I'm cycling through a few European countries this summer and am currently in Germany, right on the Dutch border. I thought I'd actually plan my route a bit in advance for the Netherlands because I'm really looking forward to cycling there. Is there anything on here that I should adjust? I'm crossing the country east to west. I love scenic cycling in nature but would also like to hit at least a couple of the big cities.
Thanks so much for any advice!
by SeriousTechnician296
7 Comments
There’s a decent beer shop in Enschede if you’re passing through.
I would probably do Zandvoort before The Hague and Rotterdam, right after Haarlem. Otherwise, it’s a massive detour.
Zandvoort is right next to Haarlem, and then going down you will pass The Hague and Rotterdam on your way to Antwerp.
Good choice skipping Amsterdam though. Amsterdam is crazy busy, especially in summer when people take vacation.
You should add Groningen, if you’re coming in from the east, it’s a great city to spend the day.
Use the website [fietsnet.be](http://fietsnet.be) to plan your route. When you reach the coast somewhere, I recommend following the coast towards Belgium (unless for some reason you really want to see Antwerp). The coastline in Zeeland, a province, is really beautiful and full of camping places. Once you cross into Belgium, you might want to go to Brugge.
* I’ll say it: Amsterdam is a pain to bike in as a tourist. Sure, it’s fun to see so many people biking and the museums are nice, but the locals are impatient and it’s covered in tourists who cannot distinguish sidewalks from bike lanes. The number of bike thieves is greater than the number of drunk Americans asking where the red light district is.
* The appeal of Rotterdam isn’t obvious to me. Unless you’re into the industrial harbours, the marine museum (excellent!) or Feyenoord fan I’d never put it on a top ten list of Dutch places to visit.
But to be a bit more helpful:
* A+ on Utrecht. If you want to hit a city, this is a good choice. If you wanted to see a museum in Amsterdam, it’s a quick train side trip. The Hague is not bad (although less bikey). I’m a fan of Delft and Gouda too.
* In the summer months, about 25% of the Dutch population goes to the beaches around The Hague. But the beaches in Zeeland are pretty good, although covered in Germans.
* nature can be found, but there’s not a lot of actual wilderness. The dunes in Noord Holland (west of Alkmaar) are terrific. If you wanted more trees, around the Veleuwe and Utrechtse Heuvelrug are great.
Have dinner at a FEBO. Practice pronouncing Scheveningen. Have a fresh stroopwafel at a market and maybe buy a truing stand. Admire the bike infrastructure. This is a great place.
Leiden and or Delft, they are between Haarlem and Rotterdam and pretty
Personally I’d visit Delft rather than Haarlem, but I’ve only been to each for a short visit. Hard to say why but the streets of Delft are beautiful and quieter, plus the Delft pottery is worth visiting.
Zandvoort is super busy. I would go to Katwijk aan Zee instead