Holland Bike Tour Reviews page 15
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
-
★★★★★ Jeffrey
Boat bike 3
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)
Enjoyed city walking tours and biking during the day. Boat was comfortable and food was good. Staying on the boat is much easier than packing each morning and finding the hotel for the next night. Local beer selection was nice. I was unaware of cash only policy on board. This caused concern, but final bill was manageable with the cash I had.
I have met with friends to tell them how good a boat and bike tour is to travel. They are planning for next year.
-
★★★★★ Bob Civiak
Wonderful
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Fluvius (and reverse)
I love the bike/boat mode of travel. The biking and the App were great. The food was excellant. My one complaint was that it was billed as an English language tour, but more than half the group was German speaking. There was a head guide and an assistant and the head was much better, but spent the majority of his time with the German speakers.
-
★★★★★ Hawkeye
Still Great Even In The Rain
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
This is the fifth bike and barge tour that my wife and I have done in Europe. Overall very enjoyable even though we had rain and cool weather! The boat was very comfortable and provided great meals. Our guide Paul was very knowledgable and patient in guiding a large group of cyclists through at times congested trails. The terraine was flat but cycling in Holland can be demanding.
-
★★★★★ JustBob
Great Way to See The Countryside
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
The Magnifique and its crew met all of our expectations -- comfortable and friendly. The pace of the cycling was leisurely -- slower than I might usually ride but then who needs to finish the day`s ride by noon. Would recommend this ride to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the countryside.
-
-
★★★★★ JJ47
Wonderful Trip!
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
Our first trip to Europe! It was a beautiful journey through the towns and countryside of North Belgium and Southern Netherlands. Our Guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. The accommodations on the boat were spectacular and all of the staff were friendly and welcoming.
-
★★★★★ Thomo
Very relaxing trip on a luxurious barge
Amsterdam – Bruges by Bike and Boat – Princesse Royal
Excellent crew and guides. The cabins were very comfortable and air conditioned. The food was very good and varied. The dining area could have done with some extra air conditioning, especially as we experienced temperatures in excess of 39c. The bikes, although suitable for the flat terrain, could do with an upgrade.
The guides showed good knowledge of the routes and history of the region. The crew were very helpful and friendly and certainly made it a trip to remember.
-
★★★★★ Thomas Albrecht
Well designed route
Highlights of Flanders: Belgium’s History, Art, Nature & Cuisine
Really enjoyed these great cities of Flanders, which I had not visited before. The route was complicated, but the combination of the printed maps and the Garmin kept us confidently on track. Had a few pretty hot days, but I believe that should be fairly rare for this route. Hotels were interesting and nice, with good variety. Overall, having taken several tours now with Bike Tours, I think I prefer more rural routes with smaller towns and villages, although I’m sure many others are very happy with the bigger cities. Much of the route was on bike trails, but in the bigger cities, bike trails along major streets have tons of bike traffic, so vigilance is a constant necessity. Quality of bikes was excellent, with no problems. Overall, a good trip!
-
★★★★★ 2pedallers
A windy but enjoyable ride!
Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
A good introduction to the history and culture and geography of Northern Holland. Good biking routes, but time constraints and weather impacted our ability to fully enjoy some of the possible outings/stops along the way.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 16-23, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Carol Morningstar
Wonderful Bike Cruise and exceptional sites to see while biking
Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour
Loved this cruise. We hope to book Croatia next year. The staff was wonderful and our director (Ken I think?) worked tirelessly to make everyone's trip wonderful. The food was good but we were disappointed that we had to pay to get water at dinner. This should always be free! Also we would have liked coffee available all day.
One complaint was our room. Others who also ordered the basic stateroom had twice the size of ours for the same price. We were in a back room that had minimal space and NO CLOSET space or anywhere to hang anything! We had two shelves each for our clothes. We think it was actually a staff room for one person, yet we had to share it. I needed to climb over my husband to get out of bed at night.
