Tourist attractions in the Netherlands, a top 10
The Netherlands is a small country in Western Europe. During the 1700s it was one of the most powerful countries in the world. Nowadays, the Netherlands is still very wealthy. So, if you want to plan a trip to this beautiful country, you will need a list of attractions which are worth seeing. This guide will provide you the best tourist attractions in the Netherlands.
1. Amsterdam: Jordaan and its canals
This is the most famous one of the list. Amsterdam and its canals. Canals define Amsterdam and some even call it the Dutch version of Venice. You are able to visit all the major attractions by boat. However, please do not forget to walk through the Jordaan. This area of Amsterdam consists of buildings which were built starting the 1600s. Behind some of these buildings, you can find courtyards which are named ‘hofjes’.
2. Keukenhof
Keukenhof, which is also known as Garden of Europe, is possibly one of the most visited tourist attraction in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is known for producing a large amount of tulips. The gardens contain over 700 different tulips. For normal use, the flowers are at their best in April and May. Though, through optimization by hothouses, the flowers can be seen in a nice state all year long. Keukenhof is located in Lisse which can be reached with Public transport within an hour. To see opening days check their website: here
3. Hoge Veluwe National Park
Wanting to relax a bit after seeing Amsterdam? Visiting Hoge Veluwe National Park would then be a great idea. The area consists of 13,800 acre pure nature. You can see a large variety of animals in these area. Tip: go to the entrance and rent a bike. Doing so will provide you the best experience of visiting the Park. For those who want to sniff some culture, there is a museum deep within the park as well. The museum contains some of the works of Vincent van Gogh. Having a pit-stop at this museum will be a nice break!
4. Amsterdam: Nightlife, clubs and ADE
If you are party lover, then you will absolutely love the Netherlands. The Netherlands is known for their large amount of popular djs. In every category of the electronic dance music scene, there are good Dutch dj’s available. This contributed to the existence of ADE, Amsterdam Dance Event. This event is one of the largest music events in the whole world. The event is known for having more than 1000 different events during 3 days in October. Amsterdam Dance Event is popular among all music styles. If you love to go out, then ADE has to be on your bucketlist.
5. Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum
This museum contains a large amount of art and antiques starting from 1809. There are over 7 million items plus more than 5,000 paintings which are spread over 250 different rooms. The most famous piece of art that you can find here is the Nachtwacht. It was drawn by Rembrandt van Rijn. Please make sure that the amount of art will not overwhelm you. Artlovers can easily stay here for a full day.
6. Zaanstad: Zaanse Schans
The Zaanse Schans is an area close to Amsterdam filled withtraditional Dutch handcrafts and culture. The area is characterized by the numerous windmills, which have a typical Dutch twist. The windmills are accessible for tourists and so you can see what they were used for and how they functioned. Another custom which can be seen, is the building process of the ‘klomp’. The klomp was the type of shoe people in the Netherlands wore during the Middle Ages. Other things you can do are: making your own Dutch pancake, taste different types of cheese and buy your groceries in an Albert Heijn furnished as it was back in the old days. Zaanse Schans is close to Amsterdam which makes it a small day trip.
7. Kaatsheuvel: Efteling
In the southern area of the Netherlands you can find the best known theme park. This park is called ‘Efteling’. The park was built in 1952 and is known by its fairy tale areas. Time-wise it was way ahead of Disneyland. The Efteling contains trolls, elves, and other fairy tale characters. Children are able to visit their houses. Fairy tales come alive! Apart from these areas, the park also contains a numerous more adulty attractions. The fastest roller coaster is callded: the Python.
8. Tourist attractions in the Netherlands: Marken
Around the centrally situated huge lake of the Netherlands, the IJsselmeer is a village named Marken. This village contains houses which are traditionally painted as well as fisher boats. Out of all the villages around the lake, Marken is definitely a really good call to visit.
9. Tourist attractions in the Netherlands: Valkenburg
Valkenburg is a city which is located in the district of Limburg. The landscape of Valkenburg is beautiful because it is one of the few places where the Netherlands is not flat. When visiting the area be sure to visit at least one of the caves or the mines. They are breath-taking. Also, check out the castles too. In case you want to relax, then Valkenburg is an excellent choice.
10. Tourist attractions in the Netherlands: the harbor of Rotterdam
The harbor of Rotterdam is not the first attraction a native Dutch person would recommend. Though, it is a well-known area which has been used for business in over 400 years. The harbor was an important trade junction during the Golden Age. The harbor itself underwent a lot of changes since that era. Contemporary, the Rotterdam harbor is still one of the biggest harbors of the world. The neighborhoods around the harbor are picturesque and nice to walk through.
In case you are using public transport, check this article to optimize your travel experience.
