Best Things to See in the Netherlands Besides Amsterdam

Hundreds of thousands of vacationers come to the Netherlands yearly, and most of them restrict their go to to Amsterdam and maybe Keukenhof tulip backyard. However there are such a lot of issues to see within the Netherlands moreover Amsterdam!

I’ve lived within the Netherlands for 3 years and travelled lots across the nation throughout this time. There are such a lot of issues to see and expertise within the Netherlands. Its cities, quite a few museums and galleries, castles, parks, meals, structure, tulips, windmills, canals and boats.

So if in case you have a couple of days to spend within the Netherlands, right here is the listing from an area (nicely, nearly an area) of one of the best issues to see within the Netherlands moreover Amsterdam.

See additionally: Best Things to Do on Texel, Netherlands (Including Where to Stay and What to Eat)

Giant vibrant cities within the Netherlands

Apart from Amsterdam, the Netherlands has different massive cities price visiting akin to Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second largest metropolis within the Netherlands. Spend a day strolling within the metropolis to see a number of the main landmarks akin to Market Corridor, Dice Homes, Witte Huis, Erasmus bridge, Metropolis Corridor and others.

Make certain to go to Oude Haven (Previous Harbour) with its previous basin and restored boats. Get to the viewing platform of Euromast – the tallest constructing within the Netherlands. Take a ship tour to see the town from the water and to take a look at Europort – the biggest seaport in Europe.

Associated tour: Rotterdam: River Cruise and Euromast Entrance Ticket

The Hague

The Hague metropolis shouldn’t be solely the house of the United Nations’ Worldwide Courtroom of Justice, but in addition the house of Dutch authorities and Dutch royal household. When within the Hague, take a look at the Dutch parliament constructing advanced – Binnenhof – with its interior yard and big pond in entrance of the advanced.

See work by the world well-known artists in Mauritshuis museum. Go to Madurodam – a park of miniatures with replicas of Dutch cities and landmarks, outside exhibitions and actions for the entire household. Take a tram to Scheveningen – the Hague’s well-known seashore and promenade with many cafes and eating places.

See additionally: Things to Do in The Hague: A Local’s Guide

Utrecht

Utrecht is the fourth largest metropolis within the Netherlands and well-known for its medieval metropolis heart, previous canals and the tallest church tower within the nation – Domtoren. Stroll the previous streets of Utrecht downtown, stroll alongside the Oudegracht and dine in one of many many eating places by the water.

Admire cathedral tower of Domtoren, gothic-style cathedral of Domkerk and cosy previous backyard of Pandhof. Go to museum Speelklok with its massive assortment of self-playing musical devices or Spoorwegmuseum – an superior railway museum, particularly if travelling with youngsters.

Small cosy cities to go to within the Netherlands

Don’t underestimate the smaller cities within the Netherlands. Small Dutch cities have a number of the most attention-grabbing points of interest within the nation. As a result of they’re small and compact, it’s straightforward to go to the smaller cities as a day trip from Amsterdam. Listed below are a number of the small cities within the Netherlands I’d advocate visiting.

Delft

Metropolis of Delft is known for its Delftware – Delft blue pottery. You may visit a Delftware factory and be taught concerning the historical past and technique of the Delftware manufacturing. Again within the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries Delft was truly one of many main cities within the Netherlands and the residence of Dutch prince of Orange.

Regardless that these days the town is small, it’s nonetheless wealthy on Dutch historical past and has many historic monuments and museums price visiting. Delft was additionally a house to the well-known Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (‘The Milkmaid’ and ‘Lady with a Pearl Earring’ are only a few of his works that you simply may know).

Maastricht 

Although Maastricht is about 2 hours away from all the main cities of the Netherlands (which is taken into account far on this small nation), I’d nonetheless advocate visiting it. Maastricht is well-known in Europe because the birthplace of the European Union and ‘euro’ foreign money.

Within the Netherlands it’s often called one of many oldest cities and locations to go for nice meals and eating places. You will see right here the oldest bridge and the oldest metropolis gate within the Netherlands. An iconic bookshop – Dominicanenkerk – situated within the historic constructing of the thirteenth century church. Historic squares with many tremendous cafes and eating places. These are simply a number of the issues to see in Maastricht.

Haarlem

Haarlem is a metropolis situated quarter-hour away from Amsterdam. It’s small and cosy and stuffed with appeal. Stroll to Grote Markt – central metropolis sq. and admire the gothic-style Cathedral of St. Bavo. Go to a few of Haarlem’s Hofjes – small enclosed courtyard gardens with good inexperienced areas. Discover slim streets of Haarlem’s previous city. Take a look at Windmill De Adriaan – a museum situated within the 18th-century windmill.

Associated tour: Haarlem: 50-Minute Sightseeing Canal Cruise

Leiden

Leiden is a small Dutch city situated between Amsterdam and The Hague. Should you like visiting museums Leiden is a should see when travelling within the Netherlands.

• Go to the Nationwide Museum of Ethnology with exhibitions from around the globe.
• Nationwide Museum of Antiquities – an archaeology museum with lovely collections of Egyptian, Greek & Roman artefacts.
• Naturalis Biodiversity Middle – a pure historical past museum with one of many largest pure historical past collections on the planet.

After visiting a museum, head to Beestenmarkt sq. to get pleasure from some meals in one of many cafes or to take a ship tour by the canals of Leiden.

