Spijkenisse, Zwartewaal, Rozenburg

The locals themselves often refer to it as 'Spike City', but do their shopping in 'the village'. Indeed, Spijkenisse has characteristics of both a city and a village. The northern part of Spijkenisse borders the port area, which gives it an urban character due to its industry and activity. The southern part, however, has a completely different character; here you will still find farms and nature areas, which is more reminiscent of a village environment.

Zwartewaal is a village where the 'Battle of Zwartewaal' took place in 1351. Despite its modest size, you will come across many historical buildings, giving the village a rich historical atmosphere.

Rozenburg is the only place on the island of the same name. Most of the island has now been swallowed up by the expansion of the Rotterdam ports and the Botlek area. This gives Rozenburg a unique character, surrounded by industrial activities while remaining a residential area itself.

Poortugaal has a fast metro connection to Rotterdam's city centre, making it an attractive place to live for people working in the city. The name Poortugaal probably comes from the time of the Crusades, when inhabitants of the place came into contact with Portuguese. The coat of arms of Poortugaal especially used to bear many similarities with the coat of arms of Portugal, reinforcing this historical connection.

These places around Spijkenisse each have their own unique character and history, contributing to the diversity and richness of the region.

Note!
You will encounter a cycle ferry along the way. It sails from May to September. Check the Pit stop and the website for more information on the sailing schedule.
Are you cycling the route when the ferry does not sail? Then shorten the route slightly and cycle from junction 30 to 29 (or vice versa from the other direction).