Itinerary
The Netherlands. Cycling holiday: Back to the Dutch Golden Age
5 days / 4 nights | Star-route with self-guided cycling tours
This unique cycling holiday offers a short or longer voyage of discovery through the Golden Age in the province of Noord-Holland. You will discover places of interest from previous centuries when you cycle through the flat polder landscape, across historic dikes and through idyllic villages. During this holiday you will cycle through port towns from the hey-day of the 17th-century culture and economy in the Netherlands. The landscape with large land reclamations was also developed in this period. The atmosphere of the Golden Age still pervades in Volendam, Edam and Enkhuizen, which are our places of departure along the former Zuiderzee. This is the period in which these towns flourished. Here you can still see beautiful buildings everywhere from this period.
We offer a flexible programme with the possibility to cycle for 3 days or more. Characteristic of the bicycle trips is that most of them have one operating base. You then will always have the possibility to reduce routes or divide your time differently from what is mentioned in the programme. You can decide for yourself how many days you want to cycle.
Highlights of this bike trip
✔ Zaanse Schans Open Air Museum
✔ Marken Island: special wooden houses
✔ water-rich nature areas, polder landscapes, dikes andmills
✔ historic town of De Rijp
✔ De Beemster: UNESCO World Heritage Site
✔ Monnickendam: lively town with canals and bridges
✔ Harbour town Volendam: beautiful harbour, fish trade andold wooden houses
Tour profile
The daily cycle routes almost always lead to car-free paths, low-traffic agricultural paths and paved bike paths. The routes are largely slope-free. In Holland, the bike network is very well developed and well signposted. A bit of wind can be expected near the coast, but the routes are designed so that there is enough time for breaks and sightseeing even at slower speeds. Since the day tours are always round trips, they can easily be lengthened or shortened.
Starting place Volendam/Edam.
Volendam and Edam are the starting places for our voyage of discovery on the bike. Both places border on one another and are more or less an entity. Edam, world-famous for its Edam Cheese, and Volendam, world-famous for its traditional costumes and clogs, can function as an operating base to obtain an impression of the Golden Age. Many buildings, canals and bridges date back from this period.
The following trips can be selected for a bicycle trip from Volendam/Edam.
Itinerary
Day 1: Edam / Volendam
Arrival in the hotel Volendam and Check-in from 15:00. A bike will be available if you hired one. You still have the time to discover Edam and Volendam on the bike, have a drink at an enjoyable pavement café at the harbour and in the evening you can have a meal in one of the lovely restaurants. The most interesting sights are described in the road book.
Day 2: Zaanse Schans (Cycling 65 km / 41 miles)
During this bicycle trip to the Zaanse Schans you can enjoy the serenity and nature of the scenic area of Het Twiske and the beautiful old-Dutch landscape of Waterland with its historic farms. In the open-air museum the Zaanse Schans you can view the mills that still operate in an impressively way.
Day 3: Monnickendam and the former island of Marken (Cycling 30 km / 19 miles)
Monnickendam is a busy town that has managed to retain its 17th-century charm and atmosphere very well. You continue to cycle on to the former island of Marken along canals, across bridges and along the harbour where many traditional sailing ships are usually moored. On Marken you can still see the wooden houses that have been built on this island for centuries. In order to return in easy way, you can take the boat from Marken back to Volendam. Bicycle route: about 30 km / 19 miles
Day 4: Graft, De Rijp and Schermerhorn (Cycling 55 km / 35 miles)
This bicycle trip crosses through the old-Dutch landscape with polders, age-old dikes, mills and watery scenic areas. In De Rijp you can go for a walk and imagine that you are still living in the 17th century. Houses with beautiful wooden facades are characteristic of this unique historic town. Bicycle route: about 55 km / 35 miles.
Extension day:
Day 5: UNESCO World Heritage Site “De Beemster“ (Cycling 50 km / 31 miles)
It is obvious why De Beemster, which is one of the first large land reclamations in the Netherlands, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Reclaimed in 1612, this polder uniquely shows how large parts of the large Dutch water areas were drained in the 17th century. This resulted in very fertile agricultural land. Bicycle route: about 50 km / 31 miles.
Please note: All cycling distances stated above are approximate only.
