The best traffic-free bike rides around Valkenburg Aan De Geul

This is a very nice route

A good climb up, but for us it was downhill.

Schin op Geul is a picturesque church village in the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul in the south of the Dutch province of Limburg. The village lies in the picturesque Geul Valley, surrounded by rolling hills, slopes, and forests typical of the South Limburg landscape and popular with hikers, cyclists, and nature lovers. Schin op Geul's existence goes back a long way, and its name was already mentioned in donation documents from the 9th century (847, 968) in favor of the Abbey of St. Remigius in Reims and the Provostry in Meerssen, making the village one of the oldest written records in the present-day Valkenburg aan de Geul region. The village itself has a typical South Limburg character with a historic center and a rural atmosphere. One of the most famous buildings is the Sint-Mauritiuskerkbeen church, which has a long history and stands high on a slope and is part of the local religious and cultural-historical identity of the village. Schin op Geul is located on the Maastricht–Heerlen railway line, with its own station dating from 1913. It now serves both regular local trains and the Zuid-Limburgse Stoomtrein Maatschappij (South Limburg Steam Train Company), which offers tourist trips on a nostalgic steam locomotive to Simpelveld. The area surrounding Schin op Geul is particularly attractive for active visitors. The village is a great starting point for walks and bike rides through the hilly landscape, including routes along the Geul River and to nearby nature reserves like the Gerendaln, known for its dry valleys, orchids, and tranquility. Schin op Geul is also a popular destination for cyclists, as the famous Keutenberg climb from the Amstel Gold Race begins right in the village. This climb is one of the steepest in the Netherlands, with sections of up to approximately 22% gradient, making the village an icon in the cycling world. Furthermore, in and around Schin op Geul you'll find restaurants, bed and breakfasts, bungalow parks, campsites, and charming terraces along the Geul River, making the village a perfect holiday destination for guests who want to enjoy the tranquility of nature and Limburg hospitality. From Schin op Geul, you can also take historical walks, such as routes that take you along old paths, streams, and meadows with views of highlights like the Daolkesberg and the slopes of the Geul Valley.

The village of Eys lies amidst the renowned hilly landscape of South Limburg, which distinguishes itself from the rest of the Netherlands with its rolling meadows, steep slopes, and panoramic vistas. From various hiking and cycling trails around Eys, you can experience beautiful views of the village and its surroundings, especially when you hike uphill and look out over the Eyserbeek valley, the surrounding fields, and sweeping slopes. One of the most famous spots for such a view is along the paths towards Eyserbosweg and Doeveberg, where hiking trails take you to points with open perspectives over Eys and the South Limburg landscape. From here, the green hills stretch out in all directions, offering views of meadows, forests, and sometimes even the region's vineyards. These panoramas are so beloved that they are often captured by photographers and artists as quintessential South Limburg landscapes that evoke the feeling of standing on a Tuscan hillside. Hiking trails like the Gulpen-Wittem Wi3 take you through the area around Eys, with frequent viewing points where you can stop to take photos or simply enjoy the view. On clear days, you can see far across the forests and hills, with the village of Eys itself forming part of the picturesque panorama that makes this region so popular with hikers and cyclists. Thanks to Eys's location on a ridge and the presence of natural contour lines, the area offers places where you can literally stand on top of the slope and look down on the village center and the surrounding valley. This makes the view one of the most beautiful features of the South Limburg landscape, a landscape often praised in hiking guides and artworks for its atmosphere and beauty.

It is clearly signposted that it is a bicycle street, but in addition to some cars, there are also many pedestrians to watch out for – even though there are many interesting things to see to the right and left of the road.

Beautiful routes & opportunity for a coffee break

This monument in Ljubljana commemorates the bond of friendship between the Slovenian capital and the Dutch village of Schin op Geul. It was erected in 1965 as a symbol of solidarity and mutual support after World War II. The statue depicts a man with a lyre, a symbol of peace and culture.

Many good restaurants, for example Herbergier and Bie Jeanneke (great terrace)