Vibrant cities and abundant culture, vividly coloured bulbfields and wild dunescapes, slow-spinning windmills and freewheeling bicycles: the Netherlands is full of surprises. With so much to see and do in this beautiful country, we've picked our top 10 things to experience to help you make the most of your trip!
DK Eyewitness The Netherlands
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Bursting with blooms, the Netherlands spells nirvana for green fingered travellers. Spectacular gardens such as the Tuinen van Appeltern and the Keukenhof in Lisse are guaranteed to spark your gardenlust.
In Amsterdam, you can enjoy the heady floral fragrance at the world’s only floating flower market, Bloemenmarkt. The Museum Van Loon also orchestrates access to 30 rarely seen canal house gardens and quiet oases in the city.
In Amsterdam, you can enjoy the heady floral fragrance at the world’s only floating flower market, Bloemenmarkt. The Museum Van Loon also orchestrates access to 30 rarely seen canal house gardens and quiet oases in the city.
Taste the Gouda life
Pretty, canal-crossed Gouda is most famous for its cheese market, where the eponymous cheeses, made in the surrounding area, are still traded in the traditional way every Thursday morning from April until August. Picking up a wheel of sweet, mellow Gouda is a must for cheese lovers.
If you’re not visiting in market season, the former cheese weighhouse, the Waag, is now a Gouda cheese museum, where you can taste and buy year round.
If you’re not visiting in market season, the former cheese weighhouse, the Waag, is now a Gouda cheese museum, where you can taste and buy year round.
Be awed by architecture
Amsterdam’s harmonious cityscape is its distinctive feature. Take your time to stroll the historic streets and appreciate the charming humpback bridges and handsome mansions. You'll even discover some modern masterpieces, including the remarkable NEMO Science Museum, designed to look like the hull of a ship.
Heavy bombing during World War II turned Rotterdam into a blank canvas, resulting in a striking skyline of swan-like bridges, pixelated homes and upside-down skyscrapers. Discover the Het Potlood (the pencil) and the striking tilting yellow cubes of the Kubuswoningen, an extraordinary apartment building on concrete stilts.
Heavy bombing during World War II turned Rotterdam into a blank canvas, resulting in a striking skyline of swan-like bridges, pixelated homes and upside-down skyscrapers. Discover the Het Potlood (the pencil) and the striking tilting yellow cubes of the Kubuswoningen, an extraordinary apartment building on concrete stilts.
Walk on the wild side
Those who wish to see the Netherlands at its wildest should venture to the country’s largest nature reserve, Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe. The park is a treasure trove for all kinds of flora and fauna: rare birds, butterflies, plants and fungi. Red deer, roe deer and mouflon sheep still live freely here.
Pitch up at the car-free tent site and rise in time to see majestic stags and hoary boars stalking well-marked hiking trails. You can also borrow a bicycle from the visitor centre free of charge and make use of the cycle paths.
Pitch up at the car-free tent site and rise in time to see majestic stags and hoary boars stalking well-marked hiking trails. You can also borrow a bicycle from the visitor centre free of charge and make use of the cycle paths.
Get off grid
Ringed by peaceful beaches, breezy dunes and wildlife-rich salt marshes, the unplugged paradise of the remote North Sea archipelago is a haven for those looking to get off grid. Here, the Waddenzee and the West Frisian Islands form the last extensive wild part of Holland.
The entire area is dotted with hides, making it a great place for bird-watching, especially in the migratory seasons. Dolphins, porpoises and two species of seals may often be spotted from the ferries operating between the mainland and the West Frisian islands.
The entire area is dotted with hides, making it a great place for bird-watching, especially in the migratory seasons. Dolphins, porpoises and two species of seals may often be spotted from the ferries operating between the mainland and the West Frisian islands.
Two wheel it
Strap on your helmet, push the pedals and join the Dutch in their most natural state! Whether you’re riding city streets, coasting country trails or zooming down fietssnelwegen (cycle highways), a trip to the Netherlands wouldn’t be complete without jumping on a bicycle.
