Netherlands
A Cycling Journey: Tulips and Windmills in the Netherlands
Program No. 2261860MEADV-1116-60
Bicycle along Holland’s famed tulip fields as you learn the history of the country’s windmills, delve into the flower industry and enjoy the world-famous Bloemencorso flower parade.
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This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!
9 days
8 nights
16 meals
7B 2L 7D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
5
Noordwijk, Keukenhof
Noordwijk
6
Dutch Economy, Bloemencorso
Noordwijk
7
Amsterdam, Free Time
Noordwijk
9
Program Concludes, Departures
In Flight
At a Glance
After windmills and wooden shoes, tulips and bicycles may be the most recognizable icons of the Netherlands, a country with more bikes than residents and home to the world’s largest permanent display of tulips. Combine these emblems of Dutch culture on a bike journey in the provinces of North Holland and South Holland. Learn the story of the tulip craze and go inside today’s evolved tulip industry as you experience the Netherlands’ famous bike-friendliness firsthand.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
I enjoy getting my heart going on my bike or on trails. Nothing beats the thrill of taking on a rewarding climb or ride on varied terrain with inclines. Let’s keep moving — occasional stops only, please.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Attend the world-famous Bloemencorso flower parade and visit the Keukenhof, known as the Garden of Europe, with its seven million spring-flowering bulbs.
- Learn about a famed former steam-powered pumping station at the Cruquius Museum.
- Explore and learn about the beautiful city of Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, with its canals, museums and lively outdoor terraces.
General Notes
Included in the cost of the program is a good quality European road bike. For an additional cost, an e-bike can also be ordered for this program.
Suggested Reading List
(16 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
A Cycling Journey: Tulips and Windmills in the Netherlands
Program Number: 22618
Red Map Amsterdam
An easy-to-use color map of the great Dutch city's center. The map locates attractions, sites and museums while the reverse includes copious indexes of sites, neighborhoods, shopping and hotels. Sheet size: 24 x 9 inches.
The Twin
Bakker's spare, tender ode evokes life on a rural farm in the Dutch countryside.
The Coffee Trader, A Novel
An entertaining, suspenseful work of historical fiction set in Amsterdam. It's 1659 and in the new, capricious world of stocks and investment, a desperate Portuguese-Jewish trader partners with a Dutchman. Their idea: import the first shipment of coffee to the country. What follows is a wild tale of ruthlessness, greed and fortune.
The Autumn of the Middle Ages
A pioneering work of social and cultural history, this well-translated classic of 1924 is a richly detailed portrait of life, thought and art in 14th- and 15th-century France and the Netherlands.
The Undutchables
A laugh-out-loud, irreverent guide to Dutch character and habits, including how to drink coffee and why you shouldn't even think about haggling over prices.
Eyewitness Guide The Netherlands
Gorgeously illustrated and filled with excellent maps, this compact book covers Holland, its history, traditions, cultures and sights. With hundreds of color photographs and illustrations.
The Embarrassment of Riches
An engaging cultural history and much more, this book is a study of the Dutch in the 17th century and their surprising challenge to Spanish rule.
Eyewitness Guide Amsterdam
A wonderful guide to Amsterdam, filled with detailed drawings, photographs and thumbnail sketches.
An Island in Time, The Biography of a Village
Mak returns to Jorwerd, the small Netherlands village of his childhood, to spend time with the villagers and learn both the pleasures and contemporary challenges of small town life.
Why the Dutch are Different
Mingling history with travelogue, Coates speaks to why the Netherlands is such a fascinating country. He explains their world-famous culture of tolerance, the significance of milk, beer and the color orange in the lives of the Dutch and much more.
Fifty Places to Bike Before YouDie
Santella showcases a wide variety of expertly selected places to bike, from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia and the Indochina Trail in Vietnam to the urban jungle of New York City.
Tulip Fever
In this surprise bestseller, set in 1630s Amsterdam, a man contracts the talented painter Jan Van Loos to paint a portrait of him and his beautiful wife, Sophia. A vivid drama unfolds as a mutual attraction develops between Van Loos and Sophia.
