By Bike and Sailboat on the Ijsselmeer

Day 1: Amsterdam – Monnickendam/Volendam by sailboat
Your week of biking and sailing on the IJsselmeer begins in Amsterdam. The crew will welcome you aboard around 2:00 pm. Once all guests have checked in, the ship will motor towards Monnickendam or Volendam. From the port of one of these former fishing villages, a short warm-up round will lead you through the rural nature reserve of Waterland with its numerous villages.

Day 2: Monnickendam / Volendam (20 or 32 miles) | Volendam – Hoorn by boat
Today awaits you a typical Dutch day: you will cycle to a nearby family-run cheese and wooden shoe shop for a short demonstration of cheese and wooden shoe making and, of course, cheese tasting. You will then cycle along the dykes to Purmerend, in the heart of a polder called De Beemster, located 11.5 feet below sea level: it was created more than 400 years ago, when the Dutch converted an inland lake to pastures. Divided into a narrow geometric design, it is recognized by UNESCO as a creative masterpiece. Your next destination will be Edam, a charming town whose narrow streets and canals deserve a walk. Edam is famous around the world for its cheese covered in red or yellow wax. This practical solution keeps the cheese fresh for long time, enabling 17th-century sailors to take it on their journeys and trade it for spices and other East's riches. Through the main dam of the IJsselmeer, you will arrive on the Volendam waterfront where the ship is docked. Later in the afternoon, the ship will sail to Hoorn.

Day 3: Hoorn – Enkhuizen (17 or 24 miles) | Enkhuizen – Urk by boat
Through small villages and rural areas, today's stage will take you to Enkhuizen. You will pass by the De Krijgsman (The Warrior) windmill, the highest windmill in the North Holland province, surrounded by some old Dutch windmills still used to produce flour. In the 17th century, Enkhuizen was one of the wealthiest towns in Holland due to trading expensive spices from Asia. Allow yourself to be surprised by the majestic mansions, canals, churches, and city walls that still reflect the rich history and prosperity of the city. In the afternoon, weather permitting, we sail across the IJsselmeer to the Urk harbour. Onboard the ship, you can assist the captain during navigation. Or you can simply sit on deck and enjoy the journey, observing the life of sea birds. In the evening, you can stroll through the narrow streets and alleys of Urk. As you will see, the houses in this picturesque fishing village were built closely together on an elevated base to protect them from the water.

Day 4: Urk – Vollenhove (23 miles)
After breakfast, you will bike along the lake on a paved bike path to the former island of Schokland. After the draining of the northeastern polder (Noordoostpolder) in 1942, Schokland, just like Urk, ceased to be an island. Since 1995, it belongs to the UNESCO cultural heritage. You will then continue your bike tour through the polder to Vollenhove, another charming fishing village.

Day 5: Vollenhove – Giethoorn (23 or 30 miles)
From Vollenhove, the bike paths through the open countryside lead to the town of Blokzijl. Here you enter the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, the largest freshwater wetland in northwestern Europe and a haven of peace for plants, animals, and humans. A bike path through the center of the park will take you far from the roads, immersing you in the quietness of this region. Keep your eyes wide open and try to spot a fleeting kingfisher or if you're really lucky, an otter, the park's symbol. You will then cross Kalenberg, a village that until the 1950s could only be reached by boat. A winding route through an agricultural landscape of narrow fields surrounded by dykes will take you to the delightful town of Giethoorn, known as the little Venice of the North.

Day 6: Giethoorn – Lelystad by boat
Today you can enjoy an entire day of sailing and relaxation aboard. Once again, you can assist the captain in navigating if you wish. Or you can simply sit on deck and relax. In the early afternoon, the sailboat will arrive in Lelystad, capital of the province of Flevoland, entirely reclaimed from the sea. Here you can take a break to visit the Batavia Werf, an extraordinary shipyard where ships with an important maritime history are restored and brought back to their former glory. Or go shopping at Batavia Stad, an outlet with all the famous brands.

Day 7: Lelystad – Blocq van Kuffeler (12 or 18 miles) | Blocq van Kuffeler – Amsterdam by boat
In the morning you disembark for the last half day on the bike. You will cross the Oostvaardersplassen, a nature reserve. Some sections of the tour wind through forested areas, while others offer panoramic views over vast reed beds and marshes. This is a paradise for bird-watching lovers. The ship will pick you up in the small port of Oostvaardersdiep for the return trip to Amsterdam. You will then celebrate this wonderful week around the IJsselmeer with a farewell dinner on board the ship.

Day 8: Amsterdam
Disembark by 9.30 am, after breakfast and end of services. Individual departure or extension of stay.