The Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands
Over in western Europe next to Germany and Belgium is the country of the Netherlands, home to the Dutch and known for it’s endless towns and cities centered around canals and cycling. The country itself is extremely flat, dense and not that big overall. Around 18 million people live here, and although Dutch is the official language, English proficiency levels in the Netherlands are very very high. The country is super progressive amongst its societies and it really has its own unique vibe to it with the way it looks and operates.
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: Euro
Language: Dutch
When to visit: May to December
1) Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the Netherland’s compact and extremely popular capital city, which receives onwards of 20 million visitors every single year. It’s for good reason, however - It is filled with historic buildings, contains over 1,500 bridges, has over 100km of canals and even has more bikes than people. Locals cycle everywhere, and the city is just extremely lively in general.
Things to do:
If you want to check out the endless canals of the city, opt for a Canal Cruise, which will allow you to see the city in a whole different light as opposed to walking or cycling on the banks. Otherwise, walk through the city center and take it all in, the sheer amount of canals is unique in itself. I mentioned the history before, so here are some of best places if you are interested in Amsterdam’s past. The Rijksmuseum is the giant national museum, mainly containing tons of paintings and art. Speaking of art, the Van Gogh Museum is where you’ll find the biggest collection of his work anywhere, including the famous Starry Night painting. And lastly, the Anne Frank House. The place where she wrote her infamous diary during WWII. Her house is located in the Jordaan Neighborhood, which is a more picturesque and trendy part of the city. While some visit for the history and museums, some visit for Amsterdam’s iconic Red Light District (De Wallen). The full ‘experience’ of that comes during night time. If you’re interested in some street markets, the Albert Cuyp Market is Europe’s largest daytime street market, found in one of the popular areas of Amsterdam, De Pijp. There’s a lot to do here, and so many more museums which I didn’t mention that you can check out as well, like the NEMO Science Museum or the National Maritime Museum.
How to get there:
Schiphol Airport (AMS) has international flights from all over the world, making Amsterdam very easy to get to.
Amsterdam is in a good location so you can take a train or bus from most big cities in western Europe, plus all around the Netherlands.
2) Utrecht
Utrecht is a chill, underrated city in the middle of the Netherlands. It’s a place you can get the same canal vibe as Amsterdam, with a fraction of the tourists. It’s still the fourth largest city in the country, and locals recommend it as a great spot to head to when visiting the Netherlands. It’s got a historic center built around a ring of canals with old wharf cellars underneath street level, making it pretty unique.
Things to do:
When walking through Utrecht you’ll for sure see the Dom Tower which sits at 112m high. Climb the 465 steps for great views over the city and canals. Walk round the square below it as well as all of the Old Canals of the city. The canals mixed with the relaxed vibe of the city is what most tourists head here for. The whole area is very pretty and it’s the type of city which people feel connected to. Just like Amsterdam, there is a lot of museums too, such as; The Railway Museum, Museum Speelklok, and the Centraal Museum. Not far outside the city is De Haar Castle - the Netherland’s biggest castle. Take a bus out there and check out this 19th century palace.
How to get there:
Simply take a short train from Amsterdam to Utrecht.
3) Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a city which flips the previous aesthetic of the Netherlands on its head. It’s an ultra modern, diverse hub with a bunch of skyscrapers and the country’s biggest port. During WW2, Rotterdam was heavily destroyed and has now rebuilt in a bold way. It’s got heavy industrial energy and quite a lot less tourists than Amsterdam.
Things to do:
The Port of Rotterdam is one of the world’s biggest ports which you can visit and see container ships, cranes, oil refineries up close. From the port, you can see Erasmus Bridge, an icon of the city. It’s the huge swan-shaped cable bridge over the Nieuwe Maas river. One area which did survive the tragedies of WW2 is Delfshaven, and it has the more traditional feel you’d see in some of the Netherlands’ smaller towns. Im sure you’ll find yourself in Rotterdam Centrum, so you could check out the Cube Houses, a quirky set of houses tilted at 45 degrees. Also walk down Witte de Withstraat, a street in the city center with an extremely lively atmosphere and great nightlife. And I can’t forget about Markthal, the massive (mainly food) market with apartments stacked on top. And if you really want some high views of the city to top it all off, head up the Euromast and enjoy.
How to get there:
Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) is pretty decent for direct flights across Europe.
You can take a train from mainly all the main big cities in western Europe (Paris, London, Brussels).
Otherwise, FlixBus has connections from all over Europe and Netherlands for cheaper.
4) Haarlem
Only 20 minutes from Amsterdam is the charming city of Haarlem, which features narrow aesthetic streets and a big market square which the city is built around. It’s a good place for an escape from Amsterdam, especially since you can go there and head back in the same day, at any time. It feels very Dutch, from the food, to the architecture, to the classic canals. If you’re in Amsterdam, why not check out somewhere different next door?
Things to do:
The big central square which shapes the city’s dynamic is Grote Markt. St. Bavo Church towers over it, and inside you can find the famous organ which was even played by Mozart as a child. The square is a beautiful area which feels like classic Europe. Walk around the connecting streets of the area and enjoy the vibe of Haarlem as it comes. You have the Frans Hals Museum, dedicated to painter Frans Hals, as well as the Teylers Museum which is the oldest museum in the whole country. And not far from the city center is De Adriaan Windmill, which is super cool to see amongst all the buildings in the middle of the city. If you are here to just chill, enjoy a walk alongside the Spaarne River for some peace.
How to get there:
Take a direct train from Amsterdam any time of the day.
5) Leiden
Moving on to another awesome smaller city outside Amsterdam, Leiden is a pretty university city with about 130,000 people. Much like literally everywhere in the Netherlands, the city is built around canals and old brick buildings. It's famous for being the birthplace of Rembrandt (Dutch Painter), and for its historic university which is one of the worlds oldest.
Things to do:
Leiden University may not be the oldest in the world, but it’s the oldest in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1575, and the Hortus Botanicus is right over the canal, which is one of Europe's oldest botanical gardens. Walk around the old streets of the city, and stop in and check out Pieterskerk, a big gothic church, plus Stadhuis, the city hall with a nice facade next to it. If you are interested in the Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt, you can see Rembrandt's Birthplace. There isn’t a lot there besides a little info and a small museum in the house. Leiden has a cool vibe overall and you’ll see some windmills if you walk round the city’s cool streets enough.
How to get there:
Take a quick direct train from Amsterdam.
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