Rhine: Arnhem - Rotterdam

Dykes, vastness and rich culture

Look forward to a varied bike tour along historical places, beautiful fortress towns and a typical Dutch river landscape. You cycle through the wide Rhine Delta along the Neder Rijn, the Lek and the Nieuwe Merwede to Rotterdam and if you want you can even cycle a little further along the gigantic harbor to the beaches of the North Sea. Some of the highlights of this beautiful cycle tour are the Airborne Museum Hartenstein, Doorwerth Castle, Loevestijn Slot, Biesbosch National Park and the Kinderdijk windmills (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The simple and well-signposted route, which often leads over attractive, low-traffic dike paths, offers typically Dutch “pure cycling pleasure”.

1. day Arnhem Arrival

With excellent rail and motorway connections, you can reach Arnhem quickly and easily. Bike handover of rental bikes at the hotel. Enjoy a walk through the beautiful Sonsbeek city park, which largely consists of a centuries-old beech forest, or visit the famous Burgers ’Zoo. Already in the early years the zoo caused a sensation because of its daring innovations, the natural enclosures and the adventure value. 

2. day Arnheim - Wijk bij Duurstede, approx. 64 km

A diverse trip throuugh the woods of Veluwezoom, past a 52-meter high hill called Grebbeberg. In the Netherlands the Rhine divides into numerous rivers that go by different names and now you will follow the Niderrijn (Lower Rhine) to Amerongen Castle surrounded by gardens. Today's destination in Wijk bij Duurstede. Around 800 AD, when it was known as Dorestad, it was the most important Northern European center of trade. Enjoy the lovely hisorical center and - weather permitting - sit down at a pavement café on the market square.

3. day Wijk bij Duurstede – Gorinchem, approx. 50 - 60 km

Wijk bej Duurstede is located at a crossroads of waterways. Cross the Lower-Rhine on Wijkse Veer ferry and head for the Netherlands' number one fruit growing district: Betuwe. Past the historical town of Buren you will reach the Linge River. Follow it to Glass Town Leerdam which boasts a glass museum and a fantastic glass-blowing workshop as well as a crystal factory. From here it is not far to Gorinchem (pronounced as Gorcum). Take your time to explore the historical center of the town.

4. day Gorinchem – Papendrecht, approx. 56 km

In the morning you catch a ferry to the fortess town of Woudrichem. Next up is Biesborsch National Park, probalby unlike any other you have ever been to. 'De Biesbosch' ferry will take you across the Nieuwe Merwede River to the town of Dordrecht. The main attraction here is the lovely old harbour quarter. Finally, a waterbus will take you across the Lower Merwede to the town of Papendrecht.

5. day Papendrecht – Rotterdam, 35 km

Cycling through Alblasserwaard polder you will reach Kinderdijk. This is a UNESCO world heritage site. The nineteen polder windmills are a major international attraction. Next, the route continues to the city of Rotterdam, your final destination. At this point, if you are determined your trip by an extra 30 km and cycle to Hoek van Holland. From Hoek van Holland you can travel back to Rotterdam by train. One of the newest attrractions in Rotterdam is the Markthal (market hall).

6. day Rotterdam Abreise

After breakfast, your wonderful journey along the Dutch Rhine River ends in the hotel.

Worth knowing about your bike trip

Below you will find specific information about the bike tour from Arnhem to Rotterdam. If you have further questions about this trip, you simply call us: Phone: +49-(0)6421 – 886890.

Arrival by train

There are good international connections to Arnhem. The hotel in the center is located near the train station Arnhem Centraal. Please find the actual connections and prices in the internet.

Deutsche Bahn

Parking facilities at the hotel

There are parking spaces available near the hotel (costs approx. 15 euros per day). A reservation is not possible.
You will receive detailed information on the parking facilities together with your travel documents approx. 2 weeks prior to your arrival.

Conditions of the bike paths

You cycle on almost always flat bike paths or smaller streets with only few traffic. The route is well sign-posted.

Available rental bikes

If you have booked a rental bike, it will be available for you at the start hotel. In a few cases you will receive the bike on the first day of cycling at 9 a.m.
There are women and men 24-speed touring bikes (Gazelle) with freewheel and 1 luggage bag available. Electric bikes can only be booked with free wheel. You may choose between electric bike for men and women. Please let us know when you book the tour.

Special dates

Special dates are bookable on request with a surcharge of 40,00 Euro p.p.

Costs which are not included in the price

A possibly resulting tourist tax or costs for ferries are not part of the travel price and therefore it has to be paid locally.

