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| Hanseatic Towns | Ref: NL004 |
| 8 days / 7 nights | |
| Price: £465pp (based on 2 people sharing) | |
| Type: |
Guided: |
Level: |
| Distance: approx 191 miles | ||
travel :
- Fly to Amsterdam
The "Jelmar" is one of the barges used on this tour. Classified as a Standard barge it has 12 cabins with bunk beds, all with their own facilities and will take up to 30 people. In the saloon where meals are eaten there is an "honesty" bar. You help yourself to wine, beer or soft drinks and record what you have taken so that you can pay at the end of the week. We use an operator in Holland for these holidays, and as they sell to other agents in Europe such as ourselves it is likely you will have a mix of different nationalities on this tour adding to the cultural enjoyment.

Itinerary
Day 1 (saturday):
After joining your barge in Amsterdam you will start the cruise at approximately 1.00pm along the Amsterdam-Rijn canal to Wijk bij Duurstede, your first stop for the night. In the evening there’s a short ‘warming-up’ cycle ride in the vicinity, which passes the castles Zandenburg and Walenburg. 10 miles
Day 2 (sunday):
The barge sails along the river Nederrijn to the lock near the village Heveadorp, where you will disembark to start your cycle trip. You will cycle to the ‘De Hoge Veluwe’ National Park and visit the Kröller-Müller museum, where you will find a fantastic exhibition of paintings by Vincent van Gogh and others. In the grounds of the museum there are a number of statues by famous artists. The first day of cycling ends in Arnhem, where the ship is moored on the river Nederrijn. 30 miles
Day 3 (monday):
Today you will cycle past Rosendael castle to the ferry near Rheden, which takes you across the River IJssel. Your route continues through the lovely villages Doesburg and Brummen to the Hanseatic and walled town of Zutphen, situated alongside the River IJssel. 32 miles
Day 4 (tuesday):
Today the barge will stay in Zutphen, allowing you to ride into the countryside. The route takes you pass Vorden castle and the rural community of Lochem. After a visit to the Mansion Verwolde you follow the Twente canal back to Zutphen. Alternatively you may wish to spend a day shopping and/or visiting the many museums in Zutphen. Of particular interest is the Stedelijk Museum that has an interesting cultural-historical collection that shows the history of Zutphen and its surroundings. 28 miles
Day 5 (wednesday):
Today you sail by barge to the Hanseatic town of Deventer, where you will disembark. Enjoy the picturesque landscapes while following the River IJssel to Diepenveen, castle Oude Rande and the rural estate Hoenderloo. Through the village of Windesheim the trip ends in Kampen, a historic Hanseatic town. Kampen has many treasures: beautiful fourteenth-century gateways, narrow quaint streets, a fine church, and the greater portion of an odd but wholly delightful stadhuis in red brick and white stone, with a little crooked bell-tower and statues of great men on its façade. 34 miles
Day 6 (thursday):
The theme for today is ‘relaxing aboard’ as there is a 4 hour sailing trip to Haarderwijk, where you’ll stay for the night. In the afternoon there is a cycle ride through the moorland area around Haarderwijk. 20 miles
Day 7 (friday):
The barge will sail from Haarderwijk to Spakenburg and after unloading your bicycles you will spend a little time in this former fishing village, which is still famous for the traditional costume. Via the beautiful lake area of Ankeveense Plassen you cycle to castle Muiderslot. After a visit to this beautifully situated castle, you continue cycling to Amsterdam. In the evening you may like to join the guide for a walk around the city or a roundtrip of the Amsterdam canals would make a memorable end to your holiday. 37 miles
Day 8 (saturday):
It is the end of the tour and so it is time to say farewells, exchange contact details and make your way home.
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