Leeuwarden has been crowned the best cycling city in the Netherlands for the third consecutive year, according to the Dutch Cyclists Union annual index released Saturday.

The city scored highest on infrastructure, safety, and daily cycling habit. Nine out of ten residents say they use a bicycle as their primary mode of transport, a figure that has risen steadily since the city expanded its cycling network after winning the European Capital of Culture title in 2018.

The municipality added 40 kilometres of new or improved bike lanes between 2023 and 2025, including a dedicated commuter route connecting the city centre to the industrial zones in the north. A new covered bike parking facility at the train station handles 4,000 bicycles daily.

City councillor Maaike Jansen called the result a reflection of Frisian values. In Fryslân, the bicycle is not a lifestyle choice, it is simply how you get around. We have built the city around that reality rather than around the car.

The ranking puts Leeuwarden ahead of Groningen, which held the top spot for most of the previous decade, and Utrecht, which ranked third. Amsterdam placed fifth despite its international reputation as a cycling capital.

For residents of the Frisian countryside, the city's cycling culture extends outward. On summer weekends, organised rides through the polder landscape attract thousands of participants. The Elfstedentocht cycling variant, a 235-kilometre loop through all eleven historic Frisian cities, has a waiting list of over six months.