City
Amsterdam
Netherlands
The capital of canals, gabled houses, big-name museums and an easy, bike-first way of life.
Western Europe
Netherlands
Canals, windmills, world-class art and flat, bike-friendly landscapes, with big cities and small towns only a short train ride apart.
For storytellers
Why Netherlands matters
The Netherlands is small, but it packs in more than most countries ten times its size. Much of the land sits below sea level, reclaimed from water by centuries of clever engineering, and you can see that story in the dikes, polders and windmills. Add canal-lined cities, a golden-age art legacy from Rembrandt to Van Gogh, and a cycling culture that makes everything feel easy. Trains link nearly every highlight, so you can wake up in Amsterdam, lunch in Delft and be on a beach by sunset.
Talking points
- Large parts of the country lie below sea level, held dry by dikes, pumps and windmills.
- Cycling is the default way to get around, with dedicated bike lanes almost everywhere.
- The golden-age art of Rembrandt and Vermeer, plus Van Gogh, is easy to see in a single weekend.
- Trains connect the major cities in under an hour, so day trips are simple.
- Tulip season in spring turns the fields near Lisse into stripes of colour.
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- Capital
- Amsterdam
- Languages
- Dutch
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Best time to go
- April to May for tulips and mild weather, or June to September for long days and terraces. Winters are cold but atmospheric.
Where to base yourself
Cities and towns in Netherlands
City
Rotterdam
Netherlands
A bold, modern port city rebuilt after wartime destruction, famed for daring architecture.
Village
Zaanse Schans
Netherlands
A living open-air neighbourhood of working windmills, wooden houses and traditional crafts on the Zaan river.
City
Haarlem
Netherlands
A charming small city near the dunes, with a grand market square, hidden courtyards and a great painting tradi...
City
The Hague
Netherlands
The seat of government and international justice, with royal parks, big museums and a beach resort on the door...
City
Utrecht
Netherlands
A lively university city with sunken canals, a medieval core and the tallest church tower in the country.
City
Delft
Netherlands
A postcard canal town of blue-and-white pottery, Vermeer and a pretty market square.
City
Leiden
Netherlands
A canal-laced university town with a medieval fortress, botanical garden and museums of science and antiquity.
City
Maastricht
Netherlands
A southern city with a Burgundian feel, cobbled squares, hidden courtyards and an excellent food scene.
Village
Giethoorn
Netherlands
A car-free village of thatched farmhouses where canals are the streets and you explore by boat or on foot.
City
Groningen
Netherlands
A lively northern student city with a striking modern museum, a historic centre and a very bike-heavy streetsc...
Top places
What to see in Netherlands
- Top places
- Museum 13
- Historic site 5
- River or canal 3
- Neighbourhood 3
- Palace 3
- Market 3
- Tower 3
- Square 3
- Beach 2
- Garden 2
- Food and drink 1
- Park 1
- Theme park 1
- Bridge 1
- Other 1
- Church, mosque or temple 1
- National park 1
- Island 1
Museum
Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The national museum of Dutch art and history, home to Rembrandt's Night Watch.
River or canal · UNESCO
Amsterdam Canal Ring
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The seventeenth-century canal belt of Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, a UNESCO World Heritage Si...
Museum
Anne Frank House
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The canal-side house where Anne Frank and others hid from the Nazis during the Second World War.
Garden
Keukenhof
Leiden, Netherlands
One of the world's largest spring flower gardens, with millions of tulips and other bulbs.
Museum
Van Gogh Museum
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The world's largest collection of Vincent van Gogh's paintings, letters and drawings.
Tower
Dom Tower
Utrecht, Netherlands
The tall medieval bell tower of Utrecht and a symbol of the city.
Market
Markthal
Rotterdam, Netherlands
A huge arched food hall with a giant ceiling mural and dozens of food stalls.
Museum
Mauritshuis
The Hague, Netherlands
A small, perfect museum in a former mansion, home to Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Historic site
Zaanse Schans Windmills
Zaanse Schans, Netherlands
A row of working windmills and traditional workshops along the Zaan.
Palace
Dam Square and Royal Palace
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The historic heart of Amsterdam, with the Royal Palace overlooking a busy square.
Square
Grote Markt Haarlem
Haarlem, Netherlands
Haarlem's market square, framed by the great church, the old town hall and cafe terraces.
National park
Hoge Veluwe National Park
Netherlands
A large park of heath, forest and dunes with free white bikes and the Kroller-Muller Museum.
Neighbourhood
Jordaan
Amsterdam, Netherlands
A charming former working-class quarter of narrow lanes, galleries and brown cafes.
Historic site · UNESCO
Kinderdijk Windmills
Rotterdam, Netherlands
A UNESCO-listed row of historic windmills that kept the polders dry.
River or canal
Oudegracht
Utrecht, Netherlands
Utrecht's old canal with sunken wharves, cellar restaurants and terraces at water level.
Market
Albert Cuyp Market
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The city's biggest daily street market, famous for stroopwafels, cheese and fresh herring.
Other
Boekhandel Dominicanen
Maastricht, Netherlands
A thirteenth-century Dominican church turned into a bookshop, often called one of the world's most beautiful.
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