Biking on the Polders

Take a bike tour of Hoorn and its surroundings. Located on the banks of the Ijsselmeer, Hoorn was one of the important Dutch East India Company towns in 17th-century Holland. Hundreds of merchant ships left Hoorn to sail across the world and return loaded with merchandise, especially spices such as peppercorn, nutmeg, clove and mace. Our guide will explain the city's celebrated past in detail. The outskirts of Hoorn itself are dotted with biking and hiking paths that cross the superb polders, following the river dykes and passing by old villages and the ancient Westfriese Omringdijk—an almost 800-year-old dyke. The Beemster polder, the first in the Netherlands and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a masterpiece of creative planning and a superb example of the conflict the inhabitants have waged with water in this area. We'll also visit the De Krijgsman windmill and learn about traditional milling and baking techniques.

Duration: approx. 4:00

• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• These excursions are not proposed for all the cruises and depend on the itinerary.
• If the minimum of 25 participants is not reached, the excursion may be either cancelled or proposed at another rate, depending on the number of participants (to be paid for on board).
• The excursions on the first evening and the morning following boarding are only guaranteed for the passengers who have booked the excursion before the cruise.
• Attention: children are under the responsibility of their parents and must be autonomous by bike.