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Let’s be honest: we all expected spring to go a little differently. Due to the new coronavirus and the resulting lockdowns across the world, everyone’s plans, not to mention our entire lives, have been turned upside-down. We’re now facing unprecedented circumstances – and it also applies to travel.   Unprecedented situation The virus has caused aircraft to be grounded, borders to close, and entire nations to stay at home. Many spring trips have been cancelled and what will happen to summer vacations is anyone’s guess. All over the world, restaurants,…

Do you think you know the Netherlands? Take care… we believe that we can still surprise you with some amazing facts about this unique low-lying country. Even if the Netherlands isn’t very big, it’s still home to some amazing world records, inventions and curiosities. How many of these facts are you familiar with?   1. There are over 1,000 historic windmills To this day, windmills are an integral part of the Dutch landscape. The winged giants first appeared in the Netherlands in the 17th century, and by the 19th century…

Margriet has been with the Boat Bike Tours team for years. Originally in marketing, she’s currently helping make the company more sustainable. And when it comes to boat bike tours, you could say that she’s an old hand. Nevertheless, there are always a few new discoveries awaiting her when she joins one of our tours. She recently took our Hansa Highlights tour and was pleasantly surprised more than once by a lot of unexpected aspects of the trip. The tour wound its way over eight days through picturesque Dutch towns…

On our Southern Tour of Holland, our intern Alina cycled through the Green Heart of Holland to the city of Gouda, with its 73,000 inhabitants. Here she shares some interesting things she learned about this most Dutch of cities. Anyone who’s ever visited Gouda knows how impressive the city looks – especially when you’re staring up at the fairy tale town hall from the middle of the marketplace. The Four Cs of Gouda Despite its name being synonymous for cheese, Gouda is so much more than a cheese capital. On…

A new decade has dawned and change is in the air. Maybe 2020 is the year you try something different – from choosing to travel more slowly and consciously, to setting out on a real sailing ship for an active adventure. Whatever your travel plans, we hope your year is full of moving experiences and inspiring impressions. To help get things started, we’ve compiled six of our favorite trends and tours for you.   1. Personalized premium travel There’s a new form of luxury in town. It’s not bigger, but…

What did guests think of our tours in 2019? Now that the cruise and cycling season has drawn to a close, we’re taking time to review everyone’s feedback. At the end of each tour for which Boat Bike Tours is the organizing tour operator, we ask guests to fill in a survey about their cycling cruise experience. What do we do with all that information? Learn from it and then act on it, of course! Feedback is the best Being Dutch, we’re not too sensitive about receiving constructive criticism. We…

Each year, over 17 million foreign visitors come to the Netherlands, more than the entire Dutch population! And tourist numbers keep rising…   Why so popular? There are so many reasons why the Netherlands is such a fun destination. Here are our top 10: 1. The finest bike paths Love cycling? Then there’s no doubt about it, you’ll also love the Netherlands. Discover true cycling luxury: generous boulevards for two wheelers in city centers and perfectly maintained bike paths through flat meadows. Infrastructure like this makes cycling an absolute delight. A…

Tulips, more sunshine than at any other time of year, and many exciting events: a spring trip to Amsterdam is simply the best. So, it’s no wonder that the canal metropolis gets particularly crowded. But what if you need a breather from the hustle and bustle of the big city? One of our favorite quick escapes is to go cycling through the Waterland nature reserve north of Amsterdam. Let yourself be surprised by the city’s idyllic hinterland; where green meadows, cows and farms are so much closer than you think.…

At the office, the maps and documents stack up high. Erik takes one quick look at the schedule to see which boats will be heading out today. But that is really just a formality. He knows the routes and schedules of all 22 tours and 20 ships off the top of his head.    Erik is the beating heart of our logistics operation in the Netherlands. Are all the maps and programs on board? Are cabins ready for our guests? Which boat moors when and where in the harbors of…

Did you ever wonder which is the correct name for the land of windmills, clogs and tulips? Well, you’re not alone. And you’re certainly not the first! Here we set the record straight for the true name of this low-lying land.   The correct name of the Dutch nation The official and correct name for the home of the Dutch is the Koninkrijk der Nederlanden, or the “Kingdom of the Netherlands”. This is usually shortened to “the Netherlands”. The terms Nether or Neder are derived from Germanic words meaning “low”,…