Discover the picturesque town of Hoorn and its beautiful surroundings in a unique and personalized way. A private guided bike tour Hoorn allows you to enjoy the local sights, breathtaking landscapes and historical sites at your own pace. A private bike tour Hoorn and surroundings can also be combined with a guided tour or city walk through the center of Hoorn.
Practical information private guided bike tour Hoorn
- Starting point: Hoorn train station
- Distance and duration: varying from 15 to 30km / 3 hours (including coffee break)
- Break along the way: there will be opportunity for break and refreshments along the way.
- Type of bike available: electric bikes and city bikes (your choice!)
- Maximum group size: for safety reasons, the maximum number of participants in a private bike tour is no more than 6 people.
- Costs: EUR 225,- per private group excluding bike rental. (Electric Bike: 25,- per bike / Regular Bike 12,50 per bike)
Route and distance based on your preferences!
We tailor the route and duration of the bike tour Hoorn to your needs and interests. Bike tours range from three to three and a half hours. Along the way there is always room for a break and something to drink and eat. Below is a brief description of possible routes.
Bike tour ‘Windmills and City Towers’
In this bicycle tour, we cycle from Hoorn through the village of Blokker to windmill De Krijgsman. Then we cycle to the beautiful village of Schellinkhout where we pass a water mill. Along a piece of the ‘Westfriese Omringdijk’ we cycle back to Hoorn where we enter at the ‘Oosterpoort’. Then we cycle through the old harbor to the Main Tower and also visit the ‘Oostereiland’. The distance of this route is about 20km.
Bike tour ‘Historic harbors and villages’
This route takes us to the villages of Oudendijk and Schardam. Here we get a good view of how the Dutch conquered the land from the sea. The way back to Hoorn runs along the new city beach of Hoorn. In Hoorn we cycle along the old harbors and also visit some of the most beautiful monuments. The total distance of the route is about 30 km.
Bike tour Hoorn: ‘City and water’
This bicycle tour runs from Hoorn to the drowned village of Etersheim. Along the way we pass the village of Schardam and visit one of the lowest points in the Netherlands (almost six meters below sea level). On this bicycle tour, you will see how the Dutch have been subduing water and building and improving dikes and waterworks for 800 years. Back in Hoorn, we cycle past the city’s new and historic harbors and the historic monuments located there. The route is about 25km.
Bike tour ‘growing city’
The bicycle is the best means of transportation to get a good idea of the historical and modern city development of Hoorn. In this bike tour Hoorn we follow a route that first takes us to city expansions in the 19th century, the early 20th century, the post-war period and then the rapid growth around 1970, around 1990 and around 2010. Then we return to the Historical Center and visit the monuments of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. This is a bicycle tour of about 17 km.
Bike tour ‘Churches and farms’
In Hoorn and the surrounding villages you will find many small and large Churches. Their origins lie in the Reformation and the formation of the new kingdom in the 19th century. Today, many churches are no longer in use as such, but have been given another purpose as residential houses, offices, cultural centers, etc. We will pass several special small and large churches and a number of classic farmhouses in an architectural style typical of the region. The more churches you want to see, the longer the route becomes!
Bike tour ‘Tulips and dikes’
During the months of March and April there are many flowering tulip fields in the immediate vicinity of Hoorn. A bicycle tour is the best way to visit them. The route can be different every year because tulip growers can only grow tulips on the same plot once every five years. We always know exactly where the best fields are. During this bicycle tour from Hoorn we take the nicest country roads and pass a classic Dutch windmill. Total approx. 30km.
City bike or electric bike?
Why a city bike?
An ordinary city bike without pedal assistance is fine for an experienced cyclist! If you weigh less than 55 kg, it is quite a heavy bike and we still recommend an electric bike. Most students use a regular city bike for their daily trip to school. Highly recommended if you are in good shape!
Why an electric bike?
With an electric bike it’s really easy. The rental price is a little higher, but especially on longer routes it is highly recommended. Around Hoorn the wind can be quite strong, and in headwinds extra pedal assistance is very comfortable. For a bike tour longer than 20 kilometers, we recommend this option.
Book a private bike tour Hoorn
Why take a bike tour with Local Guide Hoorn?
At ‘Local Guide Hoorn’ we believe that every traveler is unique and has their own interests and preferences. That’s why we tailor our private bike tours entirely to your needs. Whether you are interested in the rich history of Hoorn, want to experience the local culture or just enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes, the guide will make sure the tour suits your needs.
