Amsterdam: Biking Your Way to Happiness

In Amsterdam, bikes are becoming a more meaningful element than the tulip or windmill. No matter where you go, you can see people riding bikes to work, to go shopping, or just to tour around the city. There is a sea of flowers as far as your eyes can see, the winding paths in the woods, and the charismatic windmills scattered in different parts of the city. Riding among them can offer you a happy cycling experience.

One of the best places to ride bikes on earth is Amsterdam. Cycling is a local way of transportation. The local government has set up large amounts of 30-km speed limit zones, to make sure that traffic can proceed smoothly and the residents can enjoy their “slow pace of living.” Which places can you ride a bike to go to if you are in Amsterdam?

Vondelpark

The broad highway surrounding the Vondelpark attracts about 10,000 bikes each day. The Vondelpark is located in the center of Amsterdam, and it only takes a few minutes for you to walk from the park to the Leidseplein and Rijksmuseum. This park covers an area of 48 hectares, and has turned into a landmark of Amsterdam because of its popularity. During summer, this park looks more alluring, and you cannot miss riding to the park if you have arrived in Amsterdam.

Cuyperspassage

Cuyperspassage is a newly built tunnel inside Amsterdam Centraal, which connects the city and the IJ. This tunnel welcomes 15,000 pedestrians and cyclists each day since its opening in 2015. Previously you had to turn right and then left if you wanted to pass through it, and now you can go through it directly. The designer has covered one side of the walls with 80,000 ceramic tiles, and the painting of the wall describes the atmosphere of Amsterdam in the 17th century.

Street Cycling Culture

In Amsterdam and Hague, more than 70 percent of citizens travel on bikes. There are exclusive bicycle lanes that can be found here and there in the city. On the streets you may easily see parking bikes painted in different colors. It is said that the cosmetics they use to paint their bikes are water paints. You may paint your bike in whatever color you like, with the help of the bike painters found in many places of the city. Some old bikes are locked on the roadside. This must be one of the city’s charming views too.