Looking for a nice cycling destination, not too far from home? Within maximum 4 hours drive from Central Netherlands You’ll find beautiful places. Ideal for a weekend bike trip! Now that the days are getting longer and spring is in sight, this is the perfect time to get back on the bike and explore new regions. In this article, we’re sharing our favorite destinations with you!
1. Elevation meters in the Eifel from Monschau
Do you want to make some long-distance rides early in the season? Then go cycling for a few days in the Eifel in Germany. Just a short three-hour drive from Utrecht, you’ll find yourself in Monschau; the perfect base from which to explore the area via various routes. Besides the fact that this area is beautiful and really gives a ‘foreign’ feeling, you can also easily do some hill climbing here! This area is also a great place for cyclists who want to cycle in the mountains for the first time next summer. You can practice climbing and descending here. Last tip: Plan a bike ride to the west as well: Hoge Venen Nature Park It is just across the border in Belgium and is quite different from the German Eifel region. Visit this area on gravel bike for the most beautiful trails through the area.
Read more about climbing in the Eifel here, and immediately save the two routes at the bottom of the page.
3rd Weekend Apeldoorn | Discover the Salland Hills and the Veluwe
From Apeldoorn you can discover the most beautiful cycling areas. On the one hand, the Sallandse Heuvelrug and climbs like the Lemelerberg or the Motieweg, and on the other side the Veluwe with its Posbank, It’s a shame to visit this area just for one ride. This is the perfect destination for a weekend bike trip near home.
2. The iconic gravel roads of Paris – Roubaix
Whether this is really fun? The hellish gravel roads of Paris – Roubaix are not really inviting for a relaxing bike ride. But you really can’t help but ride them once in a while. What we normally love about roads with a tight, well-maintained surface, suddenly no longer applies when we talk about these special bumpy roads. They are too special; there is too much history and story behind them. They are hellish, but beautiful at the same time. On April 13, 2025, this beautiful, raw landscape will once again be the backdrop for the official Paris–Roubaix; the 122nd edition this time. Do you want to experience for yourself how hellish the gravel sections are? Then read in this article what the five gravel tracks are that you shouldn't miss!
4. Always good: cycling in Zuid-Limburg
South Limburg is of course not to be missed on this list. Not too far from home, beautiful roads through rolling countryside, terribly steep climbs, and a great cycling culture. You can always find a good place here. And where better to start than from the Iconic CaubergSander visited Landal Castle Estate de Cauberg and tells in This article covers everything about this cycling destination (including routes!).
5. Belgian Ardennes | Beautiful nature and tough climbs
The Belgian Ardennes are also close by. Less than three hours’ drive from Central Netherlands, you’re already in Spa, a good base from which to explore the region. The Belgian Ardennes have everything: rolling hills and a low-lying valley with peaks up to over 600 meters. There are all kinds of Those nasty climbs you should have taken at least once, like the Côte de La Redoute, or the Wall of Hoei, to name just one. Besides Spa, places like Durbuy, La Roche-en-Ardenne or Malmedy are great starting points for your cycling adventures.
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.