Amsterdam is a must-see on every trip to Holland, but the Netherlands is packed with other exciting destinations as well. Holland is a beautiful country with a lot to see and do for tourists, from its iconic windmills and lovely flower fields to its ancient town centres packed with museums and other attractions. Not only are most of these attractions in the Netherlands quite convenient to go to, but they are also among the most interesting and unique in the country.
10. Gouda
Due to its excellent rail-and highway links, Gouda is a popular destination for day trips since it is a classic Dutch city with many historic buildings and beautiful canals. Cheese, stroopwafels (syrup waffles), candles, and clay pipes have all made the city renowned.
Gouda is known for its stunning town hall (built in the 15th century) and the breathtaking stained glass windows at St. Janskerk. It takes just five minutes to reach the city’s small core from the station, which is completely surrounded by canals.
9. Rotterdam
Rotterdam has evolved from a little fishing hamlet in the 13th century to the most advanced metropolis in the Netherlands. Rotterdam, like Amsterdam, is a great place to rent bicycles and explore the city’s many different neighbourhoods. Delfshaven is a famous area since it is where the pilgrims set sail in 1620, and it hosts a number of festivals and carnivals throughout the summer that draw people from all over Europe.
As it towers above Europe’s biggest port, the Erasmus Bridge is not only one-of-a-kind and intimidating, but also widely considered as a piece of beauty. The Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is where the vast majority of tourists choose to spend their time. The museum has works from the Middle Ages to the present day, including works by such masters as Salvador Dali, Vincent van Gogh, Hieronymus Bosch, and Rembrandt.
8. Groningen
Even though it’s just around ten square miles in size, this ethnically diversified university city in the northern Netherlands is the region’s undisputed cultural, commercial, and educational epicentre.
There are several museums to visit in Groningen, including the inventive and contemporary Groninger Museum, as well as graphics and comics museums, a naval museum, and a university museum. Groningen is a city rich in music, theatre, and live performances in outdoor cafés.
The Grote Markt, Peperstraat, and Vismarkt are some of the most well-known places to party due to the city’s large student population.
7. Haarlem
Haarlem is the heart of the tulip bulb-growing region, so it comes as no surprise that it is also the site of the annual Bloemencorso parade. This sleepy suburb is located on the banks of the Spaarne River, and it still has many of its mediaeval buildings intact.
Many tourists spend time on the Grote Markt, a pedestrian mall in the city’s historic core, shopping and seeing the area’s many museums and impressive architecture. The Teylers Museum in Haarlem is the oldest museum in the Netherlands and is known for its extensive collection of artefacts from the natural world, as well as its humanities and scientific displays. The Franz Hals Museum has a lot of paintings by Dutch masters, so it’s no surprise that art lovers go there.
6. Utrecht
Utrecht’s inner canal wharf system, built to prevent sections of the Rhine River from entering the city centre, is the most distinctive architectural element of the city and a testament to its rich Middle Ages heritage. Perhaps the University of Utrecht, the biggest university in the Netherlands, is the city’s greatest claim to fame.
The Gothic Cathedral of Saint Martin in Utrecht is awe-inspiring; its construction started in 1254 and lasted for the next two centuries. The Dom Tower, the Rietveld Schroder House, and the Museum Speelklok are must-sees for every museum-goer or architecture fan.
5. Maastricht
Maastricht, Holland, is a popular tourist destination because of its lively main square, the Vrijthof, as well as its famous Saint Servatius Church, Saint Jan’s Cathedral, and the historic fortifications, known as Vestigingswerkens.
The Vrijthof plays host to a plethora of events throughout the year, with the most popular happening in the fall and winter months. This lively town square is also home to some of Amsterdam’s best cafés, trendy bars, and intriguing boutiques. The St. Pietersberg Caves and the Helpoort, the Netherlands’ oldest surviving town gate, are two other must-sees while in Maastricht.
4. The Hague
The Hague is one of the most interesting Dutch cities to visit because of the impressive collections of modern art on display in the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis. Scheveningen is a popular tourist destination in the Netherlands during the summer months, and it has earned the nickname “Royal City by the Sea” because of the large number of Dutch royals that live there.
The Hague’s upscale retail stores, quaint boutiques, and international art galleries are all within easy reach of the city’s many well-known landmarks and historic areas. Despite Amsterdam’s status as the nation’s administrative centre, the Binnenhof may be found in The Hague. Two more things to see and do in The Hague are Madurodam, a small city, and Panorama Mesdag, a 360-degree panoramic image of the Scheveningen Sea as it was in the 19th century.
3. Delft
Delft is a modern city that has made great efforts to maintain its historic aspects, from the Renaissance-style City Hall building on the Markt Square to the city’s typical canals, architecture, and ambiance. If you want to get away from the busyness of Amsterdam for the weekend, this untouched village is the perfect place to go.
The Prinsenhof, where William of Orange was shot and killed, is a popular tourist destination. The story of the Eighty Years’ War is told at this museum, which also houses some very interesting pieces of art. The Vermeer Centrum in Delft is a must-see for anybody seeking a memento or print by Johannes Vermeer.
2. Leiden
The canals in Leiden are surrounded by trees and antique windmills, and the city is dotted with wooden bridges and verdant parks; they make for a lovely stroll. A trip along one of these beautiful canals in a boat is something you won’t soon forget. The museums in Leiden cover a wide range of topics, from science and natural history to Egyptian artefacts and windmills.
At the Hortus Botanicus, you may see the oldest academic observatory in the world or stroll through extensive botanical gardens. The stunning Church of St. Peter dates back to the 16th century and has been linked to several historical figures, including the American pilgrims.
1. Amsterdam
Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most visited cities due to its well-known nightlife, cannabis culture, and red light district. The Anne Frank House, Vondelpark, and Bloemenmarkt, a floating flower market, are just a few of the well-known tourist destinations in the Netherlands’ capital city.
Amsterdam, which is in the province of North Holland, is a large city with a number of different neighbourhoods, but the city’s public transportation system, as well as the trams, metro lines, and bicycles, make moving about the city a breeze. The historic district of Amsterdam is the very core of the city.
The majority of visitors spend their time in the city centre, where they may take a canal boat, sightsee, and visit world-class institutions like the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Concertgebouw.
There are several street markets in the city, but the Albert Cuyp is by far the most frequented. Shopping, gallery-hopping, pub-hopping, and discovering one-of-a-kind coffee shops: Prinsengracht is a popular destination in Amsterdam. When it comes to food options, visitors will be spoiled for choice. Try some of the native delicacies, including bitterballen (fried meatballs), Ossenworst sausage, and Dutch cheese.
