Enjoy the city of Dordrecht and the surrounding area

The Island of Dordrecht guarantees a unique cycling experience. Here you drive along waterways and through Dordrecht, a historic city with several monumental buildings and beautiful city parks. The route also makes a short trip to Papendrecht, where you drive along the banks of the Beneden-Merwede. You then cross the river back to the old city center of Dordrecht by ferry. From the harbor you have a beautiful view of the point where three rivers meet: the Bened-Merwede, the Noord and the Oude Maas. There is a lot of traffic on the water, because this is one of the busiest water junctions in Europe. The Island of Dordrecht is a unique part of the Netherlands, it was created by a flood disaster in 1421, the so-called St. Elisabeth Flood. The island is surrounded by no fewer than five rivers, including the Oude Maas. No wonder the island is so rich in water. Part of the route takes you along the green banks of the Wantij, the waterway that actually cuts the Island of Dordrecht in two. Despite the closure of the Haringvliet, the Wantij is still subject to the influence of the tides, the difference in water level can be up to 70 centimeters. With almost 120,000 inhabitants, Dordrecht is the fourth largest city in the province of South Holland. In the Middle Ages, Thuredrech, as it used to be called, developed into one of the six largest and most important trading cities in the Netherlands, but later this importance decreased. When you cycle through the city, this rich past will undoubtedly speak to you through the many old buildings. For example, in the heart of Dordrecht you pass the Weizigt house and estate. Only the mansion remains of the once extensive country estate. Over time, the city took more and more of the estate, so that Weizigt eventually became wedged between the station and the urban expansions in the heart of the center. The easternmost part has remained relatively untouched; a retirement home has been built overlooking the estate's original woodlands. You will also pass the Dordwijk Estate, which was built around 1635. At the entrance you will see a castle farm that partly dates from the foundation time. The estate also contains Huize Dordwijk from 1855, an Orangery from 1861 and Villa Sorghvliet from 1892. You can only take a tour of the estate accompanied by a Dordrecht IVN guide. Mill Kyck over den Dyck is the only one left in Dordrecht. It is located on the Noordendijk, which was constructed at the beginning of the seventeenth century as part of the first reclamation. A wooden post mill was built on the site of the mill in 1612 to grind malt for local beer breweries. However, this mill was blown down and was replaced by the current mill in 1713. The text in the facade stone (\\\'van outs genamt\\\') still refers to its wooden predecessor. The route starts and ends at Bike Totaal Zwaan Dordrecht at Dordrecht central station. Here you will find everything related to bicycles, such as parts, clothing and repairs. The friendly staff are happy to give you advice, for example about preventing saddle pain. You can also rent bicycles at Bike Totaal Zwaan: ideal if you like to travel by train, although there is of course also plenty of parking at the station.