Joe Cote
10/9/2025 5:54 PM
A number of VBC cyclist are signed up for this tour and asked this be posted.
10-Day Discover Friesland Bike & Barge Tour from Enkhuizen to Amsterdam July 31 – August 10, 2026
There are still a lot of openings for the Friesland Tour. This tour is at risk of being cancelled. Unlike standard hotel tours, where we can just cancel extra rooms, we must fill all of the barge. Unless we get a surge in registrations for this tour by October 31st, we will have to cancel this incredible tour. In twenty-five years of organizing tours, we have never had to do that. ☹
Friesland is in the northeast corner of the Netherlands and therefore off the beaten path. For many centuries it was independent from the Netherlands and has its own language and culture. It wasn’t until 1648 that Friesland became a full member of the Dutch Republic (the federation of Dutch provinces). Our tour explores this landscape of land and water which are intertwined in every possible way. With the majority of the land at or just above sea level, it’s only thanks to a large network of locks, dikes, and pumps that it’s even possible to live there. The tour is carefully planned to show you all the different landscapes that Friesland has to offer. We’ll cycle along canals and lakes, through open farmland and visit small villages that were granted city rights in medieval times. We’ll not only take in the mainland, but also the Wadden Islands off the coast, which are another part of this diverse province. Our ship will take us on a crossing to one of the islands. In a three-hour cruise over the Wadden Sea we’ll get to know this special tidal area (listed as UNESCO World Heritage). This coastal wetland is typified by extensive mud flats, tidal creeks and the islands contained within it, a region continually contested by land and sea. On the crossing we’ll have plenty of opportunities to spot birds and wildlife. The province of Friesland is also known for a legendary ice-skating event: the Elfsteden-tocht. Translated as the ‘11-city tour’, it has an almost mythical status. It is skated on natural ice along small canals, all of which require a layer of ice at least 6 inches thick. With global warming, this epic event happens less often and only during really freezing winters. On this tour, we’ll cycle along a part of this historic route. We then conclude our tour with three days of riding back to Amsterdam taking in the beautiful landscapes, villages and windmills of the province of Nord-Holland.
The Netherlands is the premier place to do cycle tourism, and the bike and barge format is so enjoyable as we stay in the same air-conditioned room (on our barge) every night as we cycle from one town to the next. Full details are in the attachment.
If the attachment does not appear, here are some details
10-Day Discover Friesland Bike & Barge Tour from Enkhuizen to Amsterdam July 31 – August 10, 2026
Total Cost: $2,500 (Transportation to and from Europe not included)
Deposit: $1,500/$1,815 (paid at time of registration)
Final Payment: $1,000 due by 1/15/26
Rider Limit: 26 – TWO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS!
Special International Cancellation Policy:
* Before 1/15/26: Refund all but $100
* Between 1/16-4/15/26: $1,000 cancellation fee un-less tour is full and your spot is filled, then $100 fee
* After 4/16/26: Loss of total fee unless tour is full and your spot is filled, then $100 cancellation fee
Tour Leaders: Francien van der Lee & Els van de Sande
Tour Rating: Easy
WE STRONGLY ADVISE YOU PURCHASE TRIP INSURANCE!
What’s Included in the Tour Cost:
· 10 nights in a twin cabin/room (2 twins or 1 double bed)
· All breakfasts (from Day 2 to Day 11)
· Six 3-course dinners onboard the Lena Maria
· Seven self-packed lunches
· Hybrid bike (unless you upgrade to eBike)
· Evening guided city walks
· English speaking tour guides (Francien & Els)
· Most museum fees and excursions
What’s Not Included in the Tour Cost:
* Roundtrip flight US-the Netherlands
* Four dinners (1 on barge portion; 3 at hotels)
* Lunches on 3 days - great places to eat along route
* Beverages on board paid in cash to captain at end
* Tips for crew and tour guide
* Rental eBike upgrade for an extra $315
* Special Diet (gluten/dairy free, vegan) paid in cash
* Travel Insurance
THE BIKE AND BARGE EXPERIENCE:
We have been running Bike and Barge Tours in Europe since 2014 and have now co-led more than a dozen. It may be worth pointing out that Ralph and Carol both speak Dutch. Ralph grew up in Amsterdam and Carol has learned the language from his family. Francien will be our Dutch guide. We got to know her in 2014 and has been leading tours in Europe for us ever since. This tour is limited to only 24 participants (plus Ralph & Carol), as that is all the Lena Maria, our floating barge hotel will hold. We will be fed three meals each day on board the Lena Maria. (Actually, we will pack lunch each morning, so we can eat it as we cycle through the beautiful Dutch countryside.) There are 12 cabins with two twin beds (and they are not bunk beds) and 2 cabins with single twins. All have individual bathrooms with showers in each room. The entire ship has been upgraded and now has air conditioning throughout. We have added an extra 3 days to the standard week-long tour which will allow us to cycle from our original starting point in Enkhuizen back to Amsterdam. This will involve 3 hotel stays ending in Amsterdam on August 9th. The tour officially ends on Monday morning, August 10th. There are multiple trains per hour from Amsterdam to Enkhuizen.
