The image of Holland conjures ideas of historic towns, green landscapes, windmills, grazing cows and delicious cheeses. In the Dutch ‘Golden Age’, the country was unrivaled in the art of painting, science, and trade, and may well have been the richest country in the world.
On this Grand Tour, longer cycling distances allow you to enter a different world every day. From the sand dunes along the North Sea coast to green meadows with the famous cows and windmills, and from fishing villages on the old Zuiderzee shores to the vast forest and heathland of the Veluwe nature reserve, and you will get to stay in some of Holland's finest hotels along the way.
Visit stunning towns like Amsterdam, Leiden, Delft, Gouda and Utrecht, with their intriguing stories, charming canals and monumental houses. Discover picturesque villages like Oudewater with the Witches Weighing House, imposing castles like De Haar and Duurstede, and the beautiful Rhijnauwen country estate.
To make the most of the highlights on your route, the option of staying two nights in each hotel comes highly recommended. Visit Johannes Vermeer’s enchanting Girl with the Pearl Earring in The Hague, climb the medieval Dom Tower in Utrecht, savour some of the products from the brewery in Ouddaen Castle. And lose yourself in the world’s finest collection of Van Gogh paintings (and many other modern masters) in the Kröller-Müller Museum, which itself is situated at the heart of the Hoge Veluwe National Park. A Grand Tour in every sense!
Holiday details
Price
- Luxury
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from £3,350 per person
Based on two people sharing a room
Duration
5 nights
Start & Finish
Circular from Amsterdam - 27th March to 29th September. Not available during Grand Prix - last weekend in 21-23 August 2026.
Hotels
- Luxury
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Three 5* star hotels, one 4* star hotel.
Holiday type
Self-guided so you are free to explore at your own pace. More info...
Activity level
Not so gentle cycling. More info...
Electric bikes
Available
Mileage
4 days of cycling 50 to 60 miles (80 km to 95 km) per day
Terrain
Flattish with a few slopes
What’s included?
Ensuite accommodation every night with breakfast. The services of our friendly local Hosts. Luggage transfers between hotels. Touring bikes and accessories. 24/7 phone contact number. Adventure Handbook with our local tips. GPS Routes on an App with waterproof phone holder. Guidebook or OS maps. Protection of your funds. Advice, help and guidance planning your trip.
Read About Our Trips for further details
Traffic-free
95%
Options
- Extend the tour with additional nights in Amsterdam or any of the stops en route.
Itinerary day-by-day
Luxury
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1. Day one
Arrive Amsterdam
Arrive in Amsterdam and settle into the Dylan Hotel, overlooking the Keizersgracht, one of the city's most scenic canals. The 17th- century canals of Amsterdam are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and a delight to wander along. There is so much to see and do in this cosmopolitan city, including the world-renowned Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, historic Dam Square, cosy cafés and world-class restaurants. An extra night or two is recommended!
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2. Day two
Haarlem to The Hague
After breakfast, you’ll be transferred a short distance to Haarlem, where you’ll meet your local host who will brief you on your itinerary, assist with your route directions and make sure that your bicycle is correctly fitted. Then you are off on a day filled with variety with the wildness and sand dunes of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park; ruins of the Castle of Brederode; hip beach pavilions along the dedicated coastal cycle path and ancient university town of Leiden. This is worth a stop to see the ‘Burcht’ castle, Lakenhal Museum, Rembrandt Studio, monumental houses, and to enjoy lunch on the terrace of one of the canal side restaurants. You finish today in the royal city of The Hague, home to an unrivalled collection of Old Masters in the Mauritshuis, top-class restaurants, an elegant ambiance, and your ‘palace’ for the night, the renowned Hotel Des Indes.
50 miles (80 km)
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3. Day three
The Hague to Utrecht
Cycle from The Hague, you will feel you have entered an Old Master painting when you arrive in Delft with its beautiful square and historic streets. Then it's into Holland’s ‘Green Heart’ with endless river landscapes, historic farms, plenty of wildlife and a group of 4 monumental windmills on the banks of the river Rotte. The ancient town of Gouda is not only famous for its cheese market but has plenty of atmosphere, a splendid medieval town hall and the impressive stained glass windows of the Sint Janskerk. Follow the winding river IJssel with small, thatched farms and ‘knotwilgen’ to the village of Oudewater, and then on to Holland’s largest castle, De Haar before arriving in medieval Utrecht. Explore the Museum for Music Machines (‘Speelklok’), craft brewery in Castle Ouddaen, and cosy canal-side cafés as you make your way to The Grand Hotel Karel V - once a 14th-century monastery which served as accommodation for knights on different steeds!
60 miles (95 km)
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4. Day four
Utrecht to Otterlo
On your way out of Utrecht, pass the famous Rietveld-Schröder House (modernist ‘De Stijl’ architecture from 1929). Once out of town, the picturesque Rhijnauwen tea garden is set on a leafy riverbank and you can find traditional cheese farm De Ossenwaard before you reach Wijk bij Duurstede which has a long history as a bishop's seat and fortified town. Visit the small harbour, narrow streets and the 13th-century fairytale Castle Duurstede. In Amerongen, you’ll find another impressive castle and plenty of choice for a lunch stop. The afternoon offers a very different landscape with forest, heathland and sand drifts, the habitat of red deer, wild boar and roe deer. In Oosterbeek, the Airborne Museum Hartenstein makes the story of the Battle of Arnhem personal and tangible, and serves as a place for commemoration. Finally, Otterlo is a charming village in the middle of the Veluwe nature area where you find the exceptional Hotel De Sterrenberg.
50 miles (80 km)
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5. Day five
Otterlo to Weesp and return to Amsterdam
The landscape changes again today to reveal green farmland on your way to Amersfoort. Here, visit the well-preserved medieval centre and the Mondriaan House, home of the pioneer of abstract art. In the fishing village of Spakenburg fishermen would once look out across the open sea to check if the weather was good to set sail. Now there is a very large polder - land reclaimed from the sea - just across a narrow strip of water, but you can still see the traditional sailing vessels and historic shipyard. This still very beautiful place is an ideal spot for a lunch break. Then, cycle through a varied landscape of forest, heathland and farmland before arriving in the adorable, ancient fortified town of Naarden and, finally, through one of the oldest nature reserves in the Netherlands, Naardermeer, to arrive in Weesp, the end of your tour. We will meet you here for a transferr back to Amsterdam and The Dylan Hotel.
55 miles (88 km)
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6. Day six
Depart Amsterdam
Spend a last morning absorbing the delights of this great city before departing at leisure after your Grand Tour of The Netherlands