Cycling in North Holland

Discover the province of North Holland by boat and bike. The sheer expanse of the IJsselmeer, the North Sea's blisteringly fresh air, the Isle of Texel's remarkable dune landscape, ancient coastal towns full of noble Captains' houses, as well as the polders slowly eroded by the sea, a hearty local cuisine and cheese-making culture steeped in tradition - these are all characteristics of your journey on the Serena. This tour on bike and boat through North Holland is perfectly suited for expert cyclists as well as beginners.
Here you can find more details on the ship, the MS Serena.

Day 1 Arrival in Enkhuizen
Embarkation in the afternoon. Take a first exploration tour through the pretty old town of the former centre of herring fishing.

Day 2 Cycling tour, 28-36 km/17-22 mi or excursion to Amsterdam
Today you can cycle through the surrounding countryside, characterised by cabbage and ornamental plant cultivation. The Zuidersee Museum is also worth a visit. Or you can take the train (not included) to Amsterdam and spend the day in this exciting city.

Day 3 Round trip from Lemmer, 32-42 km/ 20-26 mi
Straight across the IJsselmeer, you will cruise to the starting point of today’s cycling stage while enjoying the typical Frisian landscape.

Day 4 Lemmer - Stavoren, approx. 33-48 km/20-30 mi, boat trip
Today’s cycling route will take you along the coast, and through woodland on the way to Stavoren. Here, the ship will take you to the island of Texel.

Day 5 Texel round trip, 31-49 km/19-30 mi, boat trip
There are several routes to choose from, or you can simply enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches. At 6 pm, the ship will take you to Den Helder.

Day 6 Den Helder - Alkmaar, 27-57 km/17-35 miles
Alongside the North Sea coast you will be cycling in a southerly direction, into the charming town of Alkmaar offering several sights.

Day 7 Boat trip, Wormerveer - Hoorn, 30 km/ 19 mi
You reach the famous open-air museum Zaanse Schans by bike, shortly before there is the possibility to visit a cheese dairy. Cycle via Volendam to Hoorn.

Day 8 Boat trip, disembarkation, departure or extension
After breakfast, your bike holiday in North-Holland sadly reaches its conclusion. Disembarkation until 9:00 am.

Here are the details on MS Serena.

Included in your package "Cycling in North Holland":

• 7 nights aboard in your chosen category
• full board (7 x breakfast, 6 packed lunches, 7 x dinner)
• complimentary coffee/tea in the afternoon
• cabins are cleaned daily
• bed linen and towels supplied
• welcome drink and chat where we will provide you with all the relevant information
• on-board tour guide
• daily cycling stage briefings
• detailed travel documents in english
• GPS tracks
• optional concession tickets to local attractions, to be purchased on board
• optional rental bike

Accomodation:

• outside cabins, approx. 8-9 sqm (86-97 sq ft),
  seperated, level-access beds
•   2 junior Suites, main deck, approx. 12 sqm (129 sq ft)
  french bed (140 x 2,00 m)
•   3 single cabin, approx. 6 sqm (64 sq ft)
• all cabins with ventilation system, TV and safe
• all cabins with openable windows

Rental bicycles:

• We offer comfortable unisex-bikes with 7-speed gearboxes and coaster brakes or freewheel, equipped with a bike bag and a bike lock. We also offer e-bikes if desired.

Travel time 2023:

• arrival on saturdays
  full booked!

Prices:

All prices are per person.

• booking code "Cycling in North Holland":
  RS-NNS-7M
• how you can save some money
• costs of cancellation

The booking process

Arrival:

• Arrival by car:
  There are different options of parking your car for the duration of the trip. In any case, please drive to the quay first and bring your luggage and (if applicable) personal bike aboard.
  Free parking at Enkhuizen station, walking distance to the berth. Reservation not possible.
  Details on parking are enclosed with the travel documents.

• Arrival by train:
  Enkhuizen

• Arrival by plane:
  Shiphol Airport, take the train to EnkhuizenDuration approx.: 1,25 hours, departure approx. every half an hour, 1 train change, costs: approx. 10 €
   

Personal bikes:
In principle, you can bring your own bike along. However, please note that your bike will be loaded on and off the boat twice a day along with several others and therefore slight cosmetic damage to individual bikes cannot be ruled out, which is why we do not take responsibility or liability for such damage. We recommend reserving one the excellent rental bikes we offer.

Perfectly looked after:
During your tour, we are available between 8 am and 8 pm, 7 days a week. We are happy to help with any kind of problems you might be having. You will find this emergency number in your travel documents.

Please note:

• As is the case with all boat trips, changes in travel itineraries due to the weather, the rivers’ water levels or technical issues can be undertaken at any time.