In the City of Bikes
Pedaling around the city on a "lumbering and sluggish" single-speed bicycle named Brownie, American expat and bike nut Pete Jordan turns his love of Amsterdam -- and of bicycles -- into an acutely observed cultural history of the city.
Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City
Russell Shorto opens this delightful ode to an adopted city with his daily journey, by bike of course, through his neighborhood to drop off his toddler son. He spins a tale of a diverse city wrestled from the sea, its coffee shops, canals and its personalities and politics, with panache.
The Anatomy Lesson
A fictionalized account of the events surrounding Rembrandt’s first commissioned piece, the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Well-researched and vivid with period details that transport the reader back to 1600s Amsterdam at the height of Dutch artistic vigor.
Tulipomania
The story of the world's most coveted flower and the extraordinary passion it aroused, this vivid history traces the tulip from its origins on the Turkish steppes to its status as an absurdly desired object in Europe and its key role in the financial follies of 17th-century Holland.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
9 days
Program Begins
Akersloot
Program Concludes
Noordwijk
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
16
| 7B |
2L |
7D |
Activity Level
After windmills and wooden shoes, tulips and bicycles may be the most recognizable icons of the Netherlands, a country with more bikes than residents and home to the world’s largest permanent display of tulips. Combine these emblems of Dutch culture on a bike journey in the provinces of North Holland and South Holland. Learn the story of the tulip craze and go inside today’s evolved tulip industry as you experience the Netherlands’ famous bike-friendliness firsthand.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Attend the world-famous Bloemencorso flower parade and visit the Keukenhof, known as the Garden of Europe, with its seven million spring-flowering bulbs.
- Learn about a famed former steam-powered pumping station at the Cruquius Museum.
- Explore and learn about the beautiful city of Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, with its canals, museums and lively outdoor terraces.
General Notes
Included in the cost of the program is a good quality European road bike. For an additional cost, an e-bike can also be ordered for this program.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
I enjoy getting my heart going on my bike or on trails. Nothing beats the thrill of taking on a rewarding climb or ride on varied terrain with inclines. Let’s keep moving — occasional stops only, please.
Small Group
(13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(16 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
16 meals | 7B | 2L | 7D |
7 expert-led lectures
11 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit to Program
Location:
In Flight
Day
2
Arrive Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Bike Fitting, Orientation
Location:
Akersloot
Meals:
L,D
Stay:
Van Der Valk Hotel Akersloot
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 33 miles, approximately 1.25 hours riding time. Walking about 1/2 mile on flat terrain.
Morning:
Upon arrival at the airport, go through passport control, enter the baggage reclaim area and get your luggage, go through the appropriate customs section, and enter Schiphol Plaza and follow the signs to CAR RENTALS. Look for the Group Leader with a Road Scholar sign who will be waiting. As soon as everyone on the designated group transfer (for those who purchased airfare through Road Scholar) has arrived, we will board a motorcoach and ride to de Zaanse Schans. In this village with windmills and a wooden shoe museum, we will set out on a walking field trip led by the Group Leader and learn the history of windmills when floods were frequent. We will be standing on land considerably lower than the North Sea, only a few miles away. We’ll also learn about the present use of the windmills: grinding flour, pigments used in paints, mustard seeds, and log cutting.
Lunch:
Enjoy an authentic taste of the Netherlands at a village restaurant that specializes in Dutch-style pancakes.
Afternoon:
We will continue by motorcoach to Akersloot, in the province of North Holland, and check in to our hotel. After some time to freshen up and relax, we will gather for our Orientation Session at a time and space the Group Leader will announce. Orientation. The Group Leader, who will be with us throughout the program, will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Upon arrival in Akersloot after check-in, the two Group Leaders will do the individual bicycle fittings and skill testing. Educational content will be provided by our knowledgeable Group Leader and local experts. Whether bicycling in beautiful countryside or vibrant cities, Road Scholars will learn to understand and deal with local traffic, account for other bicyclists along the way, and be prepared for sudden stops. A Group Leader in a support vehicle will accompany the group while bicycling each day in the event of emergency situations. The included meals at our hotels as well as local restaurants will future local cuisine. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
Join a welcome dinner in the hotel dining room, featuring a plated three-course dinner menu plus water; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner each night will follow this description.
