South- and North-Holland are two very colourful provinces of the Netherlands. Experience the calm landscapes with polders, lakes and rivers contrasted with old Dutch cities full of life and sociability.
We will visit the steam pumping museum Cruquius nearby Haarlem and the famous Cheese town Gouda and take a look into an inhabited wind mill.
This tour is a really classic in our program.
Sat: Alphen a/d R.
Embarkation in Alphen a/d Rijn at 16.00 'o clock and welcome by the crew. Over a cup of coffee we will introduce you to the travel program. In the evening, explore the inner city of Alphen or/and end your first day with a cosy evening on board.
Sun: Alphen-Gouda
After breakfast cast off for barging via the Old Rhine River and Gouwe river to the famous cheese town Gouda which invites us to visit.
Cycling on dikes along the Hollandse IJssel we stop in the ancient town Oudewater where we can visit the famous "Witches Weighing house". This museum reminds of the former witches' persecution: Compelling audio-visual presentations, an exhibition and of course the original balance tell the story of the witch persecutions and the role of weighing house. If you want you can take place on the original scales dating from 1482 ...
Enjoy strolling through the historic city centre of Gouda in the evening light.
Mo: Gouda-Leiden
Our morning biking tour brings us to Boskoop with the largest unbroken tree nursery area in the world. On the way, we board the ship again and enjoy sailing through two beautiful lake districts (Braassemermeer and Kager Plassen) to Leiden, one of the most ancient towns in Holland (city rights since 1266), the oldest Dutch city of university and birthplace of several famous Dutch painters such as Rembrandt van Rijn.
Complete this day with an evening walk along the canals to the old centre of Leiden with its café terraces or a canal boat tour through picturesque arched bridges.
Tue: Leiden-Haarlem
First, we sail on the canal "Ringvaart" across a popular flower field. Just before Haarlem we take a pause at the former steam pumping station Cruquius demonstrating the struggle of the Dutch people against water. Back on-board Ali-B2 for lunch we carry on along the River Spaarne to Haarlem, the capital of the province of North Holland and eight largest city in the Netherlands. On the way to our central mooring we pass through some very old bridges. Our afternoon cycle tour takes us through the sand dunes of the national park "Kennemerland" as far as the North Sea to see, where we can take a break on the beach.
After dinner leisure time to visit the romantic city of Haarlem. Most of the sights are within walking distance of our mooring: Walk to the Market Square (Grote Markt) and have a look around the square itself, one of the most beautiful of its kind in Holland. Come face to face with the late-Gothic Saint Bavo's Church (Bavo-kerk), the 13th century town hall, the magnificent Butchers' hall (Vleeshal) built by Lieven de Key and the Fish auction hall (Vishal) and dream back in time. Or experience the "special atmosphere of the historic courts in Haarlem.
Wed: Haarlem-Amsterdam
Today we sail out of Haarlem on the Spaarne River, pass a lock and cruise further on the North Sea Canal and through the port area of Amsterdam to our central berth (arrival at 12 am). Free time in the Dutch capital to visit the historic city centre, one of the largest in the world. We advise an individual city walk of about 3 hours: Amsterdam is by nature a walking city. Nowhere else will you find so many places of interest within a single square kilometre! Or what about visiting a museum in Amsterdam, such as the famous Van Gogh museum, the Rijksmuseum of the Anne Frank House? AND don't miss the experience of an canal tour by night, enchanting and romantic!
Thu: Amsterdam-Alphen
After breakfast we set off for our canal tour on board Ali-B2: Enjoy Amsterdam in an unforgettable way, cruising on the famous canals of Amsterdam we pass altogether 13 bridges! The Ali-B2 takes us further on the winding River Amstel out of the city along beautiful country houses and picturesque riverside villages to our stop in the village Nieuwveen, a quiet country mooring. From here we will bike through old polders including a visit of an occupied mill in Aarlanderveen which belongs to the mill four-course "Molenviergang", the only van in the world which is still in working. With our traditional captain's dinner we finish this eventful tour.
Fr: Individual departure after breakfast
