perfect trip!
Waterscapes of Holland
Bike Tour: Waterscapes of Holland - 5 days
South Holland overflows with real-life waterscapes as well as painted ones! If you feel irresistibly drawn to water, if you adore its calming effect, what could be more relaxing than a leisurely ride along the coast, the river or the lakeside? For the painted version, you’ll find gold at the fine art museums of Prinsenhof Delft and Museum De Lakenhal and revel in Gouda’s many art galleries.
This tour strikes a balance between fresh country air and a cultural quest of the Old Dutch towns. Gouda takes you back in time, with its re-enacted cheese market, quaint rituals and traditional costumes. Beautiful Delft exhibits the town’s blue and white pottery. The old university town of Leiden boasts boats cruising the picturesque canals.
Hear the wind rustle the reeds on the shores of small lakes and be treated to birdsong in the ‘Green Heart’ region.
Your cycling holiday begins in Delft, forever associated with its delicate blue pottery. The glory years of 1650 to 1750 saw some 100 ceramics factories operating here. Scenic canals adorn the Old Town and you really feel you’ve gone back in time, as you wonder at age-old lopsided canal houses, cobblestones underfoot. Visit the Vermeer Centrum just off the main square for background on this well-loved painter (1632-1675) known for his tranquil domestic scenes.
After a hearty breakfast, off you go into the Green Heart, riding through open countryside dotted with small villages. Take in the fresh air, sunshine and light. What’s that on the horizon up ahead, Gouda? Yes, the delightful town famous for its cheese market and home to one of the Netherlands’ most important exports, Gouda cheese. Other popular products manufactured here include Dutch waffles (since the 1840’s), candles (1853-1980), clay pipes (17th-18th century) and colourful Gouda pottery (1920s and 30s). The stained-glass windows at St. John’s church provide another vivid note. If you plan to visit the cheese market, arrange to stay in Gouda on a Wednesday night and be there early Thursday morning. Just like in the olden days, dairy farmers and merchants settle each sale with a handshake. Other local delicacies can be sampled and purchased at the market too
Don't forget to visit the Cheese Experience Museum before you leave Gouda. The rustic surroundings of today's route may look natural, but many aspects of this ‘cultural landscape’ were actually man-made. Centuries ago, dikes and windmills drained soggy marshes to create pastures and farmed fields. Peat harvesting dates back to the 13th century here, a process that left deep holes in the landscape which later filled with water and threatened to flood the area. Some were therefore drained and turned into polder land, lying well below sea level. Other holes were left as lakes, a modern-day summertime attraction. This afternoon, glide into the picturesque town of Leiden. The country’s first university was founded here in 1575 and later became one of the most prominent in Europe. Breathe history in at the 1590 botanical garden and stretch your legs on an inner-city canal tour.
After taking your leave of lively Leiden, peace and quiet will reign once more in today’s typically Dutch scenery. Note all the orderly rectangles in this man-made polder landscape (mostly peatland reclamations). Let shining waterways and green pastures, old windmills and farmhouses pass you by whilst pedalling on to the famous city of Delft. The melancholy charm of historical Delft is breathtaking. Most will associate Delft with its blue and white hand-painted pottery: Delftware. But did you know that painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675) lived in Delft all his life? The Vermeer Centre gives illuminating insights into his life, works and city (no original paintings on show here).
After breakfast, your cycling holiday comes to an end and it is time to make your way home.
Starting dates:
Daily from April 1 to September 26
| Price pp | € | |
| Double room, breakfast | 545.00 | |
| Single room, breakfast | 825.00 | |
| Extra night double room, breakfast only | 80.00 | |
| Rental bike | € | |
| Child bike | 44.00 | |
| Hybrid | 52.00 | |
| E-bike | 112.00 | |
| Extra services | € | |
| Bike Breakdown pass | € 4.00 x 4 | 16.00 |
| Child seat | € 5.00 x 4 | 20.00 |
| Bike theft insurance | € 3.00 x 4 | 12.00 |
| E-bike theft insurance | € 6.00 x 4 | 24.00 |
| Extra luggage | € 5.00 x 4 | 20.00 |
| Tag-along bike | € 10.00 x 4 | 40.00 |
| Child trailer | € 18.00 x 4 | 72.00 |
| Bike helmet | per piece | 10.00 |
| SGR | per piece | 5.00 |
Starting point:
Delft
The hotels or B&Bs on this trip have been carefully selected for their location, atmosphere and/or unique services. All rooms are en-suite. A list of the hotels we work with appears below. If a certain accommodation is unable to confirm due to lack of availability, we will request a comparable alternative.
