Historic gems in the heart of Holland

Distance: 41 or 29 km

The town hall of Gouda is one of the oldest Gothic town halls in Holland. Photo © Holland-Cycling.comThe town hall of Gouda is one of the oldest Gothic town halls in Holland. Photo © Holland-Cycling.com

This route takes you through the Green Heart of Holland, a water-rich, rural region dotted with picturesque historic towns. Highlights of the route are the centre of Gouda, famous for its cheese market and canals, and Oudewater, where alleged witches from all over Europe came to be weighed to prove their innocence.

You cycle through the centre of Gouda to the River Hollandse IJssel on the south side of town. From here you follow the dyke and tow path along the river to Haastrecht, Hekendorp and the Heksenwaag (Witches Weighhouse) in Oudewater. Via the Reeuwijkse Plassen, a series of typical Dutch lakes formed by turf-cutting, the route takes you back to Gouda train station.

Gouda Cycle Route

Distance: 41 km (2h45) or 29 km (1h55)
Type of route: Day trip, round trip
Starting point:

Gouda train station
- Bicycle rental
- Car parking

GPS: Download this route as a GPX file.

Find out more:

- For an overview of all of our must-do cycle routes, go to: Day trips.
- Do you need to rent a bike? Find out how on our Bicycle rental page.
- For an overview of guided tours from Gouda, go to our Guided tours section.
- For an overview of cycling holidays that include Gouda, go to our Holidays section.

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