The Netherlands, which was partly reclaimed from the water, is a densely populated nation with around half of its land below sea level. Many visitors to Holland come to see Amsterdam. Top Tourist Attractions in the Netherlands.
All the same, there are plenty of things to do in the Netherlands outside of its city. Waterways crisscross the level terrain, which is ideal for cycling and has old town centres, traditional windmills, and other tourist destinations strewn nationwide.
Mile after mile of sandy beaches and protecting dunes characterise the extensive coastline in the west and north. The flower gardens become stunning locations to visit in the spring, offering a striking display of brilliant hues.
Keukenhof Gardens
Have you ever had the desire to enter a living painting? One need only look at the Netherlands’ Keukenhof Gardens. Situated in the little hamlet of Lisse in the province of South Holland, the gardens are a sensory extravaganza of vivid hues. Keukenhof is dubbed the Garden of Europe for good reason—it boasts the most extensive flower garden in the world. Flower enthusiasts will find heaven at Keukenhof, home to over seven million flower bulbs. The gardens are open to the public annually from mid-March to mid-May when the vibrant flowers stretch as far as the eye may see.
Themes include Japanese, Dutch, and Romantic-era gardens, among others. Wander around the meandering walkways or have a peaceful moment while sipping coffee at one of the quaint cafes.
Rijksmuseum
Declared the national museum of the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum is one of the most well-known art museums in the world. It includes over 800 years of Dutch history and is the repository of some of the most important works of art worldwide. Rembrandt’s “Night Watch” is one example; others are by Vermeer and contemporary painters like Pablo Picasso.
The Rijksmuseum provides a range of instructive events and adventures for guests of all ages. Participate in interactive exhibits, workshops, guided tours, and lectures, all aimed at fostering a greater understanding of the works of art on display.
Kinderdijk
The famous village of Kinderdijk is situated in the Netherlands’ Alblasserwaard area. Because of its nineteen still operational windmills, this community has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
Built in the eighteenth century, these windmills shielded the Dutch coastline and helped to reclaim land from the sea. Beginning your day at the Kinderdijk Visitor Center, you may learn more about the community’s history and the windmills’ development.
In the summer, we advise going on a boat trip along the canals to get close to the windmills. On two wheels, cycling routes around Kinderdijk provide a more relaxed approach to discovery.
Wadlopen
Entering the enthralling world of Wadlopen reveals an adventure and natural environment merged experience. One of the most unique activities in the Netherlands, wadlopen, means “mudflat walking”, and entails wading through dark tidal waters to explore the Wadden Sea.
The excursion will allow you to see the region’s breathtaking salt marshes, sandbanks, and mudflats. Visitors should also note a range of marine and terrestrial species that call the region home. These comprise oystercatchers searching for crustaceans and migratory sandpipers. Seals kicking back at low tides join these birds as well.
Nevertheless, Wadlopen offers more than just an exhilarating mud walk. It’s an opportunity to interact with the surroundings. Guides reveal the fragile ecology, emphasize the need for conservation, and show off the delicate balance between land and sea.
Amsterdam Canals
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Amsterdam’s complex and breathtaking network of canals is sometimes called the “Venice of the North.” Constructed in the Dutch Golden Age, these 17th-century rivers are still vital to the city’s heritage.
An Amsterdam canal tour is the ideal way to see the canals. The city is seen in full as the boat glides across the calm waterways. Depending on the path, you may get stunning waterside views of the Anne Frank House, the Royal Palace, and the Skinny Bridge.
Anne Frank Huis, Amsterdam
The Anne Frank Huis Museum in Amsterdam is a potent tribute to Anne Frank’s life and legacy and a heartbreaking reminder of the events of World War II. Her diary, written when she was a little Jewish girl, chronicled the horrors of the war and is now a moving reminder many years later.
The museum has two sections. The first is the natural home where Anne and her family sought sanctuary during the war, the Anne Frank House. Subsequently, it has been returned to its former glory and houses relics from its covert existence. The Anne Frank Exhibition is the second component and includes more artefacts, documents, and pictures about Anne’s life and her stay in the Secret Annex.
A humble experience, spending time in the Anne Frank Huis is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands. It reminds us so forcefully of both the atrocities of the Holocaust and the human spirit’s resilience.
Delta Project
Anyone seeking an educational experience illuminating the forces of nature should visit The Delta Project. The project aims to increase the Netherlands’ resilience to the consequences of climate change while it continues to fight the sea. This covers coastal erosion, higher sea levels, and warmer water.
This ambitious undertaking was undertaken following the 1953 catastrophic North Sea Flood. Thousands of people died in the flood, which made the country build barriers against future natural disasters. Built in the provinces of Zeeland and South Holland between 1950 and 1997, the Delta Works are a sequence of structures designed to shield substantial tracts of land from the water.
On the way, you discover the local ecosystem and the significance of the Delta Project, which uses locks, dams, and storm surge barriers to safeguard coming generations.
Delft Markt
The Delft Markt is situated right in the centre of Delft. This busy centre surrounds you with sights, sounds, and smells.
