Ten Reasons to Cycle in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a nation with a culture deeply rooted in cycling. Whether you’re gliding past iconic windmills, pedalling through vibrant tulip fields, or winding through charming medieval towns, every ride offers a new way to experience the Dutch countryside at your own pace.

Here are the top ten reasons to try a cycling holiday in the Netherlands, inspired by my own first-hand experience (three tours and counting!), as well as feedback from thousands of happy Freedom Trekkers who've loved cycling there over the years.

If you have any questions or want to find out more about this wonderful country, call our knowledgeable team on +44(0)1273 224066 or enquire online.

The Netherlands has over a whopping 35,000 kilometres of dedicated cycling paths across the whole country - that’s over four times the amount in the UK!

Exploring these paths easily makes for a fun, scenic and safe day out. They are all clearly marked and separate from car traffic, meaning cyclists of all abilities can focus on their own set of wheels.

The infrastructure is designed with cyclists in mind, so you can always rely on getting around efficiently and enjoyably. In some places, you even have the right of way on a roundabout!

Thanks to the country’s carefully designed cycling infrastructure, shared roads are safe for all parties. In fact, the Netherlands is consistently ranked as one of the safest places in the world to cycle.

Cycling in the Netherlands is easy thanks to the numbered cycle junction network, or ‘fietsknooppunten’. This smart system links cycle paths with clearly marked junctions, each assigned a number - no need to memorise street names or rely solely on maps.

Simply follow the numbered signs, and you’re all set to enjoy the beautiful surroundings on offer. It's as easy as that.

Most tours also provide navigation apps with step-by-step directions, so you can relax and enjoy the stunning Dutch countryside without worrying about getting lost.

One of the best things about cycling in the Netherlands is how flat it is - seriously, it’s pancake-flat!

With no hills to climb, cycling here is easy and accessible for people of all ages and fitness levels. It’s an ideal country for leisurely cyclists who just want to focus on enjoying exploring the surroundings, rather than tackling any tricky terrain.

You can ride at a comfortable pace without breaking a sweat. In fact, it’s so effortless that it’s not uncommon to see businessmen wearing suits as they pedal to work - not that I'd recommend wearing a suit on one of our tours!

Cycling isn’t just a mode of transport in the Netherlands - it’s part of everyday life. With over 22 million bikes and just 17 million people, bicycles actually outnumber residents.

From school children taking their first verkeersexamen (bicycle traffic test) to commuters gliding along dedicated bike paths, cycling is a fully integrated part of everyday life. It’s not something reserved for athletes or weekend leisure - it’s simply how people get around.

And Dutch cycle culture isn’t just for humans. You’ll regularly see dogs enjoying the ride too - whether it’s a tiny terrier perched in a front basket or a large retriever lounging in a bakfiets (cargo bike). In the Netherlands, everyone and everything cycles. The more the merrier!

At Freedom Treks, one of the real advantages of cycling in the Netherlands is that you can choose between staying in hotels or on a boat each night.

Netherlands Hotel & Bike Tours send you pedalling from one charming hotel to the next. Hotels are often family-run or locally owned, so you feel more connected to the region. All your luggage is transported ahead for you (usually arriving by late afternoon), so you ride light.

A great example is the Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour, which takes riders south through the Dutch polders and scenic Flemish countryside, staying in a mix of 3* and 4* hotels along the way. I recently cycled this tour in May 2025 with my family and we had such a brilliant time. We cycled past windmills, canals and grazing cattle - read more in my Amsterdam to Bruges trip report.

Netherlands Boat & Bike Tours offer a different kind of rhythm: a floating hotel. You’ll unpack in a cabin aboard a barge, river boat or even a three‑masted sailing ship, and your vessel will either sail during the day and meet you at the end of each day’s ride, or travel overnight.

Our Green Heart of Holland Boat & Bike Tour showcases this style beautifully: you sail between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and cycle through lush Dutch countryside, with visits to Gouda, Delft, UNESCO windmills at Kinderdijk, and charming small towns.

If you time your cycling holiday right (we can help with this of course), you could experience the magic of the Netherlands’ tulip season on our Holland's Tulips, Windmills and Historic Cities Bike Tour (although be quick, availability is already low for 2026). From mid-April to early May, the countryside transforms into a dazzling patchwork of red, pink, orange and yellow as tulips bloom across the country.

