10 Best Bike Tours in Amsterdam

Known as the city of bicycles, there is no better way to get to know Amsterdam than aboard a two-wheeled vehicle. If you want to know the options you will have when exploring the city, here is some information.

Katherine Betances

Katherine Betances

9 min read

10 Best Bike Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, the City of Bicycles. | ©Harvey

When it comes to bicycle tours Amsterdam is the city in the world with the greatest variety of alternatives. The city and its citizens have adapted to the use of this vehicle in such a spectacular way that it is curious and impressive in equal proportions. The best part? You don't have to be an expert cyclist to get around Amsterdam on a bike, the city is so well coupled that all the facilities are provided.

Finally you'll find that Amsterdam has a tour for every type of traveler, whether you're passionate about history, architecture, nature, food or drink, you'll find what you're looking for here.

1. Group tour of classic Amsterdam

Dam Square Bicycle Tour| ©giorgio bondi
Dam Square Bicycle Tour| ©giorgio bondi

The basic tour of classic Amsterdam will take you to discover the most interesting highlights of the city with a local guide. This type of experience is usually done in small groups of approximately 15 people. It is ideal for travelers who have little time in the city, so if you are visiting Amsterdam for two days or traveling to Amsterdam for three days and want to see the highlights of the city, seriously consider it.

Route

This type of excursion contemplates a route or tour of the city's highlights. It is important to keep in mind that the route may vary depending on the company you decide to hire, but as a general rule you will be able to visit one or more of the following destinations: Visit to Dam Square, visit the flower market Bloemenmarkt, visit the canals of Amsterdam, visit the National Museum Rijksmuseum and others.

Useful Information

  • Price: This type of experience is available from 35€.
  • Duration: Depending on the destinations covered by the tour you should book two to three hours for this experience.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

Book a bike tour in Amsterdam

2. Private tour of the essentials of Amsterdam

National Museum of Holland| ©richard dingley
National Museum of Holland| ©richard dingley

If you will be in Amsterdam for just a day or two and are looking for a more personalized treatment to actuallyprivate guide through the city. During the tour you will visit the highlights and learn about the intricate history of the city as well as the places that shaped it.

Route

Before booking this service look carefully to see if the essential sights to see in Amsterdam are included; if there are any places you are interested in missing, consider negotiating with your guide. Some of the sights you can expect to see are: The National Museum of Holland (Rijksmuseum), the Van Gogh Museum, Brouwersgracht and the other canals, the beautiful houseboats and more.

Useful Information

  • Price: For this type of experience you will have to pay between 60€ and 80€, some of them include plans for small groups of 2 to 5 people.
  • Duration: On average, this type of experience usually takes 2.5 to 3 hours to complete.
  • Bicycle included: Yes

Book a bike tour in Amsterdam

3. Bike tour to discover Amsterdam's artistic subculture

Ride along the Sloterdijkerbrug| ©Reg Marjason
Ride along the Sloterdijkerbrug| ©Reg Marjason

Once you've experienced mainstream Amsterdam, the next step is to delve into the city's artistic subculture. In this sense, in addition to fabulous museums, Amsterdam is full of cultural attractions out of the ordinary; by doing a tour of this type you will get to know the most artistic and trendy suburbs of Amsterdam; being an ideal tour if you visit Amsterdam for three days or less.

Route

The route of this tour usually takes you to the Jordaan district and the Amsterdam North district with stops to visit places like: Gashouder, the Westerpark area, the beautiful drawbridge of Sloterdijkerbrug, the Haarlemmerstraat and many more interesting places around.

Useful Information

  • Price: When making your budget, be prepared to pay approximately 50€ for the tour.
  • Duration: This type of experience usually lasts about 3.5 hours.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

Book a bike tour through hidden Amsterdam

4. Private historical tour to get to know Anne Frank's Amsterdam

Monument to the Jewish philosopher Spinoza| ©Ted McGrath
Monument to the Jewish philosopher Spinoza| ©Ted McGrath

If you are passionate about history, especially that of World War II, this tour can be one of the best things to do in Amsterdam. A specialized guide will take you through the places and monuments of the city linked to the life of Anne Frank and the Dutch Jewish people during the terrible Holocaust. You will have the opportunity to learn interesting but also a bit sad historical facts and peculiarities that are unknown to most tourists, all this while taking a bike ride through this beautiful city.

The main advantage of a private historical tour specialized in one subject, as in this case the Second World War in Amsterdam, is how incredibly educational it is for the traveler who will have the opportunity to ask all the questions he/she considers necessary and suggest changes in the route to see a place of special interest.

Route

The private tour includes a visit to the most important places in Amsterdam in the life of Anne Frank, her museum and also the memorials such as the Holocaust memorials, the monument to the Jewish philosopher Spinoza and the River Quarter, the place where Anne Frank died.

Useful Information

  • Price: This type of experience is available from 100€.
  • Duration: You must reserve at least 2 hours of itinerary for this experience.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

Book a historical bike tour in Amsterdam

5. Bike tour to get to know the breweries of Amsterdam

Touring Beer Breweries in Amsterdam| ©Sailko
Touring Beer Breweries in Amsterdam| ©Sailko

In Amsterdam beer culture is serious business, so you can't leave the country or the city without trying at least one of its best creations. A local expert guide will take you through the best craft breweries throughout the city; all this combined with a bike ride. Additionally, the guide will narrate interesting aspects of local life and Dutch customs. This type of tour is best enjoyed in summer and combined with a cold beer or the famous Heineken Experience.