Evening:
At leisure. The evening is free to continue becoming acquainted with your fellow participants or relax at the hotel. Get a good night's sleep for the full day tomorrow.
Day
3
The Corner System & Safety, Dunes, Hortus Bulborum
Location:
Akersloot
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Van Der Valk Hotel Akersloot
Activity Note
Biking distance is 19 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room, the ample buffet offers eggs, meats, cheeses, cereals, yogurt, breads (and chocolate sprinkles), juices milk, water, and hot beverages. Breakfast each morning will follow this description.
Morning:
After a plentiful breakfast, we attend a lecture on the Corner System, designed to make sure you don’t get lost, followed by a safety lecture about the rules of the road. Luckily, the Netherlands has laws in place that give the two-wheeler many advantages, you have come to the right place. Begin your adventure with a cycling field trip through the dunes around Castricum and Bakkum. These dunes form part of the North Holland Dune Reserve, a nature reserve of 11,800 acres, extending from Wijk aan Zee to Schoorl.
Lunch:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like in Bakkum. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we head toward the town of Limmen, home to the Hortus Bulborum. This unique garden collection features over 4,000 spring flowers, primarily consisting of tulips, narcissus, and hyacinths. After our visit, we return to the hotel in Heiloo.
Dinner:
Hotel dining room.
Evening:
At leisure. Your evenings are free to enjoy as you like. Spend time with new Road Scholar friends, go exploring on your own, or simply relax.
Day
4
De Rijp, History of Dutch Flowers Lecture
Location:
Akersloot
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Van Der Valk Hotel Akersloot
Activity Note
Biking distance is 24 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room.
Morning:
We start our day heading toward De Rijp, past fields of tulips all along the way. As you bicycle on dedicated paved trails you realize that this country had the two-wheeler in mind when it designed an extensive network of bicycle paths. Indeed, you will see school children biking in groups to and from school, and parents heading for work or shop on their bikes. The bicycle is the Dutch primary mode of transportation.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like in De Rijp, a village with an old church and a draw bridge.
Afternoon:
After lunch we mount our bicycles again and head back toward our hotel in Heiloo. Before dinner, we visit a bulb grower and learn about their export business.
Dinner:
Hotel dining room.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
5
Noordwijk, Keukenhof
Location:
Noordwijk
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Fletcher Hotel De Witte Raaf
Activity Note
Biking distance is 14 miles on flat terrain, primarily on dedicated paved bicycle paths. Motorcoach riding time approximately 1 hour for a distance of 40 miles.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room.
Morning:
We check out of our hotel after breakfast and board a motorcoach to Noordwijk where we drop off our luggage at our hotel where we will stay the next four nights. From the hotel in Noordwijk, we bike to the nearby Keukenhof where more than seven million bulbs are in bloom in springtime, including over 800 varieties of tulips.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like at the Keukenhof. There are several restaurants so you will not have any difficulty finding food. Ask your group leader where the poffertjes place is (small pancakes covered in butter and sugar).
Afternoon:
We continue our visit of the Keukenhof until mid-afternoon when we return by bike to our hotel in Noordwijk.
Dinner:
Hotel dining room.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
6
Dutch Economy, Bloemencorso
Location:
Noordwijk
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Fletcher Hotel De Witte Raaf
Activity Note
Activity Notes Bicycling about 15 miles; generally flat terrain, primarily dedicated paved bicycle paths.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will begin the morning with a lecture by a historian on the economy of the Netherlands. We’ll then set out on a bicycling field trip to the dunes near Noordwijk. We’ll walk on the beach, look out over the North Sea, and observe the fishing boats.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like in Noordwijk.
