8 Best Bike Tours in Amsterdam

Image by volkan ugur from Pixabay

8 Best Bike Tours in Amsterdam

Did you know that Amsterdam has more bikes than people? It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, almost everyone owns a bike. So, if you’re visiting Amsterdam, join the Amsterdammers and hop on a bike. The city of Amsterdam is ideal for cycling and has consistently been ranked as the world’s second most bike-friendly city, trailing only Copenhagen.

This may come as a culture shock for you, but the Dutch do not wear helmets, vests, or other “cycling clothing.” Cycling here is essentially a faster version of walking. So whatever you are comfortable wearing, be it high heels, a pretty dress, a smart suit, or trendy jeans, grab it and hop on your bike. As a great city for cyclists, one of the popular ways to explore the city and its surroundings is through bike tours.

Thanks to the compact city, most of the city highlights can be covered in a 2-hour tour. Alternatively, you can take longer tours to the city’s idyllic countryside, such as Zaanse Schans, Haarlem, Blumendaal and Amsterdam Strand. As you bike through the beautiful sights, you will attest to the combination of the tranquillity of the city with the vibrancy of the city. This is great not only for foreign tourists but also for the Dutch vacationing in their home country for a romantic weekend as a couple or as a group of friends or a family reunion.

As you plan your visit to Amsterdam, check out these best bike tours which you can also book with us:

Here are the best bike tours in Amsterdam:

1. Amsterdam Historic Bike Tour

Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. Photo by Juke Schweizer – Wikimedia

This is an absolute favourite for history buffs as well as educational for the young ones. In this tour, you will cycle through tranquil towns, villages, and canals while cycling on high-quality cycling paths. I would recommend this tour if you are interested in enjoying the delightful quaint towns while learning their history during the Second World War.

If you are interested in history, particularly the Second World War, this tour may be one of the best things to do in Amsterdam. A specialized guide will lead you through the city’s places and monuments associated with Anne Frank and the Dutch Jewish people during the terrible holocaust. You will have the opportunity to learn interesting but also somewhat sad historical facts and peculiarities unknown to most tourists while riding a bike through this beautiful city.

Your starting point will be in Amsterdam and you will go south-wards. Some of the towns you will see include Gouda, Dordrecht, Willemstad, Zierikzee, Middelburg and Bruges. These towns are some of the most picturesque towns in the Netherlands and are remarkably well-preserved and reminiscent of centuries past. What is amazing about this is how incredibly educational it is for the traveller, as you will be able to ask all the questions considers necessary as well as suggest changes in the route to see a place of special interest. The guides will stop the group several times along the route to point out interesting sights and explain the city’s history.

During this tour, your guides, who are knowledgeable, will make several stops along the way and will show you fascinating sights while explaining the history of the city

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: AMSTERDAM HISTORICAL BIKE TOUR & AMSTERDAM CITY BIKE TOUR

Ideal for: Families, beginners, groups

Highlights: Canal Belt, Skinny Bridge, the Jewish neighbourhood, Artis Royal, Zoo/Plantage neighbourhood, Schreier’s tower, The Jordaan area, Anne Frank House, The 9 streets (Negen Straatjes), Vondelpark, Museumplein, Redlight district

2. Amsterdam Architecture Bike Tour

One way to discover a new side of Amsterdam is by taking this cycling tour that focuses on the city’s unique architectural beauty. It is one of the quickest tours around Amsterdam especially if you are in the city for just a day.  The tour begins at Beursplein/Damrak and from there your guide will lead you to the IJ river, where you’ll follow the water for stunning views. After arriving at the Brouwersgracht, you’ll be able to explore a mix of industrial and urban warehouses as your expert guide narrates to you more about Amsterdam’s history and how its architectural style evolved.

Once you’ve taken in mainstream Amsterdam, what follows will be to delve into the city’s creative subculture. In this sense, similarly to suitable museums, Amsterdam is complete with cultural points of interest out of the ordinary; doing an excursion of this type is to acknowledge and recognize the maximum creative elegant suburbs of Amsterdam.

The route of this tour sometimes takes you to the Jordaan district and also the capital of The Netherlands North district with stops to go to places like Gashouder, the Westerpark area, the attractive lift bridge of Sloterdijkerbrug, the Haarlemmerstraat and plenty of a lot of fascinating places around.

This is an exciting and wonderful bike tour of Amsterdam’s architectural wonders and quirks. You will get to discover the contrast between old and new, modern and traditional, as well as learn more about life on, in, and around the water. Some of the attractions you will see on this tour include Canal houses, houseboats, new buildings, the Amsterdam School, and brick expressionism. That is not all, your guide will take you to different districts, each with its own quirks.

Practical information

Book this tour with us: Architecture Bike tour

Ideal for: solo travellers, families, teenagers

Tour highlights: Prinseneiland, Galgenstraat, Silodam 442, NDSM, tt. Neveritaweg 61, The Jordaan, Centraal Station, Stationsplein 9.

3. Amsterdam Sightseeing Tour

Photo by Jorge Royan – Wikimedia

If you’re short on time, then this speedy but informative bike tour to see the sights in just one hour is best for you. The first landmarks you will see on this tour will be the city’s main attractions such as the Gothic Nieuwe Kirk, the Royal Palace, and the National Monument. Your guide will lead the way to Vondelpark and Museumplein and past Amsterdam’s famous canals.

One of the best places to visit and cannot be missed while in Amsterdam is Vondelpark. This massive urban park has several entertainment options such as an outdoor theatre, nice cafes and restaurants and also its children’s play areas. This makes it a great stop over to enjoy the lush garden and let the children play as you grab quick snacks from the café. You will get to meet several Dutch people relaxing with their families at this great park.

