Lenny's blog
What Country is Dutch? Understanding the Netherlands, Holland, and a Culture of Discovery
If you have ever hesitated before addressing a local in Amsterdam because you weren't sure what country is dutch, you are certainly not alone in that...
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Cycling Through Dutch Tulip Fields: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Slow Travel
What if you could witness the world's most famous floral display without ever standing in a single ticket line? Last April, our guests on the IRIS...
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Moselle & Rhine Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Boutique Cycling
Imagine waking up in your private cabin on the IRIS, watching the morning mist lift off the Moselle river as our crew prepares a fresh breakfast for...
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Off-the-Beaten-Path Tours in the Netherlands: A 2026 Guide to Slow Travel
What if you could trade the frantic queues of Amsterdam for a secret garden path where the only sound is the gentle hum of your tires? Most visitors...
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Holland Tulips: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to the Dutch Floral Season
What if you could stand in the heart of a vibrant flower field without a single tour bus in sight? You likely dream of the Netherlands in spring as a...
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Authentic Dutch Cultural Experiences: A 2026 Guide to Slow Travel in the Netherlands
What if you could stand among the 7 million tulips at Keukenhof or beside the 18th-century windmills of Kinderdijk without feeling like just another...
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Danube Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Slow Travel
What if you could trade the crowded decks of a 190-passenger mega-ship for the intimate charm of a boutique barge that feels like a floating home?...
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Family-Friendly Bike and Barge Tours: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Slow Travel
Imagine Wouter leading your family through a sun-drenched Dutch meadow on a Tuesday morning, where the only sound is the soft whir of your Gazelle...
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Amsterdam to Paris Bike Tour 2026: A Boutique Bike & Barge Journey
What if the most memorable way to cross international borders wasn't through a crowded airport terminal, but along a quiet canal path lined with...
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Tipping Etiquette on European Tours: The 2026 Essential Guide for Cyclists
Imagine sitting on the sun-drenched deck of the IRIS after a 45-kilometer ride along pristine bike paths, feeling the glow of a perfect day. As our...
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Norway Fjords Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Slow Travel
Most travelers believe the only way to witness the sheer scale of the Norwegian coast is from the railing of a crowded cruise ship, but the most...
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How to Avoid Tourist Traps in Amsterdam: A Local Expert’s Guide for 2026
What if the most famous landmarks in the Netherlands are actually the ones keeping you from experiencing the country's true soul? You want to feel...
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The Ultimate Guide to Bike and Barge Tours in Europe for 2026
What if you could wake up in a new, sun-drenched port every morning without ever having to pack your suitcase twice? Most travelers assume they have...
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Travel Insurance for Cycling Holidays: The Complete 2026 Buying Guide
What if a single missed turn on a sun-drenched path turned your dream boutique adventure into a logistical headache? You've likely spent months...
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Training for Your 2026 European Bike Tour: The Joy of Preparation
In June 2024, a guest named Sarah stood on the deck of our ship, IRIS, worrying she would be the one holding up the group because her training for...
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What Happens if it Rains on a Bike Tour? Our Expert Guide to Staying Dry and Happy
Imagine waking up in your boutique cabin on the IRIS to the soft rhythm of raindrops against the glass. You might immediately wonder what happens if...
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Best Bike and Barge Tour Companies: How to Choose a Boutique Experience in 2026
What if your next European holiday wasn't about rushing between crowded landmarks, but about the gentle hum of a belt-driven Gazelle E-bike on a...
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Safe Cycling Tours for Older Adults: A Guide to Carefree European Adventures
I notice the search results don't clearly show the information about the van den Berg brothers running the business or about their mother Lenny. Let...
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Provence & Camargue Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Boutique Guide
Imagine waking up to the gentle lap of the Rhône against your cabin window, knowing your only job today is to pedal through sun-drenched vineyards...
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Private Barge Charter Holland: The Ultimate 2026 Buying Guide
Imagine waking up in your own floating hotel, the IRIS, as it glides past a 17th-century windmill while your group enjoys a fresh breakfast prepared...
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How to Prepare for a Cycling Holiday in 2026: The Ultimate Boutique Travel Checklist
What if the most daunting part of your 2026 European adventure wasn't the 50-kilometer daily ride, but simply deciding which pair of shoes to leave...
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Vacations for Couples with Different Interests: The 2026 Guide to Stress-Free Travel
Last summer, a couple named Sarah and Mark arrived at our gangway with two very different ideas of a dream getaway: she wanted to explore every...
