Amsterdam, cheese, pancakes, North Sea Dunes, windmills, tulips and dikes - experience the highlights of Holland on this five day cycling break.
This part of the country fits the image that most people have of Holland with its windmills, canals and dikes. You also cycle through polders which consist of many rectangles of damp meadows, separated by ditches and encompassed by dikes and canals. This cycle tour will also take you to the dunes on the North Sea coast which not only protect the hinterland from the sea, but also harbour many species of dune flora and fauna.
Experience cycling along the coast of the former Zuiderzee (now Lake IJsselmeer) and visits to the typical and characterful small towns of Edam and Volendam. Your tour would not be complete without a visit to attractive Amsterdam and the 17th century canal ring which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wander around the gorgeous and surprisingly peaceful seventeenth century canal ring area (World Heritage Site). Make your way to the city’s famous squares: Dam, Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein. Should you prefer to roam off the beaten track, saunter up Brouwersgracht or hire a canal bike and find out what the city looks like from the water.
Overnight: Amsterdam Hotel
Today you will cycle along Lake Markermeer past and through villages such as Volendam and Monnickendam. The beautiful stone houses in the distinctive heart of catholic fishing village Volendam seem to have been drawn up without an organised street plan.
Overnight: Volendam Hotel
With differing landscapes as your backdrop today you begin in Edam a pretty, historical village. In its heyday, in the 17th Century Golden Age, it was a town of shipbuilders and traders. The well-preserved buildings in the centre date back to this period. Go for a stroll and enjoy the bridges, squares, gables, canals and other monuments. In summer you’ll love the weekly traditional cheese market on Wednesdays.
Cycle next from the coast of Lake Markemeer atop an old “sea dike” of the former Zuiderzee, and through polders such as Schermer and Beemster (World Heritage Site) which were drained many centuries ago. As you approach Alkmaar you will see the spectacular sea dunes in the distance. If you are here on a Thursday there is a famous cheese market.
Overnight: Akmaar Hotel
This stretch of the tour is very diverse. Zaanse Schans is a recreated (inhabited) neighbourhood in the style typical of this area on the River Zaan in the 17/18th Century; beautiful dark green wooden buildings, bridges and windmills. See clog, cheese and tin making demonstrations. Treat yourself to a pancake at Pancake Restaurant De Kraai, a former grain barn.
From here, make your way to Amsterdam, a city that will welcome you with romantic canals, bridges and... more than 800,000 bicycles! Amsterdam is for exploring. There is so much to see and do. Whether you like, art, culture, an evening out or just looking around the canal area, you’ll have a great time. A canal boat trip is a great way to get a better look at the canal houses.
Overnight: Amsterdam Hotel
After breakfast in your hotel, commence your onward travel.
We specifically select your accommodation to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to cyclists, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We aim to give you an authentic experience and use local family run accommodations in 3* and 4* traditional Hotels.
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.
This holiday is available for solo cyclists but we would recommend that you are experienced in cycling and navigating alone. If you are travelling solo the holiday is slightly more expensive as some costs are not shared.
You can add additional nights at any point along the cycle, please contact us for more details and we can add this to the booking.
A delicious breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included although you can add dinner as a prepaid option. Dinner is also available at nearby pubs or restaurants.
Your bags will be transferred between your accommodation as per your itinerary. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
The best time for cycling is during the spring months between April and May when the weather is a little cooler and the flowers are in bloom. Summer is also a very good time as the weather is fair and you have the opportunity for visiting the summer cheese markets.
This cycling tour is graded Easy to Moderate. Your cycling route follows a mixture of quiet country roads, lanes and tracks. The route is very flat with one long day at 69km, while the remaining days are between 26km and 36km. You should be a regular cyclist and have a good level of fitness to get the most from this holiday. The route follows designated cycle lanes, paths and quiet country roads.
We supply you with detailed turn by turn route descriptions, detailed maps and a comprehensive pre departure information pack.The cycle routes in Holland are comprehensively way marked and much of the route finding is a “follow the numbers” exercise so you will have absolutely no problem following the route.