Other attractions that your guide will show you during this bike tour are canals, sculptures and the rose gardens of the place.

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: central Amsterdam bike tour

Ideal for: Families with children, groups, and solo travellers.

4. Amsterdam Private Bike Tour

While group tours are good where you get to meet people and possibly make new friends, exclusivity is much better. This comes in handy when you want to have an exciting and intimate experience with your family or friends. It is here that this tour comes in handy for your group. The tour is usually about 3 hours long and you will get to see some of the best sights known in Amsterdam. Your guide for the day will share interesting and historic information about the places you make stops at.  

One of the places you cycle through is the Nieuwmarkt district, then you will cycle towards the Anne Frank House and Dutch Protest and Westerkerk as you pass through the spectacular canals. Another exciting highlight of this private tour is that you will also explore the Jordaan area and the Museum District and cycle inside Vondelpark. This bike tour is ideal for you if you are active, enjoy a flavourful gastronomic experience as well as love looking for hidden gems in Amsterdam. You will get to soak into the culture of Amsterdammers while riding your bikes on off-beaten paths.

Practical Information

Book the tour with us: Amsterdam Private bike tour with a local

Ideal for: first-time cyclists, families, solo travellers

5. Amsterdam Country Bike Tour

Image by mel_88 from Pixabay

Here is your chance to explore the gorgeous countryside of the Netherlands on a bicycle. Get to experience the unique culture of this country, learn interesting historical facts and cycle around on custom bicycles with an expert guide as you travel through northern Amsterdam. You’ll travel through picturesque villages where life remains to be very laidback, with green pastures and a nature reserve. Your guide will provide you with detailed information about this district’s history and culture as you ride your bikes over dams and dykes. You will be amazed to learn how the Dutch manage to measure below water level since the majority of their land and dykes were reclaimed from the ocean.

You also get to rest and indulge in lunch within the beautiful Durgerdam (at an extra cost). Take advantage of this 4-hour bike tour to get away from the noise and explore the serene countryside of the Netherlands.

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: Amsterdam Country Bike tour

Ideal for: experienced cyclists

Tour highlights: the rural areas of Zaanse Schans and Volendam, Marken, Edam and others.

6. Hidden gems Bike Tour

Photo by Luca Lago on Unsplash

Another exciting bike tour in Amsterdam is the Hidden Gems Tour. This tour is best if you want to get off the tourist trail and experience the city like a local in just 3 hours. Your guide will lead you through the narrow streets, focusing on the hidden parts of the city. It is undoubtedly one of the best ways to escape the downtown tourist bubble in the city. Bike along the beautiful canals of the Canal Belt, cross drawbridges and discover secret yards and secret churches. You will then stop to replenish your energy by grabbing a snack then head to Vondelpark, the largest and most beautiful park in the city. You will cycle through Green Park and then head to Museum Square, where you will see Amsterdam’s most important museum.

Along the way, your guide will show you some of the most famous sights in Amsterdam, ride past scenic canals, hidden courtyards and secret churches for unique views of the city before ending your tour. This is an exciting way to learn about Amsterdam’s rich history and culture shared by you by a friendly and knowledgeable guide. 

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: Local’s Favourite spot bike tour

Ideal for: small groups

Tour highlights: Canal Belt, Vondelpark, Gothic Churches, Museum Square and many others.

7. Amsterdam Private Food Bike Tour

The dining scene in Amsterdam is remarkable and there is no better way to experience this than by killing two birds with one stone: enjoy the beautiful scenery as well as get a taste of the City’s gastronomy. Hop onto this half-day bike tour that will take you to several eateries, shops, and local markets where you will mingle with Amsterdammers. One of the key stops of this tour is at the food stalls selling traditional and famous raw herring snacks that are very popular in Holland. Cheese lovers will love this next stop at a local market where they will sample different local Dutch cheeses.

If you have a sweet tooth, you will also get to taste freshly baked Dutch waffles at another market. As you cycle to the next stop, you will pass historic buildings along the Canal Ring. Your guide will lead you to the next stop, in the city centre, which is popular for its French fries. It is here that you will also get to try a traditional bitterballen snack.

The tour is not complete without sampling craft beer in the best craft breweries throughout the city while learning interesting pieces about local life and Dutch customs. You will best enjoy this tour in the summer! At the end of this tour, you will have found out which local food is your favourite as well as sampling the delicious Dutch croquettes.

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: Private food tour

Ideal for: small groups, solo travellers

Tour highlights: farmers’ market, local breweries, Canal Ring

8. Amsterdam Cheese Bike Tour

Image by Daria Yakovleva from Pixabay

Take advantage of this tour and sample the best cheese in Amsterdam while biking in the city.  While Amsterdam is known for a lot of things: canals, coffee houses with funny names, culture and complacent cyclists, there’s one more common sight in the Dutch capital. It’s a cheese shop! These shops are full of giant yellow wheels of goodies mostly sold to tourists.  One way to enjoy this is by going for a cheese-tasting is by taking one of our guided tours and tastings selections. This bike tour is the perfect way to get to know the city with an immersion in the world of Dutch cheese. Get to see top landmarks such as the Anne Frank House, Vondelpark, Amsterdamse Bos and Beatrixpark. Let your guide tell stories about the city’s history. Learn how the Dutch traditionally made their Gouda cheese before a tasting of 6 different kinds of cheese and wines.

Practical Information

Book this tour with us: Beautiful Villages Bike Tour

Ideal for: Groups

Tour highlights: Vondelpark, Amsterdamse Bos and Beatrixpark, Amstel River

We offer different types of tours in Amsterdam, check them out here. Enjoy your vacation!!!