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The Non-Biker’s Guide to Enjoying a European Bike Tour in 2026
What if the best way to see Europe in 2026 isn't by pedaling for six hours a day, but by watching the scenery glide past from the deck of a boutique...
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Guided vs. Self-Guided Cycling Tour: Which is Right for Your 2026 European Adventure?
Last spring, a guest on our ship IRIS realized she hadn't checked a map for seven days because our loyal guides handled every turn through the...
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What Are Bike and Barge Tours? The Ultimate 2026 Guide to European Slow Travel
What if your boutique hotel room followed you through the Dutch countryside while you pedaled past 18th-century windmills and hidden vineyards?...
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Training for a 7-Day Bike Tour: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Tour-Ready
What if the most rewarding part of your holiday preparation isn't how fast you can pedal, but how deeply you can relax into the rhythm of the road?...
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Berlin to Prague Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Guide
On a crisp morning in May 2026, you might find yourself on the deck of the IRIS, watching the mist rise off the Elbe as our crew prepares your...
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The Ultimate Packing List for a European Bike Tour in 2026
Last May, a guest stepped onto our ship, the IRIS, clutching a massive suitcase and worrying she'd never find the perfect packing list for european...
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Holland vs. Netherlands: Understanding the Difference for Your 2026 Travels
What if your dream vacation to Holland actually leaves 83% of the country's stunning landscapes completely off your map? It's a common worry for...
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What to Expect on a Barge Cruise: The Ultimate Guide to Slow Travel in 2026
Imagine waking up in your private cabin on the IRIS, watching the morning mist lift off a quiet canal as the sun begins to warm the deck. You aren't...
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Where in Europe is the Netherlands? A Guide to the Heart of the Low Countries
What if you could cycle through a landscape so perfectly flat that your only challenge is the occasional North Sea breeze? You probably recognize the...
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Bike Tours for Mixed Fitness Levels: How to Plan a Trip Everyone Enjoys
Last season, Wouter welcomed a couple onto our ship, the IRIS, where one partner was a seasoned cyclist and the other hadn't touched a pedal in...
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5 Most Scenic River Cycling Routes in Europe for 2026: A Guide to Slow Travel
What if you could traverse 400 kilometers of the most scenic river cycling routes Europe offers without ever packing a suitcase twice or squinting at...
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Cycling Holidays with Luggage Transfer: The Ultimate Guide to Carefree Travel in 2026
What if you could glide through the sun-drenched vineyards of the Moselle Valley for 40 kilometers without ever worrying about the 20-kilogram...
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The Ultimate Guide to Boat Bike Tours: Discover Europe with Bike Planet
What if you could explore three European countries in a single week without ever packing your suitcase twice? We understand the anxiety of...
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E-Bike Tours in Europe for Seniors: The Ultimate Guide to Effortless Adventure
Last September, 72-year-old Martha glided past a 17th-century Dutch windmill without breaking a sweat, realizing that her dream of a European cycling...
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Boat and Bike Holland: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Boutique Cycling Cruises
What if you could wake up in a new Dutch village every morning without ever packing your suitcase twice? We know the hesitation; many travelers fear...
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European Bike Tours for Beginners: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Stress-Free Cycling
Have you ever dreamed of cycling past Dutch windmills or along the banks of the Danube, only for a little voice in your head to whisper, "Am I...
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E-Bike Rental Upgrades: Enhancing Your 2026 European Cycling Holiday
Last June, a guest named Martha stood at the base of a sun-drenched hill in the Moselle Valley and realised her tour didn't have to be a test of...
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All-Inclusive Cycling Tours in Europe: The Ultimate 2026 Guide to Carefree Discovery
What if the hardest decision you had to make today was whether to stop for a second espresso in a medieval square or keep pedaling along a perfectly...
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EU Longest River: Discovering Europe’s Mighty Waterways by Bike and Barge
What if you've been dreaming of the EU's longest river only to find yourself lost in a sea of confusing maps and crowded cruise itineraries? While...
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Active European Holidays for Seniors 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Bike & Barge Travel
Imagine waking up on a boutique barge docked in the heart of the Loire Valley on a crisp morning in May 2026; the only item on your agenda is a...
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Guided Cycling Holidays in the Netherlands: The 2026 Boutique Travel Guide
Imagine yourself coasting along a sun-dappled canal in Friesland, where the only sound is the rhythmic click of your gears and the distant chime of a...
