Giethoorn: Dutch Venice & National Park
Apeldoorn - Deventer - Zwolle - Giethoorn - KampenOne highlight of this tour, no doubt, is the National Park of Weerribben-Wieden - the most breathtaking nature area and the largest marsh and fenland in Northwest Europe. It is dotted with historic villages, including Giethoorn, affectionately known as the 'Dutch Venice' but much more rural. Its bridges link narrow paths to small islands with quaint thatch-roofed farmhouses.
Thanks to human hands cutting peat and reed, a unique landscape was created, full of lakes, canals, reedlands, marshes and forests. It’s a breeding ground for exceptional plant and animal species - water soldiers and lillies are at home here, while yellow iris and cottongrass add colour to the landscape, and you may spot the large copper butterfly.
On the way there, you’ll visit some of the mediaeval Hansa towns, which boast monumental merchants houses, ancient churches and atmospheric squares where there’s a lively café scene nowadays.
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Facilities
Advantages of a Tulip Cycling tour:
● Carefully planned itinerary to suit your interests and pace – or we’ll tailor-make your own tour.
● Only individual departures – choose your start and finish dates to fit in with your other plans.
● Tour introduction and end-of-tour meeting attended personally by our own expert staff.
● Our equipment and support is top rated to give you peace-of-mind.
● With our hotel bookings and luggage transport option, we provide you a full-service package.
Please note: This tour begins on a cycling day. We recommend arriving in the Netherlands a few days earlier and booking at least one pre-tour overnight in Amsterdam and/or in Apeldoorn, which is situated on the edge of the 'Hoge Veluwe' National Park and where you can find the Het Loo Palace. Apeldoorn is one hour on a direct train from Amsterdam.
Day 1 Apeldoorn - Deventer (50 km)
At the train station or your hotel, a Tulip Cycling employee will personally provide your introduction and all the information about the tour. On the first day of the tour, a 50 km long route from Apeldoorn to Deventer is on the program. After crossing the IJssel, the Hanseatic city of Zutphen, also known as the city of towers, appears on the horizon. It may be time for lunch in one of the many bistros, cafés or restaurants in Zutphen. The rest of the route is scenic on largely car-free paths through the river landscape towards the destination Deventer. Deventer, already the third Hanseatic city on the tour, is located in beautiful green surroundings and is the perfect place to spend the first night. In this lively city with many historic buildings, great events take place all year round, including the theater festival "Deventer on Stilts" (July) and the largest book market in the Netherlands (August).
Day 2 Deventer - Zwolle (46 km)
After breakfast, it's time to hit the road for the second stage. The bike ride leads through the beautiful landscape of Salland. The region between Deventer and Zwolle impresses with very different highlights, as cyclists cross the river at various points by ferry. During the first part of the route, you pass stately estates such as Nieuwe Rande and De Haere. In the vicinity of De Haere estate, you cycle past the bunkers of the IJssellinie, a Cold War waterline that was supposed to protect the country against a possible Russian invasion. During their deployment, a piece of land 127 kilometers long and three to fifteen kilometers wide between Nijmegen and Kampen on the IJsselmeer would be flooded. Shortly after Olst you will discover the so-called 'newly developed' nature along the IJssel. The river has been breached here in several places to create a dynamic wetland with different levels. Halfway through the day, the village of Wijhe offers several opportunities to stop. The restaurant in the old mill from 1700 is a real insider tip. After Wijhe, the tour continues over car-free dikes to the picturesque Hattem, the fourth Hanseatic city, with its beautiful merchant houses, a city gate, a city canal and old city walls. Shortly before Hattem you cross the IJssel on a bicycle ferry. It's only a few kilometers from Hattem to Zwolle. Zwolle is the largest Hanseatic city in the Netherlands and at the same time a modern student town. The hip medieval city with its mix of history and modern art, culminating in the sensational Museum De Fundatie, creates a great dynamic.
