Itinerary

Day Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Paris

Depart from the U.S. for France. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day Day of 2 PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive in Paris/Begin your Pre-Trip Extension

Upon arrival at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) Airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area - VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. Please note: Make sure that your VBT luggage tags are attached to your bags. This helps the representative identify you.

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Your representative will welcome you to France and arrange for your transfer via taxi or van (approximately 60 minutes depending upon traffic) to your Paris hotel. At this time, please verify with your airport representative the time of your transfers to the Paris Gare du Nord train station for your train to Amsterdam. Important: If you are delayed in meeting your VBT representative at the CDG Airport, please call 06 72 07 59 24 or 06 15 15 15 25 from within France. Outside of France, call +33 672 07 59 24 or +33 615 15 15 25.

The hotel will provide you with a City Information Packet containing maps and recommendations on what to see and do in Paris. Use the rest of the day to relax or to begin exploring the City of Light.

Day Day 1 of Air Package Depart U.S./Fly to Amsterdam

Depart from the U.S. for the Netherlands. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Paris

Today, see for yourself why the City of Light has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists' colony. Here, too, is the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artworks. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité for a gargoyle's view of the city. You have plenty of time to stop at the Eiffel Tower or the magnificent museums, like Musee Picasso or the Musee d'Orsay. Take a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens on your way to the Louvre. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located, 4-star hotel.

Day Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive in Amsterdam

Upon arrival at the Amsterdam airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area -- VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. (Please note: Also make certain your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.) After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative, who will be holding a VBT sign and who will make arrangements for your transfer via taxi or minibus to your Amsterdam hotel (transfer time is approximately 20 minutes depending on traffic).

Important: Transfers are provided by Schiphol Taxi, who will be looking for you and carrying a VBT signboard. You may be approached by other companies offering a transfer. Please use only Schiphol Taxi, telephone 0681 299 101 or 0654 354 601. Transfers provided by any other company will be at your own expense.

Please note: If you cannot find the VBT representative, or have been delayed due to a delay in customs or lost luggage, please go to the Red & White Meeting Point and wait there.

After checking in to your hotel, you have free time to explore Amsterdam and try one of its wonderful restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Transfer by train from Paris to Amsterdam

Meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby. The representative will have a group train ticket and help you transfer to the Paris Gare du Nord train station, where you board a train for Amsterdam (approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes). En route, you'll pass through the countryside of northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

You will be met at the Amsterdam CentraalStation and transferred to your hotel.
The remainder of the day is free to independently explore Amsterdam.

Day Day 1 OF BIKE TOUR Embark barge/Warm-up ride/Cruise to Wijk bij Duurstede

VBT No-Air Package guests: You are responsible for making your own way to meet our barge, the Iris, and to arrive between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Please note that you cannot arrive before this time. If you are late, you must contact the barge as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements, as we sail shortly after this time. The barge will be moored in Oosterdok, near the entrance of the NEMO museum behind Amsterdam's Centraal train station. Contact telephone number is 0651 437 444 from within The Netherlands or ++31 651 437 444 from abroad. Please refer to the information listed in the tour handbook.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Trip Extension guests: After breakfast, make sure your luggage is packed and ready to be transported to the barge. At 9:30 a.m., meet one of our VBT Trip Leaders in the hotel lobby for a guided walking tour of Amsterdam, visiting many of the city's highlights. Board the barge at 1:45 p.m. in order to depart at 2 p.m. At the docks, meet the barge crew and your second VBT Trip Leader, who will welcome you aboard with refreshments. Cruise out of Amsterdam on the IJ waterway, catching glimpses of houseboats and floating houses. The barge stops at Nigtevecht for your warm-up ride, which follows the river Vecht. Stop at a cheese farm and Loenen Village on the way. This evening, gather onboard with the group for a welcome dinner while sailing to Wijk bij Duurstede. Once moored, you might like to take an evening stroll into town

Day Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Cycle in the Hoge Veluwe National Park

Breakfast is served during our cruise along the Nederrijn. Our Trip Leaders teach us useful phrases during a brief language class before we arrive in Wageningen, where our ride begins. Bike through the Veluwe forest to Otterlo and then enter the Hoge Veluwe National Park. Cycle the beautiful biking trails through the park, with an optional visit to the Kroller-Muller Museum, famous for its Van Gogh collection. Our short riding option ends in the park, with a shuttle to the barge, which by now will be moored in Arnhem. Our long riding option continues through the park to the southern exit at Schaarsbergen and on to meet the barge in Arnhem. After dinner on board, our Trip Leaders will walk with you to see the “Bridge Too Far” over the Lower Rhine and explain its connection in World War II history. We moor tonight in Arnhem.