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Amsterdam to Bruges Bike & Barge Tour: The Ultimate 2026 Guide
Imagine waking up to the gentle rhythm of the Scheldt River, knowing your only responsibility today is to cycle past the 19 historic windmills of...
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New Zealand Tour
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How about a perfect family trip in 2024
A one time experience with your kids Join us on a trip that we specially designed for all generations, to […]
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7 Ideas for an Amazing Cycling Adventure
If you like to travel a bit longer, here are some exciting ideas to make combinations between bike/barge, bike/cruise and […]
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How’s the IRIS doing ?
Great! It started with the build-in of our new Main Engine. A new Skania, that was built to the latest […]
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What’s upcoming for 2024?
More to expect soon: The newest BikePlanet Bike and HOTEL tour is still in design. The trip will start in […]
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Update on the IRIS and Bikeplanet June 2023
Hi, this is Lenny, the IRIS and BikePlanet Tours owner. It has been a long time since I wrote a […]
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2021 Covid News UPDATED 9th of May 2021
Date: May 9th of 2021 By now, we know that the vaccinations are well on their way in the USA, […]
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Statement Covid-19 Update 4: date 30th of May 2020
Update 4: 30th of May 2020 The situation within the Netherlands is under control at the moment. Like in other […]
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2021 first glance
We are ready for your first glance at our 2021 season! Not on our official calendar yet, but just a […]
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Last Cabins 2020
UPDATE 19th of Februari 2020: LAST AVAILABLE CABINS OR ROOMS ON OUR TRIPS 16th of May: 1 cabin on our […]
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Our new GIANT bikes have arrived!
2020: new year, new season, new bikes! We are proud to present the latest bikes we have bought, which will […]
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Discovering the Danube Tour!
What a ship! We were very impressed when we embarked for our preparational tour on the Danube. The Primadonna is […]
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Our Greenpeace Plastic Monster Ship Tour on the IRIS
At the halfway point of our IRIS Plastic Monster tour, we would love to share a bit about what’s going on and […]
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What we do in winter to be sailing all summer
Do you go on a trip yourself? This is a question we get from guests, when it comes to what […]
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Angela’s Story on the Bike Tour Berlin-Dresden-Bamberg
Reflecting on our bike planet Berlin/Dresden/Bamberg Bike Tour A day-to-day journal from one of our guests. Having already spent 3 days […]
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NEW: starting with “Lenny’s choice”
One of the few downsides of my job is to have to disappoint. Consider it a luxury problem, but I […]
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“Our first Rails to Trail Bike Tour”: a personal story
This story is told by guests on the first Rails to Trail Tour. Read their impressions! Bike day 1: Epen […]
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Our first time ever… a Hotel and Bike Tour in Europe!
After a long drive to Berlin I met up with our guests on the tour over dinner, at our first […]
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IRIS Host TINA in Adventure Challenge
Epic 800km Trail run and mountain climb Tina Page , our host on THE barge, iris, will be hanging up […]
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One year after starting BikePlanet Tours
Working on the program for 2018, made me looking back at last year and everything that has happened so far. […]
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The 2 Seasons, a blog by our “frequent guest” Janette
A few weeks ago we finished our last tour, with a relatively small group of guests. A week prior to […]
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Daun, going down! (And why easy biking is such a pleasure)
Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining our guests once more. They are on the last tour on the Moselle […]
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Why go with a new company on a cycling tour?
That’s a good question! We do understand being the new kid around the block is not appealing to everybody. So […]
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Kevin Ellwood’s Blog on our Tour
Kevin Ellwood from Sydney, currently on a solo cycle tour to Basel, wrote about last weeks tour on the IRIS, […]
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Single Traveler on a Group Holiday
Our cycling tours are excellent for those who travel alone. Because we offer guides and you are accompanied by a […]
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Cycling, biking… different ways of using a bicycle
Since I have been active as an operator of bike-tours, I have started to realize that there is a big […]
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On tour: designing a new 5 country bike/hotel/barge tour!
For this new tour, we did a lot of desk-research, asked friends who had been on this path before. I […]
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5 Great Reasons to Travel Europe Right Now
There will always be reasons to not do what you actually dream of doing. We don’t need to help you […]
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All in the Family: A Q&A with Lenny Versteeg
How do you come up with the idea of starting a bike tour-company? That’s just one of the things we […]
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