UPDATE 29 APRIL
THIS TRIP WILL BE POSTPONED DUE TO LOW PARTICIPATION.
REGISTRANTS ARE CONTACTED ON THURSDAY.
SURELY WE WILL GO BACK THERE ONE OF THE NEXT MONTHS.
You have already been to Amsterdam, and maybe to Rotterdam or the Keukenhof gardens. But do you really know Holland? What about all those smaller cities and villages that make this country so unique? In particular the towns North of the nation’s capital are not only major tourists hotspots, like Volendam and Marken, but they are also some of the most important historic places, such as Hoorn and Enkhuizen. Did you for instance know that Cape Horn South from Argentina is named after the Dutch city of Hoorn? Indeed these places were once the Center of world power in the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age. Discover them all today with this version of Expat Club’s Highlights of Holland trip.
How to book?
Due to technical issues on this site we can no longer use the regular online reservation system. A new website will be launched soon, but for now we have to do it manually. Sorry about that…. Until then we only accept reservations without a direct online payment. Just fill out your name and answer the questions, and either make the payment by bank (€100 per ticket, €60 children) to BE89 3630 8012 6585 at the name of Xross Global Group BV. Or request a payment link while making the reservation and we’ll send it to you asap. Please note that you make an actual reservation. We hold a spot for you in the bus and reserve a lunch package. For any questions, just send us a message at info@expatclub.org or call 0495-345144.
Corona
Travel to/from Luxembourg is permitted without any additional requirements (test/quarantine). Social distancing measures are in place in Luxembourg. Various corona measures are in place in the bus (it can travel at full capacity). If you fall ill after reserving and you can show a positive test, you will be refunded. For more information, don’t hesitate to call 0495-345144 (Edgar).
What's included
Trip by 4* luxury coach
Full afternoon guided tour
Lunch package
Visit to Enkhuizen
Visit to Hoorn
Visit to Volendam
Visit to Marken
Great group of international people
A lifetime memory
Coach pick-up points
Place Schuman (bus stop next to KBC Bank on roundabout)
Who can join?
Expat Club is known for welcoming a wide variety of international people on its trips. This creates a special, open-minded, safe and friendly environment in which everyone should feel comfortable.
Expat Club loves welcoming young expats, too! If you want to bring your child(ren) up until 18 years, please first add the regular adult ticket(s) to the cart and then go to the cart page. On the cart page, there is a child ticket available for €40.
Reduced fees
For those having been significantly impacted financially by the corona measures, Expat Club likes to offer a substantial discount. For instance, if you lost your job, have lost substantial/most of your revenues as an independent / entrepreneur, or are generally experiencing financial constraints, but you would like to leave Brussels alone or with your child(ren), please just send us a message at info@expatclub.org and we work something out. We leave it up to you to decide whether you qualify for this offer. We do this because we realize very well how this period impacted all of us, but on the financial side this should not mean that you cannot join us. Things will get better and until then you can count on us!
This special trip leads us around the Markermeer and over the famous Houtribdijk that separates the Markermeer from the IJsselmeer. Along the way we pass the cities Almere and Lelystad in the Flevopolder, the land that was claimed from the sea in the 20th century and now lies several meters under sea level!
The 26,5km long Houtribdijk | by Snempaa (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Once we are on the other side we visit the famous and formerly powerful trading cities of Enkhuizen and Hoorn as well as the lovely fishing villages Volendam and Marken. This is one epic Dutch road trip that you cannot miss!
As with any Expat Club trip, our schedule today is carefully designed so we can enjoy all the places. Still, all times below are tentative and depend also on external circumstances, such as weather and traffic conditions. For this trip, due to the exceptional corona measures, we do ask you for your understanding beforehand since some parts just may take longer, e.g. the highway / toilet stops, and visits in towns may be slightly shorter as a result. Key us that we would like to get out again, enjoy time in different surroundings, and return well on time in Brussels before the curfew.
07h00 – Meeting time Place Schuman
07h15 – Latest departure time
09h30 – Toilet stop – pick-up lunch bags
10h15 –Â Flevopolder, Almere & Lelystad
11h30 – Houtribdijk
12h00 – Visit to Enkhuizen
13h30 – Visit to Hoorn
14h30 – Visit to Volendam
16h00 – Visit to Marken
17h30 – Departure to Brussels
21h00 – Latest arrival in Brussels
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Typical landscape of the Flevopolder, several meters below sea level
Lunch
After about 2 hours driving we arrive at the bridge that will take us from Provinces of Utrecht / North Holland into the Province of Flevoland. This is Holland’s 12th and youngest Province and was almost entirely claimed from the former Zuiderzee (Southern Sea), which was in fact an inner sea until it was closed off by the Afsluitdijk in 1932 (literal meaning: the Close Off Dike).
Flevoland from far above | Screenshot from NASA’s World Wind
The Flevopolder is the largest part of Flevoland. It was created in the 1950’s and the 1960’s. Since it is completely surrounded by water, it can be considered the largest artificial island in the world. Flevoland is of course “as flat as a pancake”, with major areas dedicated to farmland because the ground is rather fertile. Still, especially around the large cities of Almere (196.000) and Lelystad (78.000) various industries have settled.
