Cycling Route Amsterdam woodland
This cycle route goes through the city center and south towards Amsterdamse Bos (‘Amsterdam Woods’). It is a good inbetween route because it includes city center sights and then also some parks and greenery. If the weather is warm there’s an option for swimming and sunbathing, too!
Distance – 29km
Time spent cycling – Approx 2 hours
1. Amsterdam Canals -> Woodland
– Starting in the centre (I’m using Discount Bike Rental as a starting point), cycle towards the 9 Straatjes, the idyllic streets located amongst a series of canals. You’ll pass Pluk (a trendy cafe with cakes, yoghurt bowls and healthy food) and The Houseboat Museum (explore a typical dutch houseboat for 4.50 Euro) – if you fancy stopping off.
– Continue cycling south towards Amsterdamse Bos. You’ll cross Vondelpark and then pass Museumplein on your left where you can see the Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum, and you’ll pass through the affluent area of South Amsterdam. Just before you reach Amterdamse Bos, you’ll have the chance to stop off at the XL Albert Heijn supermarket to pick up food and drinks for a picnic (see map).
2. Amsterdamse Bos
You can enter Amsterdamse Bos via the entrance near de Boswinkle. Once in the park area there’s plenty of cycle paths to explore and loads to do. Cycle through big forests and past blossom trees and lakes. There’s two open-air swimming spots if you fancy a dip, as well as a few cafes and bars.
6 Things to do in Amsterdamse Bos
- Cycle along the many cycle paths. There is a path running alongside the man made rowing lake which is lovely, and then further into the woods you’ll find winding narrow paths within the tall trees.
- Take your picnic food and find a spot by the lakes to relax.
- Visit the big swimming lake, ‘Grote Vijver’ and/or rent a canoe on the lake at Kano Verhuur.
- Visit the Goat farm in the middle of the forest, which consists of a farm, goat milk ice cream and a playground.
- Buy tickets to a production at the Forest Theater. In the Summer you can find evening performances in this amazing open air theater (warning – often in Dutch!)
- In Spring, visit the Bloesempark (‘Blossom Park’) to see the blossom trees.
3. Back to the Centre
– When you’re done exploring Amsterdamse Bos you can start cycling back to the centre of Amsterdam. Taking a different route back will take you along a nice cycle path past the Olympic Stadium, through Vondelpark (where you can divert to an original concrete sculpture by Picasso, or stop off at Vondelbunker, a hidden bar located under a bridge, inside an old atomic bunker).
4. Food Hallen
– The last stretch of the cycle is a 10 minute journey back towards the city centre. If you’re peckish then stop off at Food Hallen, an immense indoor food hall with dozens of street food options, a gin & tonic bar, and live DJs in the evenings (would strongly recommend the Vietnamese banh-mi sandwich and the prawn tempura bun!).
This bike trip covers approx 29 km and will be around 2 hours of cycling.