Amsterdam Windmill ToursThe Amsterdam Countryside Bike Tour: A Chalk Windmill, a Cheese Farm and Two Ferry Crossings
This Amsterdam countryside bike tour is the one trip on this site that never goes to Zaanse Schans. It crosses the IJ by ferry into Amsterdam-Noord and rides about thirteen miles through Waterland: the 1792 chalk mill Krijtmolen d'Admiraal, the Dikhoeve farm for two fresh cheeses, the church-tower village of Ransdorp and the dike road at Nieuwendammerdijk. Three hours, $52.01, rated 4.8 from 392 reviews. It is also the most demanding thing here, and half the distance runs in Amsterdam traffic, which the three-star reviews describe in detail. Every coach alternative sits on the Amsterdam windmill tours comparison.
The Ride at a Glance
Flagship Bike Tours
3 hours, about 13 miles or 20-plus kilometres
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 101, guides and bikes in bright orange
3-speed with handbrakes, or an e-bike for riders 165 cm and over
12
4.8 from 392 reviews
From $52.01 per person, gratuities included
Check Dates
Flagship sells this ride through Viator and it fills in summer. If the slot you want has gone, the calendar covers the coach trips to the mills on the Zaan instead.
Where This Ride Goes That Coaches Cannot
North, Not to the Zaan
Every coach on this site drives north-west up the motorway to Zaandam. This tour rolls onto the free IJ ferry behind Centraal and lands in Amsterdam-Noord, and within twenty minutes of the crossing the city has stopped: canals, farmhouses, sheep, and a horizon with nothing on it.
Aaron S., May 2026: "From the bustling streets of Amsterdam around the palace and the train station to the wonderful amazingly close countryside that reminded my son and I of both Monet and van Gogh paintings."
The windmill here is not a museum piece with a ticket desk. Krijtmolen d'Admiraal dates from 1792 and ground shells and limestone into chalk for paint and building material, and it stands at the edge of a working neighbourhood rather than a heritage village.
The Cheese Is Made Where You Eat It
Dikhoeve is a working farm with cows, sheep and, in season, lambs to pet. Thirty minutes there gets you two fresh cheeses, one sheep and one cow, made on the premises, with drinks included.
One reviewer found the stop slightly awkward, with no formal greeting on arrival. Most describe the cheese and the animals as the high point of the ride. It is a farm, not a visitor centre, and the difference shows in both directions.
Be Honest About the Distance
Thirteen Miles, Half of Them in Traffic
Melanie P. wrote the most useful review this tour has, at three stars in May 2026: "If you are someone who has not been on a bike in many years, even if you are fairly active, this tour is not for you. It is not an easy-going stroll through the countryside with lots of stops where you have a chance to take cute photos like the advertising shows. You end up biking over 13 miles, half of which is still in the city."
Diana B., the same month: "Within the city of Amsterdam it is very dangerous for older people to ride a bike. The cyclists in the city are way too fast and traffic is awful and chaotic."
Amsterdam cycle lanes run fast and close. Locals commute through them at speed, the lights are short, and a group of twenty tourists trying to cross together is the hardest part of the whole three hours. The polder afterwards is flat and empty. Getting there is the work.
- About 20 kilometres total, roughly half inside the city
- Minimum age 12, and no lower limit on cycling ability, so groups move at mixed speeds
- Emily B. reports covering only 4 km in the first hour on a slow group day
- Not suitable if you have not ridden a bike in years
The E-Bike Height Rule Nobody Publishes
The e-bike needs a rider of at least 165 cm, about 5 feet 5. That requirement does not appear on the Viator listing, and two reviewers found out about it at the shop. Anyone shorter rides a standard 3-speed instead, which changes the pace for them and for whoever they came with.
If the e-bike is the reason you are booking, measure first and message the operator before you pay.
Included and Not Included
In the Price
For a bike tour this list is unusually complete, gratuities included.
- English-speaking guide, born-and-raised locals in several cases
- Comfortable 3-speed bicycle with handbrakes
- E-bike option for riders 165 cm and taller
- Free helmet on request
- Two types of fresh farm cheese, sheep and cow, plus drinks at Dikhoeve
- Both IJ ferry crossings
- Gratuities
Not Included
Little, though the physical requirement is the real cost.
- Lunch or anything beyond the farm cheese and drinks
- Wheelchair access, and the tour is not suitable for non-cyclists
- Any entry to Zaanse Schans, which this ride does not visit
The Route
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Start
Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 101
The Flagship Bike Tours shop near Centraal. Guides and bikes in bright orange outside. Fitting and a helmet if you want one.
