Hybrid Bike
£77 for 7 days
Friesland is famous among ice skaters for the Eleven Cities Tour, a legendary 200km skating route linking eleven historic towns — first completed by two men in the winter of 1808, who collected pub and hotel signatures along the way to prove it. This holiday follows the same eleven towns, at a gentler pace and on two wheels rather than blades.
Starting and finishing in Leeuwarden, the loop takes you through canal-lined towns such as Sneek, Bolsward, Harlingen and Dokkum, and the quiet Frisian countryside in between, dotted with terps, farms and the occasional windmill. It's flat, easy cycling with plenty of Dutch hospitality and history along the way.
Arrive in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland, where small canals wind between the shopping streets. Look out for the late-Gothic Waag building, and consider a visit to the Museum of Nature or the Princessehof ceramics museum. Overnight in Leeuwarden.
Ride to Sneek, a small town once encircled by canals and walls. Wander the pretty centre and take a look at the city hall and the Martini church. Overnight in Sneek/IJlst.
Cycle into the South-Frisia region near the IJssel lake, passing through Sloten — with just 700 inhabitants, the smallest town on the Eleven Cities route — and the charming village of Balk, through classic Frisian landscape dotted with ancient terps. Overnight in the South-Frisia region.
Today brings you to Bolsward, with its picturesque streets, along with the watersports town of Stavoren and the old trading town of Workum — all former Hanseatic cities with beautiful old houses and churches recalling their prosperous past. Overnight in Bolsward.
Pass through Makkum, known for its traditional pottery, on the way to Harlingen, a working harbour town on the Wadden Sea. Overnight in Harlingen/Franeker.
Ride via Franeker, once home to a well-known university, to Dokkum, a remarkable town whose streets have barely changed since 1650, complete with restored fortifications and historic walls. Overnight in Dokkum.
The final ride brings you back to Leeuwarden, where you started, passing the enchanting Frisian villages of Rinsumageest and Burdaard along the way. Overnight in Leeuwarden.
Depart after breakfast.
We recommend flying to Leeuwarden railway station and returning from Leeuwarden railway station.
£77 for 7 days
£161 for 7 days
Not available for hire
Getting to Leeuwarden (start and end of tour)
By plane: Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is served by direct flights from virtually every UK airport, in under 1 hour. From Schiphol, a direct Intercity train reaches Leeuwarden in around 2.5 hours; the station is close to the hotel.
By train: The Eurostar runs direct from London St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal in around 4 hours, connecting onward to Leeuwarden by Intercity train.
By car: Leeuwarden is around 590km from Calais, taking approximately 6 hours via the A7. A free car park may be available if mentioned when booking.
Bikes are not included. You are welcome to bring your own bike or hire one. Please see our bike hire section for details.
Flights are not included. Please refer to the what's included section for full details.
We will confirm your booking within 48 hours of receiving your enquiry. Please wait for confirmation before booking flights or making other travel arrangements.
Most itineraries include cycling on most days, with some rest or shorter days built in. Please check the itinerary for day-by-day details.
The latest you can book is 9 days before departure. This gives us enough time to confirm arrangements and accommodation.
You will receive full travel details, including accommodation, meeting points and local contacts, 3 to 5 weeks before departure.
Guided • 7 nights
Easy
From £1,035
Only 1 date left
