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Number 17 of 20 in Amsterdam

Amsterdam by bike: the city at its own speed

In Amsterdam the bicycle is not a sport or a statement, it is how people get about: to work, to school, to the shops, with children in front and dogs in boxes. Joining them for a morning is the quickest way to see how the city works.

What it is
Walk
Time to allow
2 to 4 hours
Cost
Bike hire or a tour
Best time
A dry morning, when the paths are calmer

Amsterdam this week

    Why a bike ride is worth it

    The city is flat and small, and most of what a visitor wants to see is within a few kilometres of the Dam. Cycle paths, many of them separated from the road, run along most main streets and over the bridges of the canal ring.

    A bike reaches what the boats and the trams do not: the Jordaan's narrow streets, the Vondelpark, the Plantage with its zoo and its botanical garden, and the quiet canals of the eastern islands.

    It also takes some getting used to. The locals ride fast and close, and expect everyone else to know the rules. A tour with a guide is the easiest way to start.

    What to see

    1. The canal ring

      Along the Herengracht and the Prinsengracht, over the hump-backed bridges, past the gabled houses.

    2. The Vondelpark

      The city's great park, crossed by its main paths, where the bike is the usual way through.

    3. The Jordaan

      Narrow streets and small canals, best ridden slowly, or walked with the bike beside you.

    4. Beyond the city

      Some tours cross the IJ by ferry to the villages and polders of Waterland, a few kilometres north and a world away.

    How to do it well

    • Keep to the right, and signal with your arm before you turn.
    • Never stop in the middle of a cycle path. Pull to the side, as you would on a road.
    • Cross tram rails at a sharp angle: a wheel caught in the groove throws you off.
    • Lights are required by law after dark, front and back.
    • Lock the bike to something fixed, through the frame. Bicycles are stolen in Amsterdam every day.
    • Walkers should keep off the red-surfaced cycle paths. The bells mean it.

    Where it is

    Address

    Across the city, most tours starting near Central Station or the Dam

    Nearest station

    Centraal (metro lines 51, 52, 53 and 54), for most tours' meeting points

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line.

    Tickets and tours: Amsterdam by bike

    Amsterdam by bike: common questions

    Is it safe to cycle in Amsterdam as a visitor?
    Yes, if you keep to the cycle paths, follow the rules and take it slowly at first. The trams, their rails and the speed of local cyclists are what catch visitors out.
    Do you need a helmet to cycle in Amsterdam?
    No. Helmets are not required, and few local cyclists wear one, but you are free to.
    What are the rules for cycling in Amsterdam?
    Ride on the right, on the cycle path where there is one, signal before turning, use lights after dark and obey the traffic lights. Do not ride on the pavement.
    How much time do you need for a bike ride?
    Allow 2 to 4 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    Things to do near a bike ride

    The nearest of this site's best things to do in the city. Distances are in a straight line.

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    Artists to see near a bike ride

    The museums nearest to here, and the most famous artists on show in each.

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    Where to eat near a bike ride

    The nearest of the famous tables this site lists in Amsterdam. Distances are in a straight line.

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    Hotels near a bike ride

    The five-star hotels closest to it, of those this site lists in Amsterdam. Distances are in a straight line.

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