If Boris Johnson wants help in implementing a city cycling scheme which is effective he could do far worse than looking to Amsterdam. Sure, most of the locals’ bikes cost less than the £45 Boris is charging for a year; but this is also brilliant for tourists as the bike shops (which are everywhere) rent bikes out very, very cheaply.
And it’s well known that Holland is flat. Very, very flat. So flat that Amsterdam is filled with a whole network of canals because it was so easy to build them. And all of this makes for brilliant cycling conditions: the city (as different from London) is home to countless cycle paths and the traffic is very safe – 2007 saw 18 traffic deaths in Amsterdam (including car crashes etc.) compared with 26 murders. Amsterdam is a city set up for cycling and yet, if you’re still bothered about the dangers of cycle paths, many of the canals have paths by the side which make for a picturesque ride.
But more importantly, the abundance of cycle paths makes it possible to visit almost any site in Amsterdam by bike – there are places to lock bikes all over the city.
The Rijksmuseum the city’s main art gallery (found on Hobbemastraat) is the sort of place where one can while away an entire day with its collections including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer. If you want more art the Van Gogh museum is just round the corner on Paulus Potterstraat. But if boredom strikes, one can hop on the bike elsewhere – to the floating flower market on the Singel Canal or the Amsterdam Historical Museum on Kalverstraat which, despite the odd name, showcases fascinating exhibits like the city plan of 16th century Amsterdam. Or NEMO, the fantastically anarchic science centre located by the Oosterdok with so many hands-on exhibitions that it will be a definite hit with the kids.
The point is, Amsterdam is very much a medium-sized capital city – much smaller than London or Paris. Because of this it’s really easy to get around by bike and the work done by the city council has made it even easier. The cycling is healthy and it is the best way to take in the calm of Amsterdam city centre as well as the extraordinary beauty of the surrounding roads. It truly is the only way to see Amsterdam properly.
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