Afternoon:
Next, we will attend the famous Bloemencorso (Flower Parade) that starts in Noordwijk, The Bloemencorso is the largest spring festival in The Netherlands. This colorful, fragrant spectacle is celebrated annually. We will see annual parade which is the main highlight of the event when the colorful floats and the luxury vehicles decorated in masses of flowers travel the 42 km route with the addition of cheerful music from the marching bands and amusement on and around the floats. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
Hotel dining room.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Amsterdam, Free Time
Location:
Noordwijk
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Fletcher Hotel De Witte Raaf
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 60 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking about 1.5 hours; paved terrain.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will leave early by motorcoach to Amsterdam, or as the Dutch call it, Mokum. With our Group Leader, we will set out on a field trip to the center of Amsterdam to explore Rembrandt Square, the Bloemenmarkt (flower market), and finally the Begijnhof (Béguinage). This tranquil courtyard dates back to the 14th century, when it was built for the Béguines, pious women who chose to live like nuns but without taking formal vows. The remainder of the morning and into the afternoon will be free. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. If you haven’t already been there, you might like to venture to the Anne Frank House or the Rijksmuseum. If you want to relax, seek out one of the local cafés to sip a Heineken or cup of coffee while watching the locals.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like in Amsterdam.
Afternoon:
Free time in Amsterdam will continue. We will rendezvous at an announced time and place to reboard the motorcoach and return to Noordwijk in the late afternoon.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
8
Aalsmeer Flower Auction, Cruquius Museum
Location:
Noordwijk
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Fletcher Hotel De Witte Raaf
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 36 miles, approximately 1 hour. Bicycling about 25 miles; generally flat terrain, primarily dedicated paved bicycle trails.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will board a motorcoach and ride to Aalsmeer where the Group Leader will give us a presentation and introduction to the largest flower auction in the Netherlands. Buyers from around the world bid on flowers and plants online. This goes on until all flowers have been sold. Then, within hours, all the flowers are loaded on trucks and headed for their destinations. Flowers for the U.S. are taken to the nearby airport and will usually be for sale the next day in local flower shops. Returning to the hotel after our field trip, we will continue by bicycle to Cruquius.
Lunch:
At the Theehuis (Tea House) Cruquius.
Afternoon:
We will walk to the Museum De Cruquius, where a docent will present the history of this former steam-powered pumping station, operational from 1850-1933. We’ll learn about the technology used to drain the area around Amsterdam that was threatened with flooding in the past. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
9
Program Concludes, Departures
Location:
In Flight
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 10:00 a.m. See your program’s GETTING THERE information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
Hotel dining room. This concludes our program.
Morning:
Morning transfer to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for departures. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
16 Meals
7 Breakfasts
2 Lunches
7 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Apr 15, 2024 - Apr 23, 2024
Participant Reviews
Based on 6 Reviews
Sort By:
This is the best bicycle trip ever!!
— Review left May 21, 2024
If you like spring flowers and biking this is the trip for you. Just remember flowers need water to grow so plan accordingly. Don't let weather concerns stop you from enjoying the unique tulip season in the Netherlands.
— Review left May 10, 2024
I highly recommend this marvelous trip to the Netherlands. The fields of tulips stretched to the horizon and biking through the fields of flowers and small villages was simply amazing. Our leaders were professional and accommodating to everyone’s needs. The country was lovely and the people, fascinating. This was a feast for flower lovers and cyclists!
— Review left April 30, 2023
I met some wonderful people on this trip. I appreciated the support of our tour guides. I loved viewing The Netherlands on my bicycle & stopping along the way at various points of interest. I found that the citizens of this country were very polite & helpful to tourists.
— Review left April 28, 2023
This was a fun trip -- the scenery is beautiful, the people friendly, and the biking was wonderful. It is true that the Netherlands is flat.. but some of the places we biked had nothing to break the wind, which added some real exercise to the biking!
— Review left April 27, 2023
This is a great trip for flower, bird and garden lovers who like to bike. The physical biking is easy but be prepared for frequent traffic on narrow bike paths and along canals with no shoulder -- including large trucks and tractors. Since there are not many underpasses you also have to negotiate crossing major roads and traffic circles which can be stressful when traffic is heavy. I would rate this trip more difficult than advertised, especially for those who do not bike frequently.
— Review left April 25, 2023