Each of us will have the free use of a high-end hybrid bike equipped with a lock and nice pannier, so there is no need to bring your bike with you. For an additional fee, you can upgrade to an eBike though most of our folks haven’t felt a need for that in the Netherlands as the mileages are low and there’s no real climbing. (They even provide a helmet and water bottle, though you may wish to bring your own!) We plan on riding no more than 20 to 30 miles per day on mostly flat roads and on the best bike paths in the world. This tour is intended for the intermediate rider, comfortable on a bicycle saddle for 4-5 hours at a time. It is really sightseeing on a bicycle with lots of stops for coffee, sightseeing and relaxation. Holland is very flat, so hills won’t be an issue but there is always the possibility of a headwind and rain is a consideration any time of year. On several days you will have the opportunity to choose between a longer and shorter ride.
TOUR DESCRIPTION:
Friesland is in the northeast corner of the Netherlands and therefore off the beaten path. For many centuries it was independent from the Netherlands and has its own language and culture. It wasn’t until 1648 that Friesland became a full member of the Dutch Republic (the federation of Dutch provinces). Our tour explores this landscape of land and water which are intertwined in every possible way. With the majority of the land at or just above sea level, it’s only thanks to a large network of locks, dikes, and pumps that it’s even possible to live there. The tour is carefully planned to show you all the different landscapes that Friesland has to offer. We’ll cycle along canals and lakes, through open farmland and visit small villages that were granted city rights in medieval times. We’ll not only take in the mainland, but also the Wadden Islands off the coast, which are another part of this diverse province. Our ship will take us on a crossing to one of the islands. In a threehour cruise over the Wadden Sea we’ll get to know this special tidal area (listed as UNESCO World Heritage). This coastal wetland is typified by extensive mud flats, tidal creeks and the islands contained within it, a region continually contested by land and sea. On the crossing we’ll have plenty of opportunities to spot birds and wildlife. The province of Friesland is also known for a legendary ice-skating event: the Elfstedentocht. Translated as the ‘11-city tour’, it has an almost mythical status. It is skated on natural ice along small canals, all of which require a layer of ice at least 6 inches thick. With global warming, this epic event happens less often and only during really freezing winters. On this tour, we’ll cycle along a part of this historic route. We then conclude our tour with three days of riding back to Amsterdam taking in the beautiful landscapes, villages and windmills of the province of Nord-Holland.
REGISTRATION FORM AND DEPOSIT OF $1,500 OR $1,810 (w/EBike) MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 31, 2025.
Day One Friday, July 31: Enkhuizen to Stavoren (about 2.5 hours sailing): Ourr floating hotel is ready for us at 2 pm in the harbor of Enkhuizen, just a short train ride from Amsterdam. The crew will show us to our home for the first seven days of our tour. After this introduction the barge will depart. On our first cruise we’ll cross the former Zuiderzee, the once notoriously wild South Sea, to reach the province of Friesland. The South Sea (Zuiderzee) was closed off from the north sea with the Afsluitdijk (barrier dam) in the 1930’s making the South Sea a freshwater lake now called the Ijsselmeer. We’ll enter the small Hanseatic trade village of Stavoren for your first night on board. After dinner we will have time to stroll through this charming town.
Day Two Saturday, August 1: Stavoren-Makkum (19-30 mi): Today we take our first bike ride. The route will follow the Frisian coast in a northerly direction. Along the way we’ll pass through the historic harbors of Hindeloopen and Workum, both small picturesque fishing villages from the time when they were along the south sea before the afsluitdik stranded them. In Workum we will visit a museum dedicated to the painter Jopie Huisman, who was an iconic local artist with a uniquely Frisian approach to life and art. Continuing by bike towards our destination of Makkum, we‘ll see a huge building clearly visible in the distance. Inside, shipbuilders are busy constructing superyachts, large oceangoing vessels with everything on board that a human could possibly need or imagine. When we arrive in Makkum, the crew will welcome us back on board with tea, coffee and goodies.
Day Three Sunday, August 2: Makkum-Terschelling (about 4 hours sailing – 15-20 mi riding) In the early morning our captain will maneuver the barge through the sea locks that pass through the afsluitdijk into the Wadden Sea. For about four hours, the barge will carry us through these UNESCO-listed tidal sea flats to the island of Terschelling. Besides the birdlife, we may even spot some seals on the crossing if we’re lucky. On the island we’ll have plenty of time to explore. There are many tiny villages, sandy beaches and dunes. The eastern part of Terschelling is one large nature reserve where we’ll have a chance to spot black-winged stilts, large colonies of spoonbills and great black-backed gulls.