When selecting the accomodation, we try to take into account as much as possible a safe and closed bicycle shed. However, we cannot do this with all of them guarantee and this partly depends on the number of bicycles of other guests.
If you don’t bring your own bike, you can rent one from us. Our touring bikes are 24-speed gear. You can find all the information regarding our rental bikes below.
You will find your rental bike waiting for you at your first hotel. The hotel reception staff will give you the keys for your bikes and direct you to the bicycle shed. All bikes are provided with chain locks.
Why the Dutch don't wear helmets!
Instruction video hybrid bike and e-bike
Our hybrid bikes have 24-gears with hand brakes.
The hybrid bikes are circa 16,5 KG.
The e-bikes have a small electric engine and battery, which can be charged at the hotels. You still have to pedal: it just makes pedaling much easier. Some experience with e-bikes is recommended, as the bikes accelerate faster and are heavier than regular bikes because of the electric engine. The weight of the e-bike is ca. 25 KG. We recommend a minimum height of 160 cm for the e-bike.
For children who are at least 120 cm, we can also arrange bikes (these are 24”or 26” for children that are bigger than 140 cm).
The child bikes come with at least 7-gears and hand brakes.
The maximum body height for a child’s bike is 155 cm.
24" child bike:
26" child bike:
All our rental bikes come with a bell.
Brakes
All our adult bikes come with hand brakes.
Childseat
For children up to 30 months old (max. 15 KG) it is possible to rent a front child seat. This is not possible with e-bikes, due to the display.
For children older than 30 months (max. 22KG) it is possible to rent a rear child seat. This is also possible with e-bikes.
Both front- and rear child seats are €5,- per day.
Helmet
Helmets are not mandatory in the Netherlands, but can be rented for €10,- per piece.
Available sizes: Adult: 54-61 cm, Child: 50-55 cm (only available for children over 5 years).
Lights
All our bikes come with both front- and rear lights. You need to push the button on the lamp and it will flash three times. This means that the lights will automatically start working when it gets dark.
When you push again, the lamp will flash one time and the lights will be turned off.
Locks
Our bikes come with a defender lock with plug in chain (cable lock that is attached to the regular lock, see picture).
You need to turn the key a bit, take out the pin from the cable lock and attach it to a pole/other bike/fence etc.
When you push the pin back into the regular lock, you need to lock the regular lock as you always do, and both locks will be secured.
Pannier
1 pannier is included at the 'standard' bikes and the e-bikes.
Height: 42 cm
Depth front to the side: 17 cm
Wide top: 32 cm
Wide down: 23 cm
Volume: 20 liters
It has an easy click-on/click-off system. The panniers are water resistant, so everything will stay dry.
Pedals
The rental bikes come with regular pedals, so no click-in/SPD pedals.
Quickrelease
All our bikes come with a quick release system, which makes it very easy to adjust the height of the saddle and the handle bars.
Repairkit
There is one small puncture kit included, which can be found in the pannier. In case a rental bike has another problem, we always advise you to go to a bike repair shop or call the bike breakdown emergency number which is provided in the travel documents when you book this extra service.
Saddle
Saddles can be adjusted in height without using any tools, see ‘Quick Release’.
Our saddles don’t come with a gel cover.
Waterbottles
Dutch Biketours does not provide water bottles. We can also not guarantee that there are bottle holders on the bikes. You will always receive 1x pannier, so you can always store your water bottle in your pannier.
We have a limited amount of tandem bikes available on request.
Tandem bikes are suitable for two adults only.
