In Denmark practically everybody rides a bike, and in 2008 bicycle-friendly Copenhagen was named the world’s first Bike City by the International Cycling Union, UCI.
In Denmark practically everybody rides a bike, and in 2008 bicycle-friendly Copenhagen was named the world’s first Bike City by the International Cycling Union, UCI.
In Amsterdam, the rental agency, Mac Bike, recommended a route called “The Great Waterland Bicycle Tour.” I followed the route, well described on the map, through Amsterdam, riding past charming canals, beautiful architecture, over pedestrians (well, past most but nearly over one or two who stepped in front of the bike) and alongside other cyclists [...]
In Amsterdam, the rental agency, Mac Bike, recommended a route called “The Great Waterland Bicycle Tour.”
I followed the route, well described on the map, through Amsterdam, riding past charming canals, beautiful architecture, over pedestrians (well, past most but nearly over one or two who stepped in front of the bike) and alongside other cyclists and eventually found my way to the train station and the ferry across to Waterland, north of Amsterdam.
The ferries are free and transit every five minutes or so. A ramp lowers and you push your bike on. In fact, I don’t think there is any public facility that hasn’t been set up for bikes. Even outdoor stairways, have a steel gutter to accommodate the bike’s wheels. The ferry transit is only a couple of minutes, and I stood there among a throng of other cyclists waiting to reach the other side.
Once you land in Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, you have several choices to get yourself to the city center and your hotel. You can buy tickets using a credit card from the machines pictured above.
Once you land in Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport, you have several choices to get yourself to the city center and your hotel. You can buy tickets using a credit card from the machines pictured above.
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Love cruising? Love cycling? Love sweets? From Rotterdam, I cycled less than 10 miles to Delft, the charming village where I stopped to eat and learn more about Stroopwafels with Wil and Erik Schravendijk. You can rent bikes in Rotterdam near the Central Train Station for around 6.50 euros. You’ll need to leave a 50 [...]
Love cruising? Love cycling? Love sweets? From Rotterdam, I cycled less than 10 miles to Delft, the charming village where I stopped to eat and learn more about Stroopwafels with Wil and Erik Schravendijk.
You can rent bikes in Rotterdam near the Central Train Station for around 6.50 euros. You’ll need to leave a 50 euro deposit, and be sure to bring identification and notes, as the bike shop does not accept credit cards.
In a tiny cafe at one end of Gamla Stan’s Stortorget square, a frothy cappuccino serves as the centerpiece for a scene that is quintessentially Stockholm. In the center of the oversized cup, coffee has been deliberately dripped onto the foamy realms to form a heart, an unintended icon that takes the same shape as [...]
In a tiny cafe at one end of Gamla Stan’s Stortorget square, a frothy cappuccino serves as the centerpiece for a scene that is quintessentially Stockholm.
In the center of the oversized cup, coffee has been deliberately dripped onto the foamy realms to form a heart, an unintended icon that takes the same shape as Stockholm’s Old Town when seen from the lofty heights of City Hall Tower.
The Old Town, or Gamla Stan as it is known, has been a meeting place since 1252. Today, more than 800 years later, it continues to pulsate as the heart of Stockholm.
As on most days here at the uber-cozy, candlelit and tiny Chokladkoppen, espresso machines hiss as patrons poke their heads through the front door in hopes of finding a vacant table. Those sitting at the tables and those wanting to occupy them are all drawn here by the same primordial urge: the need to fika.
What’s fika? You’ll read about that in a moment. For now, stay with me. You’re about to learn how to spend two days that you’ll never forget in one of the world’s most beautiful — and fascinating — cities. Continue reading »
Stockholm a fairly compact city, so it’s easy to get around and explore. You can walk or bike to most places of interest in Stockholm, or, in this city of islands, you can hop on a ferry.
Stockholm a fairly compact city, so it’s easy to get around and explore. You can walk or bike to most places of interest in Stockholm, or, in this city of islands, you can hop on a ferry.
