Netherlands

Nice cycling paths are found everywhere in the Netherlands. They are often marked with ‘fietsknooppunten’. At each ‘fietsknooppunt’ there is a map showing where you are and the path to the next ‘knooppunt.’

Cycling maps are found on Internet or at tourist offices. Rivers and canals are crossed on inexpensive bicycle ferries. The country is mainly flat; the southern part near Maastricht is more hilly with extremely nice cycling and walking paths.

You will see a lot of bikes, and more different types of bikes than in any other country. Many bikes are decorated with flowers. Rental of bicycles can be pre-ordered through Wiel-Rent, who can deliver bicycles in many places.

Good lunch cafés, restaurants and hotels are easy to find. Hotel brands like Van der Valk and NH can be generally recommended.

There are a lot of train lines in the Netherlands. To have a train option near a cycling route is always an advantage, if anything unexpected should happen or the weather becomes really bad.

Cycling routes suggested:

The routes below are defined both with an electronical map (Strava) and as a series of fietsknooppunten. In winter there might be ice on the cycling paths.

Utrecht to Maastricht (map link)

Utrecht – Wageningen – Afferden – Roermond – Maastricht – Hamont – Oijsterwijk – Tiel – Utrecht

Round trip west of Utrecht (map link)

Utrecht – Ridderkerk – Made – Bergen op Zoom – Antwerpen – Turnhout – Breda – Zwijndrecht – Den Haag – Leiden – Utrecht

Round trip north of Utrecht (map link)

Utrecht – Almere – Enkhuizen – Akersloot – Marken – Utrecht

Round trip east of Utrecht (map link)

Utrecht – Veenendaal – Apeldoorn – Arnhem – Deventer – Zwolle – Nunspeet – Amersfoort – Utrecht

Round trip 1 from Heerlen (map link)

Heerlen – Maastricht – Slenaken – Vaals – Heerlen

Also two of the tours under Longer Routes include biking in Netherlands.