Count Willem of Holland founded Delft Markt originally in 1532 to give the locals a place to buy food. The market became one of the most popular in the nation as it expanded in size and significance throughout time.
Guests can peruse booths offering a wide variety of items, including fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, seafood, flowers, and various handcrafted items. Still, there are more things at the market than food and fruit. There’s live music and a complement of artisan items and traditional arts.
Markthal, Rotterdam
Though Rotterdam’s sophisticated architecture and lively nightlife are well-known, the Markthal is among its most recognizable structures. This fantastic construction combines a modern housing complex with a traditional market hall.
Built by Dutch architects MVRDV, the structure has a curving horseshoe shape and a striking window archway that produces a fantastic light show. Over 80 stores and food stalls occupy the more than 38,000 square meter Markthal, with many taverns, restaurants, and fresh produce.
Several art projects, such as the well-known “Rainbow Passage” with its vibrant tiles and LED lighting, are also housed in the complex for art-loving tourists.
Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem
The Frans Hals Museum, tucked away in the quaint city of Haarlem, calls to anybody wishing to see some of the best Dutch art. A fantastic structure will greet you as soon as you enter the museum. Constructed in the 17th century as a church, the gallery provides a singular and motivating environment in which to see the artwork.
Moving through the galleries, you’ll see many of Frans Hals’s work, including his well-known genre settings and group portraits. Additional Dutch masters in the museum are Pieter Saenredam, Jan Steen, and Jacob van Ruisdael.
There is something for everybody among the many events and activities available to assist guests in discovering more about Haarlem’s art and culture!
Openluchtmuseum, Arnhem
At Openluchmuseum, take a thoroughly immersive trip through Dutch history. Discover centuries of Dutch life in a stunning environment at this outdoor museum.
Constructed in 1912, the museum features more than eighty historic structures that illustrate Dutch life and work throughout time. Visitors can watch demonstrations of traditional crafts, farming methods, and home duties. They all work together to provide a more comprehensive picture of Dutch history.
Apart from its scenic beauty and educational activities, Openluchtmuseum, Arnhem, offers a variety of eateries and cafes. From cosmopolitan to classic Dutch fare, you may savour a great dinner while enjoying the scenery.
Alkmaar Cheese Market
For generations, the Alkmaar Cheese Market, situated in the quaint North Holland city of Alkmaar, has been a famous place to have an authentic Dutch experience. It is the oldest cheese market in the Netherlands, open every Friday since 1365.
The market makes discovering the old-fashioned cheese-making method possible. You can also see a customary cheese-carrying ceremony. Cheese vendors dressed traditionally in Dutch garb wheel enormous cheese rounds on wooden boards through the market. After being weighed, the massive wheels of cheese are auctioned off in a colourful show.
After that, savour some tempting Dutch cheeses, such as the tart Edam and the creamy Gouda.
Apenheul
There is one of the most unusual zoos in the world at Apeldoorn. Unlike in other zoos, some animals are allowed to wander among the guests. Not to worry; only the lesser primates.
This alternative viewpoint enables visitors to have a closer encounter with the native creatures. Every species at the zoo has a different environment, including the savannah of chimpanzees, the tropical garden of orangutans, and the rainforest of gorillas. It resembles entering the wild itself.
Apart from his experience on the open range, Apenheul practices conservation and education. Through participatory lectures and workshops, visitors know the need to protect these amazing animals and their ecosystems.
Efteling
Ever imagine yourself turning the pages of an actual storybook? A trip to Efteling in Noord Brabant will make that fairy tale come to reality.
The park has four distinct parts, each with its own wacky theme. The Fairytale Forest features attractions based on fairytales, including Hansel, Gretel, and Cinderella.
For adrenaline seekers, see the Flying Dutchman or the Ferris wheel and carousel in the Ruigrijk area. When the cars are raised, this ride’s “flying” section has an exciting figure-eight pattern. Exhilarating roller coasters and ride experiences are available in other park areas.
The Efteling Winterfest, Summer Festival, and Halloween Haunted House are all worth seeing if you can time your vacation around the holidays or other seasons.
Zaanse Schans
Have you ever been somewhere on your travels where you thought time stood still? Zaanse Schans can be included in the list. This picture-perfect community is a veritable gold mine of the Dutch past. It provides an insight into the nation’s customs, quaint wooden homes, and famous windmills.
The windmills have stood tall since the 17th century, representing the Netherlands’ industrial past. Zaanse Schans has the highest concentration of working windmills worldwide; eight well-known windmills are still in use today.
Entering one will provide those interested a look at the creativity that goes into making the country’s spices, oil, and flour. The assortment of traditional wooden homes, barns, and workshops, all painstakingly restored to their original form, will enthral you.
De Haar Castle
If you wander the peaceful Dutch countryside near Utrecht, you will find an architectural treasure. De Haar Castle, with stunning Dutch Gothic Revival architecture, dates back to the 1800s.
