Amsterdam has emerged as the biking capital of the West by opening the world’s first rent-a-bike business in 1869.
Soon, the bicycle – or fiets – became the preferred mode of transportation for everyone from the clog-clad worker to the royal family.
Today there are some 550,000 bikes in this city of approximately 800,000 people, with Amsterdammers collectively cycling an estimated two million kilometers each day.
There are opportunities aplenty for visitors to make use of the dizzying array of two- (or one- or three-) wheeled vehicles. So when in the city, make like the locals and hop on one of the many options below.
Cycling tours can be divided into two categories: the guided and the DIY. Most of the city’s rental agencies offer regular guided tours, from the traditional (canal houses, Red Light District, Royal Palace) to the more outlandish.
For a complete list of cycling tours check out BBC Travel Amsterdam on wheels and explore the city like a true Amsterdammer.
Photo By Amsterdamize