Day 3 Zwolle - Giethoorn (41 km)
When you leave Zwolle the next day, you imagine yourself in the Middle Ages for a moment: shortly after the city, embark on one of the few traditional, manually operated bicycle ferries. You cycle on a lovely dike towards Hasselt, the sixth Hanseatic city of your cycling holiday. Hasselt is a place of pilgrimage and had the status of an important religious center in the Middle Ages. Even today, two pilgrimage routes cross in Hasselt, which lead to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. To the north of Hasselt lies Weerribben-Wieden National Park. This unique area attracts countless visitors every year who want to enjoy the wonderful nature and tranquility or who want to explore the area from the water. The many canals and lakes are very popular among water sports enthusiasts and (in winter) among ice skaters. But cyclists also get their money's worth. Between Belt-Schutsloot and Giethoorn you will find a true Eldorado of bike paths that wind through the region along the typical thatched farms. You stay at the Hotel de Harmonie in Giethoorn, where you have the option of renting a boat to discover the beauty of the national park from the water.
Day 4 Giethoorn - Kampen (44 km)
When you leave Giethoorn the next morning, the route initially continues through the national park. Dwarsgracht can be reached quickly: this village is possibly even more beautiful than Belt-Schutsloot and Giethoorn, because it seems to have originated from a fairytale book. After the small ferry at Jonen the route goes to Blokzijl, the pearl on the former Zuiderzee. Today it is a lovely little town with stately merchant houses and a beautiful harbor. Taking a break in one of the many street cafes is definitely a good idea! The route then continues through the national park, where you can also visit the park's visitor center. Here you will learn all about the history of the park and the diverse life that is protected here. Now the cycle route meets the route of the four-day tour “Nine Hansa towns”. On the way you will pass the old steam power plant Mastenbroek near Genemuiden, one of the most interesting monuments of Dutch water management technology. Our day destination, Kampen, was one of the most powerful and prosperous cities in northwestern Europe in the Middle Ages. Its location directly on the IJssel and the former Zuiderzee allowed the city to trade both inland and overseas. In the afternoon, your bikes will be picked up again so that you can continue your journey by train. You can of course also spend another night in this beautiful city.
Starting dates
Daily from March 29 until September 27
Prices 2025 in Euro - No peak season charges - Prices include all taxes | ||
Item | Price from | |
Per person, sharing (luggage transport in panniers on your bike, storage of your suitcases at Tulip Cycling) | € 820 | |
Per person, sharing (daily luggage transport by courier service) | € 1,040 | |
Single room surcharge | On request | |
Extra nights in Deventer, Zwolle or Giethoorn | On request | |
Pre and post tour accommodation in Amsterdam, Apeldoorn or Kampen | On request | |
E-bike supplement per person | € 112 | |
Additional items (extra panniers, helmets, extra GPS devices) | Price list | |
Discount | Amount | |
Discount for groups of 4 or more | 10% |
Not included in your package:
● Small ferry crossings where necessary (a few Euros per crossing, most require cash)
● Optional activities like entry to museums
● Optional equipment insurance covering theft and damage (€35 per hybrid bike or €55 per e-bike per tour)
● Tulip Cycling is not libable for the impact of any adverse weather conditions on your tour.
You will be staying in comfortable 3* and 4* hotels. In Deventer and Zwolle, these are within walking distance of the local sights so you can explore in the evening and find a choice of restaurants for dinner. Giethoorn is a rural village with limited amenities but Hotel De Harmonie has a good restaurant for dinner. Your package price includes breakfast and tourist/city tax at all hotels.
The below are sample hotels, subject to availability. Tulip Cycling may suggest alternatives as appropriate.
Deventer – Grand Boutique Hotel Huis Vermeer ****
Zwolle – Hotel Fidder ***
Giethoorn – Hotel De Harmonie ****
Included in this tour
4 days cycling | |
2 nights in 3-star hotels in town centres, one night in a 4-star hotel in rural village | |
Breakfast | |
Bicycle rental (with repair kit, pump, lock and water bottle) | |
Waterproof small pannier | |
Door to door route on GPS device and maps | |
Personal start and finish | |
Breakdown assistance and 24/7 help desk | |
Additional tourist information |