De Amstel – Cycleseeing in and around Amsterdam

Amsterdam would not be Amsterdam without the Amstel River. It’s named after the small fishing village of Amstelredamme (dam in the Amstel river), built in the 13th century. This Amstel route follows the flow of the river out of town and takes you deep into quintessential Dutch countryside and past old towns like Ouderkerk aan de Amstel.

The cycle route starts at the Blauwbrug (a historic bridge in Amsterdam), which was originally painted in the characteristic blue of the Dutch flag. In the first 300 metres (1,000 ft), you cycle past 400 years of Dutch history: the Skinny Bridge, the Hermitage, the Royal Theatre Carré and the Amstel Hotel.

You cycle down the Amsteldijk all the way to the Riekermolen windmill, built in 1636 to drain the surrounding land. Nearby is a bronze statue of Rembrandt, in honour of the many sketches he made here. A little further on, you cycle past the Rembrandt Hoeve: a traditional farm specialising in making clogs and cheese.

Continue cycling along the waterfront, which is full of old houses and windmills. It is as if you have cycled back in time. At Gemaal Middenpolder, you can see how the water level is regulated by hand-operated devices. Still operational, this water pump feeds the water to and from the polders. Cycle a little further and you will arrive in the lovely village of Nes aan de Amstel, from where you follow the river to Uithoorn.

In Uithoorn, it’s time for a well-deserved break. The Wilhelminakade and the Dorpsstraat offer the most beautiful views of the small harbour and the Amstel. This is the place to stretch your legs and have lunch or a drink. From Uithoorn, the route turns back towards the city, but don't worry, the way back still has a lot of fun to offer.

You cycle through the beautiful Dutch landscape, with vast plains as far as the eye can see. The cycle path along the Wavre takes you all the way to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. Interesting sights along the way include the Stokkelaarsbrug bridge, the pumping station of the Ronde Hoep and, for hungry cyclists, the restaurant de Voetangel.

Take a well-deserved breather in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, a picturesque medieval village dating from the 12th century. Visit the Beth Haim cemetery, opened in 1614, the oldest Jewish cemetery in the Netherlands. Or the St. Urbanus Parish, built in 1872 by the famous Pierre Cuypers, who also designed the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station.

From Ouderkerk aan de Amstel it is another 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) by bike to the Amstel Quarter - the end point of this route. There, you can relax and reflect on all the beautiful things you have seen along the way.