https://www.google.com/search?q=delf...=1600&bih=1074

These are images of Delft - the others were of Gouda - but Delft is a really neat old town - don't miss the Porceleye Flex - the original factory of the famous Delft porcelain. Lots of shops in the town center but make sure they are selling authentic made in Delftware porcelain - the factory is a few miles out of town - it is a nice walk along a canal!

http://www.royaldelft.com/index.asp?lang=2

Cycling around Delft could get you into Delfland, an "old" area of polders, and a new area of hyper modern mega greenhouses. Around Delft, Biesland is a good destination, with wonderful Uylenburg to stop for lunch. Towards the coast, you could do a tour of Westland, and stop at Op Hodenpijl for lunch or dinner.

Uylenburg is also a hotel (something entirely different than staying in Delft itself, it's completely rural, yet within a 15 minute cycle ride from the centre of Delft)

http://www.uylenburg.nl/

Op Hodenpijl is also well known locally for its series of concerts.

http://www.ophodenpijl.nl/

Come to think of it, Op Hodenpijl is also an inn, but it's further away from Delft

http://www.ophodenpijl.nl/landgoed/348/Herberg_/

I think it would be a nice short enough bike trip from Delft to Kinderdijk, the windmill complex.

https://www.google.com/maps/views/vi...ch=110&fovy=75

neat picture of the bike path that goes right thru the heart of Kinderdijk's vast windmill complex - since it is an easy bike ride from Rotterdam is must be an easy ride from Delft as well!

I don't think it's short to be honest but you may be better trained than I am. Remember you have to get back too, and that's at the end of the day against a head wind. Delfland has its own rewards, and if it were me, I'd put the bike on the train, take the fast ferry from Rotterdam Erasmusbridge to Alblasserdam an tour Kinderdijk and Alblasserwaard. De Krom is a lovely stop along the Graafstroom river, where one can rent a whisper boat to explore further. At the end of the day it's easy to cycle back to Alblasserdam and take the fast ferry back to Rotterdam.

http://www.dekrom.info/content/

they say they can easily cover 30 to 40 miles - I just thought via Alblasserdam or whatever crossing point they could get there in 20 miles but I really don't know.

I know on the bike trips I conducted for years in Holland we easily - groups of up to 50 - went from Dordrecht to Kinderdijk and to Rotterdam in one day. Have to look at our old day route maps and years later all is rather hazy.

Oops I got Delft mixed up with Dordrecht - yes from best to go back thru Rotterdam and taking the boat menachem mentions could be a lot of fun (it would be for me!).

sorry about the brain malfunction - perhaps too many daze in Amsterdam?

I'd put the bike on the train, take the fast ferry from Rotterdam Erasmusbridge to Alblasserdam an tour Kinderdijk and Alblasserwaard.>

Having ridden bikes many times between Rotterdam and Delft it is a snap - mainly along a busy canal to Shiedam, then you could go to the ferry that would seem so fun and bikes and all transported to the Kinderdijk area.

Avoiding the train will save a lot of money as the fiets or bike tickets cost about $10 each I believe (not sure but used to) and it is an easy ride between Rotterdam and Delft IME - always neat to bike along a canal - a busy one at that!

6 euros, and the fare between Delft and Rotterdam is small.

me, I don't like the stretch between Delft and Rotterdam much (Rotterdamseweg), although Overschie is nice. I'd always choose to save my energy for where I can most make use of it, so I'd rather ride in Alblasserwaard and make that count. But to each their own.

I agree just saying it was an easy bike ride from Delft to Rotterdam if one is into biking but agree by far not the best biking venue in Holland but not bad either - on bike paths and winding thru Rotterdam can be fun and experience city cycling with zillions of others.

But doing more cycling in the Kinderdijk area is a great recommendation - saving energies and time for that - could I think end up in Dordrecht, a nice old historic town and take the train back to Delft from there.

Book marking

Still hoping for lodging ideas for Delft. It will be hard to choose the perfect bike rides but we sure appreciate the various routes. Shaping up to be a fun fun trip!
Thanks!

OK, now back to thinking we mihgt just do day trips/rides from Amsterdam. Has anyone rented an apartment in Amsterdam? We'll be there for 5 days and the Jordaan area looks like a great spot to located ourselves.
Thanks.

We enjoyed taking the train out to an art park and biking around.

Check July 15th on my Amsterdam report -

http://www.rimerson.com/Netherlands0...erlands09.html

a nice option for those without bikes - take the train to Ede-winningen and then a bus to the Otterloo entrance of Hooge Veluwe park and hop on free bikes to ride to Kroller-Muller art museum and sculpture park - thanks for Robim for mentioning that in her/his above post.

Has anyone rented an apartment in Amsterdam? We'll be there for 5 days and the Jordaan area looks like a great spot to located ourselves.>

Lots of reports of folks renting house boats in the lovely Jordaan area - check them out for a unique stay similar to a flat.

Ede winningen = Ede - Wageningen

Bookmarking for a future trip

Has anyone rented an apartment in Amsterdam? We'll be there for 5 days and the Jordaan area looks like a great spot to located ourselves.>

We just rented an apartment just north of the Jordaan through Airbnb. Since our visit is in May, we obviously cannot comment on the specific place or the general experience. We have rented apartments in Barcelona and Edinburgh with good results.

The picture of the fellow who rents the apartment, however, has a pleasant demeanor. (Insert ironic and hopeful smiley face.)