Coastal Cycling Through Zeeland

Welcome to Zeeland, the Netherlands' southwestern corner where the sea, the dunes and the vast views set the tone for the week. Burgh-Haamstede is located on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland and becomes your base for the first night. If you're travelling by public transport, you should expect around three hours of travel time from Amsterdam Schiphol or the ferry terminal in Hoek van Holland, as the town lacks a train station and is reached by bus via Rotterdam. Once you arrive, one of the Netherlands' most scenic cycling regions awaits.

Already on the first day of cycling, you'll experience one of the trip's absolute highlights. You follow Schouwen-Duiveland's coast along more than 20 kilometres of some of the Netherlands' finest sandy beaches. White beaches, soft sand dunes and the salty sea air create a holiday feeling that lasts all day. It's easy to breathe here!

Soon you'll reach the Delta Works, the impressive system of dams, sluices and storm surge barriers built to protect Zeeland from flooding. You cycle across both Brouwersdam and Haringvlietdam with the North Sea on one side and calm inland seas on the other – an unusual and powerful experience.

The day ends in the historic fortress town of Brielle, whose star-shaped defensive works, moats and over 400 protected heritage buildings make the town one of the Netherlands' best preserved.

Today you leave the sea coast behind and cycle through a landscape shaped by centuries of struggle against water. Lakes, canals and small waterways break up the open polders on the island of Voorne-Putten before you continue on to Hoeksche Waard.

Here the fertile farmland is surrounded by high dikes lined with trees, farms and small villages. Twelve historic windmills still stand as reminders of how the land was once drained. The area is classified as a national landscape and also offers flowering roadsides that attract rich birdlife and many pollinators.

Via the Volkerakdam you reach today's destination, the charming fortress town of Willemstad. Here, a delicious pancake makes a fine After Bike treat.

The route continues across Goeree-Overflakkee, where the landscape alternates between rectangular polders, sand dunes and wide sandbanks. Across the Grevelingenbron you return to Schouwen-Duiveland. In the small fishing town of Bruinisse, often called "the gateway to Zeeland", you can take a break by the fishing harbour or the pleasant marina before continuing towards Zierikzee.

Zierikzee is one of the trip's true gems. The medieval town centre has been preserved almost intact and there are more than 500 heritage buildings here. Stroll along the winding alleys or settle down by the harbour. Also take the chance to try a local speciality, such as the sweet cinnamon pastry "Zeeuwse bolus" or "Schouws palingbroodje", which is bread filled with smoked eel. Anyone who wants to delve deeper into the town's history can visit the maritime museum and learn more about Zierikzee's significance as a trading and shipping town.

The trip's last cycling day fittingly becomes the most spectacular. You first cross the Zeelandbrug over the Oosterschelde and continue on to the island of Noord-Beveland, where quiet country roads lead through small villages, pastures and open fields. Soon you'll reach the Oosterscheldekering – the nine-kilometre-long storm surge barrier considered the crowning achievement of the Delta Works and one of the world's most advanced hydraulic engineering projects. Unlike a traditional dam, the barrier consists of enormous movable gates that almost always stand open to preserve the saltwater ecosystem, but close when the sea level threatens to rise more than three metres. Halfway across the storm surge barrier lies the artificial island of Neeltje Jans, where the Delta Expo provides a fascinating insight into the history behind the Delta Works – the enormous hydraulic engineering project that protects large parts of the Netherlands' coastline. Here you'll find exhibitions, an aquarium, seal shows, water activities and several other attractions.

The last stretch goes through the Kop van Schouwen nature reserve with its forests and sand dunes before you return to Burgh-Haamstede where the trip began.

After breakfast it's time to check out and leave Zeeland with new perspectives on how the sea, nature and engineering together have shaped one of the Netherlands' most fascinating landscapes. Feel free to let us book an extra night or two in Amsterdam if you'd like to visit this beautiful cycling city.