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Netherlands

Beauty in Bloom: A Cycle & Barge Adventure in the Netherlands

Program No. 24933RJ
Forget tiptoeing — get many perspectives on the Netherlands as you bike and barge along tulip fields and gardens while learning about Dutch culture.
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Start
  • A classic Dutch windmill stands behind a vibrant field of colorful tulips in the Netherlands under a blue sky.
  • Map of the cycle and barge tour route in the Netherlands, connecting Amsterdam, Haarlem, Oude Wetering, and Alkmaar.
  • The De Holland ship is docked at a pier in the Netherlands on a partly cloudy day.
  • A group of smiling cyclists in helmets pose with their bikes on a charming street in the Netherlands.
  • Boats are docked along a canal in front of the historic Teylers Museum and other traditional Dutch buildings in Haarlem, Netherlands.
  • Colorful traditional Dutch houses with red-tiled roofs line a canal in De Rijp, Netherlands, under a blue sky with white clouds.
  • The modern bar and dining area aboard the De Holland ship in the Netherlands, featuring a curved wooden bar and mustard-yellow dining chairs.
  • A group of cyclists in helmets poses for a photo in front of a large tulip field in the Netherlands.
  • Cyclists park their bikes in a rack at the bottom of a sandy dune path in the Netherlands.
  • A colorful flower parade float in Haarlem, Netherlands, features large ducks made of yellow and red flowers in front of traditional Dutch buildings.
  • Colorful tulips and other flowers bloom in vibrant beds alongside a winding stream at Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands.
  • Two beds with towels folded into swans sit in a cabin on the De Holland ship in the Netherlands.
BicyclingOutdoor AdventuresAdventures Afloat Study CruiseBarge
Length
9 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
4,299
Flights start at
850
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
All itineraries and excursions are subject to change. Weather and water conditions may affect the progress of the ship, and we may miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The operators reserve the right to change the content and duration of excursions without prior notice and so the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. Whenever possible, Road Scholar’s published daily schedule will indicate port arrival and departure times. Prior to departure, if there is a major change, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
16 meals ( 7B, 2L, 7D )
3 expert-led lectures
14 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 33 miles, under 1.5 hours riding time. Walking about 1/2 mile; generally flat terrain. Embarking the ship.
Morning:
Upon arrival at the airport, go through passport control, enter the baggage claim area and get your luggage, go through the appropriate customs section, and enter Schiphol Plaza and follow the signs to “Car Rentals.” Look for the Group Leaders with a Road Scholar sign who will be waiting. As soon as everyone on the designated group transfer (for those who purchased airfare through Road Scholar) has arrived, we will board a motorcoach and ride to de Zaanse Schans. In this village with windmills and a wooden shoe museum, we will set out on a walking field trip led by the Group Leaders and learn about the history of windmills when floods were frequent. We will be standing on land considerably lower than the North Sea, only a few miles away. We’ll also learn about the present use of the windmills: grinding flour, pigments used in paints, mustard seeds, and log cutting.
Lunch:
At a village restaurant specializing in Dutch-style pancakes.
Afternoon:
We will continue by motorcoach to Amsterdam. Here we will embark our floating hotel for the week, the De Holland. After check-in, the ship will start sailing towards Hoorn. Orientation: Our Group Leaders, who will accompany us throughout the program, will welcome everyone, lead introductions, and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, and emergency procedures aboard the boat. We will also attend a bike safety presentation covering the rules of the road—made easier by the Netherlands’ cyclist-friendly laws. Included meals onboard and at local restaurants will highlight local cuisine. Scheduled “Free time” and “At leisure” periods allow you to explore independently and personalize your experience, with Group Leaders happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and distances or times may change due to local conditions; if so, we will notify you as promptly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
In the ship’s dining room.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Biking 15 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
Aboard the ship.
Morning:
Before setting off, we’ll take the time to ensure each bicycle is properly adjusted for a smooth and comfortable ride. We then begin our cycling adventure with an easy, relaxed ride that leads to a small landing, where we’ll secure the bikes and step aboard a small boat to glide through Hoorn’s quiet, historic residential canals. Afterward, we’ll return to our bicycles and continue cycling on to Volendam, known for colorful houses, harbor views, and Dutch traditions.
Lunch:
Lunch is on your own
Afternoon:
Next, we will bicycle back to Haarlem and make a visit to the Teyler’s Museum where a local expert will show us the wonders of its permanent collection of Dutch art and science under one roof since 1784.
Dinner:
In the ship's dining room.