The skyline of Almere | by Bartholomeusll from nl (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Both cities are directly connected by highways and intercity train connections with Amsterdam, Utrecht and the Northern part of the Netherlands. Also the planned expansion of the runway of Lelystad airport will give a boost to the local economy. It is definitely interesting to see this new part of Holland if you’ve never been in a polder, but we will only drive through with maybe a quick photo stop here and there.
The replica of the Batavia ship of the United East-Indian Company in Lelystad
Thousands of vehicles cross the dike every day between the province of Flevoland and North Holland | by Snempaa (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Crossing the Houtribdijk
Over about a decade the sea turned into a huge fresh water lake that was and still is primarily fed with fresh from the large IJssel river. Four decades later, in 1975, a second dike was built between the cities of Lelystad in Flevoland and Enkhuizen in the Western Province of North Holland. This 30 kilometer long dike separated the newly created lake into take lakes, with the IJsselmeer in the North and the Markermeer in the South. We’ll cross this dike during our trip in less than half an hour, with a nice stop in the middle to take a few pictures.
Highlights of North Holland
The Province of North Holland has historically been one the country’s most important region, with major cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem and Alkmaar. Today we are visiting a few smaller cities, but which played nonetheless a key role in Dutch history a few decades ago. We also visit several famous tourist destinations. Make sure your camera’s memory card is empty, because you’re going to shoot so many MBs of beautiful visual memories.
Enkhuizen
At the West side of the Houtribdijk lies the beautiful town of Enkhuizen. With Amsterdam and Hoorn it was a leading harbour town during the days of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), or Dutch East India Company, in the 17th century.
Enkhuizen harbour
Lovely canals with centuries old houses and the three towers of the old chalk ovens
Beautiful characteristic houses in Enkhuizen
The Drommedaris, Enkhuizen’s oldest building from 1540 | by Michielverbeek (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Hoorn
Our next destination is just 20 kilometers away. The history of the city of Hoorn goes back to the 8th century. Despite that it has only 70.000 inhabitants, its historical importance reaches until the other side of the planet and can be seen on every single globe. The most Southern tip of the Americas is named after the city by Willem Schouten who sailed around this cape in 1616: Cape Horn. Just like Amsterdam and Enkhuizen (and a few other cities) also Hoorn was a major home base for the VOC during Holland’s Golden Age (17th century).
The city skyline of Hoorn | by Sjef Schoenmakers (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
The Waag building (the weigh house) in the center of Hoorn, with a statue of VOC Captain Jan Pieterszoon Coen | by GerardM (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
The Westfries Museum in Hoorn | by Fnorp (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
The Hoofdtoren (Head Tower) in Hoorn | by B-de-Benutzer-Bleiglass (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Volendam
This well-known tourist destination has earned its place in the Netherlands as the most famous village. The number of famous inhabitants is rather stunning. It produced 3 international soccer players and quite a few famous artists and television personalities. Its the birthplace of the beloved and equally disliked Paling Sound (the Eel Sound, from the fish Eel), whereas several artists call this their home nowadays and in the past, including Picasso and Renoir.
The cities of Volendam and Edam on the Western shores of the Markermeer | by Debot (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
The Volendam waterfront | by Hullie (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Volendam’s “gezellige” city center | by Peter K Burian (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Typical Volendam Costumes | by Arent (assumed own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Marken
This small village with less than 2.000 inhabitants used to be an island in the Zuiderzee, the sea that now forms the Markermeer and IJsselmeer. Today it is a peninsula, connected to the mainland with a dike that was built in 1941, but finished only in 1957 due to the Second World War.
The village of Marken on a Peninsula in the Markermeer | by Massimo Catarinella (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Marken from above | by Jan Arkesteijn (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Typical wooden houses in Marken | by Hnapel (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Bridge and church in Marken | by Hnapel (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
Lighthouse Paard van Marken (Horse of Marken) | by Rob Koster (own work), via Wikimedia Commons
With restaurants still closed, except for the terraces, it is not easy to get lunch somewhere with a group. Therefore we organise nice lunch bags from the Van der Valk hotel, Holland’s most favorite and famous hotel chain. Under these special circumstances this is the best that we can do for this day trip. Later during the day, in Volendam for instance, there are options to get something on a terrace or at a take-away stand, but for lunch we arrange a nice lunch bag with 2 sandwiches, a croissant, an orange juice, a fruit salade, a salade-de-chef, a yogurt and a typical Dutch soft cookie.
Transportation
We depart as usual from Place Schuman with a 4* luxury double-deck coach. This bus has nice comfort seats with extra leg space, air-conditioning and an on-board toilet. There are 78 seats on board so there is ample space for everyone. Corona measures are in place, including mask wearing, Â transparent dividing screens, disinfecting gel at the entrance and additional cleaning before and during the trip.
Reservation
9 or more spots left
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Reservation
9 or more spots left
Who is going?
0 people are attending Dutch polders & fishing villages (postponed)
-49 RSVPs, including 0 members
Not a member yet? Click here or login.Membership is not required to join this event.
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