Day Four Monday, August 3: Terschelling – Harlingen (about 3 hours sailing) | Harlingen – Franeker – Leeuwarden (21 - 27 mi.) With another morning sail, the ship will head back to the mainland, but we stay along the Wadden Sea. Starting in the historic fishing town of Harlingen, we’ll leave the coast for the first time this week to visit Franeker, another of Friesland’s 11 cities. Here we will visit the Royal Planetarium with its working model of the solar system built by amateur astronomer Eise Eisinga in the 18th century. He planned to create it in six months, but in the end it took seven years. Today’s destination is Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland. Leeuwarden is a vibrant city with plenty of things to see and do. Among them, the church tower of Oldehoeve is certainly a highlight. Nicknamed the ‘Frisian tower of Pisa,’ one can imagine how it looks! Dinner tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Day Five Tuesday, August 4: Leeuwarden – De Alde Feanen – Grou (24 mi.) After breakfast we start cycling out of the city towards National Park De Alde Feanen. This park consists of a variety of landscapes with small lakes, reedbeds and swamp forest. In the 17th century the area was mined for wet peat which was used extensively as fuel to heat homes. Now, centuries later, the former mining grounds have evolved into a spectacular nature reserve with over 400 different plant species. One moment we’ll see a wide view over vast grasslands and waving reed beds, the next we’ll have a sheltered feeling as we pass through fairytale marshy forests. We’ll then finish up in Grou where the barge is moored for the night.
Day Six Wednesday, August 5: Grou – Sneek (18-27 mi.) This morning we’ll start cycling from Grou in a westerly direction for a day of quiet bike paths and expansive views. Today’s destination is Sneek, the oldest fortress town in the province. Sneek, or Snits in Frisian, played a key role in the Friso-Hollandic wars of the 13th15th centuries, when the counts of Holland attempted to conquer the free Frisian territories. One of the city’s highlights is the Waterpoort, an impressive gate connecting city and harbor that is both defensive and decorative. Tonight, the ship docks in Sneek. Francien, our wonderful guide will take us on an evening stroll through this interesting town.
Day Seven Thursday, August 6: Sneek – Stavoren (23-29 mi.) | Stavoren – Enkhuizen (about 2.5 hours sailing) Today we will cycle from Sneek to Heeg. This 18th century village is known for its long history of eel trade with London, which continued until 1938. From Heeg, traditional wooden eel boats would sail across the Channel and right up the Thames to moor in the center of London. Eels were transported live in the bottom of the boats, which had special holes to allow water to flow in and out. From Heeg, we’ll cycle past Fluessen Lake through classic Frisian countryside. When we arrive in Stavoren, the barge will be ready to take us back to Enkhuizen.
Day Eight Friday, August 7: Enkhuizen – Hoorn (2030 mi.) In the morning, we leave our floating hotel and transition to a hotel tour for the last 3 days. We begin the day with a visit to the Zuiderzee Museum. It consists of a string of (original and replicated) 17th century buildings of which some were used by the VOC<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company> <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company> (Dutch East India Company) and contain both temporary exhibitions as well permanent installations. Most notably is the 'Schepenhal' (ship's hall), which allows visitors a close-up view of some of the more common historical types of boats from the Zuiderzee's rich fishing industry as well as some recreational sailing ships. A shorter ride today takes us to the former VOC Company town of Hoorn. This was one of the world’s most important harbors back in the 17th century. It was larger than the port of Amsterdam until the end of the 18th century. Enjoy the afternoon in Hoorn and take a stroll in the old city center.
Day Nine Saturday, August 8: Hoorn-Alkmaar (25-30 mi) Today we cycle through the Schermer polder to the city of Alkmaar. The Schermer is a former lake that was drained in the 17th century (1633-1635) with the help of 52 windmills. Along the way, we can visit one of these windmills and learn more about water management. We'll see how the mill works and how people used to live there. Alkmaar is known for its cheese market, but there's so much more: a beautiful old city center with canals, a former fish market, and the Waag (weigh house). Francien will lead us on a stroll to enjoy all of this before heading for our hotel just outside the city center.
Day Ten Sunday, August 9: Alkmaar-Amsterdam (2535 mi) Our last bike ride of this tour takes us to Amsterdam. Most of the route goes through open countryside with meadows, cows, and sheep. The picturesque village of De Rijp, with its many monuments, is a good spot for a coffee break. We cycle into Amsterdam from the north, and we'll be surprised how easily we reach the city center, via a park. We'll be staying at a Holiday Inn on the north side of the city, so we won't have to cycle into the busy center with our bikes. A relaxing end to our 10day trip.
Day 11 Monday, August 10: Amsterdam: Today we bid adieu after a wonderful 10 days of cycling and camaraderie.
To register for this tour here https://forms.gle/bWaSkAzXbM6c4YgA6