7 day hotline service

Just in case the bike chain breaks, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: You can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

An up-to-date overview of applicable measures and travel and safety advice regarding Covid-19 for all countries in the EU and Switzerland can be found here:
https://reopen.europa.eu/en/

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Arnhem

The city of Arnhem is known to many Dutch people by the spectacular Burgers' Zoo. However, Arnhem also attracts visitors with plenty of other things to see, such as fascinating museums, fantastic shopping opportunities and excellent restaurants. Many shopping fans will be happy where fashion is concerned, as Arnhem is Holland's Number One fashion city and possesses its own 'fashion quarter'.

Arnhem

Burgers Zoo

When Johan Burgers opened his zoo in 1913, he wanted to do something different. Instead of presenting animals in cages, he wanted to show them in their natural habitat. A hundred years later Burgers’ Zoo still doesn’t present animals to you in the traditional way. You have to enter their habitat.

Burgers Zoo

Hoge Veluwe National Park

De Hoge Veluwe National Park is one of the largest continuous nature reserves in Holland, measuring in at 5,400 hectares. The Park's different landscapes are home to a wide diversity of plant and animal species. From the rare Fritillary to the imposing Red Deer, from the Alcon Blue to the Dwarf Viper's-grass; they all live in the Park. The Park is also home to dozens of Red List species, such as the Wheatear, the Wryneck, the Moor Frog and the Grass Snake.

The Kröller-Müller-Museum is the cultural peak of De Hoge Veluwe. Deep in the forest, this world-famous museum lies hidden, boasting the largest private Van Gogh collection worldwide and one of the most beautiful sculpture gardens in Europe. Further places worth seeing and visiting are the Saint Hubertus hunting lodge and the Museonder in the visitor’s centre.

Hoge Veluwe National Park

Veluwezoom

Veluwezoom is the oldest National Park in Holland. This landscape of hills, forests, heathlands and sand drifts has been a protected area since 1931. 

The southern side of the Veluwezoom offers beautiful estates with grand country houses and monumental farms. The estates of Beekhuizen, Heuven and Rhereroord are historical country houses, complete with parks. 

Veluwezoom

Duurstede Castle

Duurstede Castle is of the oldest medieval castles in the Netherlands. A fairy tale location surrounded by a gorgeous park with a moat, accessible exclusively by a drawbridge.
A fairy tale location surrounded by a gorgeous park with a moat, accessible exclusively by a drawbridge.
Many of the trees in the park surrounding the castle are more than 150 years old. The castle park (locals refer to it as 'the woods') was created by Zocher in English landscape style.
This unique location, far removed from any traffic noise, with its castle towers and the spacious courtyard, makes Duurstede Castle exceptionally suitable for hosting many events, receptions and parties.
The site offers three wedding locations: the keep, the music tent and the Burgundian tower.

Duurstede Castle

Dordrecht

Dordrecht obtained city rights as early as 1220, making it the oldest city in Holland. Located in a wetland area with such rivers as the Merwede, Noord and Ouwe Maas, it was an important merchant city with a lively trade in wood, cereals and wine. That history, wealth and culture is still clearly visible. Not only does the historic city center of Dordrecht harbor around 1,000 monuments – they are also splendidly used as restaurants, museums and theatres.

Dordrecht’s rich history is still clearly visible when you walk past the old inner city harbors, monuments and museums of Dordrecht. Absolute must-sees are the Great Church (Grote Kerk), the renowned collection of paintings of the Dordrechts Museum, the gorgeous interior of the old mayor’s house ‘Huis van Gijn’ and the thirteenth-century Augustine monastery ‘Het Hof’. Also highly recommended is the gorgeous view of the rivers’ intersection from the Groothoofd.

Dordrecht

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a city of many faces: a tough port city, a trendy nightlife city, a sophisticated shopping city, and a hip artistic city. Above all, Rotterdam is the architecture city of Holland that stimulates innovation. Its skyline is always changing. There are many things to do amid Rotterdam’s skyscrapers. You can go on a shopping spree, enjoy some excellent food, and visit a range of museums and attractions in and around the city centre.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam Architecture

If you love architecture, Rotterdam is definitely worth a visit. In the city centre, historic buildings and characteristic post-war reconstruction architecture clash cheerfully with the hypermodern skyscrapers built in more recent decades. The Cube Houses, Erasmus bridge, Rotterdam Central Station and the Markthal: visit them by yourself or book one of the many city tours.

Rotterdam Architecture