Amsterdam, Nieuw West, Sloten

Vondelpark is probably the first place that comes to mind when thinking of green spaces in Amsterdam. But did you know that our bustling capital has many more beautiful parks waiting to be explored? This route shows you the hidden green side of the city.

Take the Amsterdam Forest, for example, originally designed by nature lover Jac P Thijsse. It’s the perfect place to relax. Unless you’re a professional rower training on the rowing course for international championships, of course. The forest was created to make sure there would always be green space available in such a dense urban area.

Westerpark is another well known park in the city. It’s home to the Westergas factory, which produced gas for Amsterdam starting in 1885. The factory closed in the 1960s, leaving behind polluted industrial land. In the 1990s it was finally cleaned up and transformed into a cultural park – a great mix of industrial heritage and creative spaces in the green.

Erasmuspark was created in the 1930s when the city was rapidly expanding. It was designed in the style of the Amsterdam School. Rembrandtpark was literally built from the ground up. In the 1970s, land was raised and shaped to become a new recreation area. That became the Rembrandtpark.

Finally, you’ll visit the Lange Bretten, an area of old peat and polder landscape. It’s much older than the city neighbourhoods around it. Unlike the other parks, this area wasn’t designed as a park but developed as a green buffer between the city and the harbour. It’s wild and rugged, with reedlands, narrow trails and little bridges over water. It’s also an important habitat for small mammals and many birds. Bird lover? Don’t forget your binoculars.

After this ride, one thing is clear: there’s so much green to discover in and around Amsterdam. This route focuses on the urban nature of the western part of the city. But if you cycle all around Amsterdam, you’ll find many more green gems.