Around the IJssel Lake

Destination: Netherlands
Duration: 8 days
Price: €860

Lively port towns with traditional tall ships alternate with beautiful wide view on Dutch landscapes. During this boat and bike tour you will discover the water-rich environment around the IJsselmeer and get acquainted with traditional Dutch fishing villages!

Description

Description:
You cycle along the coast of the IJsselmeer and get to know lively port towns, while enjoying the beautiful view. Along the way we sail past traditional tall ships and varied landscapes with wide views. We make a special bike and barge holiday during which we moor in Hoorn and cycle across some unique areas of reclaimed land, called ‘polders’.
The villages of Blokzijl and Vollenhove, once port towns at the inland sea ‘Zuiderzee’, are highly recommended. Also take the opportunity to take a roundtrip of the canals in Giethoorn, the ‘Venice of the North’! During this boat and bike tour you will certainly experience the genuine Dutch heritage. We sail to Spakenburg, where people can still be admired in traditional costumes and cycle on to the wooded Harderwijk.
You cycle through the ‘upper class’ area of Blaricum and Naarden and finish your bike holiday in donw town Amsterdam with a city walk and a roundtrip by boat on the canals.

Highlights of sailing and cycling ‘Around the IJssel Lake’

• The port towns of Hoorn and Enkhuizen
• Nice bike rides along the IJsselmeer
• Canal cruise through the beautiful town of Giethoorn
• Bike trip through nature park De Weerribben

On this bike and barge tour you will be accommodated on a boat in the Comfort class (A) or in the Split Level (B) class.

Day to day program

Saturday: Amsterdam – Hoorn (by boat), cycle tour Hoorn ± 15 km.
After arrival in Amsterdam you will have the opportunity to discover the ship. The barge fsails through the locks In Amsterdam to the IJssel Lake. A beautiful cruise of appr. 4 hours takes you to the town of Hoorn. Lots of tall ships are moored in this traditional port town. In the evening we make a test ride by bike in and around Hoorn.

Sunday: Hoorn – Enkhuizen – Lemmer, Cycle tour ± 30 km.
After a fine breakfast the bike tour takes you through the real Dutch meadow landscape, past villages with names like Nibbixwoud and Hoogkarspel. In port town Enkhuizen we board again and cross the IJssel Lake to Lemmer in the province of Friesland. In the evening there is an opportunity to take a walk through this characteristic Frisian port town.

Monday: Lemmer – Blokzijl/Vollenhove, cycle tour ± 35 km.
The province of Friesland is known for its many waterways. Today’s bike trip is therefore dominated by lakes and canals, including lake ‘Tjeukemeer’. We cycle to the village of Ossenzijl, on the edge of the National Park De Weerribben. It is certainly worthwhile to go to the visitor center of this unique nature reserve. Through the Weerribben and along the canal ‘Kalenberger Gracht’ the cycling ride ends at the barge in Blokzijl / Vollenhove.

Tuesday: Blokzijl/Vollenhove – Giethoorn – Blokzijl/Vollenhove, cycle tour ± 40 km.
Today we starts cycling to the provincial town of Steenwijk. Have a short stop fr a stroll through the shopping streets of discover the extraordinary variety of shops. We cycle to Giethoorn, the Venice of the North, where all traffic goes by boat. Here you can take a cruise by ‘punter’ or by canoe. The bike tour passes lake ‘Beulaker Wijde’ and the village of Dwarsgracht before we arrive back at the barge in Blokzijl / Vollenhove.

Wednesday: Blokzijl/Vollenhove – Zwartsluis – Kampen, cycle tour ± 40 km.
A beautiful day for a bike trip along several lakes all the way to Zwartsluis. This is a lively town, situated at the crossroad of waterways, where you can relax on one of the terraces. After a crossing by ferry we cycle through Genemuiden and on top of the dike ‘Kamper Zeedijk’ to mooring place of the boat in the Hanseatic town of Kampen.

Thursday: Kampen – Elburg – Harderwijk, cycle tour ± 55 km. A stop in the beautiful fortified town of Elburg is really a ‘must’! Our bike ride continues to the town of Nunspeet, an inspiring village for artists. The cycle route over the Elspeter Heide leads to the wooded areas around the estate ‘Huis te Leuvenum’. We cycle to Harderwijk, a lively port town, the stay for the night. Just wander around in this hanseatic town and do some shopping.

Friday: Harderwijk – Spakenburg – Muiden – Amsterdam, cycle tour ± 60 km.
A morning boat trip goes to Spakenburg, a former fishing village that has a striking old port and is known for its traditional costumes. The cycle tour continues via Blaricum, through the forest and attractive heathland to the 14th-century Naarden Fortress. Along the IJssel Lake and via Muiden the cycling holiday finsishes in Amsterdam again. In the evening you may join a guided city walk or a boat trip on the Amsterdam canals.

Saturday: Amsterdam, end of bike and barge tour
Your tour leader and crew say goodbye to you today, but not before we have a last nice breakfast aboard.

(Subject to changes)

Do you prefer to cycle independently from hotel to hotel by bike? Experience the convenience of luggage transport and half board. View our cycling and hotel holiday ‘The Landscapes of the IJsselmeer’