Our guides are local experts who are passionate about Hoorn. They know the city and its surroundings like the back of their hand and are happy to share their knowledge and love of the area with you. They will not only show you the well-known highlights, but also reveal the hidden gems and local secrets. Last but not least, they speak fluent English.
Sightseeing around Hoorn
Windmill ‘The Warrior’
The first mill in Oosterblokker was originally built in 1602. When it blew down completely in 1862, a new octagonal wooden mill was built, named ‘The Warrior’. This mill burned down in September 1896 due to a lightning strike. Parts of a mill from Zaandam were used to rebuild it. Because there was a lot of fruit growing in the area, in order to catch enough wind, the mill was placed on a five-meter high substructure. This made the new windmill ‘The Warrior’, with a rack height of 10.40 meters, the highest mill in North Holland.
The Mercifull Samaritan
The mercifull samaritaan is a monumental farmhouse dating from 1659 and located on Westerblokker in the municipality of Hoorn. Although the farm is a ‘stolp’ farm of the typical West Frisian type, it has some exceptional features. Usual for a stolp farmhouse is the square (or sometimes rectangular) ground plan. The mercifull samaritaan has a separate gentlemen’s room located in the front behind the large sash window. Above the front door, the frame features the Biblical representation of the mercifull samaritaan. This frame was reconstructed during the 1989 restoration.
West-Frisian Circular Dyke
The Westfriese Omringdijk (West-Frisian Circular Dyke) is a 126 km long dike created by linking several short dikes in the West Friesland region. The dike connects the cities of Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Alkmaar, Schagen, Medemblik. West Friesland has a long tradition of building dikes to keep areas dry. In the mid-thirteenth century, more and more areas began to be connected by building dikes. Over time, a system was created that is now known as the Westfriese Omringdijk. From the beginning of the sixteenth century, the dikes reached their final location.
Beatles monument
The world-famous band, The Beatles from Liverpool in England, performed only once in the Netherlands. That was on June 6, 1964, in the village of Blokker. Nobody wanted them in their venue at the time. People were terrified that the hall would be demolished, as had happened in the US. In auction hall “Op hoop van zegen,” where fruit and vegetables were normally auctioned, The Beatles were allowed to perform. Ben Essing, son of the mayor of the village, dared. He brought famous artists to Blokker between 1956 and 1966. After the concert in the tiny village, the tour went on to Hong Kong and Sydney.
Etersheimbraak
Between Hoorn and Edam lies the ‘Etersheimer Braakpolder’. This small piece of North Holland shows you how the landscape was formed by wind and water and how the inhabitants made sure they kept their feet dry. You will find mills, pumping stations and also the lowest point of North Holland, located at 6.63 meters below N.A.P. Since the foundation of Etersheim around the year 800, the village has moved inland several times. The dikes broke regularly. A major flood shortly after 1400 caused part of Etersheim to disappear into the water. You don’t have to fear wet feet now, only when it rains very hard.
Schellinkhout
Schellinkhout is a beautiful village located on the Markermeer near Hoorn. The place name is first mentioned in 1282. In 1402 Schellinkhout even received city rights, but never had voting rights in the States of Holland and West Friesland, like “real” cities. It has always maintained a rural character. In the village you will find the Martinus Church, the oldest part of which was possibly built in the 14th century. The adjacent town hall was built in 1765. West of Schellinkhout is a polder mill from the 17th century. This mill took care of the drainage of the polder behind it until 1914.
Practical things to consider
The landscape around Hoorn is open and not very sheltered. It blows quite often. Because most of the cycling routes go through open countryside, the wind has free rein. Fortunately, you can rent electric bicycles everywhere these days.
As in the rest of the Netherlands, the roads are excellent. Closer to town there are lots of bike paths. The routes on this page mostly follow small roads, village roads and dike roads. You may encounter the occasional agricultural vehicle on these narrow roads. Farmers are used to cyclists but give them space!
Along the way you will encounter many rest areas and benches to take a moment to enjoy the beautiful views. You will intentionally not encounter a trash can there. It is the intention that everyone takes their own waste with them; that way we keep it tidy for everyone.
Bike tour combined with city tour
A bicycle tour can be combined well with a city walk through the historic center of Hoorn. We advise in that case to go cycling in the morning. At the end of the bike tour there is then the opportunity for a lunch at one of the many restaurants in the city center. After lunch you can go for a walk along the most beautiful monuments of the city.
For more information on guided city tours, click here!
