Travel report: Bike tour around the IJsselmeer

... who spent a wonderful time on the IJsselmeer in July 2024 and tell us about their wonderful tour in the Netherlands.

Let's start with the summary: A wonderful tour with beautiful nature and friendly people!

Arrival

We start the round trip in Naarden and deviate from the original starting point. Thanks to the tour operator, who was very flexible in accommodating our individual wishes. By rebooking, we practically added the first stage to the end and spent two nights in Harderwijk at the end. Our recommendation is clear: start in Harderwijk! The parking situation is definitely better there. Here's the first tip: If you are arriving by car, pay close attention to the information on the parking lot. Otherwise the pick-up and drop-off fee for your car at the end of the trip will be quite high.

We spent our first night at the Vesting Hotel in Naarden. We also had a delicious dinner there. Tip number 2: Make sure you take your smartphone with you, as access to your hotel room in the Netherlands may only be possible digitally. Individuality also means that things can go wrong. Once we had clarified the route description and secured the luggage transport, we set off on our bikes into the beautiful countryside the next morning. It's nice when the first cocktail is on the house😉

From Naarden to Amsterdam

The first stage took us along the Ijsselmeer route on well-maintained, scenic cycle paths and later through the city center of Amsterdam to our hotel. The closer we got to the metropolis of Amsterdam, the heavier the bike traffic became. Tip number 3: Stay relaxed, because the Dutch are too and, above all, the Dutch can cycle. Take your time for Amsterdam. There is so much to discover, which makes an extra night more than worthwhile. We had a wonderful canal tour and had a lot of fun discovering Amsterdam's culinary delights. In the evening, we watched the European Championship semi-final between England and the Netherlands, and we were right in the middle of the public viewing in our Orange dress. We spent the night at the Park Inn by Radisson Amsterdam City West. It was well located to reach the city center by public transport, even without a bike. Local transport is well developed and there are day and multi-day tickets (not valid for the Sprinter).

From Amsterdam to Volendam

Well fortified with a delicious champagne breakfast, we set off on the second stage. We first reached Monnickendam along the Ijsselmeer. There was a pretty harbor and a beautiful carillon. Smoked eel is a specialty and you can enjoy it in manageable portions at the Smit-Bokkum smokehouse and sit on the terrace with a view of the Ijsselmeer. We quickly arrived at our hotel. In Volendam, we had a delicious dinner right by the picturesque harbor at De Dijk with a beautiful view. We could see a beautiful sunset from our rooms at the back.

From Volendam to Enkhuizen

The next day, we first went to Edam. The cheese tastes really delicious. Shortly before Hoorn it started to rain and we took a long break in the Schippershuis. Here you can meet André Rieu, Vader Abraham and Peter Alexander in the footsteps of the little pub. Even in the rain, the small towns with their cozy pubs have a wonderful flair. Dripping wet, we finally arrived in Enkhuizen. Our Hotel De Port van Cleve had enough facilities to dry our clothes (we were able to turn on the heating despite it being summer). Fortunately, we got the last free table at Bij N.A.P. and once again enjoyed a delicious dinner.

From Enkhuizen to Lemmer

The next morning, it was time to get up early. The first ferry doesn't wait for sleepy tourists. Thank goodness the ferry connection from Enkhuizen to Stavoren of around 22 kilometers was included in the total 50-kilometer tour. This meant that the second part of the trip from Stavoren to Lemmer was also relaxed. Oudemirdum is a good place to take a break on the tour. The wind was also kind to us and blew us from one destination to the next. Sometimes along the coast, sometimes through forests and avenues, the route led us to our destination in Lemmer. The family-run Hotel Lemmer was the perfect place to relax. A well-kept garden and cozy rooms invited us to linger and relax. There are great shopping opportunities in Lemmer. The nightlife in the only pub Old Sluis can also be a pleasure.
 

From Lemmer to Kampen

Fully equipped with an exceptional breakfast, we set off on the longest stage of the trip. The tour is characterized by narrow cycle paths right by the water, through villages with thatched roofs and beautifully landscaped front gardens. When we stopped for lunch in Blokzijl, we opted for the longer stage via Giethoorn, which is very idyllic and absolutely worth seeing. A few kilometers further on we took the ferry to Genemuiden. In Genemuiden, you make a loop through the town and almost reach the ferry terminal again. Here tip number 4: You have to turn left here. Take a look at the navigation app so as not to struggle unnecessarily in the headwind. Due to the long cycle tour, we only arrived in Kampen at 6.30 pm, but were given a very warm welcome at the Hotel van Dijk.

.