Almere, Utopia-Almouderzand-Circlebos

There are many romantic, secret spots in the city forests of Almere. The trees are so high that they seem centuries old, but that is not less true: the polder forests were only created in the second half of the twentieth century. The Almouderhout consists of different forests, each of which has its own atmosphere. You will find seven works of art in the Circle Forest, while the Kathedralenbos is characterized by a beautiful design of grass and trees in the shape of the famous cathedral of Reims. Weave your way through the lush undergrowth as you enjoy the croaking concerts of frogs, see deer dart between the trees or watch hawks and buzzards soar above the treetops. Almere itself is one of the fastest growing cities in the Netherlands. In the second half of the twentieth century, the city developed rapidly into one of the largest cities in Flevoland, which was reclaimed in 1918. People who were originally supposed to settle in Amsterdam, but for whom the city no longer had space, ended up in Lelystad, or, from 1975, in Almere. The city originally had several cores, but this structure has been lost due to the growing together of the various cores. Since the 1990s, more and more exclusive, eye-catching homes have been built, making Almere a sight to behold. One of the most striking buildings is that of Kunstencentrum de Kunstlinie, which was opened by Queen Beatrix in 2007, but you can also see unique examples of architecture in the Rainbow neighbourhood. This route, which is more than 30 kilometers long, starts at Profile van der Linde (F). Before you start cycling through the neighborhoods of Almere, we advise you to have your bicycle thoroughly inspected by a bicycle specialist. This way you can be sure that you can safely complete your route. If you have a bicycle discount pass, you will receive a 10 euro discount on repairs or maintenance.