Hidden Gems and Highlights Guided Bike Tour Amsterdam

Backstreets and bridges of the Amsterdam canal ring

The canal ring was dug in the 17th century, when Amsterdam was the busiest port in Europe and merchants needed grand houses with warehouses on the water. Three main canals, the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, curve around the old centre in half-circles crossed by radial streets, and since 2010 the whole ensemble has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Gabled facades, hoisting beams and moored houseboats line the water on both sides.

Rather than the crowded main roads, our guide leads the group along the narrow side streets that run between the canals, where traffic is light and every corner opens onto another arched bridge. It is the calmest way to ride in Amsterdam, and the guide stops on the bridges with the best views to tell you how the canals were built and how the houses were used.

Hidden courtyards of the Jordaan

The Jordaan was laid out in the early 17th century as a district for workers, craftsmen and newcomers, which is why its streets are narrower and its houses smaller than along the grand canals. Many streets are named after flowers and trees, and behind plain doors lie hofjes, almshouse courtyards built by wealthy citizens to house elderly or poor residents, with tiny gardens surrounded by low brick houses.

This is where the Jordaan bike tour earns its name: the guide shows you courtyards and corners that most visitors pass without noticing, and explains how a crowded working district became one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods in the city. Some courtyards are still lived in and open only at certain times, so the group parks the bikes and enters quietly when access allows. Expect independent shops, galleries and small cafés along every street.

The Westerkerk and the Noorderkerk

Two Protestant churches anchor the Jordaan. The Westerkerk, completed in 1631 on the Prinsengracht, has the tallest church tower in Amsterdam, crowned by the imperial crown that the city was allowed to use on its coat of arms, and its bells ring across the western canals. The Noorderkerk, finished in 1623 for the working families of the district, is built on a Greek-cross plan and faces the Noordermarkt square, where a market is still held on Mondays and Saturdays.

On this ride the churches are seen from the outside, with stories rather than entry tickets. The guide explains why they were built where they stand and how the surrounding streets grew, and the square in front of the Noorderkerk is a natural spot to stretch your legs before the café break that follows.

Vondelpark, the green heart of Amsterdam

Vondelpark opened in 1865 as a riding and walking park for the city's residents and is now the best-loved park in Amsterdam, stretching from the Leidseplein area towards the south-west of the centre. Winding paths pass ponds, lawns, a rose garden, a round tea pavilion and an open-air theatre that hosts free performances in summer, and on sunny days the lawns fill with picnics.

Is Vondelpark worth visiting? On a bike it is a real pleasure: the wide paved paths make the Vondelpark bike ride the most relaxed part of the tour, and the guide points out the park's history and favourite corners as you pedal under the trees. Paths are shared with walkers, runners and other cyclists, so the group keeps a steady, easy pace.

Museumplein, the museum square of Amsterdam

Museumplein is the large green square where several of the city's great cultural institutions stand together. At one end rises the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, opened in its red-brick building in 1885, which holds the masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age; at the other stands the Concertgebouw, a concert hall from 1888 celebrated for its acoustics. Between them sit major museums of modern art and 19th-century painting, set around lawns and a long reflecting pool.

The guide stops here to explain which museum suits which interests and how to plan a visit; museum entry is not part of the tour. If you wonder how to get to Museumplein later, it is a short tram ride from the centre or an easy ride on a rented bike, and from here the group cycles back to the start point.