Bike Tours in Holland: Spakenburg
When you visit Eekhoornnest Bungalow Park for a holiday, you’ll find that we have lots of great ideas for things to do in the Netherlands. The Holland tourist scene is huge and one thing that our guests love to do is go on bike tours of the stunning countryside.
Our holiday village is a great base if you’re looking to have an active cycling holiday and one place we recommend to visitors is to bike to nearby Spakenburg. Spakenburg is a Dutch village that is north of Bunschoten and is officially called Bunschoten-Spakenburg. Located right in the province of Utrecht, this village has been thriving since it was established as a medieval town in 1294. It is also one of the last places left in the Netherlands that women still wear traditional clothing and you might even come across people speaking in the Spakenburg dialect.
Biking to Spakenburg is a great day trip for the entire family. This town offers the perfect combination of culture and history in an authentic setting. The central area of the town is charming, with cafes, pubs, craft shops, museums and lots of shopping. You can even pick up fresh produce from an old-fashioned grocery shop to bring back to your bungalow park accommodations and cook for dinner or the next morning’s breakfast. Spakenburg was originally a fishing village situated at the Zuyder Zee which makes it the perfect place to spend some time exploring the wharf and harbour and watching different types of ships come in.
Length of time to get from Eekhoornnest to Spakenburg on bike: 40 minutes, 12.8km.
Bike Tours in Holland: Lage Vuursche
Going on a bike tour while you’re on vacation is a great thing to do while you’re visiting the Netherlands. It’s an easy, convenient, safe and healthy way to get around and see the stunning country. Many bike trails are located near the Bungalow Park and will make your time cycling in Holland a memorable experience.
Located nearby is the small town of Lage Vuursche which was established in the 14th century. This picturesque village is surrounded by a lush forest that is a beautiful area to cycle in and is even perfect for taking a stroll or having a picnic lunch. There are several trails in the area and each is clearly marked with dots on poles or trees so that you know exactly where you’re going and so that you won’t get lost.
The village today is comprised of around 120 houses, many of which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Day trippers love this element of Netherlands tourism because it offers an authentic experience of a small town that isn’t possible to see while you’re visiting larger cities like Amsterdam.
Some things you should see in Lage Vuursche while on your bike tour are:
- Several different forests with unique ecological systems
- A wide variety of birds and wildlife
- Miniature gardens
- Several pancake restaurants
- 47 national monuments
- A historic church which dates back to 1640
- Spiritual centre
- Former monastery St. Elizabeth
As you leave the town of Lage Vuursche, make sure to stop by Drakensteyn Castle before cycling home. A house called Drakesteijn was mentioned to be on this property in 1359, but the castle as it stands today wasn’t built until hundreds of years later. This castle was built in 1640 and is unique because it is has octagonal shape. It is done in the Classicist style of architecture and is even surrounded by a moat which can only be crossed via a bridge. Drakensteyn Castle was eventually purchased by Queen Beatrix in 1963 where she and her family lived until 1981. Queen Beatrix still owns the castle and recently moved back into the castle in February 2014 when her son Willem-Alexander ascender to the Dutch throne on April 30, 2013.
Length of time to get from Eekhoornnest to Lage Vuursche on bike: 33 minutes, 10.7km
Bike Tours in Holland: Amersfoort
One of the most popular things to do in Holland are bike tours and this is the perfect activity for you and your family. Your comfortable accommodations at Eekhoornnest Bungalow Park provide you with the perfect starting point for your cycling holiday since it is close to many towns, villages and cities that you won’t want to miss.
Located just over 5km away from Eekhoornnest is Amersfoort, the second largest city in Utrecht. This medieval city is growing rapidly but still has a well-preserved medieval city centre that is an ideal Netherlands tourist attraction for the 1.2 million annual visitors. With many monuments, shopping areas, restaurants and bars, there’s something for everyone to experience in Amersfoort.
