Cycling the Highlights of Holland

Discover the Highlights of Holland on this mostly gentle circular cycling trip, starting and ending in the delightful city of Amsterdam with its UNESCO World Heritage canal ring area, its bustling squares and cultural hotspots, including the Anne Frank and Van Gogh museums. The varied countryside of Holland beckons with a mix of rectangular polders (low-lying land reclaimed from rivers and protected by dykes), woodland, country estates and wild gardens. Cycle through beautiful traditional villages, past windmills and farmhouses and on to the famous flower fields near Haarlem (visit in April and early May for the full effect of the blooms). As well as Amsterdam and the archetypal countryside of the Netherlands, you get to explore the cities of Zandvoort, The Hague, Rotterdam, Gouda, & Utrecht, all with their own histories and cultural characters. On the North Sea coast, extensive dunes and sandy beaches invite you to sunbathe, or you can simply stroll along the promenades. Art and culture lovers will find exciting museums and shopping fans will get their money's worth in trendy Rotterdam. Don't forget to try the famous delicacies, Gouda cheese and syrup waffles are just two of them. Gouda, as well as being the venue for the famous summer cheese market (Thursday mornings April - August), has a fabulous, gothic town hall in the main square, romantic canals and even more food options with warm syrup waffles - perfect to try after a day of cycling.