5 routes in the Netherlands’ port city — (Re)discover Rotterdam

Bike Touring Collection by Sabina Knezevic - Farawayistan

Tours

12:26 h

134 mi

1,500 ft

What do I like most about cycling? That even though you might cycle the same route every time, you always see something new. Birds are building a nest in the tree, the statue of Santa Claus (who everyone knows as the Buttplug Gnome) has suddenly got a scarf on, and the boats in the Schie are slowly sailing by. But do you know what’s even more fun? Discovering new places.

This Collection is for the true Rotterdammer who thinks they have seen it all. And even if there is only one place that is new for you, there is magic in revisiting the old places waiting to be rediscovered on these Tours. The routes are also great for visitors who want a bit more action than shopping in the Koopgoot (the sunken shopping street) or staring at the stalls in the Market Hall.

You can cycle the routes in two to four hours on average, but count on plenty of breaks. You will definitely want to stop along the way to take in all the beauty of Rotterdam, so these routes could take you a whole day to complete. Most routes can also be shortened if, for example, you want to make it a family outing.

I have made this Collection because I feel a bit homesick. I grew up in Rotterdam and Hoek van Holland, but now I live in Sweden. This means that I have not cycled all the routes and I have based these on memory and many years of cycling experience. Do you have a nice addition or improvement? Please let me know in the comments below this Collection. Also, don't forget to share your favourite Tours with your fellow-Rotterdammers!

On The Map

Tours

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Niet lullen maar fietsen – 5 rondjes Rotjeknor
02:53
29.8 mi
10.3 mph
425 ft
425 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Let's start with the basics. You've probably cycled past it a hundred times, on your way to work, to the gym or meandering from the Witte home. Nevertheless, I invite you to see these beautiful districts of the city with new eyes. The city is full of special art and impressive monuments. Along the way…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
De Rotterdamse plassen – 5 rondjes Rotjeknor
02:24
26.3 mi
10.9 mph
250 ft
250 ft
Expert
Expert bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
This Tour is perfect for the Rotterdammer who is tired of the city. The route starts in Bleiswijk, but it doesn't really matter where you start, since it's a round. So you always end up where you started the route.

From Bleiswijk you cycle via the Bleiswijkse Zoom along De Rotte to the south. De Bleiswijkse…
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
De Werkstad (oud en nieuw) – 5 rondjes Rotjeknor
01:31
15.7 mi
10.3 mph
200 ft
200 ft
Easy
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Rotterdam is a real working city, and during the reconstruction it was often used as a nickname for the city. But there are many more pet names for our home port: Maasstad, Gate of Europe, Rotjeknar or -knor, Queen of the Maas, Rotown, Roffa, Nultien and perhaps the nicest: Bokitodonk. It just shows…
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De tweede Maasvlakte – 5 rondjes Rotjeknor
03:11
36.6 mi
11.5 mph
350 ft
350 ft
Ferry
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The Tour includes a crossing by ferry.
I spent my teenage years under the smoke of the second Maasvlakte, or Maasvlakte 2 as it is actually called but nobody calls it. Because I only find a round of Maasvlakte very short, I have also included Maassluis and Brielle in the route. The stretch between Hoek van Holland and Maassluis is also very…
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Schuitjes over de Schie – 5 rondjes Rotjeknor
02:26
25.4 mi
10.4 mph
275 ft
275 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The Delfshaven is not called that for nothing. The Schie runs all the way to Delft. A little history lesson before we get on our bikes: In 1389, the Count of Holland granted Duke Albrecht of Bavaria a special privilege. He gave Delft permission to dig a canal from the Schie below Overschie, to the Nieuwe…
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