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| Towns of the Golden Age | Ref: NL003 |
| 8 days / 7 nights | |
| Price: £465pp (based on 2 people sharing) | |
Type:  |
Guided:  |
Level:  |
| Distance: approx 137 miles | ||
travel :
- Fly to Amsterdam
The "Zeeland" is one of the barges used for this cruise and cycle holiday and was built in 1963 as a passenger ship. After a large renovation in the nineties the ZEELAND now contains comfortable two berth cabins with shower and toilet. Classified as a Standard Barge, it has 10 cabins with bunk beds, all with their own facilities, ranging from 2 berth to 4 berth and accommodating a maximum of 30 people. The living quarters also house a bar corner. There are seats on the elevated sundeck that provide you with a wonderful view. 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):
In the morning you will be able to check into the barge, be shown your cabin and meet your fellow travellers. At approximately 1.00pm your barge will cruise to Spaarndam where you will unload your bikes and cycle to Haarlem. The Flemish moved here in droves in search of their fortunes and it was partly because of them that the linen commerce grew so much. The wealth that came with this commerce attracted lots of artists, among them Frans Hals. In the evening, after your delicious meal, a special guest will tell you all about the history of the Haarlem Breweries. 12 miles
Day 2 (sunday):
After a short cruise you cycle right through Holland’s Green Heart to Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt and also home to one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. You may like to visit the local museum De Lakenhal, where you will find an interesting collection of industrial art and paintings from the 17th-20th century. In the evening you have the option of a walk through the historical centre of the town with your guide. 20 miles
Day 3 (Monday):
Your barge cruises to Leidschendam and from there you will cycle to Delft. In the 17th century the Delft potters were so impressed by the chinaware that was brought in from the far east that they created there own Delft ware (Delft Blue). A visit to the chinaware factory ‘De Porceleyne Fles’ gives you a good impression of the Delft Blue and modern ceramics. 22 miles
Day 4 (tuesday):
After a city walk through the historic centre of Delft, which is crammed with 17th and 18th Century houses, streets that overlook canals, magnificent public buildings, outdoor markets, and a surprising number of museums, you cycle via the Westland region to the town of Schiedam. Here you will find the 5 highest mills of the world. Schiedam is also famous for its many gin distilleries (called jenever in Dutch) that were founded during the Golden Age. You might want to try a 'jenevertje' and strong liquor in the museum of spirits 'De Gecroonde Brandersketel'. 20 miles
Day 5 (wednesday):
Today the programme consists of a cycle tour through small rural villages and a through part of the nature reserve ‘De Biesbosch’. The cycle trip ends in Dordrecht, formerly one of the most important ports in the Netherlands where goods were transferred from sea going vessels to river boats. In the Dordrecht Museum you will find an interesting collection of paintings by several Dutch Masters. 25 miles
Day 6 (thursday):
How Dutch can a landscape be? After leaving Dordrecht you cycle to Kinderdijk, where you will see 19 windmills in line: Don’t forget your cameras! The mills, built around 1740, drain the excess water from the Alblasserwaard polders - which are situated below sea level - after which the water is sluiced into the river Lek. After visiting one of the mills you continue to Gouda where in the central marketplace cheese markets have been held since the Middle Ages. The famous St. Jans church with beautiful stained glass windows is certainly worth a visit. A potter, the only craftsman still practising today, shows you the art of making traditional Gouda pipes from clay. In Gouda during mediaeval times it was obligatory for pharmacists, if they wanted to offer their clients a new potion, to taste all the ingredients in public. Some laws should never be changed. 22 miles
Day 7 (friday):
Early in the morning the barge leaves Gouda on its way back to Amsterdam. Around noon you disembark and cycle alongside the river Amstel into Amsterdam. In the afternoon there is still time left to visit the Dutch capital. In the evening you may wish to make a round trip of the Amsterdam canals, which would make a memorable end to your holiday, or join your guide for a walk. 16 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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Cycling Holidays in Holland
Cruise and Cycle
- Tulip Tour
- Spring Flowers
- Holland Meets Belgium
- Highlights of Holland
- Family Special - Tales and Castles
- Family Special - IJssel Lake
- Towns of the Golden Age
- Hanseatic Towns
- Amsterdam to Brussels
- Riverland Holland
- Around IJssel Lake
- Southern Holland
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