The 102nd edition of the Tour de France is now only a few weeks away – starting on 4 July, it will be the sixth time the Tour de France kicks off in the Netherlands, this year starting for the first time in Utrecht.

If the idea inspires you to explore the Dutch towns, canals and countryside by bike this year, European activity holiday specialist UTracks has a number of trips – the most popular are:

Holland Family Bike and Barge - An itinerary specially designed for kids from 7 to 11 years old. Holland's flat cycle ways and pretty canals offer some of the most enchanting and safe cycling opportunities in Europe. Aboard your hotel barge and in the company of other families, cycle through the Dutch riverlands, visit the famous cheese town of Gouda and view the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk. 

Holland's Castles and Walled Towns - Do as the locals do: pedal by day to explore the Dutch dykes and country paths, while evenings are spent aboard UTracks' cosy hotel barge as it cruises along the picturesque canals. The trip takes in majestic castles, Hanseatic walled towns and antiquated fishing villages, with a special visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum, a hidden gem which houses 278 works by Van Gogh.

Countryside of IJssel Lake - There is more to Holland than the cities and this trip gives you the chance to cycle across some of Europe's finest nature reserves of 'De Weerribben', taking in old fishing ports, great waterways and the countryside around the picturesque IJssel Lake. Located just north of Amsterdam, this itinerary guides you through the rural area around the former inland sea called Zuiderzee.