136 | Cycling World
Get on your bike and go !
Cycling is the best way to explore a country , area , town or city . But a cycling holiday for some equals uncomfortable travelling : little luggage – ‘ cause little space – that needs to be packed and unpacked every day , because your accommodation is different each night . Well , we can delight you ! Boat Bike Tours has cycling holidays combined with staying aboard a ship . This means your hotel travels with you the whole tour !
Everything you could want and need
Boat Bike Tours strives to give their guests a unique cycling cruise experience . This includes a well-defined route , social and experienced tour leaders , great service aboard the ships , a hospitable crew , and delicious food … Basically , everything you could want and need for an amazing bike and barge holiday !
Explore Southern Holland
Take the Southern Tour for example : Not only will you get the chance to visit a number of famous Dutch cities , but you will also uncover another side of the Netherlands as you cycle through the countryside – the country ’ s “ Green Heart ”. Here you ’ ll see a landscape of water , meadows , grazing cows , windmills and picturesque farms … Taste some cheese in Gouda , line-up with the windmills at Kinderdijk , walk along the dunes and beaches of the North Sea coastline , and of course visit the open air museum “ Zaanse Schans ”. So much to do in just one week .
Your floating hotel
For the duration of the tour , you will live and travel onboard the comfortable ships De Amsterdam or De Holland . You stay in a quite spacious cabin with two beds , a private bathroom , a cabinet , digital TV , a mini-safe and individual climate control system . In the restaurant area you can enjoy a hearty biker ’ s breakfast , make yourself a picnic lunch , and join for a three-course dinner . For a drink , the salon with its panoramic windows is a great place . Or , if the weather is favorable , relax on the ( partially roofed ) sun deck .
Sail & Bike IJsselmeer
Are you into a little more adventure ? Then choose the Sail & Bike tour on the IJsselmeer to have a voyage of discovery on a magnificent and comfortable sailing ship . Your vacation starts in Amsterdam and takes you along the coast of the IJsselmeer . The picturesque and historic towns , the vast polders and small villages , are well-connected to one another by excellent cycle paths . Besides the 17th century trading towns , you will visit the provinces of Friesland and Flevoland and the former islands of Urk and Schokland on the eastern banks of the IJsselmeer .
Feel the freedom
Sailing tours on a large sailing vessel are very special . They offer a sense of true freedom ; you feel the wind and salty air on your skin and have the sense of being at one with the elements . During this tour , you will discover the seas – well , in a manner of speaking since the IJsselmeer is actually a lake – as a modern-day explorer . A luxurious one , we would add , because life aboard our very well equipped sailing ships would have made Columbus and Vasco da Gama jealous ! Okay , it ’ s not all easy going ; those who want may help the crew with hoisting the sails , and those bikes are there for a reason . There is land to discover !
Our bicycles
Most of the ships Boat Bike Tours uses have their own bicycles on board . These are solid , steady and comfortable bikes . There are also a few e-bikes available . By filling in your rental preferences during the booking – in case you can ’ t or don ’ t want to bring your own bicycle – Boat Bike Tours can offer you a set of wheels perfectly suited to your height . If you do prefer to bring your own bike , a space can be reserved for you on board .