For our best of Holland cycling tour, we have combined our most interesting and picturesque bike routes with what we think are the most characterful hotels to create the ultimate luxury gentle holiday on two wheels. Most of the hotels are in unique buildings with fine settings offering outstanding service. Holland of course provides the most fabulous gentle cycling for it is wonderfully flat and has an astonishing network of well signed & tarmaced bike paths. It also has a stunning mix of heritage rich towns, beautiful coastline, picture postcard countryside and maritime history.
The ride takes you to some of our favourite cities - Amsterdam, Leiden, Dordrecht and Utrecht, each unique and brimming with that typical old Dutch character. You also reach the dunes on the North Sea coast and the islands with their historic villages. Discover how rural and quiet the countryside can be where windmills and polders take the spotlight. More than half of the landscape has been reclaimed from the sea leaving a unique maze of dykes, locks and colourful waterways and bridges. This is the best of Holland.
Holiday details
Price
- Luxury
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from £2,395 per person
Based on two people sharing a room
What’s included?
Taxi Amsterdam to Uithoorn, train Rotterdam to Dordrecht. See what’s included as standard
Duration
7 nights
Start & Finish
Starts daily from Amsterdam and finishes in Utrecht - April 1st to October 1st. Not available during Grand Prix last weekend in August 2023.
Hotels
- Luxury
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Two 5* star hotels, one 4* star and two 5* 'boutique' hotels, a former Water Tower and a former 19th Century Gentleman's Club
Holiday type
Self-guided
This tour is priced without a guide and you are free to explore on your own. If you would like a guide for part or all of your trip, we are happy to provide a knowledgeable, local guide
Activity level
Gentle cycling (2) More info...
Electric bikes
Available
Mileage
6 days of cycling 20 - 26 miles (32 - 41 km) per day
Terrain
Flat
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
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 around. But the city holds much more to explore than just historic canals. Why not visit the revitalised Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum or the Stedelijk Museum. Or, maybe Anne Frank's House is a 'must see' for you?
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2. Day two
Amsterdam to Leiden
Shortly after breakfast we will transfer you to the lovely village of Uithoorn, just south of Amsterdam. Here you will meet your local host who will brief you on your itinerary, provide your route details and check your bicycle is correctly adjusted for you. Then you are off on your cycling adventure as you freewheel through the green heart of Holland - an open rural landscape where waterways and bridges are never far our of sight. Enjoy idyllic gentle cycling on flat and traffic-free cycle paths and canals weaving your way through typical small villages and past plenty of windmills. What could be better or more iconic? Your route leads you to Leiden and the lovely boutique hotel Huys van Leyden or Barones van Leyden, located in the heart of the city. Leiden has often been called the most beautiful city of the Netherlands which isn't surprising given its rich history and the wealth of fine buildings visible everywhere in its charming centre.
20 miles (32 km)
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3. Day three
Leiden to The Hague
Your cycling today takes you to the North Sea coast with its dunes and forested areas and an array of mansions. Pass the traditional fishing village of Katwijk aan Zee as Wassenaar before heading to the governmental city of The Hague. Whilst Amsterdam is the Capital, The Hague is the seat of government. Although it is the third-largest city of the Netherlands you will find it’s also the greenest city. Cycling through impressive parks you can visit the Peace Palace and pedal along Noordeinde street which has the highest density of art in Holland and houses Palace Noordeinde where the current monarch has his offices. Close by is one of the most impressive streets of The Hague, Lange Voorhout where you will stay the night in the hotel Des Indes. This is the Hague's finest hotel, where many of the world's leading figures have stayed before you.
21 miles (34 km)
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4. Day four
The Hague to Dordrecht
Pedalling out of The Hague you pass the parliamentary buildings and the heart of the city and soon reach the beautiful and historic town of Delft. Acclaimed for its characterful town centre and picturesque canals, Delft also boasts its Blue pottery which you should not miss. Famous resident, painter Johannes Vermeer is celebrated as is the town's association with the Royal House of Orange. Stop awhile here before pedalling on through lowlands. Your route leads on into Schiedam where you continue to wander the canals but more amazingly, visit the largest windmills in the world - quite a spectacle. From Schiedam it is just a small ride to Rotterdam. The near-complete destruction of the city centre in World War II Rotterdam Blitz has resulted in a wealth of architectural styles, including sky-scrapers designed by renowned architects. Rotterdam is not only Europe’s largest port but is also a modern vibrant town with leading art musuems such as the Boijmans Van Beuningen. In Rotterdam you hop on a train (30 minutes) to the historic town of Dordrecht. Cycle through the heart of the old town to reach Villa Augustus where you stay the night - an old water tower in the middle of a vegetable garden!
25 miles (40 km)
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5. Day five
Dordrecht to Schoonhoven
You can't say you have 'done' Holland unless you've seen the Kinderdijk windmill group. This UNESCO site is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. Today's ride will see you passing all of them, a magnificent sight and one of the main reasons why many take this trip. If you happen to be cycling along this part of the route on national windmill day (14th & 15th May) your tour will be all the more interesting with local 'windmill' events. Your final destination on this fantastic day will be the authentic silver town of Schoonhoven, situated on the banks of the Rhine. The Belvedere hotel has a great terrace on the waters' edge and a restaurant overlooking the passing boats.
22 miles (35 km)
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6. Day six
Schoonhoven to Utrecht
This will prove to be another marvellous day! Leaving Schoonhoven you follow the picturesque banks of the River Vlist, alive with canoes and wildlife to reach the charming villages of Oudewater and Montfoort. Enjoy today's mixture of grazing sheep and small farms, a patchwork of bobbing boats and dykes, canals and bridges as you wend your way along tranquil cycle paths to reach Utrecht. This ancient city's heart features many old buildings and structures, with several dating back to the Middle Ages. The unique Grand Hotel Karel V is a 5-star hotel in the heart of the city, where medieval charm and modern luxury meet.
26 miles (41 km)
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7. Day seven
Utrecht to Abcoude and Amsterdam
The final day of your tour is maybe the most impressive one. You are biking all day long along the scenic Vecht river. In the 17th and 18th centuries, many country estates were built on the banks of the Vecht by rich merchants and administrators from Amsterdam. While biking along you will enjoy these estates, castles and mansions and the beautiful villages of Maarssen, Breukelen and Loenen. At the day's end you will reach the pretty village of Abcoude just south of Amsterdam with the option to take a short (15 minute) train hop back into Amsterdam and the Hotel Dylan for your last night.
23 miles (36 km)
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8. Day eight
Depart Amsterdam
Enjoy your final breakfast and depart at your leisure.