Freewheeling Through Holland

Most people talk about Holland, but in fact this is not the official name. The official name is The Netherlands. The term Holland comes from the province North Holland and South Holland.

Amsterdam, Holland’s capital and one of the most famous and popular destinations in The Netherlands, is a city of canals and friendly people who speak English frequently, and has the reputation of being one of the best walking cities in Europe, if not the world. There are times, however, when walking just won’t do, and taxis and buses are not available. The moderate climate, short distances and flat roads make Holland an excellent cycling-friendly country and is especially fun for the entire family — moms, dads, children, grandmas or grandpas, and cousins — or small groups. Holland is also a very friendly and safe destination to visit.

Unlike Americans, the Dutch take bicycling seriously. Everywhere you go, almost everyone is on a bike. Bikes are used not only for recreation but also for everyday transportation, daily shopping and commute to work. Special bike lanes are everywhere, from the busiest cities to tucked-in seclusion along the dunes fronting the North Sea. They are called Fietspads — fiet being the word for this vehicle you pedal with those extremities, and pad meaning path. Some are marked Bromfietsen, meaning paths for motorbikes. There are 40,000 kilometers of cycling routes, clearly marked with the red and white signs and mushroom shaped posts which indicate the quickest and or most scenic routes.

In addition to exclusive lanes, cyclists have their own traffic lights and signposts, marking any distance that might differ from motor routes. You can travel along a busy street safely tucked into a separate lane for bicycles, which generally will guide you away from the traffic.

Holland in April is a paint-by-number landscape of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. While cycling through Holland you will notice wide open spaces like polders (an area of low-lying land that has been reclaimed from a body of water and is protected by dikes), beautiful forests, bulb fields, attractive towns and villages. En route there are plenty of opportunities to rest on the terraces of restaurants and cafes. Specially built picnic-area are everywhere along the side of the roads.

Biking takes you through the world at eye level so that you can see and experience your surroundings at a leisurely pace, free to enjoy the sun, the ocean and the solitude, allowing you to relax, enjoy and explore. Even if you have not ridden a bike in years and years, you never forget how and soon appreciate the fact that, even after indulging in three-or-four-course meals each night, your jeans will start to get loose around the middle. Research shows that biking at a reasonably good pace burns around 350 calories an hour. Riding five to six hours a day easily consumes as many calories as your dinners.

Bicycling tours are also available and have many benefits, including no lugging baggage around, no searching for hotel rooms or restaurants, and not having to arrange outings.

For further information on bicycling in Holland, go to www.holland.com/ or www.visitholland.com/. Detailed information about The Netherlands in general can be found at the CIA’s The World Factbook located at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nl.html. You can also contact The Netherlands Board of Tourism, 355 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017, or call toll-free 888-2-HOLLAND; e-mail info@goholland.com, or www.visitamsterdam.nl.

Happy cycling!