The tandem bikes have a frame size of 48 cm.
We mostly use the Victoria Spezial 8.7.
This tandem bike comes with 24-derailleur gears or nuvinci gears.
The height of the handle bars on a tandem bike cannot be adjusted.
We have limited family tandem bikes available on request.
The family tandems have 7-gears and can be used for one adult and one child with a minimum body height of 125 cm.
A tag-along bike is a good option for children between approx. 100 cm and 125 cm, as they can pedal themselves and on their own pace but don’t have to worry about other traffic.
Child trailers can be rented for a maximum of two children who are up to 100 cm (max. 35 KG in total).
We mostly use the XLC Duo 2 child trailer.
Child trailers are not possible in combination with e-bikes.
Mile after wonderful mile of untroubled cycling is what we would wish our clients. However there is a minimal chance of breakdown along the way. If this thought is a nagging worry to you, a Bicycle Breakdown Assistance insurance policy may ease your mind. If you buy this insurance from our partner ANWB pechhulp in advance, their service is as follows. The costs are €4,- per bicycle per day. If your bike breaks down by the roadside an ANWB bicycle repair man will drive to you in his repair van and fix your bike so you can continue your tour. You won’t have to pay him repair costs. If you are cycling on your own bicycle you will be charged for any new spare parts your bike may require. If you are renting a bicycle through Dutch Bike Tours any new parts are at our expense. If it turns out the bicycle cannot be repaired on the spot, or if you can't continue cycling, the repairman can drop you off somewhere in his van. One companion plus bikes may join you in the van.
Do you wish to insure your bike against theft? The cost is € 3,- per day per standard hybrid bicycle.
For an electric bicycle, premium bike or racing bike: € 6,00 per day per bicycle.
Please see the General Terms and Conditions for Bicycle Hire and Insurance.
If a rental bike gets stolen or damaged, we will hold the client responsible.
If your insurance does not cover this event, you will have to pay the costs yourself.
Article 1 Bike Rental Price
The bike rental price is determined by the rates mentioned on the Dutch Bike Tours website at the time of the booking; or as subsequently agreed.
Article 2 Payment
a. The rental price and any other due sums regarding the rental agreement must be paid before the bike is handed over to you.
b. If, for whatever reason, you cannot make use of the bike(s) you have rented, Dutch Bike Tours will not be held responsible for any resulting expenses or damage.
c. In the case of the article 2b, the client remains obliged to pay the full rental price and any other amounts mentioned in the invoice, in accordance with our General Terms and Conditions of Booking, unless the client can prove that his not being able to use the bike was the consequence of a defect that was already present at the beginning of the rental period.
Article 3 Rental Period
a. The rental period runs from the morning of the first cycling day (day 2) to the end of the holiday (the departure day), as stated in the booking confirmation.
b. Extension of the rental period is possible only after approval by us and according to the (extension) rates as mentioned in article 1.
c. No refunds are possible after the rental period begins. If you return the bike(s) to us before the end of your holiday, the rental agreement will automatically be terminated and you will not get any of your money back.
d. At the end of the last cycling day of your holiday, the bike(s) must be returned to the hotel from where it was/they were issued, no later than the time stated in the booking confirmation.
If you book a one way tour tour you can leave the bike at the last hotel of the trip.
e. If the bike(s) is /are not returned by the return time stated in the booking confirmation, we will continue to charge you rent until such time as the bike(s) is/are returned to us or is/are received by us. In the event of late return, the rates as mentioned in article 1 will continue to apply, plus a fine of €25 per day. We also reserve the right to demand payment for any costs and/or damages suffered by us due to late return of our rental bike(s).
f. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, in the event of late return of our rental bikes, we reserve the right to dissolve the rental agreement without judicial intervention and immediately claim back our bicycles where ever they may be and from whomever has them. Dutch Bike Tours also holds this right in the event that the client does not comply with any of the other conditions stated in this rental agreement.
