Trip code: C05UT 4 (3 reviews)
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
single centre
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
11.0Kg CO2e
Optional
e-bike hire
This single-centre cycling holiday is based in beautiful Utrecht, the Netherlands' fourth largest city and the country's religious centre since the 8th century. The city's ancient centre has many structures and buildings that date back to the High Middle Ages (1000 - 1250 AD) having been the country's most important city until Amsterdam took up the mantle during the Dutch Golden Age (1581 - 1672 AD). Still a major trade centre, sitting on the banks of the River Rhine, places of particular interest are the Cathedral of Saint Martin and the Dom Tower, the tallest belfry in the Netherlands. As well as many theatres, art galleries, museums and music venues, the city also has a growing monument in the Letters of Utrecht - an endless poem in the cobblestones of the Oude Gracht in Utrecht to which a letter gets added every Saturday. Utrecht was named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2017.
As well as exploring Utrecht along its many cycle paths, the daily routes on this holiday head out of the city in four different directions giving you an opportunity to discover the surrounding landscape, areas of natural beauty and historical fortified towns, castles and forts. A recurring theme is the Dutch Waterline (the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie 1870-1940) - this was an important military defence line in Dutch history. Canals and sluices made it possible to inundate large expanses of land to keep an advancing enemy at bay. In places where inundation was not possible forts were built, blending in with the landscape. You'll also cycle past the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park - the largest wooded area in the Randstad.
You'll stay in the 4* Mitland Hotel located in the outskirts of the city and next to a lovely city park. Enjoy your breakfast by the waterside, overlooking the northern moat of historic Fort De Bilt with the option to upgrade to half board and enjoy dinner at the hotel too. The hotel's facilities include a bowling alley, a swimming pool and fitness room. You can cycle to the town centre in less than 10 minutes.
Please note: We're currently making some improvements to our trips in Holland for 2024 bookings. Holiday details may differ to what's currently on sale for 2023.
On this trip you stay in Utrecht, taking day trips out to explore the surroundings. On your first day take time to discover the canals and many cosy cafes, national monuments, including the Dom Tower, museums and even world heritages sites. Utrecht is also the town of designer/architect Gerrit Rietveld and Dick Bruna who created the children's books about 'Miffy'.
You stay at Hotel Mitland.
Visa
Pool
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Safe
Tea/coffee
The contemporary Hotel Mitland is situated in a delightful park just 10 minutes cycle from the city centre. The hotel has 142 luxurious furnished rooms and 4 themed suites (Holland, Swan Lake, Romantic and Old Dutch Masters). The restaurant offers wonderful views of the old De Bilt fortress. The hotel has excellent facilities including a 9-lane bowling alley with bar, indoor swimming pool, fitness room, a brasserie with bar and some fabulous lakeview terraces.
Should this accommodation not be available, an alternative of the same standard will be used.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie (1870 - 1940) was an important military defence line in Dutch history. Canals and sluices made it possible to inundate large expanses of land to prvent the advance of enemy troops and vehicles and where inundation was not possible forts were built, blending in with the landscape - these have become local tourist attractions. The 85km length of the defensive line has become a green corridor, where wildlife has flourished due to restrictions on land use and building.
You can shorten the route by 5km by taking a ferry at Fort Everdingen, the home of the Duits & Lauret brewery, also a great place to stop for refreshments.
Follow the River Vecht to De Haar Castle, the largest castle in the country. Beautifully restored in 1892, in neo-Gothic style, the castle welcomes visitors to tour its stunning rooms and halls as well as the beautiful gardens. Continue cycling to follow the River Old Rhine to the historic fortified town of Woerden then on to Oudewater where you can opt to visit the Weighing Hall (1482) where women used to be weighed to determine whether or not they were witches. Step on the scales to find out if you would have been deemed light enough to fly on a broomstick. Enjoy the natural scenery along the River Hollandsche Ijssel, which leads to the fortified town of Montfoort and its historical buildings. Follow the River Leidse Rijn back to Utrecht.
Today you can shorten your route by 9 km by skipping Oudewater and the smaller rivers.
Today's route takes you northwards to the Oostelijke Vechtplassen - the collective name for the 7,000-hectare nature reserve and lake district, created largely as a result of long-term peat extraction and important to many bird species. Cycle along its southern border, passing several New Dutch Waterline forts. Then cycling along the River Vecht, you visit a series of beautiful old villages such as Maarssen, Breukelen, Loenen aan de Vecht and Vreeland. You eventually reach the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park where you enjoy panoramic views. The wetlands beyond are also beautiful and tranquil with their very rare habitat type (floating mats of sphagnum mosses and other vegetation, anchored by sedges, on the surface of the water or on top of very wet peat).
You can shorten your route by 8 km by skipping Vreeland and the nature reserves at Tienhoven and Molenpolder. Cycle directly to Groenekan instead.
From Utrecht, today's route follows the Kromme Rijn and the Langbroekerwetering canal to historical Wijk bij Duurstede. Between the 7th and 9th centuries the city was a centre of international trade that was pillaged by the Vikings. The city has the only drive-through windmill in the world and the ruins of Duurstede Castle and the Castle Park are worth a visit. The nearby St. John the Baptist Great Church is a Gothic pseudo-basilica with an unfinished tower and is a national monument. The countryside scenery today alternates between meadows, castles, orchards and stately country houses. You also get to cycle through the woods at the edge of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park. On your way back to Utrecht, you reach the town of Doorn and its impressive castle, Slot Zeist, surrounded by a beautiful English landscaped park.
You can also take a 5mi / 8km longer route. After Wijk bij Duurstede, follow the 'Limes', the old frontier of the Roman Empire, along the Lower Rhine. The beautiful village of Amerongen and Amerongen Castle are worth cycling the extra distance.
After breakfast depart from Utrecht.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website.
Please contact our sales team on 01606 720199 to for further details or to discuss alternavie trip options.
Self-guided cycling
5 nights,
single centre
Level: 1+
Leisurely plus
11.0Kg CO2e
Optional
e-bike hire