Day Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Cruise to Doesburg/Cycle to Zutphen/Guided tour of Deventer

This morning, the barge sails into the Ijssel River to the town of Doesburg. From here, cycle through the pretty farming community of Bronkhorst and past its lovely windmill to Zutphen. Here you meet the barge for an included lunch onboard. In the afternoon you have the opportunity to visit Zutphen on foot and then join the barge and cruise to Deventer. You can also choose to cycle along the river to Deventer. This evening meet a local guide and enjoy a walking tour through this Hanze city. Stay in town to enjoy one of our guide's recommendations for dinner on your own. The barge is moored in Deventer overnight.

Day Day 4 of BIKE TOUR Chocolate shop visit and home hosted discovery

After breakfast we cycle to Wijhe. Here you can rejoin the barge or continue riding to the tiny Hanze village of Hattem, crossing the river by a local pedestrian ferry. In Hattem we visit the wonderful village chocolate shop, where we'll see the confections being made have a chance to sample some. Then, cycle to the home of one of our friends for a home hosted picnic. After lunch, you can either join the barge at Spooldersluis or continue cycling to Kampen. Dinner is served on board this evening. After dinner enjoy a town walk through the Hanze city of Kampen and learn about its old religious academy and many churches.

Day Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Old fishing ports of Elburg and Harderwijk/Typical pancake lunch

Again this morning we sail during breakfast. Our Trip Leaders will describe the continual process of land drainage before our stop at the Roggebot Lock. Here we start cycling through the woods along the fringe lakes of newly reclaimed land to the old fishing town of Elburg. There is time for a walk through the town before continuing along the gravel bike paths of the Veluwe forest to Elspeet. Here you can join the locals for lunch at a typical pancake restaurant.
Our afternoon route continues through forest and heather areas to the old fisherman's town of Harderwijk. This evening enjoy a walk through the town where renowned botanist Carl Linneaus and medical doctor Herman Boerhaave studied at the Gelderse Academy in the 18th and 17th centuries respectively. In the old city, explore its ancient warrens and gate, a monastery, churches, and a famous Dolphinarium of marine mammals. After our walk, stay in town for dinner on your own.

Day Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Old fishing village of Spakenburg

After breakfast, begin cycling from Harderwijk through the lovely open countryside. The final section of the ride takes you along a dike bike path until you reach Spakenburg. Here meet up with the barge for lunch onboard. After lunch visit the small local folklore museum and see the ancient shipyard where wooden boats are still crafted. Keep your eyes open when walking around the village for the ladies who still weartraditional dress.
An afternoon cycling option takes you on a loop through the open countryside around the twin villages of Bunschoten and Spakenburg. Dinner is onboard this evening followed by a short Dutch beer tasting session.

Day Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Muiderslot Castle / Arrive back into Amsterdam

During breakfast this morning, the barge cruises to Muiderberg. Here we start our bike ride to the fairytale castle of Muiderslot. After a guided visit we continue cycling to Muiden, with free time for lunch.
After lunch you have may choose to shuttle back to the barge and enjoy cruising through the canals to central Amsterdam. Or continue riding along the rivers, via Weesp, to the barge's mooring in Amsterdam. Dine on the barge one last time this evening.

Day Day 8 of BIKE TOUR Depart Barge/Discover Amsterdam VBT No-Air Package ends

VBT No-Air Package guests: After breakfast, your tour ends. It is important that you leave the barge no later than 9 a.m. Please refer to the information listed in the tour handbook.

VBT Air Package guests and Post Trip Extension guests: After breakfast say goodbye to your barge crew and Trip Leaders, then take a short transfer to the hotel. After checking in, you have free time for independent exploration. Please note your rooms may not be ready at this time but the hotel will store your luggage. Enjoy dinner on your own in town tonight.