Route

The itinerary may vary slightly depending on the company or tour you decide to hire, however as a general rule this type of experience usually includes: a tour of the central area of Amsterdam where you see 3 to 5 craft breweries in the city, including a beer tasting for each traveler.

Useful Information

  • Price: This type of experience is available from 90€ per person.
  • Duration: You must reserve at least 3 hours of your itinerary for this activity.
  • Bicycle included: Yes

6. Bicycle tour of the Amsterdam Light Festival

Amsterdam Light Festival| ©Hector Montero
Amsterdam Light Festival| ©Hector Montero

To celebrate Christmas in Amsterdam, an immersive artistic exhibition in the form of a really attractive light park is put up every year. One of the best ways to tour it is definitely by hiring a bike tour that will allow you to cover more ground in less time.If you visit Amsterdam in December or if you visit Amsterdam during the first days of January you can not miss the spectacular Amsterdam Light Festival. Where leading artists from the Dutch and international scene perform fabulous projections and erect truly impressive artistic structures.

Route

The tour of the Festival of Lights includes admiring the nearly 300 works that are installed each year in the area belonging to the old town should visit the official website of the Amsterdam Light Festival for details of the works. As there are so many works, several streets and canals are covered, so the walking tour can be a bit tiring.

Useful Information

  • Price: Available from 35€ approximately.
  • Duration: This type of experience lasts approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

Book a bike tour in Amsterdam

7. Bike tour through Amsterdam's Vondelpark

Amsterdam Vondelpark| ©Franklin Heijnen
Amsterdam Vondelpark| ©Franklin Heijnen

Possibly one of the best places to take a bike tour in Amsterdam is the Vondelpark. Known as the largest urban park in the whole city is also famous for the many entertainment options it offers such as: its outdoor theater, its nice cafes and restaurants and also its children's play areas. As you can deduce, it is also one of the favorite places for the Dutch to spend their leisure evenings with their families. If you visit Amsterdam with children, this park is a must.

Route

This type of tour invites you to discover the most beautiful places of the Vondelpark likea native Dutchman with a friendly guide. You will visit the canals, the sculptures and the rose gardens of the place and, additionally, you will have time to stop for a coffee.

Useful Information

  • Price: The price for this type of experience is around 23€.
  • Duration: You will need to reserve between 1 and 1.5 hours for the excursion.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

8. Tour to explore the countryside of Amsterdam by bicycle

Zaanse Schans rural areas| ©Gabriel Bermejo
Zaanse Schans rural areas| ©Gabriel Bermejo

Departing from Amsterdam there are numerous excursions to the villages near the capital. This type of experience will take you to see the beautiful landscapes of the Dutch countryside considered one of the most beautiful and pleasant due to itsflat terrain that allows very quiet excursions; and due to its proximity that allows tours of the villages of Amsterdam of a few hours and return to the city.

Route

For this type of excursion the route may vary a lot depending on the type of excursion and the company you hire as there are many beautiful countryside around Amsterdam. However, the most popular tours usually combine the following: the rural areas of Zaanse Schans; the rural areas of Volendam, Marken, Edam and others.

Useful Information

  • Price: It will depend on the route and places to visit, it may cost from 38€ to 78€.
  • Duration: It is a bit of a long tour but a lot of fun, you should reserve at least 4 hours of your itinerary for the tour.
  • Bicycle included: Yes.

9. Gastronomic tour of Amsterdam by bike

Typical dish, Loempia| ©Orang Bule Rotterdam
Typical dish, Loempia| ©Orang Bule Rotterdam

Getting to know a new city involves not only visiting its historical monuments; exploring the local gastronomy is also an important part of traveling. A bike tour through the gastronomic culture of Amsterdam is one of the best alternatives to get to know different typical foods and quickly decide which ones are your favorites. On these tours the guide takes the tour group through the most charming streets with the most traditional and delicious food places.

Route

This type of experience usually includes among its first stops a visit to the farmers' market in Amsterdam East; to taste typical Dutch dishes such as loempia (similar to spring roll) or the delicious Dutch croquettes. The tour will continue visiting local distilleries and more.

Useful Information

  • Price: When planning your budget set aside approximately 70€ for this experience.
  • Duration: This type of experience usually takes about 4 hours of itinerary on average due to the many stops involved.
  • Bicycle included: Yes

10.Combined tour: boat tour and bike ride in Amsterdam

Amsterdam by Boat| ©Lena86
Amsterdam by Boat| ©Lena86

In addition to bike tours, Amsterdam is a wonderful city for boat tours due to the beauty and charm of its canals. In this type of tour you can combine both experiences in one tour, so you can take with you the two most charming routes you can do in the city. If you will be in the city for several days, in a travel itinerary that includes five days in Amsterdam or a little more, consider reserving a space for this experience in your first days of travel, since you will be able to know all the highlights of the city and its surroundings very quickly.

Route

Although the travel plan may vary a bit depending on the company you hire and its planned itinerary, this type of experience begins in the morning with a bike tour of the city to see the historical points of interest. There is a break for lunch and in the afternoon a cruise along the canals to get to know other areas of the city and also the outskirts.

Useful Information

  • Price: With the private tour option you will have to pay up to 125€ for this experience.
  • Duration: The experience is designed to cover a full day of your itinerary so you should book at least 8 hours.
  • Bicycle included: Yes

Book a bike tour in Amsterdam