The sheer scale of De Haar Castle will astound guests to this vast site. You first notice its drawbridge, towering turret, and spire façade. Still, the beauty goes beyond appearances. Entering, you will find a magnificent banquet hall, a library, a chapel, and a grand staircase.
Choose a guided tour to gain in-depth insights into the castle’s occupants’ lives and hear tales of aristocracy and formerly extravagant parties.
Go Cycling
Given the flat terrain, a vast network of bike routes, and amiable locals, it makes sense why people are so attached to riding two wheels.
The Netherlands has one of the world’s most remarkable bike route networks. The more than 30,000 km bike routes make it easy to get around the nation without worrying about traffic.
Amsterdam is the ideal location to get in the thick of things, known as the World’s Cycling Capital. The culture and mode of transportation of the city revolve around riding. Bikes are readily available, nevertheless, all around the country. That can happen in lodging facilities, rental stores, or rail stations. There are routes through charming villages and along peaceful canals once you have your own set of wheels.
Fill up on classic delicacies like poffertjes and stroopwafels at cafes or “fietscafés” along the way.
Giethoorn
Giethoorn is jokingly called the “Venice of the Netherlands” because of its distinctive network of canals and bridges. Away from the busyness of the metropolis, the town is ideal.
Saunter around little canals surrounded by quaint homes and verdant foliage on a leisurely canal cruise, or choose a classic wooden boat or “punter.” An interesting fact is that Giethoorn has no roads and that most people get about by boat.
See the Giethoorn ‘t Olde Maat Uus for further information on the village’s past. Here, you will learn more about its origins in peat harvesting and the development of its way of life.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden
The Naturalis Biodiversity Center is a haven for science buffs, nature lovers, and curious minds in Leiden’s centre. Naturalis has a vast array of fossils, minerals, plants, animals, and interactive displays that reveal the depth of biodiversity.
Visit the dinosaur hall to see Trix, the well-known T-Rex skeleton, at the museum. In the working laboratories, you can also participate in current scientific investigations. Here, you will witness experts at work and take part in interactive seminars to learn about the state of biodiversity research.
Scavenger hunts, quizzes, and interactive activities are just a few of Naturalis’s kid-friendly activities if you’re visiting with family. People of all ages will find Naturalis enjoyable.
Caves of Maastricht
Though the town’s medieval buildings abound, what will draw you in is its underground past. The Maastricht Caves are remnants of the Roman era when nearby quarries partly constructed the towns.
Intricate tunnels linking these quarries later served Maastricht during World Wars and historic sieges. By then, caves had been converted into underground strongholds with military hardware.
Although you can explore the caves independently, more than 80 kilometres of walkways exist. Therefore, joining a trip and exploring the caves with an expert is advised. Wandering through a vast maze of tunnels, you will discover the centuries-old history of the cave. It is safe to state that this is not the experience for claustrophobic people.
For those looking for excitement, specialist activities inside the caverns include treasure hunts, rappelling, and cave biking.
Hoge Veluwe National Park
For wildlife lovers, Hoge Veluwe National Park is a sanctuary in one of the most significant protected areas in the Netherlands. This park should be on your radar whether you enjoy being outside or are just trying to unwind in some of Europe’s most stunning natural surroundings.
Many different species call Hoge Veluwe home. Thanks to the free-roaming red deer, wild boar, and mouflon in the park, nature enthusiasts can see various animals in their natural habitat. If you enjoy birding, look to the skies for a chance to spot a nightjar or woodlark!
Visit the Sand Dunes at De Hoge Veluwe for a singular experience. This breathtaking natural phenomenon features a deep blue sky and green trees against the white gypsum sand.
West Frisian Islands
The Enchanted West Frisian Islands are located off the northern coast of the Netherlands. This archipelago is characterized by unspoiled natural splendour and a tranquil haven.
This seaside haven is best explored from Texel, the biggest of the West Frisian Islands. Explore the Ecomare Nature Centre, see the varied birdlife at the Slufter Nature Reserve, or relax on the immaculate beaches of the island.
Interestingly, every island has a lighthouse. Each provides a historical background and expansive vistas. We particularly like the Ameland Lighthouse, the Brandaris on Terschelling, and Vuurduin on Vlieland.
You would be silly not to rent a bike while you are in the Netherlands. You can discover the islands by riding the well-marked bike routes around their stunning scenery, dunes, woodlands, and charming settlements.
Dom Tower, Utrecht
The Dom Tower towers over Utrecht. Constructed about 1321, this magnificent building has long represented the city.
Stunningly Gothic, the Dom Tower is composed of sandstone blocks and embellished with elaborate sculptures and decorations. It is among the Netherlands’ most magnificent and historic examples of Gothic architecture.
Climbers of the 465 steps to the top of the Dom Tower frequently do so to take in the stunning vistas of Utrecht and Cathedral Square below. Every Sunday at noon, the Carillon—a set of bells—runs from the top of the tower.
Enrol in a guided tour to learn more about its architecture, history, and importance in Utrecht’s cultural scene.
