SEE HOLLAND ON TWO WHEELS

Do as the locals do and experience the Dutch countryside by bike. Image courtesy NBTC With the 102^nd edition of the Tour de France starting on Saturday - 4 July – the obvious thing to do would be talk about cycling in France, right? Wrong! This will be the sixth time the Tour de France kicks off in the Netherlands, this year starting for the first time in Utrecht. Like pancakes, clogs and windmills, cycling has a strong association with Holland. Here are some yellow jersey trips that could help you enjoy the quintessential Dutch experience – on two wheels. Cycle Holland with the family Our Holland Family Bike and Barge trip is specially designed for kids from 7 to 11 years old. Holland’s flat cycle ways and pretty canals offer some of the most enchanting and safe cycling opportunities in Europe. Aboard your hotel barge and in the company of other families, cycle through the Dutch riverlands, visit the famous cheese town of Gouda and view the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk. Holland’s Castles and Walled Towns Do as the locals do: pedal by day to explore the Dutch dykes and country paths, while evenings are spent aboard a cosy hotel barge as it cruises along the picturesque canals. The Holland Castles and Walled Towns trip takes in majestic castles, Hanseatic walled towns and antiquated fishing villages, with a special visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum, a hidden gem which houses 278 works by Van Gogh. The Countryside of IJssel Lake There is more to Holland than the cities and the Countryside of IJssel Lake trip gives you the chance to cycle across some of Europe’s finest nature reserves of 'De Weerribben', taking in old fishing ports, great waterways and the countryside around the picturesque IJssel Lake. Located just north of Amsterdam, this itinerary guides you through the rural area around the former inland sea called Zuiderzee. By the way – if you really want to cycle your own Tour de France, read our previous blog post outlining some great cycling trips in France.