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~20 min
Through the centre and the Jordaan
Past the palace and the station, into the Jordaan and up to the IJ. City cycling with the guide managing the group through junctions.
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Crossing
IJ ferry to Amsterdam-Noord
Free and included. The IJ has carried Amsterdam's trade since the thirteenth century.
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Stop
Noorderpark and Krijtmolen d'Admiraal
Through the park to the 1792 chalk mill that ground shells and limestone for paint and mortar.
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30 min
Dikhoeve cheese farm
Cows, sheep and lambs in season. Two fresh cheeses made on site, with drinks.
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Ride
Ransdorp, Waterland and Nieuwendammerdijk
The village around its unfinished church tower, then flat canal-crossed polder and the old dike road lined with timber houses.
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Crossing
IJ ferry back
The return crossing to the city, with the skyline coming up in front of you.
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End
Back at the shop
Three hours after the start, at the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal meeting point.
Practical Notes
Before You Book
This is the tour where the small print decides whether the day works.
- E-bike riders must be at least 165 cm; it is not on the listing
- Minimum age 12, maximum 100 travellers across departures
- Ride happens in rain, and Dutch rain is horizontal often enough to matter
- Bring a windproof layer: the polder has nothing to shelter behind
- Not wheelchair accessible, and not for anyone who has not cycled recently
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Which Guide You Get Matters Less Here
Skip is the name that recurs most. Kristin H., May 2026: "Sure hope you can get Skip as a guide. He was very knowledgeable, funny, and kept everyone safe." Elisa B. the same month credits him with keeping the group together while still telling the history. Ian, Ron and Eloise draw the same kind of review.
Unlike the coach tours, the risk on this trip is not the guide. It is whether the group you land in can ride.
What to Bring, and What Is Not Allowed
Everything you need to ride comes with the bike. What you have to supply is clothing for open polder with no shelter on it.
- Bring: a windproof layer, gloves outside summer, and a card for the farm shop
- Not allowed: riders under 12, and e-bikes for anyone under 165 cm
- Not suitable for anyone who has not cycled in years, however fit
- A free helmet is available on request, and gratuities are already in the price
Where the Ride Goes
North across the IJ into Waterland: Krijtmolen d'Admiraal, the Dikhoeve farm and the village of Ransdorp.
Who It Is For
Book It If
This ride rewards a specific kind of visitor.
- You cycle regularly and are comfortable in city traffic
- You want the countryside rather than the heritage village
- You would rather earn the cheese than be driven to it
- You have already seen Zaanse Schans, or have no interest in it
Not Suitable For
The three-star reviews are unanimous on who should stay off it.
- Anyone who has not ridden a bike in years, however fit
- Riders nervous in fast, crowded cycle lanes
- Children under 12, and riders under 165 cm who wanted the e-bike
- Anyone whose main goal is the windmills of Zaanse Schans: take the half-day coach instead
Questions About the Bike Tour
How far is the ride?
About 13 miles, or a little over 20 kilometres, in three hours. Roughly half of that runs inside Amsterdam, which is the demanding half. The Waterland polder afterwards is flat and quiet.
Do I need to be fit?
You need recent cycling experience more than fitness. Reviewers who were active but had not ridden in years found the city traffic stressful and fell behind the group. If that describes you, take an e-bike or book something else.
What is the e-bike height requirement?
165 cm, about 5 feet 5. The requirement is not published on the listing, and two reviewers only found out at the shop. Riders under it are given a standard 3-speed.
Does the tour go to Zaanse Schans?
No. It goes north across the IJ into Waterland, to Krijtmolen d'Admiraal and the Dikhoeve farm. For the windmill village on the Zaan, take one of the coach tours.
Is the cheese tasting included?
Yes. Two fresh cheeses, one sheep and one cow, both made at Dikhoeve, with drinks, during a thirty-minute farm stop. Gratuities are included in the ticket as well.
What happens in bad weather?
The ride goes ahead. Bring a windproof layer, because the polder offers no shelter at all and the exposed dike sections carry the wind straight off the water.
What Riders Said
So glad we opted for the ride outside of the city. Eloise was a fantastic guide. The scenery was gorgeous and the cheese at the farm was so delicious. Lots of great historical information was shared and we also got a little exercise.
Sure hope you can get Skip as a guide. He was very knowledgeable, funny, and kept everyone safe. The ride is such a blast, riding through the city and then that gorgeous countryside.
You end up biking over 13 miles, half of which is still in the city and can be a bit stressful with a big group trying to get through short green lights. I would only recommend this tour if you are an avid cyclist.