Evening:
This evening our local historian will come onboard to give a lecture about the history of The Netherlands.
Activity Note
Biking 18 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
In the ship's dining room.
Morning:
We’ll start our day heading south along the canals. Our first destination is the Cruquius Museum, where a local expert will present the history of this former steam-powered pumping station, operational from 1850 to 1933. We will learn about the technology used to drain the area around Amsterdam that was threatened with flooding in the past.
Lunch:
We’ll enjoy Dutch cuisine at the museum’s Theehuis (Tea House).
Afternoon:
We’ll visit the Frans Hals Museum, home to an outstanding collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings. Afterward, enjoy free time to explore Haarlem’s charming historic center, with its lively Grote Markt, the impressive St. Bavo Church, inviting cafés, and beautifully preserved guild houses.
Dinner:
In the ship's dining room.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Biking 23 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
In the ship's dining room.
Morning:
From Haarlem, we will bike to the Keukenhof Gardens. We will already see flowers along the way to the world’s most famous spring garden. Once we enter the park, we will see more than seven million bulbs bloom in springtime, including more than 800 varieties of tulips. While its history dates back to a 15th-century castle, the gardens were redesigned in the 19th century in the English landscape style. It was then configured as a place to exhibit spring-flower bulbs and opened to the public in 1950.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like at Keukenhof.
Afternoon:
We will continue our independent exploration of Keukenhof until mid-afternoon, when we will return by bicycle to our ship which is now docked in Zaandam
Dinner:
In the ship's dining room.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 40 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking about 1 mile, approximately 1.5 hours on paved terrain. Getting on/off a canal boat. No biking today. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At a local restaurant following our morning field trip.
Morning:
Today, we’ll have an early start as we travel by motorcoach to Aalsmeer to visit the Netherlands’ largest flower auction. Flowers and plants are sold through a fast-paced online system, with buyers placing real-time bids from around the world, making Aalsmeer a key hub of the global flower trade. Afterwards, we'll enjoy relaxed breakfast in a local restaurant. Then we will head into Amsterdam via canal boat to see this historical city and its canals. This will conclude near the Museumplein where the Rijksmuseum and van Gogh Museum reside. The remainder of the morning and the entirety of the afternoon will be free. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leaders will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like in Amsterdam.
Afternoon:
Free time in Amsterdam will continue. If you make museum reservations, we suggest you do that between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. We will rendezvous at an announced time and place to reboard the motorcoach and return to the ship in the late afternoon which is now docked in Alkmaar.
Dinner:
In the ship's dining room.
Evening:
We will join a local expert for a walking field trip though Alkmaar.
Activity Note
Biking 27 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
In the ship's dining room.
Morning:
Today’s cycling field trip leads through the dunes around Castricum and Heiloo. These dunes form part of the North Holland Dune Reserve, a nature reserve of 11,800 acres, extending from Wijk aan Zee to Schoorl. While being a lovely cycling area, they also serve as The Netherlands’ natural primary defense system against the North Sea. We will walk on the beach and look out over the North Sea and observe the fishing boats.
Lunch:
On your own at the beach.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll mount our bicycles again, you cycle along bike paths through dunes, forests, and heathland. As the dunes end, the route continues through flat polder countryside before following waterways into Alkmaar’s historic center.
Dinner:
In the ship's dining room.
Evening:
This evening aboard the ship, we’ll enjoy a lecture from our instructor about the economy of The Netherlands.
Activity Note
Biking 29 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths and some city traffic.
Breakfast:
In the ship's dining room.
Morning:
This field trip to Amsterdam will be on our bicycles. One final time, we’ll ride though the polders and along the lakes and canals. Our midday destination is De Rijp, a former fishing village now surrounded by polders and lakes. In the old days, 25 percent of the world’s herring was caught by ships from this village. Before lunch, a local expert will join us to share insights into the region's nautical history, the influence of the Mennonites, and the unique wooden house still standing at the 'In 'T Houten Huis' Museum.
Lunch:
Lunch on your own
Afternoon:
After lunch, we leave our bicycles behind for the final time and sail past the starting point of our journey, enjoying views of the Zaanse Schans windmills from the sun deck. As the farms and windmills fade into the distance, Amsterdam gradually emerges, with industrial outlines returning along ever-busier waterways.
Dinner:
In the ship’s dining room. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for disembarkation and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Disembarkation by 9:00 a.m. (okay to check out earlier.) See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
In the ship’s dining room.
Morning:
Having docked back in Amsterdam, we will disembark the ship by 9:00 a.m., but you may leave earlier for your flight home. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!