Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a densely populated country in part reclaimed from the sea with about half of its land lying below sea level. Many tourists only come to the Netherlands to visit Amsterdam. But Holland has plenty to offer outside its capital. Crisscrossed with canals, the flat landscape is perfect for cycling with historic town centers and classic windmills sprinkled across the country. During springtime the flower gardens become great tourist attractions providing a bold spectacle of vivid colors. Here’s a look at the best places to visit in the Netherlands.

Number 10. Gouda.

Gouda is a typical Dutch city with lots of old buildings and pretty canals and is a popular destination for a day trip, thanks to its great rail and highway connections. The city is famous for its cheese, syrup waffles, candles, and its clay pipes. Attractions in Gouda include the beautiful 15th-century town hall and the amazing glass windows in St. Janskerk. The compact city center is entirely ringed by canals and is a mere five minutes’ walk from the station.

Number 9. Rotterdam.

The second-largest city in the Netherlands, Rotterdam is home to one of the biggest and busiest ports in the world, with numerous waterways crisscrossing the city. Having sustained considerable damage during the Second World War, the city is now characterized by futuristic and innovative architecture, although there is still an underlying grittiness to the place. Rotterdam is a lively and diverse place, with great museums, cultural attractions, and of course, fantastic dining options befitting of such a large metropolis.

Number 8. Zaanse Schans.

The Zaanse Schans is an open-air conservation area and museum about 20 minutes from Amsterdam. It displays the traditional architecture of the area from the 17th and 18th centuries and contains black and green traditional wooden houses, several functioning windmills, and craftsmen’s workshops, which are open to visitors. The windmills performed a wide range of industrial duties including wood sawing, threshing grains, and the production of things like seed and nut oil.

Number 7. Utrecht.

One of the oldest cities in the country, Utrecht´s winding canals twist their way around its delightful medieval center, which has the arrestingly beautiful cathedral towering above it. Although the sprawling suburbs do not make the best impression as you enter the city, its tangled web of roads is soon forgotten once you get a feel for this lively place with its fun atmosphere. Thanks in part to its huge student population, the city has loads of cheap and cheerful bars and cafes, as well as lots of great eating options.

Number 6. Maastricht

Located in the southernmost tip of the Netherlands, Maastricht´s proximity to Belgium and Germany makes it a popular destination for citizens of both nations, as well as the Dutch themselves. A vibrant place, its streets thrum with life. The city is home to a multilingual and multicultural population, as exemplified by its large student body hailing from all around Europe. As such, it is a mix of cultures and very different from other Dutch cities.

Number 5. Kinderdijk.

Kinderdijk is a beautiful landscape of empty marshes and waterways near the city of Rotterdam. To drain the excess water from the polders, which are situated below sea levels, 19 windmills were built here around 1740. They have been well preserved to the present day and can still be used, although enormous mechanical pumps have taken over their task. In summer, tall reeds line the canals, lily pads float on the water, and bird calls break the silence. It's a wonderful – and quintessentially Dutch – landscape to wander through.

Number 4. The Hague

Though not the capital, The Hague is is the seat of the Dutch government and is referred to as the International City of Peace and Justice because so many organizations devoted to world peace can be found here. This bustling city of old-world charm is home to numerous museums that house some of the world’s greatest art collections, The Hague also is known for its seaside atmosphere, with great beaches and dunes that stretch along the coast for as far as you can see.

Number 3. Delft

A popular day trip destination from Amsterdam, it is easy to see what makes Delft such an attractive option. With its lovely medieval center and picturesque canals crossed by brick bridges and lined with trees, the city is quaint and peaceful. Its most famous son, the painter Johannes Vermeer, is just one of many who has sung its praises over the ages. Famous for the distinctive blue and white tiles and ceramics that are produced here, visiting the Delftware factories is popular among tourists. But, despite its wealth of beautiful old buildings, it is the atmosphere rather than any particular attraction that makes it worth visiting.

Number 2. Tulip

Fields in Holland. Stretching endlessly into the distance, the Netherlands' colorful tulip fields are one of its most evocative sights. Ever since the late 16th century, when the beautiful bulbs first arrived and 'tulip mania' struck Europe, visitors have been attracted to its fantastic flowerbeds and lavishly landscaped gardens. By far the biggest and best of its flower parks is Keukenhof, home to around seven million tulips, daffodils, and roses. Cycling around Holland's fetching fields is a delight, with loads of great photos to be had of pretty purple, orange, and red flowers waving in the wind.

Number 1. Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is a pleasant city marked with meandering canals lined with tall, narrow-row houses. It is the city where Anne Frank kept her famous diary, so visiting the house where she wrote is a must. This “Venice of the North” also is a city of great art, beginning with the Rijksmuseum, home to great European masterpieces; Rembrandt’s house, and the more modern van Gogh museum. Take a break from sightseeing to tour and sample Holland’s beer at the Heineken Brewery.