The Dutch Great Rivers Tour

Today you will arrive in Utrecht. It is recommended to arrive early and use the opportunity to explore this beautiful city, that is often concidered one of the most beautifull canal cities of Europe. Feast your eyes in the midievel city centre with tree lined canals and discover the countless attractions such as the Dom tower and the Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin.

After leaving the hustle and bustle of Utrecht, you will enjoy the tranquility of the characteristic peat landscape of Holland, crisscrossed by thousands of ditches. Note that that they are all organized in a certain way. All of them are part of a well designed system, that has to drain the excess water from the polder. On the way you will see stately homes, castles, woods and parks before reaching cheese town Gouda, also famous for its candles, syrup waffles (try a hot one from the market!) and beautiful church. If you are in Gouda on Thursday morning, go visit the traditional cheese market.

Through the open peatland you will cycle to The Hague, home to the government and the Queen. You might like to take the opportunity to see Vermeer’s famous painting "The Girl with the Pearl Earring” in Mauritshuis Museum. Then climb back on your bike and check out 21st Century Scheveningen, the resort where you’ll spend the night.

Cycle down the coast through dunes and past seaside resorts. Then pedal east along the New Waterway ship canal (completed in 1872), past fishing villages, windmills and jenever distilleries, to the great city of Rotterdam.

You might take the alternative Route via Delft. Is a beautiful university town on the River Schie. Go for a lovely walk on the cobbled streets of the old town centre with its cute crooked houses and pretty canals and bridges. Delft Blue ceramics factories are open to the public. The Vermeer Walk and the Vermeercentrum are dedicated to the famous baroque painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) who lived in Delft all his life. 

Modern Rotterdam is home to worldclass architecture, art, port tours, a maritime museum and many shopping streets. From Rotterdam you continue your way to the Unesco World-Heritage site Kinderdijk. Explore the site where 19 windmills have been standing majestically in rows since 1740. Your destination, Papendrecht, is just a ferry crossing away from of one of Holland’s oldest towns:

Dordrecht. Dordrecht is completely surrounded by rivers. Beautiful bridges take you across the water into the historic town centre. Around the harbour you will encounter many monumental buildings.

Today you cycle through a part of Biesbosch National Park, one of the few remaining freshwater tidal areas in Europe. Nature lovers should visit Biesboschcentrum Dordrecht or the Biesbosch Museum for information on this fascinating area. Looking east from the Banddijk you will see a big lake that serves as an example of reverse Dutch history. Before you arrive in Gorinchem you can take a boat trip to visit the interesting Loevesteijn castle. The town of Woudrichem is definitely worth a visit too.

Gorinchem's walled town centre has a long, turbulent history and over two hundred monuments to remember it. In the heart of the city of Utrecht lies the peaceful Oude Gracht (Old Canal). Its characteristic wharves are unique to Utrecht. Nowadays they are the pleasant setting for waterside cafes and restaurants. Explore the Museum Quarter and go shopping in some of the quieter shopping streets.

After breakfast in your hotel, you will return home. Or you might choose to extend your trip and spend some extra time in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.