Cheese markets within the Netherlands

One of many issues the Netherlands is most well-known for is cheese. World recognized varieties of cheese – Gouda and Edam – originate from the Netherlands.

So, the place else if not on this nation to expertise cheese markets, outlets and cheese-related occasions?

The most well-liked cheese markets within the Netherlands occur between April and September in Alkmaar and Gouda. Go to a cheese market to see folks wearing conventional Dutch garments, horse-drawn carts loaded with rolls of cheese and the old style option to cut price cheese worth by clapping fingers.

Should you’re travelling to the Netherlands outdoors of the season for cheese markets, don’t fear – there are nonetheless some ways to expertise Dutch cheese making and promoting traditions. Go to a cheese museum in Amsterdam, Alkmaar or Gouda. Go to a farmers market – they occur on numerous days everywhere in the Netherlands and all the time have cheese stalls with a wide array of Dutch cheese so that you can style and/or purchase. Or just pop into one of many many cheese shops within the nation. 

Windmills within the Netherlands

One other factor the Netherlands is known for is its Windmills. There are a whole bunch of windmills within the Netherlands and you might be certain to see a minimum of few of them. Many windmills are nonetheless operational, a few of them are open to the general public and a few had been transformed into museums.

There are a number of locations to see windmills up shut within the Netherlands.

Zaanse Schans

A phenomenal Dutch village of Zaanse Schans is situated solely half an hour away from Amsterdam. Zaanse Schans has typical 18th-Nineteenth century Dutch wood homes, workshops and plenty of windmills. Many of the windmills in Zaanse Schans are absolutely operational and open for guests. There’s a windmill for making oil, a wooden noticed windmill, a windmill to mill flour and spices, and even a windmill for making paint! 

Associated tour: From Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans Windmills Half-Day Tour

Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is an iconic Dutch village with 18th-century windmills situated not removed from Rotterdam. There are 19 windmills in Kinderdijk, and a couple of of them have museums inside. You may discover the windmills of Kinderdijk by renting a motorbike and driving round, or alternatively by taking a ship tour (or a water taxi from Rotterdam).

Associated tour: Rotterdam: Kinderdijk Windmill Village Entry Ticket

Windmills within the cities

There are additionally many windmills in Dutch cities everywhere in the nation. Take a free tour of Molen de Ster in Utrecht – a working windmill that’s open to the general public each Saturday afternoon.

Go to Molen De Put in Leiden and purchase flour made proper there on the windmill; or additionally in Leiden go to Molen De Valk – the 18th century windmill that’s now a museum.

If you wish to see a number of the highest windmills on the planet then be sure that to go to Schiedam close to Rotterdam, it has not one however 8 windmills within the metropolis. Go to a windmill-museum Molen de Adriaan in Haarlem to study windmills and their historical past within the Netherlands. These are simply a number of the windmills in Dutch cities you may go to.

Museums within the Netherlands

The Netherlands has many museums of various sorts. There are artwork and historical past museums, science museums, cheese museums, museums in former windmills, tulip museums and plenty of extra different museums.

If you’re visiting the Netherlands and plan on visiting a number of museums I’d advise shopping for Dutch Museum Card – it’s legitimate for a 12 months and provides you free entry to a whole bunch of museums throughout the nation. Listed below are a number of the museums within the Netherlands I’d advocate visiting:

No matter your pursuits are and whether or not you might be travelling solo, with a gaggle or with youngsters it’s completely price visiting a number of the museums the Netherlands has to supply.

Tulip fields within the Netherlands

If you’re travelling to the Netherlands in spring be sure that to go to tulip fields and gardens. There are lots of locations to see blooming flowers within the Netherlands.

Lisse

Lisse is the most well-liked place to see blooming tulips within the Netherlands. There are fairly a couple of fields of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils round Lisse. Greatest option to expertise it’s to lease a motorbike and cycle round to see the flower fields.

Keukenhof

Additionally situated at Lisse, the well-known Keukenhof is the biggest tulip backyard on the planet. With hundreds of thousands of blooming flowers and a whole bunch of various kinds of tulips, it’s no shock that Keukenhof is so in style with not solely vacationers however locals too.

Flevoland

The most important space of the tulip bulbs business within the Netherlands is Noordoostpolder, the province of Flevoland. You will see many fields with all types of tulips over there. Apart from the fields you may go to tulip gardens, akin to Pegasushof Gardens or Goldhoorn Gardens, or perhaps a tulip choosing farm – Hanneke’s Pluktuin.

North Holland

One other space to go to throughout the tulip blooming season is North Holland. Space between Alkmaar and Den Helder has a whole bunch of flower fields, and they’re often much less crowded than fields round Lisse. There are tulip fields round Alkmaar, Nieuwe Niedorp, Schagen, Anna Paulowna and Julianadorp. It’s also possible to go to Bloemendagen (Flower Days) in Anna Paulowna or tulip choosing farm in Julianadorp.

When having fun with tulip fields within the Netherlands, please understand that choosing tulips within the fields shouldn’t be allowed! For that you’re greater than welcome to go to one of many devoted tulip choosing farms.

I hope my listing of one of the best issues to see within the Netherlands moreover Amsterdam has impressed you to see extra of this lovely nation. You will see a variety of info on travelling within the Netherlands and different nations in my weblog – Travel By Example.