For an unforgettable view of the city, climb the 97 meter high Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren and see the city and its surrounding canals. If there is a beer connoisseur in your family, you’ll want to learn more about the city’s celebrated brewing history. You’ll be able to visit Amersfoort’s oldest bar In Den Grooten Slock or tour the De Drie Ringen historic brewery. Go on a guided tour and experience the Koppelpoort, a preserved land and Watergate that was once part of the old city wall and that dates back to the 1400s.
Museum lovers will enjoy the multiple museums that are in Amersfoort, including art galleries, history museums, military museums and museums dedicated to the rich history of the Amersfoort. Experience Dutch culture and take in a show at one of the city’s many theatres or visit a club that features live music from different decades.
Families who would like to experience Netherlands tourist attractions with young children will be interested in the Amersfoort Zoo and will enjoy exploring the city’s via canal boat tours.
If you would like to continue your cycling holiday from here, you’ll be able to take your bike on the Eemlijn Fietsboot, a boat dedicated to cyclists, which leaves the Eem harbour and goes directly into Spakenburg or Huizen. This is the perfect way to spend a morning in Amersfoort and spend the afternoon exploring a different part of Holland.
Length of time to get from Eekhoornnest to Amersfoort on bike: 17 minutes, 5.1km.
Bike Tours in Holland: Zeist
Take an idyllic ride through the Dutch countryside on a bike tour with your family. Incorporating a cycling holiday into your family vacation is a fun way to see Holland while staying active and having lots of fun. The Eekhoornnest Bungalow Park is the perfect starting point for your bike ride, offering you a nearby base to experience different types of Netherlands tourist attractions.
The town of Zeist is about a 40 minute bike ride away from your accommodations and is the perfect distance away to spend a day or afternoon here. The town originated in 838 and was expanded up until the 19th century. It was during this time that Zeist became a retreat for wealthy residents of Utrecht, known for its relaxing setting outside the bustle of city life. Zeist is well-known for the forests that surround the town and until recently was the location of the Dutch National Archaeological Research Service.
Tour the beautiful grounds and gardens of Slot Zeist, an aristocratic house that was originally built for Willem Adriaan, Count of Nassau-Odijk. The house was restored and reopened to the public in 2007 and has become a Netherlands tourist attraction that travelers shouldn’t miss. In the interior, you’ll see the extravagant displays of power, status and wealth that make this building so impressive. You’ll be able to take a guided tour around the space and learn about its inhabitants, history and impressive architecture.
Have lunch in the Brasserie Marot restaurant before continuing on your bike tour back to your accommodations.
Length of time to get from Eekhoornnest to Zeist on bike: 40 minutes, 12.6km
Bike Tours in Holland: Zeist
For a vacation that’s filled with fun activities that the entire family will love, consider a cycling holiday of the Netherlands countryside. Seeing the landscape on a bike offers you an easy and convenient way of getting around that is cost-effective, fun and healthy.
Spend your afternoon in a flurry of Holland activities and see the unique sites that many tourists often miss. The province of Utrecht is the perfect area to go on a bike tour, with a mostly flat surface and few large hills. With Eekhoornnest Bungalow Park as your starting point, Austerlitz is the perfect destination, and is a pleasant 40 minute bike ride away.
The small town of Austerlitz was founded in 1806 and was originally used as a French army camp, named after Napoleon’s victory in the Battle of Austerlitz. One popular Netherlands tourist attraction in this region is the Pyramid of Austerlitz.
The Pyramid of Austerlitz was built in the 19th century when the country was controlled by the French and when the area was occupied by nearly 18,000 troops. The troops were well-trained to fight off an English invasion but since an invasion never came, their general decided to use their labour force to create what he referred to as a lasting monument. This monument took less than a month to build and became the Austerlitz Pyramid, which was inspired by the pyramids of Egypt.
The Pyramid is a now a Netherlands tourist attraction and visitors are invited to climb the pyramid and enjoy the stunning views of the Utrecht landscape. After you climb down the many stone steps, have a bite to eat before continuing your bike tour and setting off on your next exciting destination.
Length of time to get from Eekhoornnest to Austerlitz on bike: 40 minutes, 12.5km.
