Amsterdam is probably as famous for cycling as it is for its beautiful canals and tulips. Robert is a web developer for our friends Cornerstone (they make awesome subscription shaving supplies by the way) by day, but has spent several holidays getting to know the Dutch capital by bike. With his help, we’ve devised the ultimate short day trip around the beautiful parks of south Amsterdam.
Cycle from the famous tourist hot-spots along the Amstel and discover the equally beautiful ‘real Amsterdam’, right on your doorstep!
Locals go everywhere on their bikes. It accounts for over a third of total traffic, and two thirds of all trips to school or work are made on bicycles, yet only 10% of tourists rent a bike there. This route shows you how easy it is to hire a bike, tick off some wonderful sights and explore much more of Amsterdam than you ever could have hoped. Follow our cycle route and become an Amsterdam expert!
Quick Facts
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Highlights |
Traditional windmills, Amsterdam Forest, Volkerpark
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Length |
32km or 45km |
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Terrain |
Flat, tarmac cycle paths :)
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Difficulty |
★
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When |
Amsterdam can get a bit chilly in the winter - this year, the canals froze over and people went ice-skating! Summer is best as a result, but this route takes you through some stunning parks, which come to life in Spring and Autumn too!
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How to get there |
Reading this from the UK? Amsterdam is right on your doorstep! With just a 40 mins flight from Gatwick, you then take the train to Amsterdam Centraal station, which only takes 15 minutes.
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Which bike |
Rent your classic bike at MacBike. You’ll look right at home on one of these, and they only cost €8-10 a day!
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Why |
Robert reckons its a no-brainer: '
vibe, parks (!!!), bike paths everywhere, awesome architecture, most bike friendly city in the world'
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The Cycle Route
Starting at the beautiful Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), this cycle route is straight into the action: past the National Monument and through the famous Red Light District(de Wallen), taking these must-see sights in from a bicycle is a perfect way to launch your tour of the city.
The route then follows the banks of the Amstel south, over the famous Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug) and into the first of Amsterdam’s many parks.
The first exciting stop is at the Rembrandt Hoeve, a traditional Dutch farmhouse making clogs and cheese. It doesn’t get much more Dutch than that - but you might want to hold off the cheese too much, because we’re only a few KMs into our route!
Further south along the Amstel, the cycle route reaches a twelfth century village, and the hustle-and-bustle of the city centre already melts away into beautiful rustic scenery.
The route then offers an optional (but highly recommended) loop of the Ronde Hoep. Incredibly popular with cyclists, these meadows are divided neatly with irrigation dykes and the wildlife on show is worth hoping off your bike for!
After reaching the southern-most point of this trip, you’ve earned a stop-off at the renowned pancake restaurant Boerderij meerzicht - perfect fuel for the home stretch. This kicks off with a little foray into Amsterdam Forest (Amsterdamse Bos). Although completely man-made, at 3 times the size of New York’s Central Park, this is a cyclist’s paradise, with wide expansive paths, and the autumnal leaves make this especially beautiful from September onwards.
The route then winds back into Central Amsterdam, culminating at the wonderful Vondelpark, which our friend Robert calls ‘the best park in the world’! Home to the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, you will also find that famous ‘IAmsterdam’ sculpture. After all that cycling, you’ll be ready to take it steady and look at some of the beautiful masterpieces from across Holland and the world on display.
Summary
This cycle route has it all! And at only 32-45km of flat cycle paths and quiet roads, it's manageable for all the family. Why not give it a go, and share your story with us @ridebeeline?
