The Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands

Although considered a small country, there’s many places worth a visit in the Netherlands. In this article I’ve laid out some of the best places for you. Hopefully it will give you some inspiration on where to go in the Netherlands.

Of course a visit to our capital city should definitely be on your list, but don’t forget that there’s so much more to discover. Don’t worry about traveling around, we’ve got a great public transportation network that allows easy access to all places you’d like to go. Another option would be to rent a car or book a tour that includes transportation. If you’re planning to travel around a lot and cover much ground, I suggest to set up base centrally located in the Netherlands.

So let’s get on with it, here’s a list of the most awesome places to visit.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam (capital city) is one of the most visited cities all over the world. With it’s beautiful canal ring and impressive architecture it’s sure to amaze. Amsterdam is also the starting point of many tourists as the largest airport of the country, Schiphol Airport, is located here. Explore one of the many museums, take a canal cruise, shop in The Nine Streets, stroll through the Red Light District, enjoy the nightlife or relax in one of the coffee shops. Whatever holiday you like, Amsterdam can deliver! More about AmsterdamThings to do in Amsterdam

Leiden

Pieterskerk in Leiden

Leiden is a picturesque city in the South Holland province and the birthplace of master painter Rembrandt van Rijn. Walk through the historic city center, visit the botanical gardens of Hortus Botanicus, enjoy the city from the canals and visit one of the many museums the city has to offer. More about Leiden

Delft

Stadhuis Delft

Traditional canals, mind blowing architecture (like the renaissance style City Hall and the ancient churches), Science Center Delft, world famous Delft Blue earthenware. Delft is a city with a rich history and often booked as a day trip from Amsterdam. More about Delft

The Hague

TheHagueHofkwartierNight.jpg

The Hague is the political center of the Netherlands and also important on the global political landscape (International city of peace and justice). A dynamical city with 30 theaters, 45 museums and almost 4000 shops. And let’s not forget the popular beaches in the Kijkduin and Scheveningen districts! More about the Hague

Utrecht

Utrecht

Utrecht is the capital city of the province Utrecht (yes province and city have the same name). The city is located in the center of the Netherlands. Small enough to go by foot and discover the medieval inner city but large enough to spend days discovering and enjoying the museums, architecture, shops and festivals. More about Utrecht

Maastricht

Maastricht

Maastricht is the capital city of the province of Limburg and located on the Meuse river. Enjoy the Burgundian lifestyle in the vibrant inner city and visit one of the culinary highlights. Be sure to taste some ‘Limburgse Vlaai’ (pie). More about Maastricht

Groningen

Groningen

Grongingen is the capital city of the province of Groningen. In the north of the Netherlands it is often referred to as ‘Stad’ which just means ‘City’. Groningen is a student city which makes it a vibrant, young and active city. More about the city of Groningen

Rotterdam

HarbourMuseumRotterdam.jpg

Rotterdam is a harbor city in the west of the country in the province of South Holland. The city was recently recommended by Rough Guides as one of the must visit cities and ended up on the 10th spot of the 52 places to go of the New York Times. If you’re into photography you don’t want to miss the Erasmusbrug bridge. More about Rotterdam

Gouda

Cheese market
Cheese market

Gouda is most famous for it’s cheese market, cheese farms and of course Gouda Cheese, a perfect city for a day trip with some really nice city walks available at the local tourism office. More about Gouda

Amersfoort - Koppelpoort

Amersfoort

Cheese market
Cheese market

A true historic city with many monuments, little streets and canals that boasts a medieval vibe. Enter through the Koppelpoort gate of the city walls and enjoy art, shopping and the many terraces. There’s some beautiful nature reserves in the area as well. More about Amersfoort

Nijmegen

Nijmegen

Nijmegen, known as oldest city in the Netherlands, has rich history and is located in the close to some awesome nature to explore. Be sure to take one of the city walks by the guided tours of the VVV office (tourism office) of the city. It’s located close to Germany, so it’s easy to take a side trip over the border. More about Nijmegen

Alkmaar

Alkmaar Cheese Market
Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar is known as the cheese city and is famous for it’s cheese market. The historic city has 399 national heritage sites and 700 municipal monuments. Great for a day trip! And don’t forget that Alkmaar is known as one of the best shopping cities of the Netherlands. More about Alkmaar

Lisse

Keukenhof in Lisse
Keukenhof in Lisse

Lisse is a small place and municipality in South-Holland and home to the world-famous Keukenhof flower park. The Keukenhof attracts over 900.000 visitors each year!

Volendam

Volendam Haven

Volendam is an old fishing village that’s famous for it’s traditional clothing, music and of course… fish! It’s a beautiful town to walk around and explore and of course have your picture taken while wearing the funny traditional costume. This village is also known for the many Dutch musicians and singers that originate from it.

Marken

lighthouse marken

Also in Marken the traditional costumes are typical for the village. Marken used to be an island but since 1957 it is connected to the mainland through a dike. One of the most famous landmarks is it’s lighthouse.

Zaandam

Zaanse Schans - Zaandam 2

Zaandam is a city in the province of North Holland and most famous for the Zaanse Schans, a neighborhood located on the eastern banks of the Zaan and an open air attraction that’s visited by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year!

Giethoorn

giethoorn

Giethoorn is a village in the north-west of the Overijssel province and lies centrally located in a national park called Weerribben-Wieden. It’s ideal to put up base to explore the area. What’s special about Giethoorn is that you can’t access the town center by car, which is why it is internationally known as the ‘Village without roads’.

The Wadden Islands

Wadlopen - 1

Relax on one of the 5 islands referred to as the Wadden Islands. Enjoy the beautiful nature, the beaches, the little villages and get the real island feeling. Ideal for hiking, cycling and mudflatwalking! In the summer the island of Terschelling is very popular as a party destination for young folks in Holland. More about the Wadden Islands

Kinderdijk

Schaatsen Kinderdijk Nederland

Kinderdijk in South Holland is world famous because of it’s mills. These 19 mills are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and are one of the most important tourist attractions of the Netherlands.

This list should have given you some great ideas. Did I forget something? Let me know and I might include it in the list!

Here’s some more reading for you:

The most visited day attractions the Netherlands

The top 10 museums