Maastricht to Amsterdam

From: € 1490

8 Days / 7 Nights
Type: Guided
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Imagine Yourself…

Cycling from Maastricht all the way up to the capital of the Netherlands ‘Amsterdam’
Visit historical towns, remarkable villages and some castles
Discover magical flat and green landscapes formed by the rivers
Feeling inspired by the Dutch poet Marsman
Eat ‘Kuchen’ in Germany or have an ‘afternoon beer’ at a café in Belgium

Overview

This tour begins in Maastricht and will take you to the capital of The Netherlands Amsterdam. Explore Maastricht, famous for its historic inner city, its carnival celebration and it’s Burgundian Way of life. Have a coffee with a Limburgse vlaai (Limburg-style pie) or visit the vineyards around Maastricht, which are unique in Holland. We advice you to arrive one or more days before the tour starts, so you will have plenty of time to discover this interesting city. You will not get bored in Maastricht!

Cycling along the river Maas and Roer, through beautiful landscapes. Visit Glass and cheese city Leerdam, stroll along the cobblestone streets in the ‘White Village’ Thorn. Cycle through National Park Maasduinen (between river Maas and the German border) with all kinds of different landscapes (forests, heathlands, fens, lakes and shifting sands). The park is 3 km wide and 20 km long. Spend an afternoon in Roermond where you’ll find fantastic architecture, imposing buildings and beautiful shopping streets.

Than last but not least we arrive at our final destination Amsterdam. The beauty of Amsterdam is built around intricate canals, breathtaking architecture, and modern technology. It is a city vibrant in culture and has a strong presence of healthy living. Everywhere you turn, people are commuting by bicycle, sipping coffee on outdoor patios, taking in Museums, socializing with friends over great food and wine, and shopping at the many wonderful boutiques.

REVERSE ROUTE: Amsterdam to Maastricht

Daily Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full

Prices are per person, in Euro’s and includes bike rental

Departure – 2026	Barge	Twin	Twin for single use	Triple **
May 9	Gandalf	€ 1550	€ 2290	€ 1490	Full ;
May 9	Flora	€ 1550	€ 2290		Book here ;
May 30	Flora	€ 1550	€ 2290		Full ;
July 4	Gandalf	€ 1550	€ 2290	€ 1490	Book here ;
July 18	Sarah	€ 1620	€ 2390	€ 1520	Book here ;
September 5	Sarah	€ 1620	€ 2390	€ 1520	Book here ;

** Third bed on the Sarah is only for a child

- 7 nights on board the ship (bed linen and towels)
- Daily cleaning of the cabin
- 7 breakfasts, packed lunches, and six 3-course dinners
- Coffee and tea on board
- 7-speed bicycle, incl. helmet, pannier bags, lock, water bottle, and bike insurance
- Tour guide (multilingual) – Daily briefings
- Route information and road book
- Entrance museum Ceuclum in Cuijk
- Fees for ferries
- Reservation costs
Almost all of our bikes are touring bikes with seven Shimano speeds and rollerbrakes – a kind of drum brake. They also have a low instep. Seven speeds is plenty in the Netherland because it’s so flat. If you have to go up a small hill, you might shift to an easier gear. The bike has a closed hub where the gears are. The chainguard ensures that your pants don’t get dirty. All of our bikes are also fitted with Schwalbe puncture-resistant tires and normal pedals – not click-in. They’re easy: no special shoes necessary.

E-bikes feature a small electric engine and battery that assist and ease your pedaling, but they do not feature autonomous propulsion. It is like having a tailwind, so it is easier.

Please note: all bicycles have normal pedals, no click pedals. So please wear ordinary sporting shoes. Changing pedals is not possible.

The bikes come with helmets, grip shifters, hand brakes, carrier bag, lock, repair kit, water bottle holders, water bottle, and bike insurance.

Electric bikes can be rented for this tour (€120 per person/in 2026: €160).We advise you only to rent an electric bike if you have first tried one at home. They’re heavier than regular bikes and therefore can be difficult to maneuver.

