Ode aan het schilderachtige Laag Hollandse Landschap

Start in Zaandam and cycle 92 km through North Holland in the footsteps of Monet, Signac, and Toorop. Picturesque villages, windmills, polders, and museums await you!

The scenery of Laag Holland has been the ultimate source of inspiration for many artists for centuries. This tour of approximately 92 km takes you past the idyllic spots that once inspired Claude Monet, Paul Signac, and Jan Toorop to create their most beautiful works. Visit the places where they stood, see what they saw – and understand why this landscape is so irresistible.

Directions

You start and end at the Zaans Museum at the Zaanse Schans in Zaandam, ideally accessible by train. From here, you cycle past the picturesque Haaldersbroek, exactly the spot where Monet created his paintings in 1871. You pass the scenic Zaan bend in Wormer – the setting for Arnold de Lange – and the historic Beschuitstoren. Next, you ride past the centuries-old Meelmolen De Koker and the Neckermolen along the North Holland Canal.

In Purmerend, you make a stop at the Koemarkt and the Purmerends Museum. Afterwards, you cycle through the vast, rationally parceled Beemster polder – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – past De Eenhoorn farm and the Betje Wolff Museum in Middenbeemster. Via the polder, you continue to historic Edam with its Cheese Market and museum, after which you cycle along the dike of Volendam with views over the Markermeer. In Volendam, you visit the museum with the famous Signac painting.

Returning via Monnickendam and the water-rich Waterland, you cycle through Broek in Waterland – where Jan Toorop created his famous pointillist work – and along the polder landscape of Ilperveld. Via Den Ilp and the Anton Heyboer Art Gallery, the Twiskemolen windmill, and Landsmeer, you return to Zaandam.

Highlights along the way

1. Zaans Museum (Zaandam) – Admire a real Claude Monet and discover the interactive presentation about his stay in the Zaan region in 1871.
2. Biscuit Tower & Flour Mill De Koker (Wormer) – Two remarkable monuments that tell the story of the industrial past of the Zaan region. De Koker ground flour for ship's biscuits and paper for Beethoven's scores.
3. De Eenhoorn Farm (Middenbeemster) – One of the most beautiful bell-shaped farmhouses in the Netherlands, from 1682, painted by Frans Langeveld.
4. Edam – Cheese Market & Museum – Stroll through a beautiful protected village landscape, visit the historic cheese market (on Wednesday mornings in summer) and the floating cellar in the Edam Museum.
5. Volendam Museum – Admire the authentic Paul Signac watercolor of the harbor of Volendam, once the most expensive overnight stay at Hotel Spaander in the world.
6. Anton Heyboer Art Gallery (Den Ilp) – Original works by the eccentric artist who lived here with his five wives and created tens of thousands of works.

Background story

Low Holland has been a magnet for artists for centuries. The vast polder landscape, the distinctive skies, the historic villages, and the windmills attracted renowned painters from far and wide. In 1871, Claude Monet created no fewer than 25 paintings and 9 sketches in the Zaan region. Paul Signac paid for his stay in Volendam with a watercolor that is now worth more than €100,000. In 1889, Jan Toorop created one of his most famous works in Broek in Waterland. With this route, you literally follow in their footsteps.

Tips and practical information

1. Distance: approximately 92 km (round trip, start and finish at Zaans Museum Zaandam)
2. Route type: recreational cycling route and e-bike route – ideal as a day tour on an e-bike or as a multi-day route
3. Sections: the route is divided into three sections of 36–42 km around Zaanstad/Wormerland, Purmerend/Beemster, and Edam/Volendam/Monnickendam respectively.
4. Signposting: via cycle nodes (including 94, 93, 45, 44, 47, 46, 06, 07, 08, 09, 95, 97, 99, 56, 55, 54, 02, 22, 21, 15, 19, 17, 12, 74, 50)
5. GPX: download gpx via the route page
6. Don't have your own bike? There are various locations along the route where you can rent a bicycle or e-bike.
7. Accessibility by public transport: the starting point, the Zaans Museum at the Zaanse Schans, is easily accessible by train (Zaandam station, Intercity from Amsterdam Central in ±17 minutes) and by bus. Volendam and Edam are also accessible by bus from Amsterdam or Purmerend if you wish to do part of the route.
8. Staying overnight along the way: various unique accommodations are located along the route; ideal for a multi-day cycling trip.
9. Season: rideable all year round; cheese market in Edam only in July and August on Wednesday mornings; breeding season in the Ilperveld (April–June): keep your distance from nests
10. Accessibility: mostly on paved cycle paths and quiet country roads; limited suitability for wheelchairs or strollers