Not comfortable! That was disappointing but we got used to it and loved the cruise anyway. I do believe it should have been a much reduced price though.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 24 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Julie
Cheese, cocoa, windmills, clogs, delft, tulips...
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
So many things to see that represent the Netherland: cheese, tulips, windmills, cocoa, clogs and delft pottery. It was amazing to see the bike culture there and that bikes have the right of way over everything! The network of bike paths was amazing too! It was a fun combination of boat and bike. Most of our meals were provided too, which was nice after a full day of riding and exploring!
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Zaco
Great tour.
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
Excellent Setup, great way to see Holland.
Weather always a risk in Holland. It was cloudy, cold-ish, sometimes wet, and quite windy (but the following week, after our tour ended, was perfect with not a cloud in the sky.) The tour is well planned and you see different parts of Holland. We knew of course about the water ways, windmills and such, but we did not realise Holland is basically a swamp...
Bikes are very good and crew on the boat and tour guides were very friendly and helpful.
The soccer world cup was a bonus (being soccer mad), and provided excellent entertainment from our perspective. But I would suggest planning your social activities on/off the boat in advance as there is no entertainment - it's not a Caribbean cruise :) There are a few cruise legs in the evening so you can't really get off the boat.
Food is good, the bar is good - buy an open bar ticket if you like a drop, it is cheaper that way.
One surprising commission is a laundry facility on the boat, or at least dryers, and no information on an alternative off the boat. In any case, who'd want to spend 2 hours in a laundromat off the boat? They ought to have a facility because naturally you go through a lot more clothes in a week of cycling, especially if the weather is not kind to you.
Most people were "senior citizens" on our tour, myself included (but I was an outlier in my family group). So bear this in mind if you look for younger company. Choose a harder tour if you have keen athletes in your family. I was with three in their 20s, all fit and eager (I'm 60+). They formed a breakaway group a few times. I decided to stay with the peloton and give chase later. I soon discovered it does not work with a peloton of one rider.- What was the date of your tour?
- 16 June
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ 2pedallers
An enjoyable trip!
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
A good way to see some of the sights in southern Holland. Not enough time to see everything, but enough variety in the routes to get a sense of the culture, history and geography of southern Holland.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 23 - 30, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Terrell
The Best Way I can Think Of to See Holland!
Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour
This tour lived up to my expectations. Holland was beautiful. The boat accommodations and staff were great! The bike tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and very personable. The miles per day on the bike was not for the faint of heart. Do your research and get a e-bike (electric bike) for anyone who is not used to biking. If you are an American, bring your GPS.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 27 to May 4, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- one, including this one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Bill H.
Positive Experience, with a bit of extra effort
Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof
The e-bikes provided were top of the line, with the appropriate accessories of bags and locks. (We were glad we booked e-bikes because, while the landscape is flat, we needed the power to overcome the sustained winds in the North.) Orientation was clear and friendly, with a great local person. All of our bags transferred seamlessly throughout the trip. Three of the four boutique hotels booked for us were well-styled - but those three did not have elevators.
The tour route provided via Ride with GPS was fine but without customization or annotation to reflect the interests we had expressed. A separate and limited list of potential sites along the way was provided, but none of them were identified on RwGPS, so we relied primarily on our own research to enrich the route with stops and side visits that added value.
Perhaps the biggest issue was that we had a tough time trying to meet the 3pm bike return on the last day - and were ultimately a little late and under pressure. We typically needed until 6pm each day to enjoy the sites along the way and would recommend that the last day be scheduled as a full day before bike returns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- None.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Casual Cruisers
Pedaling in the Polders
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Peter of Tulip Cycling met us on the morning of our first cycling day. He was on time, the bikes were well prepared and Peter, a very personable host, was very patient and thorough in explaining everything to us.
Cycling was as described: flat, mostly trails or roads that see very little if any vehicle traffic.