Map

Booking, Dates & Prices 2023
The Netherlands. Cycling holiday: Back to the Dutch Golden Age
5 Days / 4 Overnight stays
Prices 2023 (per person in €)
Daily from Mar 01 - Oct 31, 2023
Double room 4*
€ 439,-
Single r. supplement 4*
€ 300,-
Triple room Cat Deluxe 4*
€ 375,-
Optional
Bicycle rental, 7-gear
€ 55,-
E-bike rental
€ 139,-
4 x Dinner
€ 175,-
Extra night
€ 89,-
Single room supplement extra night
€ 60,-
Bicyle rental per extension day
€ 13,-
E-Bike rental per extension day
€ 32,-
Dinner for extension day
€ 43,-
Helmet
€ 12,-
Minimum number of participants: 2
Supplements for accommodation in Volendam following appointments:
No rooms can be booked from 02.09.-05.09.2023
For the following dates a surcharge of 15,- € per per-son and night applies:
07.04.-10.04.23 Easter
21.04.-23.04.23 Flower Corso
18.05.-21.05.23 Ascension Day
26.05.-29.05.23 Whitsun
15.09.-19.09.23 Media Fair in Amsterdam
Included:
- 4 Overnight stay in 4****-hotel on the basis of a doublebedded room
- Overnight stay includes breakfast.
- Half board includes a three-course menu.
- Free parking place.
- Bikes are placed at the own site or inside, free of charge.
- Road book with detailed route description plus information about the places of interest.
- Free cycling map 1:50.000 of Noord-Holland.
- Package bag included with bike.
- 7-day service hotline
Road book and cycling map: 1 copy per room. The bicycle trips are made at one’s own risk.
Not included: Journey to/from Volendam; lunches; dinner; drinks; entry fees; bike rental; Bed Tax (2,– to 5,– €p.P./night); extras and everything not listed as included.
Additional package „Experience Amsterdam
Highlights and insider tips: Markets & museums, city districts worth seeing, culture & culinary delights. Discover the capital of the Netherlands in an uncomplicated way. This additional package allows you to get to know and love Amsterdam with all its facets. On two days you will explore the city with its unique canal network, the city quarters worthseeing and numerous museums. To discover Amsterdam from the water as well, venture into the canals by boat for a day. You will travel in a relaxed manner by bus from the hotel and then find yourself right in the heart of the city.
Services:
»2 nights
»Bus ticket from Hotel Volendam to Amsterdam and back
»1 x canal tour Amsterdam»2 individual, elaborated city walks in Amsterdam with 15highlights
»Amsterdam city map and information on the sights
Not included: entrance fees to museums and attractions
2 nights / prices per person
Double room 4****/2 nights: 259,- €
Supplement single room 4****/2 nights: 156,- €
Third person in extra bed/ 2 nights: 189,- €
(in a comfort double room with two full-paying guests)
Highlights a.o.: Vondelpark Prinsengracht, Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, A‘DAM Lookout, Red Light District (De Wallen), Jordaan and De Pijp districts, Anne Frank House, Royal Palace, Moco Museum, NEMO, Magere Brug, The Dam, Museum ‚Het Rembrandthuis‘, Artis Zoo Amsterdam
Bicycle rental
The rental bikes are high quality women’s or men’s bikes with waterproof luggage bags, luggage rack, 27 gears, derailleur and rim brakes (no coaster brake), lighting front and rear, hub dynamo and permanently mounted lock.
The e-bikes (Batavus, Van Dijck) have 5 support levels, 10 gears and a range of up to 80 km. (Helmets, children‘s bikes, tandem or fun trailer available on request).
For € 3.– per day you can insure your rental bike against theft, insurance for an e-bike costs € 6.– per day.
Half board
The standard travel package includes accommodation with breakfast. You can book half-board and get 5 x a 3-course menu. Dinner for extension days is also possible.
Arrival and parking
Arrival by plane: Amsterdam Schipol Airport. There are regular trains from the airport to Amsterdam Central Station. Duration of the trip an average of 15 minutes, cost: € 4.30.
Arriving by train: From Amsterdam Central Station to the hotel by bus (in the direction of Edam).
Bus stop in Amsterdam: CS IJzijde at the back of the main train station. Get off at the bus stop directly opposite the hotel.
Arrival by car / parking: Unguarded parking for free at the hotel.
Notes
Entry Requirements / Visa: EU-citizens are required to have a valid passport or ID-card, not expiring within 6 months of the return of your journey. We kindly ask non-EU citizens, EU-nationals with dual citizenship or anybody who has to respect special legal entry requirements for the country to visit, to inform about visa and entry documents at the responsible embassy.
Note: This trip is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility. We are happy to advise you!
Hotel
Hotel van der Valk Volendam 4 ****
The Van der Valk Volendam is a 4-star hotel located in a quiet rural area near Volendam and about 15 km from Amsterdam. It has an indoor pool, a spacious terrace, restaurant, hotel bar, lounge, swimming pool (free) and spa facilities (extra costs). All spacious rooms with toilet and shower, flat screen television, coffee and tea facilities, desk, safe. Free WiFi allover the hotel. If you do not bring your own device, you can use the free internet access at the terminal in the lobby. Bus tickets to Amsterdam can be purchased at the hotel.
Hotel van der Valk Volendam