Velo Europe and cycling in Amsterdam
For most Dutch people, cycling is a way of life - a way of life.
Wherever we go in the Netherlands and Amsterdam, there are cycle paths and countless like-minded people everywhere.
The Dutch bicycle network offers everything a cyclist needs and cyclists get more attention than in other European countries.
Amsterdam is probably the bicycle capital of Europe and this assumption is confirmed when you leave Amsterdam's train station in the direction of the city centre.
In connection with the bicycle and thousands of like-minded people, it is an experience perse through this magnificent city, also called Tulip City (second name after the song Tulips from Amsterdam ), to cycle along countless canals and canals.
Numerous cafes and a wide range of restaurants also invite you to take a break for refreshments.
The Velo Europe stages from Amsterdam start at the Amsterdam train station.
1) Amsterdam to Haarlem, about 22- 26 km, various options
2) Amsterdam to Utrecht, approx. 44 km, connection option to Arnhem
3) Amsterdam to Den Haag, about 75 km (via Haarlem), connection to Hoek van Holland, to the ferry to GB or to Rotterdam or a drive through the Rhine delta
4) Amsterdam to Hook van Holland, approx. 95 km (via Haarlem), OPTION Ferry GB, Rotterdam or a trip through the Rhine delta
5) Amsterdam to Enkhuizen (Ijsselmeer), approx. 78 km via Hoorn (B). Connection to Harlingen
6) Amsterdam to Lelystad, approx. 65 km, connection to Zwolle
7) Amsterdam City Tour
The Velo Europe Routes from Amsterdam
Amsterdam to Hamburg
We leave Amsterdam in northeastern direction along the western coast of the Ijsselmeer via Hoorn to Enkhuizen.
From Enkhuizen to the end dam at Den Oever. This separates the Ijsselmeer from the North Sea. Cross the dam in northern direction and continue along the Dutch North Sea coast through North Holland to Harlingen in Friesland.
From Friesland in an easterly direction through the Lauwersoog Nature Park to the province of Groningen. Either through the beautiful university town of Groningen or along the coast to Delfzijl at the Ems Dollart, the estuary of the Ems.
Now we cross the Dutch-German border, either with the ferry or on the bicycle if we cycle along the coast this part up to Emden.
From Emden along the Ems-Jade canal through East Frisia to Wilhelmshaven at the Jadebusen.
First along the Jadebusen and further east until we reach the Weser. A part of the Weser to Nordenham and there we cross over to Bremerhaven. (OPTION Weser to Bremen)
From Bremerhaven through the Geestland via Bad Bederkesa towards the Elbe, which we reach at Glückstadt.
We cross the Elbe and upstream parallel to the river to Hamburg.
We reach the Hanseatic metropolis in the harbour at the landing stages of St. Pauli.
If you are more interested in the North Sea and cycle paths along the North Sea coast, you can also cycle from Bremerhaven to Cuxhaven and from there to Brunsbüttel.
At Brunsbüttel, the Elbe flows into the North Sea and from here the North Sea becomes the Baltic Canal in the direction of Kiel (connecting the North Sea and the Baltic Sea).
After Hamburg we follow the Elbe river upstream via Glückstadt to the Hanseatic metropolis from Brunsbüttel.
Amsterdam to Düsseldorf and Cologne
From the Dutch capital we cycle along the Amstel parallel to channel X to Utrecht.
The northernmost arm of the Rhine ( Nederrijn ) leads us from Utrecht past Arnhem over the Dutch-German border.
From Emmerich we cycle on the left bank of the Rhine via Xanten into the Rhenish metropolises Düsseldorf and Cologne along the Rhine.
A second possibility:
From Amsterdam first to Rotterdam via Hook van Holland and from Rotterdam follow the Waal, the main arm of the Rhine to Nijmegen.
From Nijmegen there are two possibilities.
The first leads us to the German Rhine at Kleve and from there we cycle up the Rhine via Xanten - Rheinberg- Duisburg to Düsseldorf or on to Cologne.
The second option from Nijmegen runs from Gennep an der Maas upstream via Venlo to Roermond.
From there through the Lower Rhine towns of Brüggen-Dülken and Viersen to Düsseldorf on the Rhine. One could of course also accompany the Maas further upstream here ( see Maas river stages ).
Amsterdam to Brussels and / or Antwerp
From Amsterdam we cycle west, first through the city (suggest here two options to Haarlem) and from Haarlem to the North Sea coast.
Along the wide North Sea beaches and the Dutch North Sea coast through the well-known towns of Noordwijk, Katwijk, Scheveningen to Hook from Holland.
Here the Rhine flows into the North Sea. In Scheveningen you can visit the Dutch government capital The Hague.
In Hook van Holland we have the option to take the ferry to UK-Harwich to cycle from there to London (options bike tours to London).
From Hook from Holland we drive along the Waal (Rhine) upstream through the river Delta towards Rotterdam and cross the Waal at Maasluis.
Further through the Rhine Maas Schelde Delta first through South Holland and further to Zeeland.
We cross dams, drive along wide sandy beaches and cross small and medium known holiday or fishing villages.
From Vlissingen we take the ferry to Breskens over the Schelde. Parallel to the Scheldt in east direction and then either directly to Antwerp or along the Brussels-Rüpel-Canal to Brussels.
There are countless canals and connections and you can also choose longer routes via Ghent and Bruges.
Amsterdam to London
Description according to Hook van Holland see above - Part England see under Option London
