Cycling and Boating in South Holland, MS Normandie

You start your tour in Rotterdam-Schiedam, approx. 10 kilometres from the port city of Rotterdam. Situated at the mouth of the Rhine into the North Sea, the city is now one of the most modern cities in Europe. Discover one of the largest ports in the world, a wealth of museums and architectural masterpieces on a walking tour. Embarkation on the MS Normandie takes place from 16.00 hrs.

The journey begins! Always along the water, you reach Kinderdijk. The small village is home to the most famous windmills in the Netherlands - a real postcard motif. There are 19 of them, dating back to the 18th century, which were used to drain low-lying areas. You cycle on through a polder area to Dordrecht. The town is the oldest in Holland and enchants with its numerous historic buildings and pretty house fronts along the canals.

Today's stage of your tour Boat and Bike in the Netherlands begins with a ferry crossing to the Biesbosch nature reserve. Various rivers form a freshwater delta covering several thousand hectares, which is criss-crossed by numerous cycle paths and waterways. With Gorinchem, you reach a former fortified town that started out as a farming and fishing village more than 1000 years ago.

First, your tour by Boat and Bike in the Netherlands takes you to Leerdam, famous for its cheese of the same name. The route continues to Vianen. There you cross the river Lek and reach the fourth largest Dutch city - Utrecht - via Vreeswijk and Nieuwegein. Take a stroll through the old town, which is criss-crossed by canals. The Utrecht Cathedral is impossible to miss. Its 112-meter-high church tower is the tallest in the Netherlands. It stands separate from the rest of the church due to a storm in the 17th century - remarkable.

You cycle through polder landscapes to Oudewater with virtually no inclines. In the 16th century, this small village was the scene of so-called weighing trials, which took place as part of witch trials. Anyone who was too light for their height and could therefore ride a broom was convicted of witchcraft at the time. To this day, anyone interested can be weighed on the Heksenwaag - certificate included. Your destination for the day, Schoonhoven, is known as the Silver City of the Netherlands. The Nederlands Zilvermuseum provides insights into the history of Dutch silversmithing.

Today, you will first cycle leisurely through Gouda, which is known for the cheese of the same name and the traditional cheese market. Gouda is also famous for its stroopwafels, which were invented in the 19th century. The destination of your tour is Rotterdam-Schiedam. Before you spend a penultimate night on the MS Normandie, a boat tour of Rotterdam harbour is worthwhile, offering impressive views of the fancy architecture of the Rotterdam skyline.

Today you are spoilt for choice: you can cycle to Delft, known for its famous porcelain, or a few kilometers further on you can get to know the Dutch seat of government, The Hague, and the North Sea resort of Scheveningen. You can shorten the return journey by taking the train (not included). Whichever destination you choose, you can plan the last day of your tour by Boat and Bike in the Netherlands just as you wish.

Day 8: Individual departure

After breakfast and disembarkation (by 9.00 am), your trip by Boat and Bike in the Netherlands. The individual journey home follows.