Article 4 Improper Use
a. The bicycle(s) may only be used for its/their intended purpose and only by the cyclists listed in the rental agreement.
b. The bike(s) must be returned to us in the same (clean!) state in which you received it/them.
c. You must take excellent care of the bicycle(s), as if it/they were your own. You must take every precaution against damage, loss or theft.
d. The bicycle may not be used on the beach; or on sandy paths in the dunes unless a paved path is unavailable.
Article 5 Damage, Loss and Theft
The renter will be held responsible for damages to or loss of the bicycle(s) or parts of it, as well as bicycle keys and chains and locks, for such an amount as is determined by us according to standard market prices. You must understand that you are not insured for damage to the bicycle(s) or for any damages to third parties.
Article 6 Theft Insurance
It is possible to purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance. Covered are: damages arising out of the theft of the bicycle; and damages to the bicycle as a consequence of the theft. Not covered are: theft of bicycle parts; and damages arising out of attempted theft.
Article 7 Theft Insurance Premium
a. The premium for Bicycle Theft Insurance is € 3,00 per day per standard hybrid bicycle. For an electric bicycle € 6,00 per day as well for a Premium bike and racing bike.
The number of insurance days is the same as the number of cycling days as stated in our booking confirmation.
Article 8 Liability in the Event of Theft
a. If you did not purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance from us before the start of the holiday, you will be held fully accountable for the sum determined by us according to standard prices.
b. If you did purchase Bicycle Theft Insurance from us, but you failed to lock the wheel lock and failed to produce the original wheel lock key and failed to produce an official theft report drawn up by the police, you will still be held fully accountable for the sum determined by us according to standard prices.
Article 9 Costs During the Rental Period
Any charges and taxes regarding the rental bicycle(s), such as fines and ferry tickets, are to be paid by you. You will also be required to pay all costs ensuing from the use of the bicycle(s) such as parking fees, maintenance and repairs.
4 nights included
3/4 star hotels
Tourist tax included
Breakfast included
Detailed roadbooks with maps and tourist information
The possibility of renting our bikes
7-days a week service-hotline
Luggage transport to your next hotel
Delft
Parking available at the hotel
GPS tracks available
Ferry crossings are not included
The nearest airports are Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
From Rotterdam The Hague Airport take the metro to Rotterdam central station. Then get the train to Delft. It runs 8 times an hour and costs about € 3.60 per person, bicycle excluded.
For timetables and tickets: www.9292.nl/en.
The train from Schiphol to Delft departs 4 times an hour. Travel time is approximately 1.5 hours.
A single ticket costs about € 11 per person, bicycle excluded.
For timetables and tickets, visit www.ns.nl/en. For bus details, how to reach the hotel, check: www.9292.nl/en.
30-09-2024
12-09-2024
The bike path through the parks and forest between Leidon and The Hague was breathtaking. The bike paths were well signposted and followed scenic quiet routes
25-08-2024
This was a lovely trip to do with our adult children. The towns on route were beautiful, especially Leiden. Great restaurants. Loved the cycle into Den Hague. Our luggage was always waiting for us at our hotel at the end of the cycle day.
17-08-2024
A well-thought-out ride through city, country, farmland, lovely neighborhoods and even some industry. Accommodations were great, bikes in good condition, luggage arrived before we did. The map app plus the printed route numbers works well but you can get off track if not alert! Suggested stops are very good, or add your own. If you haven't cycled in the Netherlands: bikes often have right of way, so learn the signs (and trust them!) and look for signs hidden behind vegetation. I was skeptical about this tour because there were few reviews outside the DBT website but this was a wonderful trip!
12-08-2024
Cycling through uninterrupted woodland between Leiden and Den Haag. We hadn’t expected to emerge right in the capital as we came out of the woods.
11-08-2024
We enjoyed all the routes - the windmills, canals, rivers, lakes and birds (herons, grebes, swans, coots, moorhen, ducks, geese, and even some storks). My children loved the museums in Leiden and a bike trip to the beach, cycling around the pretty old towns of Delft and Gouda, and the lovely route through the woods from Leiden back to Delft stopping to visit Mauritshuis. The routes were safe for children and easy to follow.
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Waterscapes of Holland
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