On arrival in Amsterdam, check-in to your hotel and then enjoy the rest of the day exploring this fascinating city. The seventeenth century canal-ring centre is a World Heritage Site and feels more like a bustling small town than a big city. The compact, cobbled streets are perfect for exploring on foot and there’s plenty to see from the world famous sights such as the Anne Frank Museum, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gough Museum to simply enjoying the lively vibe of the street cafes and bars that line the canal streets.

Your cycling holiday starts in earnest today as you leave the hustle and bustle behind and follow a network of cycle paths out into the countryside. Heading east, you enter a region called South Kennemerland. In the small village of Cruquius we recommend a break to visit the fascinating and impressive Cruquius Museum which houses the world’s largest steam engine. The museum is dedicated to Hollands never-ending struggle with water and a demonstration of the steam engine’s power – it can drain an olympic size swimming pool in 8 minutes – should not be missed. A little further on you are greeted with your first view of the tulip fields. Your route then veers north, through more bulb fields before ending in Haarlem – a charming old town with a beautiful central square.

Spend the morning exploring the winding streets of Haarlem further. The town is famous for its “hofjes“, tiny kitchen gardens with a water pump surrounded by alms houses. In a bygone age the occupants of these houses would share the water pump and grow vegetables in the small garden. Then it’s back on the bike for a glorious ride through a kaleidoscope of colour as you head south through a plethora of tulip fields. We also recommend a stop at the wonderful Keukenhof Flower Gardens – 32 hectares of carefully manicured gardens supporting seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths (not included). Many consider the Keukenhof Gardens to be worthy of a full day’s visit to fully appreciate them. Talk to us about adding an extra night to your holiday if this option appeals. Your day ends in Leiden, an old university town with a lively and attractive centre.

Today you wend your way back to Amsterdam. The route leads you through the ‘Green Heart’ of Holland, a peaceful, rural region that is a joy to cycle through. After a while you reach the River Amstel and you follow the river (which gave Amsterdam its name) past pretty villages and grand manor houses, right into the heart of Amsterdam itself. Now all that remains is to find a cosy little restaurant to celebrate completing your Tulips and Amsterdam cycling adventure.

After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.