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 apart from Amsterdam!
I’ve lived within the Netherlands for 3 years and travelled quite a bit 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 a neighborhood (properly, virtually a neighborhood) of one of the best issues to see within the Netherlands apart from Amsterdam.
See additionally: Best Things to Do on Texel, Netherlands (Including Where to Stay and What to Eat)
Massive vibrant cities within the Netherlands
Apart from Amsterdam, the Netherlands has different giant cities price visiting comparable 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 comparable to Market Corridor, Dice Homes, Witte Huis, Erasmus bridge, Metropolis Corridor and others.
Be sure to go to Oude Haven (Previous Harbour) with its outdated basin and restored boats. Get to the viewing platform of Euromast – the tallest constructing within the Netherlands. Take a ship tour to see town from the water and to take a look at Europort – the most important seaport in Europe.
Associated tour: Rotterdam: River Cruise and Euromast Entrance Ticket
The Hague
The Hague metropolis is just not solely the house of the United Nations’ Worldwide Court docket of Justice, but in addition the house of Dutch authorities and Dutch royal household. When within the Hague, try the Dutch parliament constructing advanced – Binnenhof – with its internal yard and large 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, out of doors exhibitions and actions for the entire household. Take a tram to Scheveningen – the Hague’s well-known seaside 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 middle, outdated canals and the tallest church tower within the nation – Domtoren. Stroll the outdated 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 outdated backyard of Pandhof. Go to museum Speelklok with its giant assortment of self-playing musical devices or Spoorwegmuseum – an superior railway museum, particularly if travelling with kids.
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 fascinating sights 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 might suggest 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 strategy 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.
Despite the fact that these days 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 just some of his works that you just would possibly know).
Maastricht
Although Maastricht is about 2 hours away from all the key cities of the Netherlands (which is taken into account far on this small nation), I might nonetheless suggest visiting it. Maastricht is well-known in Europe because the birthplace of the European Union and ‘euro’ forex.
Within the Netherlands it’s often known as one of many oldest cities and locations to go for nice meals and eating places. You can 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 superb 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 slender streets of Haarlem’s outdated city. Try 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 this planet.
After visiting a museum, head to Beestenmarkt sq. to take pleasure in some meals in one of many cafes or to take a ship tour by means of the canals of Leiden.
Cheese markets within the Netherlands
One of many issues the Netherlands is most well-known for is cheese. World identified 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 preferred 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 school strategy to discount cheese worth by clapping palms.
Should you’re travelling to the Netherlands exterior 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 varied days all around the Netherlands and all the time have cheese stalls with a wide selection 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 lots of of windmills within the Netherlands and you’re certain to see at the least 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 gorgeous 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 many windmills. A lot 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 pair of of them have museums inside. You may discover the windmills of Kinderdijk by renting a motorbike and using 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 all around 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 this planet then be sure 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 possibly can go to.
Museums within the Netherlands
The Netherlands has many museums of various varieties. There are artwork and historical past museums, science museums, cheese museums, museums in former windmills, tulip museums and plenty of extra different museums.
In case you are visiting the Netherlands and plan on visiting a number of museums I might advise shopping for Dutch Museum Card – it’s legitimate for a yr and offers you free entry to lots of of museums throughout the nation. Listed below are a number of the museums within the Netherlands I’d suggest visiting:
No matter your pursuits are and whether or not you’re travelling solo, with a bunch or with kids it’s completely price visiting a number of the museums the Netherlands has to supply.
Tulip fields within the Netherlands
In case you are travelling to the Netherlands in spring be sure to go to tulip fields and gardens. There are numerous locations to see blooming flowers within the Netherlands.
Lisse
Lisse is the preferred place to see blooming tulips within the Netherlands. There are fairly a couple of fields of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils round Lisse. Finest strategy to expertise it’s to hire a motorbike and cycle round to see the flower fields.
Keukenhof
Additionally situated at Lisse, the well-known Keukenhof is the most important tulip backyard on this planet. With thousands and thousands of blooming flowers and lots of of several types of tulips, it’s no shock that Keukenhof is so common with not solely vacationers however locals too.
Flevoland
The largest space of the tulip bulbs business within the Netherlands is Noordoostpolder, the province of Flevoland. You can see many fields with all kinds of tulips over there. Apart from the fields you possibly can go to tulip gardens, comparable to Pegasushof Gardens or Goldhoorn Gardens, or perhaps a tulip choosing farm – Hanneke’s Pluktuin.
North Holland
One other space to go to in the course of the tulip blooming season is North Holland. Space between Alkmaar and Den Helder has lots of 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. You may as well go to Bloemendagen (Flower Days) in Anna Paulowna or tulip choosing farm in Julianadorp.
When having fun with tulip fields within the Netherlands, please remember that choosing tulips within the fields is just not 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 apart from Amsterdam has impressed you to see extra of this lovely nation. You can see quite a lot of data on travelling within the Netherlands and different nations in my weblog – Travel By Example.
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