The Netherlands

Holland

Holland

Holland Bike Tours

Flowers, Canals and Rembrandts, OH MY!

Sunset in Haarlem

Join us now to check out just a few of the fantastic reasons why you should take a Holland Bike Tour.  As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers and, yes, indeed they do.  Holland is in full bloom during the springtime and provides some splendid scenery as you pedal along from one location to the next.  Blankets of daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips create a path of color and floral scents as you ride along the path on two wheels.  Keukenhof boasts one of the world’s most beautiful gardens, in operation for almost 65 years!  They feature so many flowers, colors, and patterns, that you and your camera will have a field day.  Various flower shows and markets will entertain you as you stroll through the local varieties and take in the bouquets.

While the flowers of Keukenhof are pretty amazing, the rest of the attractions in Lisse are no less marvelous.  Take a tour through the Keukenhof Castle and check out the park across the way.  You can also visit the small and interesting Museum de Zwarte Tulp to learn about how the tulips are planted and grown.  Definitely a neat stop after basking in the view of the rows upon rows of tulips at the Keukenhof gardens.

Once you have taken in some of the beautiful spring flowers you should definitely stop by the beach at Scheveningen.  This seaside resort originated as a shipping village and has since been separated into three different parts.  Haven is the area where fishing boats still arrive and it continues to be operated as a port. There are some chic restaurants and shops in this area for you to enjoy.  Dorp is the area where fisherman used to come in and, although there isn’t much left to see there now, it is still worth checking out.  Then there is Bad, the area where people like to come and enjoy the soft sandy beach area and soak up some sunshine.  This area also attracts a fun array of nightlife as well.

Once you have had your share of flowers and beachside festivities, you should take a quick ferry ride to the sleepy island village of Kaag.  A location heavily focused on water activities is, of course, a great place to get in some aquatic adventures.  Kaag is also a town that is very relaxed and mellow where you can just sit back and enjoy the nice weather.  Once you feel like you just couldn’t get any more tranquil, it’s time to shift gears a bit and head to “The Nine Streets.”  This is one of the most popular shopping areas where you will find designer fashion boutiques, art galleries, jewelers, gift shops, specialty businesses and, of course, some fantastic bars and restaurants.

Before heading out of this floral and relaxing little slice of paradise you must take in at least some of the arts.   As the birthplace and home of Rembrandt, Leiden is a 17th century town rich in character.  It’s no wonder he was such an incredible artist, with all of the inspiration that surrounded him!  You simply must see some of his works and what better place than where it all began!  Many other great artists came from these parts as well, so  even if you aren’t a huge Rembrandt follower, there are still many other works that you might enjoy.  No matter what entices you to take a Holland Bike Tour, you will hopefully take some time to enjoy the arts, the sunshine, the canals and windmills, as well as breathe in some of the fresh floral scents of the countryside.

Austin Lehman Adventure Travel is a travel tours company with a 38 year legacy in creating amazing adventures packed with cultural and artistic encounters, with expert guides and hand selected adventures to guarantee you the vacation of a lifetime, without any of the grunt work. Book your travel adventure tour today!

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Cycling Through the Netherlands

The Netherlands by Bike and Train

The Netherlands is a small, flat country and as such is possibly the most suitable place in the world for a cycling holiday.  There are endless cycle paths and despite the flatness, there are many beautiful scenic areas for you to discover.  Get away from the tourist traps in Amsterdam and discover the rest of the Netherlands.  Use fromatob.co.uk to find out how to get a train between these top attractions.

The ‘Green Heart’

The ‘Green Heart’ is an area marked out on the map by the four largest cities in the Netherlands.  There are some towns in the Green Heart, but the majority of the area consists of open fields, lakes and canals, and of course, cycle lanes.  Popular tourist attractions are the town of Gouda, home of the world famous cheese, and Alphen aan den Reijn.  Camping is a popular past-time in the Netherlands and any decent sized town will have a tourist office that can guide you to the nearest place to pitch a tent.  Alternatively, the Green Heart is also dotted with hotels.

Hoge Veluwe National Park 

A beautiful stretch of land in the east of the country, the Hoge Veluwe park is more known for it’s magnificent pine forests and heaths than for the canals that dominate the rest of the country.  The town of Apeldoorn is a couple of kilometres away and makes an excellent base to see the very gently rolling hills (the highest point is 110 metres).  To travel to Apeldoorn from the west, use fromatob.co.uk/train to find an easy way to carry you and your bicycle to your destination.

The Dutch Coast

There is hardly anyone living in Holland who doesn’t regularly travel to the sea to attempt to catch some sun.  The weather can be changeable, but there is something charming about the lengthy coastline, which hosts a number of towns aimed at attracting tourists.  The most popular of these is Scheveningen, and at any time of year will be full of visitors, but you can travel a couple of kilometres down the coast to find a part of the beach to call your own.

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