Bike and Boat on the IJsselmeer

Day 1: Amsterdam – Monnickendam or Volendam by boat | Circular tour (10 km)
Individual arrival in Amsterdam. Boarding expected at 2:00 PM (for May 8th, boarding is expected for 4:00 PM).
The boat then leaves for Volendam or Monnickendam to begin the tour of the IJsselmeer. From the port of one of these characteristic villages, you'll take a short initial bike ride through the Waterland Nature Reserve, a beautiful rural area where you'll find the typical image of the Dutch countryside with villages, canals, small lakes and inlets.

Day 2: Monnickendam or Volendam – Volendam (36 or 49 km) | Volendam – Hoorn by boat
A typical Dutch day awaits you today: by bike, you'll reach a nearby family-run dairy, where you can see how the typical cheese and famous wooden clogs are made. You will continue pedaling to Purmerend, in the heart of the Beemster polder, 3.5 meters below sea level, created over 400 years ago when the Dutch decided to turn an inner lake into a grazing area, an accomplishment recognized by UNESCO.
The stage then continues towards Edam, homeland of the eponymous cheese typically wrapped in yellow or red wax. By passing the main dam of Ijsselmeer, you’ll reach Volendam, a quiet town on the lakeside, where you will find the boat waiting for you. In the evening, you’ll have time for a walk among the colourful wooden houses in the centre before setting sail towards Hoorn.

Day 3: Horn – Enkhuizen (26 or 44 km)
The morning starts with a bike stage towards Enkhuizen. You will bike past green farms and mill De Krijgsman (The Warrior), the tallest in the north province. Once in Enkhuizen, you can enjoy an evening walk through the old harbor and the center of this charming city that flourished at the time of the East India Company.

Day 4: Enkhuizen – Stavoren by boat | Stavoren circular tour (25 or 37 km)
If weather conditions are favourable, we will cross the Ijsselmeer by boat to the port of Stavoren, in Friesland region (about 4 hours). During the crossing, those who wish can help the captain steer the boat or simply enjoy the view. On arrival, a bike ride to the picturesque fishing village of Hindeloopen and then to Workum awaits you, the town that houses the museum dedicated to the work and the life of the realist painter Jopie Huisman, very much loved by the Dutch.

Day 5: Stavoren – Lemmer (33 or 40 km)
Following the dam along the Ijsselmeer, you‘ll reach the Gaasterland, an area characterized by up to 10 metre high sand crests, whose name derives from gaasten, a local term for these typical elliptical peaks formed in the ice age.
Once you leave the dam, you enter the Rijsterbos forest: passing through the wooded area, you reach the town of Balk and then the picturesque city and fortress of Sloten. Take a little time to stroll along its magnificent canals or choose one of the many local places for a pleasant lunch break.

Day 6: Lemmer – Zwartsluis (25 km)
From Lemmer, following bike trails, you will cross the green countryside and a wooded area to reach the town of Ossenzijl, the gateway to Weerribben-Wieden National Park, one of the largest marshland areas in Europe and named the best place in the Netherlands in 2004. A bike excursion in the heart of the park will bring you away from the busy roads and into the quiet surroundings of this region. After reaching Kalenberg for lunch, leaving the Park, you will proceed to Blokzijl and finally to your destination for the day, Zwartsluis where you'll find the boat waiting for you.

Day 7: Zwartsluis – Lelystad by boat | Lelystad – Blocq van Kuffeler (20 or 28 km) | Blocq van Kuffeler – Amsterdam by boat
The day begins with a navigation of about 4 hours towards Lelystad, the capital of Flevoland, a region completely reclaimed from the sea. Here begins the last cycling stage of your journey on the IJsselmeer: you will cross the Oostvaardersplassen, a beautiful Nature Reserve, a paradise for bird watching enthusiasts. Enjoy this breathtaking passage through woodland areas and panoramic routes through marshes and reeds. Once back on board, we sail back to Amsterdam.

Day 8: Amsterdam
After breakfast, our services end. Disembarkation is around 9:30 AM.