{"id":30065,"date":"2023-06-19T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/?p=30065"},"modified":"2026-01-23T13:32:33","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T12:32:33","slug":"sustainable-cycling-holidays-in-the-netherlands-this-is-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/en\/duurzaam-op-fietsvakantie-in-nederland-dit-moet-je-weten\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable cycling holidays in the Netherlands: this is what you need to know!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You are outdoors and on the move all day long<\/strong>, a cycling holiday is sustainable and healthy. Except for the occasional storm, our small and flat Netherlands is more accessible than ever, thanks in part to electric bikes and great routes and cycle paths. Cycling holidays are hip and far from just for ANWB couples in matching practical mackintoshes. Whether you go for the convenience of an e-bike or an old skool bike, what should you all consider when planning a more sustainable cycling holiday across the Netherlands? We've got it all figured out for you, including a sustainable packing list! We're going on a sustainable cycling holiday, who's coming along?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Cycling holidays in the Netherlands with an even greener edge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Picture it for a moment: you jump on your bike and ride towards the horizon. You enjoy the gentle sea breeze through your hair or that well-earned beer on the terrace after a long day of touring. Whichever route you choose, a cycling holiday through the Netherlands is a fun way to get to know our beautiful country better. You don't get any closer to nature, and at the same time you go fast enough to check out all kinds of beautiful sights. A day on the bike is never the same! And you know what's great about it? You can never cycle too much. It's good for your body and you leave the planet untouched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Netherlands cycling country!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Except for a punishing breeze and the chance of a downpour - but you can prepare for that - the Netherlands is the perfect cycling country. We became world-famous for a reason! Distances from A to B are relatively short, allowing you to see a lot in a day. From forests to cities and from the coast to World heritage sites<\/a>: The cycle path network in the Netherlands is really great. So no one is stopping you! The Netherlands is also nice and flat, which makes cycling easy. And last but not least<\/em>: The Netherlands is all set up for electric bikes. From home in the shed to that nice little restaurant: you can charge your battery almost anywhere. In short, a cycling holiday is not only fun, sustainable and healthy. It's also very easy to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>A cycling holiday is sustainable anyway, right?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

True! By definition, a cycling holiday is already a fantastic sustainable choice. If you look at the environmental impact of a holiday, the biggest culprit is our transport. So a bike, even an electric bike, is a top choice anyway. Only a walking holiday is even more sustainable. Are you more of a walking type? By the way, we have already written about that, check out these handy tips especially.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To give you a better idea of how sustainable and good a cycling holiday is, I like to draw a comparison with a car holiday. Using Milieu Centraal<\/a> I made a calculation. For the sake of convenience, I assume that two people cycle the Maas route from Maastricht to Hoek van Holland (450 kilometres) and sleep in B&Bs. While cycling, you emit no CO2. With a petrol car, you would emit 91 kilos of CO2 for the same trip, which could take a shower for six months, five days a week (showering for five minutes). Six months? Wow! If you then choose to ditch the B&B and go camping in a tent, you would save almost another 90 kilos of CO2. With that, you've already saved almost a year of showering. Have I now convinced you that a cycling holiday is a super sustainable way to travel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What you need to know about the e-bike<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At thegreenlist.nl <\/em>we encourage any form of cycling, including e-bikes. But an electric bike is a slightly less sustainable choice than a regular bike. While we totally understand that you don't want to miss out on that extra push, an e-bike is definitely more taxing if you buy a new e-bike especially for that cycling holiday and then leave it in the shed for most of the year. It's not practical and that's because of the battery. A battery contains rare raw materials that require intensive mining. And if anything is harmful, it is mining. Mining also involves a lot of child labour. Want to know more about this? Earlier, we spoke to an expert about cobalt, a rare metal found in every battery.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you want to go on holiday sustainably on an e-bike and don't have one yet? Then you can also rent, borrow or lease one. And try to charge it as much as possible with green electricity from solar panels. If you go for a rental or loan bike, make sure you cycle quite a bit beforehand and check the bike thoroughly. Having a bike mechanic look at it is not a bad idea if you are going to be out and about for a long time. Nothing is more annoying than having a breakdown or saddle sore on the first day of your holiday. With a professional hire company, you can be sure that the bike has been fully checked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Packing list for your sustainable cycling holiday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And then the packing list! What do you need for your greener cycling holiday in the Netherlands? As little as possible, of course! Those heavy panniers are not nice for anything or anyone. Still, you can't escape taking a few things with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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