – Amsterdam
Saturday– 26 miles
Today
you can choose between a bike tour from Haarlem to Amsterdam or stay on
the boat and spend the day in Ämsterdam. After the bikers take the boat
will sail straight to Amsterdam (e.t.a. 12.00)
Amsterdam is certainly well worth
to spend some more time because of its many possibilities: a boat tour around the canals,
the Van Gogh museum, and the Rijks museum; or just savor the atmosphere.
For dinner you can pick one of
the many nice restaurants in the centre of town.
The cyclists will cross
the North Sea Canal by ferry as the head for Zaandam and the
Zaansche Schans. This little village with its houses and windmills from
the 17th and 18th century give you a good impression
of life in those days. On the way to Amsterdam we cycle past the cottage
of Czar Peter. The Russian Czar lived here during his Dutch shipbuilding
lessons. We cycle through the “Twiske” nature reserve to Amsterdam-North.
When we reach the river IJ, we take the ferry and are almost “home”. The
Elodie is lying moored in the Eastern Dock.
Sunday
We take leave of you after
breakfast.