Day Day 9 of Air Package for U.S. or begin optional Haarlem extension

After breakfast* meet in the hotel lobby for your transfer to the Amsterdam airport and your flight back to the U.S. Please note: Be sure that you are waiting at the designated time and transfer location.

Important: The transfer is prearranged by VBT and is prepaid. VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

* Note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Day Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Haarlem

If you have chosen the VBT Post-Trip Extension, transfer after breakfast to your Haarlem hotel. After settling in, enjoy the next few days exploring at your own pace. This is an independent extension – there is no VBT representative or Trip Leader. VBT provides a City Information Booklet, which includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in and around Haarlem. Earlier in your trip, your VBT representative will have told you your final transfer time. A taxi will meet you on the last day of your extension at the hotel's reception area and will transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the U.S.

From your hotel located in the center of the city, popular sites are an easy walk away. The Corrie ten Boom Museum is one of Holland's lesser known gems. Here you can stand in the “hiding place” where Jews were hidden from the Nazis and see the 'all-clear' sign used to indicate when it was safe for refugees and resistance workers to come and go. Unlike in Amsterdam's Anne Frank House, where furniture has been removed due to the volume of visitors, the Ten Boom museum is still furnished, making it much easier to see what it was like for those that lived there during the war. The Frans Hals Museum houses a number of his life-like seventeenth century portraits, and the Teylers Museum is the oldest public museum in the Netherlands.

Day Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent Exploration of Haarlem

Today you may wish to continue exploring Haarlem's ancient city center, voted the best shopping city in the Netherlands, or visit some of the surrounding charms.

If you want to hire a local bike for the day, Spaarnedam is an easy cycle. A quaint old Dutch village, with a nice harbour and a couple of restaurants and bars, it is famous for its statue of Peter, the boy who put his finger in the dike and saved Haarlem from flooding. The National Park De Kennemerduinen is also a very short ride away. Its beach and dunes are well worth a visit and home to breathtaking natural beauty.

If you're visiting mid-March to mid-May, hop a public bus from Haarlem center to the Keukenhof Gardens, where seven million blooms are in full springtime regalia.

Day Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Haarlem extension concludes/Depart for home

After breakfast*, transfer to the airport for your flight home. Be sure that you are waiting at the designated time and transfer location.

Important: The transfer is prearranged by VBT and is prepaid. VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

* Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Netherlands Bike & Barge 2011

Call For Dates and Prices

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Paris 2011 (Netherlands) - 2 nights for only $495

Begin your adventure with a visit to Paris and see for yourself why the City of Light has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists’ colony. Here, too, is the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artworks. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île de la Cité for a gargoyle’s view of the city. You have plenty of time to stop at the Eiffel Tower or the magnificent museums, like Musee Picasso or the Musee d’Orsay. Take a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens on your way to the Louvre. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located, 4-star hotel.

Available only with the Air Inclusive Package.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $295.

Post-Trip Extension

Haarlem 2011 - 2 nights for only $245

Haarlem is the capital of the North Holland province and situated in the west of the Netherlands on the river Spaarne. Set amongst typical Dutch landscape, Haarlem is in the center of the flower-growing region, which blooms to its fullest mid-March through mid-May. Best explored on foot, the old town has many interesting buildings and museums to visit.The Teylers Museum is the oldest public museum in the Netherlands and the Corrie ten Boom Museum is one of Holland’s lesser known gems. Haarlem is also surrounded by several pretty villages and the sand-dune coastline. A miniature Amsterdam, Haarlem encompasses the same canal-lined charms and gabled architecture without the tourists and traffic.

Available with Air Inclusive Package only.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $145.

Accommodations

Barge Sailing Home

The Sailing Home is a comfortable, two-deck motor passenger ship featuring 12 cabins with private shower and toilet and twin beds. In service since April 2001, the barge is fully air-conditioned and heated throughout. The salon and bar are decorated in a modern Victorian style and have a relaxed atmosphere. There is a sundeck available for guests at the bow. Smoking is only permitted outside on the sundeck. The barge moors each night.

Drinks of all types are available for purchase at the bar on board the Sailing Home. It is not customary for guests to bring their own wine and liquor onboard; your understanding is appreciated. Onboard meal menus are set, though the chef is happy to accommodate vegetarians and those on restricted diets for health reasons.

Rating Level

Easy

This tour offers easy terrain mixed throughout the trip and is ideal for beginning cyclists.