Brand | Batavus |
Bike Type | Hybrid, Road |
Frame types | gents, ladies |
Sizes | G: 51, 57, 61 / L:45, 49, 53, 57 cm |
Front suspension | no |
Stand | yes |
Mud guards | yes |
Luggage rack Rear/Front | Yes/no |
Paniers | Yes 1 |
Handle bar Bag/ map holder | no/no |
Bottle holder/Water bottle | Yes/no |
Computer meter | yes |
Interchangeable pedals | yes |
Front gear set | 3 |
Back gear set | 8 |
Brakes | V-brake |
Helmet included | No |
Puncture repair kit | Yes |
Spare inner tubes/ how many | no |
Pump | Yes |
Lock | Yes |
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.
The distances and ascents/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and trousers), sun hat and sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard cycling gear such as good shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
By Air - Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is served by direct flights from most major UK and European airports.
By Ferry - Ferries depart daily between Newcastle and Amsterdam. Check DFDS Seaways for prices and booking.
Stenaline also run ferries 7 days a week from Harwich to Hook of Holland, while daily ferries between Hull and Rotterdam are run by P&O Ferries.
By Train - Amsterdam is linked with London, either via Paris or Brussels (around 5 hours) by high speed train. Visit Rail Europe for prices and booking.
By Car - For directions to your accommodation in Amsterdam please see the Hotel Casa400 website. Parking is available at a special rate of €12.50 a day.
We are often asked the following questions and I hope that you will find the answers useful. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any further queries.
The cycling is graded easy to moderate so you will enjoy the holiday more if you already enjoy an active lifestyle. Daily cycles are a mixture of quiet country lanes and minor roads. If you have a good level of fitness you will have no problem with the cycle
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is served by direct flights from most major UK and European airports.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as this holiday is extremely popular especially in the spring months when Hollands flowers are in bloom. Please note you can start this holiday on any day of the week. You will find up to date availability on our website and we will always try and accommodate your plans.
You will need comfortable cycling clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack, warm clothing in the early/late part of the year and hats etc during the summer. We supply a detailed packing list with your information pack.
The best time for cycling is during the spring months between April and May when the weather is a little cooler and the flowers are in bloom. Summer is also a very good time as the weather is fair and you have the opportunity for visiting the summer cheese markets.
This was our first experience of a self guided cycling holiday. Macs Adventures planning along with detailed cycling route made this a very memorable experience. If you are thinking about trying something different Holland Highlights is a very good starting point. Would strongly recommend this holiday.
Ray
Belfast
We enjoyed the trip very much. The directions sometimes left something to be desired, thankfully we received lots of help from locals. I will provide specifics about the maps where I think they could be improved.
JJ
Maine
A really well put together self guided cycling trip. The bikes were great , the hotels were great , the breakfasts buffers were excellent. The instructions were really good , any mistakes were are own !! I didn't expect to enjoy rural holland so much , the bird life was astounding .
Karole
Wales
It was a really great holiday had by all of us, great locations, really pretty scenery and the people are so friendly. We were amazed how many bikes there were and the bike is king in all modes of transport. There plenty of watering holes too in the villages we went through so you could always count on a nice coffee and cake. The bikes were nice and comfy although if you are not used to being in the saddle all day you may well be aching somewhat! But after a good days ride you had very comfortable accommodation to stay in with all your luggage waiting for you. We felt the information and maps regarding the routes were quite easy to follow and although we had a GPS we did not need it. Well done Macs Adventure for providing us with a great holiday. Thank you.
Amsterdam Conquers
Colchester, Essex
Cycling in Amsterdam is not for the faint hearted!
Pathfinder
Near Stratford upon Avon
100.0
Day 1 - Arrive in Amsterdam
Day 2 - Cycle to Volendam: 37 km
Day 3 - Cycle to Alkmaar: 51 km
Day 4 - Cycle Amsterdam: 60 km
Day 5 - Onward Travel
Cycling through outstanding historical towns and picturesque villages, alongside windmills through unique landscapes while sampling local cheeses and trying on clogs. A fantastic taste of North Holland.
Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft & Gouda, cities built for cycling, are...
From 755.00
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(USA & CANADA)
