Netherland tulip tour, MS Fluvius

Embarkation and check-in, where the crew will welcome you on board, takes place at 2 p.m.. As soon as all guests have arrived a short cruise will bring you to Zaandam, a spot famous for its windmills. Here, your barge will berth in the center of the city for the night. Upon arrival you can enjoy taking your new bike for a brief test ride through the surrounding area. In the evening, enjoy a short walk through the picturesque center of Zaandam.

After breakfast you will enjoy a 5 km bicycle ride to the open air museum “Zaanse Schans” with beautiful windmills, traditional wooden houses, an old Dutch village, a cheese farm and a traditional wooden clog maker. In the afternoon you have a choice to make: you can either cycle (24 km/14 mi.) to Haarlem or take it easy and join the barge while enjoying the scenery. In Haarlem visit the historical inner city with the Grote Markt and St. Bavo church. Your barge will be berthed not far from the center of Haarlem for the night, so you will have time to enjoy a short city walk in the afternoon or in the evening.

Today you will cycle to the Keukenhof, arguably the most famous flower park in the world where you can admire hundreds of thousands of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and many other flowers in full bloom. After an extensive visit you will get back on your bicycle at noon and will head to Oude Wetering, a small village, where your floating hotel will be waiting for you.

This morning you are in for a real treat – an early visit by bus (6.30 a.m.) to the biggest flower auction* in the world at Aalsmeer. In the morning millions of flowers are auctioned off here and are instantly sent out to all parts of the world. By 9 a.m. you will return on the your barge where a late breakfast will be waiting for you while sailing through Amsterdam. During the afternoon you either have the opportunity to make a last beautiful cycling tour through the wetlands of Waterland or to discover this amazing city. Visit the inner city flower market, go to a museum, do some shopping… there is just so much to do! Optional: end-of-day canal tour in Amsterdam.

*The Aalsmeer flower auction is closed during weekends and on public holidays. This is an optional visit.

Disembarkation after breakfast until 09.30 a.m.: End of your trip.