The Dutch are just as passionate about boats as they are about cycling – and there’s no wonder. The Netherlands has hundreds of kilometres of waterways, perfect for boating holidays, giving you dozens of options for your Holland cruise.
A Holland cruise is full of surprises
When you set off on your self-drive boat, remember these tips to make your Holland cruise a success… While helming your Pénichette®, wear an orange smock: it’s the proper ‘look’ for canal boat skippers, and it’s the country’s favourite colour. Learn a few words – such as Boot for “boat”, and Hallo for ‘Hello” – and you’ll have no trouble talking to the locals. They’ll happily chat about their love of cruising and the waterways when you stop at a lock or a swing bridge. They can be justly proud of it all, thanks to the recently refurbished marinas, where service and comfort are top priorities: just what you need to make your boating holidays easier.
And make sure you leave your no-license boat occasionally to explore the surroundings, including the magnificent museums, fields of multi-coloured tulips, cosy waterside bars and half-timbered 17th century houses. On a canal boat holiday, you can enjoy the Dutch way of life in ‘dead slow’ mode. From the enormous canal that leads from the sea, to the network of small canals winding through the heart of the countryside, the scenery changes as you cruise from one side of the country to the other, but the pleasure is the same, wherever you are.
The canals are prettiest where the sun goes down: set off on a Holland cruise
Water is in Holland’s DNA: the region is open to the sea and crossed by countless canals. Those that shape the city of Amsterdam are some of the best known. You won’t just like them … you’ll love them!
Holland: from north to south
From artworks to canals and from tulips or windmills, the province of Holland is packed with attractions.
You could call it the star of the Netherlands, on equal terms with the king…
The province of Holland is a dream destination, so much so that it often gets confused with the country as a whole.
All aboard for a scenic Holland cruise. Boating holidays in Holland have so many attractions. On the port side you can see the sails of a windmill, while to starboard, the tulip fields seem to go on forever in the flat landscape: a brilliantly-coloured mosaic that you can photograph to make a great screen-saver. If you love flowers, you might want to stop at the superb Keukenhof tulip garden.
The façades of the houses in Amsterdam are also brightly coloured. This beautiful city offers plenty to see, including its port, immortalised by Jacques Brel, and the Van Gogh Museum. There are plenty of great stopping places in the province and you’ll be happy to get back to your comfortable Pénichette® in the evening, to dream about the wonderful things you discovered on your cruise. Our tip: bikes stored on the boat’s deck are a must, so that you can get out onto the banks whenever you want. You might just want to pick up a few things to re-stock the fridge, or bring back a piece of the famous Gouda cheese from the local market.
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Why choose Locaboat?
Locaboat Holidays has been the industry specialist for boating holidays and waterways cruises since 1977. Inventor of the Pénichette®, Locaboat is as famous for the friendliness and quality of its customer service as for the comfort and easy handling of its boats. When you rent a boat from Locaboat, you’ll benefit from the advice of local experts who are passionate about boating and will do their utmost to make sure you enjoy a wonderful holiday.
More than 200 routes throughout Europe
1.4 million customers since 1977
97% of our customers would recommend us
More than 40 years of expertise to draw on