In addition, you can rent children’s bikes, child seats, bike trailers, and tag-alongs.
The cook prepares all meals: a substantial breakfast and a three-course dinner of very good quality. A packed lunch may be prepared after breakfast. Tea and coffee will be ready when you arrive on board in the afternoon. There’s a bar on board with reasonably-priced beer, wine, and soft drinks.

If you have special meal requirements, please mention this when booking. In the case of a Lactose- or gluten-free diet there is an additional charge of €50 (2026: €70) per week. You’ll need to pay this cash on board.
- Airfare
- Drinks from bar on board or when cycling
- Admission fees and excursions (not mentioned under included)
- 1 dinner
- Trip cancellation insurance

Accommodations

The accommodations listed below are examples of those usually used on the tour. Depending on availability, you may be booked in a different accommodation of equal quality.

During breakfast we will sail to Born where we will disembark at the locks. From here we cycle over the Belgium border to Maaseik, famous for the painters Hubert and Jan van Eyck. On the market square we will see typical Renaissance style houses with their impressive facades and can order a Belgian beer (Pint) at one of the many terraces. After our break we cross the Belgium/Dutch border again to visit Thorn ‘The White Village’. Thorn is known for its cobblestone streets and white painted houses. The only non-white building is the 14th century church. Our final destination of the day will be Roermond, where the rivers Roer and Meuse (Maas) meet each other. Roermond’s rich history and religious promincen is well visible through the many monumental buildings in the city centre. Roermond is also the city of Pierre Cuypers, according to many the most important Dutch architect of the 19th century. Cuypers is the architect of the Rijksmuseum and Central Station in Amsterdam.
Today we start cycling following the river on the east bank to the beautiful village of Beesel, where the grain will ‘grey bear’ stands proudly along the river. We will cross over to the other bank to Kessel; the oldest village on the river Meuse. Around lunchtime we arrive at Venlo, with many historical monuments and a lively city centre. After lunch our journey continues to Arcen, a former fortified town on the banks of the river Meuse. Here you can visit the famous castle gardens with a great variety:
- The Rosarium, with ten different rose gardens
- The water- and sculpture garden
- The Lommerijk, with shades, waterfalls and streamlets; the Valley offering six ‘international’ gardens
Today we have a magnificent bike tour scheduled for you. First we will bike pass the village Well, where you find the Well castle with it’s heavy round brick tower dating from the 14th century. The route continues close to the German border through National Park Maasduinen. Around lunchtime we will arrive in Afferden. We will meet our barge in Cuijk, where we will have time in the afternoon exploring this interesting city on the banks of the Meuse. The St. Martins Church, a neo-gothic church, houses a very well kept baron-organ (built 1639-1650) one of the oldest in The Netherlands. After dinner we will visit museum Ceuclum where we can climb the tower for a magnificent view of the Maas valley.
After breakfast we will follow the river Meuse to the medieval cities Grave and Ravenstein. In Grave you will see canons from the Napoleonic era. Grave also has played an important role in Operation Market Garden during World War II, because of it’s situation near the John S. Thompson Bridge. In Ravenstsein we can visit the Tanner’s cottages in the city park. We will meet our barge in Oss from where we will sail to Heusden, a very beautiful restored fortified city. We will spend the night in Heusden. Dinner is on your own tonight.
We will join the barge in the morning sailing to Gorinchem, a charming town on the river Waal. From Gorinchem we start biking to Leerdam. Leerdam’s culture has been strongly influenced by the glass and timber industry. The glass currently manufactured in Leerdam is internationally known as Royal Leerdam. In the afternoon we continue cycling to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek. Vianen received city rights in 1337. During the Middle Ages, as a “free city,” Vianen could be a haven for felons and escaped serfs. Of the three castles built during the town’s history, Castle Batestein was said to be one of the most beautiful in the Netherlands. Its only remnants are a 17th-century brick gate and water-pump. Remnants of the old city wall are visible fence parts of the old downtown.