There are countrywide two-wheeled options for all ages and abilities. Hire a tandem from Black Bikes for easy rides along Amsterdam’s canals. Similar to the tandem, side-by-side cycles are ideal for those with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. Accessible Travel Netherlands can help with arranging hires. Want to try pedal power with a bit of a boost? Alley Cat has charging points so you can leave your electric bike topping up while you recharge with a caffeine hit.
There are countrywide two-wheeled options for all ages and abilities. Hire a tandem from Black Bikes for easy rides along Amsterdam’s canals. Similar to the tandem, side-by-side cycles are ideal for those with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. Accessible Travel Netherlands can help with arranging hires. Want to try pedal power with a bit of a boost? Alley Cat has charging points so you can leave your electric bike topping up while you recharge with a caffeine hit.
Take to the water
Bordered by the North Sea and the Waddenzee, built on estuaries and inland waterways, and criss-crossed by canals and dykes, the Netherlands is a vast aquatic playground. On the coast, the white-sand Noordwijk beach is ideal for surfers, while the gnarly Wijk aan Zee in North Holland offers left and right walls and northwest swells.
Want something a little calmer? The Maas river is a microcosm of Dutch boat life, with skiffs and day boats meandering past pastoral scenes. The Netherlands’ pristine lakes are also a prime spot for water-based adventures: go windsurfing on Amstelmeer or opt for a skûtsje (Frisian cargo barge) tour across the interconnected lakes of picturesque Friesland.
Want something a little calmer? The Maas river is a microcosm of Dutch boat life, with skiffs and day boats meandering past pastoral scenes. The Netherlands’ pristine lakes are also a prime spot for water-based adventures: go windsurfing on Amstelmeer or opt for a skûtsje (Frisian cargo barge) tour across the interconnected lakes of picturesque Friesland.
Discover the Dutch masters
Bursting with movement and dancing with colour, 17th-century Dutch canvases changed the art world. Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum showcases the very best of the movement, including the museum’s most-prized possession, Rembrandt’s the Night watch. The painter’s former home in Amsterdam has been sensitively restored and converted into a museum allowing an intimate glimpse into the life of the city’s most famous artist.
One of the finest galleries in the Netherlands can be found in the Hague. Though the collection at Mauritshuis is not large, it is almost exclusively composed of superior works by Old Masters, exquisitely presented in period rooms with sparkling chandeliers and immense painted ceilings. Amongst the many gems here is Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
One of the finest galleries in the Netherlands can be found in the Hague. Though the collection at Mauritshuis is not large, it is almost exclusively composed of superior works by Old Masters, exquisitely presented in period rooms with sparkling chandeliers and immense painted ceilings. Amongst the many gems here is Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Go modern in Eindhoven
The Eindhoven district of Stripj is a must-visit for art and design lovers. The district is home to the Van Abbemuseum museum, which is devoted to modern and contemporary art and holds more than 3,000 artworks. Every October, Eindhoven also plays host to Dutch Design Week, the largest annual design event in Northern Europe.
Strijp-S is a neighbourhood and former industrial park in the Eindhoven district packed full of places to eat and shop. This vibrant area is well worth a visit, especially if you’re a fan of a raw vibe!
Strijp-S is a neighbourhood and former industrial park in the Eindhoven district packed full of places to eat and shop. This vibrant area is well worth a visit, especially if you’re a fan of a raw vibe!
Raise a glass
For tasty tipples, the Netherlands has you covered. Those with a taste for gin should give jenever (Dutch for “juniper”) a try. This malted, grain-based spirit rich in botanicals is best savoured unadulterated, with a beer chaser. Wine aficionados should make their way to the country’s oldest winery, Wijngaard De Apostelhoeve or the country’s largest, St Martinus.
Beer lovers will feel right at home in the country that gave us Heineken. Take an interactive tour through the beer giant's history in the former brewery located in Amsterdam. Follow that up by learning the secrets of small-batch brewing at micro-brewery Jopen. Alternatively, rub shoulders with the locals at Cafe de Druif as you sample craft beer.
Beer lovers will feel right at home in the country that gave us Heineken. Take an interactive tour through the beer giant's history in the former brewery located in Amsterdam. Follow that up by learning the secrets of small-batch brewing at micro-brewery Jopen. Alternatively, rub shoulders with the locals at Cafe de Druif as you sample craft beer.
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