At PureAlb, we’ve always believed that the best way to explore a city is on two wheels. Whether it’s through the colorful streets of Tirana or along the coastline of Albania, cycling gives travelers a unique, up-close experience of a place. That’s why we recently took a trip to the Netherlands to meet with Baja Bikes, a well-known bike tour platform that has been helping people explore cities around the world for nearly 20 years.
What is Baja Bikes?
Baja Bikes started in 2005 when a Dutch entrepreneur, passionate about cycling, realized that visitors to Barcelona were missing out on the full experience of the city. The idea was simple: create guided bike tours that allow travelers to see more in less time, just like locals do. The concept took off, and today, Baja Bikes operates in over 200 cities worldwide, offering guided bike tours and rentals in some of the most exciting destinations.
Why We Visited the Netherlands
Over the past few years, we’ve noticed a trend—a huge number of our bike tour customers come from the Netherlands. In fact, about 60% of our riders are Dutch. Cycling is second nature to them, and many of them are already familiar with Baja Bikes.
So, we decided to go straight to the source. We traveled to the Netherlands and did a Baja Bikes tour ourselves—cycling through the streets of Amsterdam, seeing the city like a local, and experiencing just how integrated biking is into everyday life. It was eye-opening. There are more bikes than cars, dedicated cycling lanes everywhere, and an entire culture built around biking. It’s not just transportation—it’s a way of life.
A Potential Collaboration in the Works?
Seeing how much Dutch travelers love Baja Bikes, we’re now in talks with them to bring Baja Bikes to Tirana. This means that in the future, travelers could book our bike tours through their platform, making it easier for Dutch visitors—and other international travelers—to find and experience biking in Albania.
Tirana might not be Amsterdam, but cycling here is becoming more popular than ever. Our tours already give visitors a mix of history, culture, and adventure, and we’re excited about the possibility of introducing even more people to the beauty of Albania through cycling.
What’s Next?
If you’re from the Netherlands and love Baja Bikes, stay tuned—we might have some exciting news soon! In the meantime, if you’re visiting Tirana, our Tirana bike tour is already running daily !