On two wheels, you’ll have the freedom to ride right past these colourful carpets and stop for photos whenever you like.

Routes through regions like the Bollenstreek (Bulb Region) and visits to Keukenhof Gardens allow you to see the colourful flowers up close. This is an incredibly popular time to visit the Netherlands and often our cycling holidays sell out months in advance, as mentioned above - so don’t wait to book.

On several Freedom Treks routes, you’ll pedal past the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to the 18th century. These iconic and centuries-old structures are a highlight on both the Amsterdam to Bruges Bike Tour and the Bruges to Amsterdam Hotel & Bike Tour, where these windmills punctuate stretches of vast landscapes of rivers, canals and serene wetlands.

I have cycled in Kinderdijk twice, and it is always amazing pedalling along with wonderful windmills on either side. It’s worth paying a small amount to go inside and see how Dutch millers used to live and work in such cramped conditions!

And the tours don’t stop there - many take you through meadows, farms and villages, revealing the famous Dutch landscapes: gentle green pastures, grazing cows and riverside paths. For example, our Green Heart of Holland Boat & Bike Tour lets you experience lush polders and tranquil canals.

In the Netherlands, water is constantly present in cities and in the countryside. Around one‑fifth of the country is made up of lakes, canals and rivers - making water a perfect thread to follow on a cycling holiday. Many of our tours allow you to ride with the waterways, not just past them.

You’ll cycle through Amsterdam’s iconic canals, glide past Baroque gables and quaint bridges, and feel the pulse of a city built on water. On tours such as Holland’s Tulips, Windmills & Historic Cities, you’ll ride through Utrecht’s tranquil canals and along Leiden’s waterways as part of your daily route.

To be even closer to water, what better way than by travelling in your floating hotel? Our Boat & Bike options let you drift overnight while the barge carries you to your next cycle point.

When cycling from Amsterdam to Bruges, waterways open up into wetlands and rivers, offering peaceful scenery and occasional ferry crossings. As a contrast, on our Holland’s Northern Coast Boat & Bike Tour, water takes the form of open sea. You’ll ride between dunes and fishing villages, with the swishing sea as your backdrop.

The Netherlands also offers layers of history, and two of the country’s most charming medieval towns, Delft and Haarlem, feature on several of our tours.

In Haarlem, explore cobbled streets and grand squares, all just a short ride from the tulip fields. Alternatively, Leiden, with its criss-crossing canals and centuries-old university, charms with peaceful waterside streets. Both of these towns are a real highlight - I recommend seeing them both on our Holland’s Tulips, Windmills & Historic Cities tour.

On our Cities & Countryside of Southern Holland tour, wander round Delft for its famous blue-and-white pottery and calm canals, or enjoy windmills and gin distilleries in Schiedam and traditional markets in Gouda.

Further afield, our Amsterdam to Brussels tour stops in Dordrecht, one of the country’s oldest cities with a medieval port. And if you're cycling the Hanseatic Route Boat & Bike Tour, you’ll visit Kampen and Deventer, once bustling trade centres along the River IJssel, now perfectly preserved with cobbled lanes and towers.

Another great reason for cycling in the Netherlands is that almost all of our Netherlands cycling tours start or finish in Amsterdam. In this picturesque city, you can wander along scenic canals and idyllic waterside buildings, or explore the city's cosy pubs, candle-lit restaurants and stylish galleries.

You could even extend your stay in this picturesque city for an extra few days to get a deeper feel for the city heart of the Netherlands.

If you want to go one step further and maximise your time in the capital city, then our Amsterdam Bike Tour from One Hotel is a fantastic option. This flexible itinerary means that each night you’ll stay in the same hotel, so you won’t need to worry about packing up each morning.

You can enjoy a series of scenic circular rides exploring Volendam and Haarlem, and wandering the flower-filled paths in the Bollenstreek region during spring. You’ll cycle past historic windmills, through scenic polders, and along peaceful waterways.

The cycling is along well-marked routes and flat terrain as you ride to the surrounding towns. Further highlights include visiting Edam, famous for its cheeses, the fishing village of Volendam, the famous windmills of Zaanse Schans and the medieval Muiden Castle.

You can view prices, dates, more information and also book any of our fantastic tours in the Netherlands through our website. If you're looking for a little more inspiration or advice, you can contact our friendly and knowledgeable team. Enquire online or call us on +44 (0) 1273 224066.

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