Bike & boat: North Holland with the MS De Willemstad

The first tour takes you through small villages and the beautiful flat and green polder country. The first stop is the open-air museum "Zaanse Schans" (free entry), an old, traditional village with quaint wooden houses, a cheese factory, a traditional clog maker and various windmills. After visiting the museum you continue cycling through the land of Leeghwater, a green, drained nature area between Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Hoorn. Visit the former whaling village De Rijp and the museum mill Schemerhorn. The ship awaits you in Alkmaar near the historic old town.

Overnight place: Alkmaar

Today you have the opportunity to discover the beautiful North Holland Dune Reserve, a 5.300 hectare forest and dune area with unique landscapes. The drinking water for almost all of North Holland is obtained from the dunes. After a visit to the beach and the artists' village of Bergen, you will cycle back to Alkmaar, where you can visit the beautiful old town. In the late afternoon the ship sails to the naval port of Den Helder via the North Holland Canal.

Overnight place: Den Helder

After breakfast you take the big ferry (ticket incl.) for about 20 minutes from Den Helder to the island of Texel, where you can take a bike ride across the largest of the Dutch North Sea islands. You drive through meadow landscapes, dunes and beautiful nature reserves. Take a break on the North Sea beach and maybe go for a swim or visit the Ecomare seal sanctuary. In the late afternoon you take the ferry back to Den Helder. During dinner the ship sails across the Wadden Sea to the port of Den Oever.

Overnight place: Den Oever

The ship crosses the IJsselmeer during breakfast to call at the port of Stavoren in the province of Friesland. Here you can decide whether you want to go on a shorter or a longer bike tour: visit the Gaasterland nature reserve, roam through the southern part of the well-known Frisian Lake District, or combine the tour. You spend the evening in the small port of Stavoren, one of the eleven traditional towns in the province.

Overnight place: Stavoren

Early in the morning the ship crosses the IJsselmeer again. After breakfast you take a short bike ride over the dike on the IJsselmeer directly to Enkhuizen, an old town steeped in history with a centuries-long shipping tradition, which has a beautiful harbour, a well-preserved historic town center and the very interesting "Zuiderzeemuseum" which you can visit in the afternoon. The longer bike tour first leads to the VOC city of Hoorn, which was founded in the 17th century. was one of the most important world ports. Make a worthwhile detour to the old town. In the afternoon you drive through some picturesque small farming villages to Enkhuizen. After dinner, a short walk is offered in Enkhuizen.

Overnight place: Enkhuizen

In the early morning the ship sails to Volendam. On the last day of cycling you will discover the beautiful region of Waterland with its countless small lakes, ditches and canals. You can visit a cheese farm near Volendam. And if you want to ride a few extra miles, be sure to take a detour to the former island of Marken, then cycle through Waterland's water-streaked countryside back to the capital city of Amsterdam. Here you have the whole afternoon and evening to look around Amsterdam. If you haven't done a canal cruise on day one, you can do so now.

Overnight place: Amsterdam

end of your journey. Disembarkation after breakfast, until 9:30 am.