Hotels were mostly fine. The Mastrichter Dom in Gouda was a disappointment: the room was clean and the attendant friendly enough but the room was small, awkward and noisy. Peter explained later that there have not been any appealing in-town hotels in Gouda but that the situation was being remedied with the opening of a new hotel presently.
The Hotel de Plataan in Delft was charmingly decorated and nicely equipped but the elevator didn’t go to the top floor (You’ve heard if such things?) and our rooms were on the top floor. Emergency egress wasn’t up to US standards but we otherwise enjoyed the stay.
The use of GPS for route tracking was nearly a winner. Peter has carefully prepared the GPS routes with many waypoints so that it’s generally very easy to know where to go. A couple practical limitations with the GPS displays caused some consternation: the displays are small and not bright enough for the brightest daylight conditions. We often had trouble discriminating between the colored line for the travelled route and those for streets in general. This necessitated frequent stops to peer at the display while shading it or stooping to get close to it.
As a route tracking strategy I think it is a great innovation (I have done half a dozen trips following the map and narrative system). With a better display this would be an obvious choice.
The cycling is not strenuous. The paths, roads and terrain were friendly. By the fourth day we had seen enough of the polders! They are charming and scenic enough but a bit repetitive after a while! The towns and cities were very interesting. We wished we had had more time to spend exploring those.
Our last day did not go according to plan as Tulip Cycling required the return of the bikes at 4:00 PM. We asked for an extension but it was not allowed. We could not complete the route in the available time so we hopped on a train for the last several miles. This was not a major disappointment for us but it certainly might be for some travelers. This detail should be clear at booking time.- What was the date of your tour?
- late Sept. 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Megan15
Fantastic Experience
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We wanted to experience The Netherlands without the hustle and bustle of big cities, transport hassles, and finding hotels. For the four days of riding we followed our GPS map and rode through farming areas, alongside canals, and into beautiful historic towns where the courier had already delivered our bags to lovely small hotels. We did find some days a bit hard riding due to the 'Dutch headwind' and if we were to do another tour we would look for less kilometres per day to give us time to explore the towns along the way, and at the destination town and find coffee spots!. E-Bikes might have made this easier.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 17-21 July 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- None
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Elizabeth Levine
Seeing the Netherlands on 2 wheels
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
The Netherlands are a cyclist’s dream- bike lanes and biking infrastructure everywhere- in villages as well as cities. This was amazing to experience- and to hop on 2 wheels and join in! The bicycles provided by Tulip cycling were top notch Dutch bicycles with automatic lights that turn on while pedaling. It was great to have our luggage shuttled to each hotel every day, so our bags were waiting for us when we arrived at each hotel ready for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Most of the hotels were 4- star and all had great breakfasts and all were walkable to the historic city centers with the market square, restaurants, cafes etc.
Unfortunately the weather was poor during our cycling trip- very high winds and frequent heavy rain almost every day of our mid- September journey- this made the cycling much more difficult than we anticipated with the need to frequently stop to pull on rain gear- and the GPS device did not work well during storms so the navigation was also more difficult than expected. Several of the locals told us that frequent high winds and rain are typical in autumn and that the best months for cycling are May, June and July.
Despite the bad weather we enjoyed the countryside, the lovely hotels, the friendly locals , the delicious food and the pace of life on the bicycle tour.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Marion Van Kirk
Beautiful Holland
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We enjoyed the trip. The weather was perfect and the towns very nice. The hotels were good, and the people were helpful. All breakfasts were good. Our tour administrator (Pieter) was very nice and accommodating. We were self guided. The only disappointment was Keukenhof Gardens which had peaked earlier than expected due to warmer April weather. The tulips were fading and the crowds excessive. Traveling by train from Amsterdam to Utrecht and Leiden to Amsterdam was very easy.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Kenneth Gresham
Great time but tulips were gone.
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Love cycling a country. It is the best were to see the countryside and interact with the locals. Holland was wonderful, but missed the peak tulips by about 2-3 weeks. Museums in Amsterdam are a must.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Holland
Email
Mailing Address
Office Hours