Find your next holiday

Or search the entire site

An Elfstedentocht without the requisite hardship

Cycling holiday Frisian Cities and Lakes

Name: Happy Cycling Holidays
Address: Hengelosestraat 300a, Enschede, Nederland, 7521 AN
Telephone: +31 (0)53 430 34 35
Location: Happy Cycling Holidays

Water-rich Friesland also lends itself to wonderful cycling tours. This trek takes you to all eleven Frisian towns. You will cycle along lakes, over dykes and through meadows, crossing by foot or bicycle ferry here and there. » read more about Cycling holiday Frisian Cities and Lakes

Leeuwarden, Sneek, Lemmer, Gaasterland, Workum, Franeker, Dokkum
The Elfstedentocht by bike
Jopie Huisman-museum

GPS APP E-bike route Zwaarte zwaarte_1

Cycling holiday
Trekking tour
7 days
Individual

from 695 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

from 695 p.p.
excl. additional costs

Prices and dates

Frisian Tradition: the Elfstedentocht

Leeuwarden, Sneek, Workum, Dokkum… Is it finally happening again? Yes indeed: it giet oan. At last, another Elfstedentocht. This time, without the freezing hardships, but with all eleven cities. Over the course of seven days, you’ll cycle along canals and ditches, over quaint bridges, and through idyllic villages like Stavoren and Hindeloopen. Park your bike for a moment and stroll along picturesque canals with views of historic ramparts and water gates.

Fully Frisian

You start in Leeuwarden and lace up your skates, well, not quite, you hop on your bike for scenic rides to Sneek, IJlst, Sloten, Lemmer, Stavoren, Hindeloopen, Workum, Bolsward, Harlingen, Franeker, Dokkum, Holwerd, and Bartlehiem, and finally, you'll reach the Bonkevaart.

Sneek

cycling holiday frisian cities and lakes

Oldest Planetarium

Over four hundred years ago, the Italian Galileo Galilei made the first astronomical discoveries using a telescope. Interestingly, that telescope had just been invented in the Netherlands. In 1608, Johannes (Hans) Lipperhey, a resident of Middelburg in Zeeland, applied for a patent for a “certain instrument to see far". Much later, in May 1774, panic broke out when Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon appeared close together in the sky. Many feared it was the end of the world. To counter that fear, 30-year-old Eise Eisinga, with his extensive knowledge of astronomy, built a model of the solar system in the living room of his house in Franeker. That model still functions today, making it the oldest working planetarium in the world.

Famous Spy

You don’t have to be a spy to discover that Leeuwarden is happy to share its secrets. At Kelders 33 stands the birthplace of Margaretha Geertruida (Griet) Zelle, better known as the spy Mata Hari. Born there in 1876, she later gained fame as a lady-in-waiting and exotic dancer. During World War I, she was recruited as a spy, though her career in espionage was short-lived. In 1917, the French accused her of being a double agent, a charge that ultimately led to her execution. But whether she truly was a double spy remains a mystery to this day. That very uncertainty has only added to her legend. You can visit her birthplace, and the Fries Museum (Wilhelminaplein 92) is also eager to reveal the secrets behind this iconic figure.

Leeuwarden

When are you going to take this trip?

Cycling holiday Frisian Cities and Lakes

Prices and dates

Routes

Water-rich Friesland isn’t just perfect for skating and sailing, it’s also a wonderful place to explore by bike. Well-marked cycle paths lead you to all eleven charming Frisian towns, each a feast for the eyes. Along the way, you’ll discover the region’s stunning lake district, cycling past peaceful lakes, across dykes, and through open meadows. Where needed, small ferries carry you and your bike across canals and 'brekken', adding to the charm of the journey.