The Netherlands
(AKA Holland)
Introduction Page:
A country I love to leave but sometimes I also love going back to!
I can fully understand why foreign tourists have a great time here and are super interested to visit.
There is just so much to experience and so much to see and all of it is easy reachable by well made cycling lanes, highways or by train.
With cities like: Amsterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam and Delft there is something for everyone!
And now we are just talking about the bigger ones because smaller cities like: Eindhoven, Hoorn, Amersfoort, Valkenburg and many more are just as much worth visiting.
- Capital: Amsterdam
- Population: 17.4 Million
- Currency: Euro
- National Day: 27th April
- Country size rank: 134
Throw in some lively public events like Koningsdag(King’s day) where almost every single human being wears orange, huge festivals in general and starting in Spring you can feast your eyes by looking at the thousands of colourful flowers at the Keukenhof event!!
Or how about you go off the beaten path, visit some of the amazing forests we got or take a stroll along our beaches(many Germans come to our country for them).
Done with Mother Nature? Visit the cosy and authentic Dutch cities and indulge yourself in our local delicacies like: haring, drop or our delicious stroopwafels(they are the best)
There is a lot to be seen and done in my home country that’s for sure!
To read all the Netherlands articles, simply click the button above⬆️
Or scroll down further to see my Top 4 lesser known places in The Netherlands and my top 3 places that are famous(but worth it)⬇️
My top 4 hidden gems in the Netherlands:
1: National Park: De Hoge Veluwe
The most beatiful national park our country has to offer!
Situated close to the city of Arnhem and to the German border, this is a place every nature lover has to visit!
Upon arrival you’ll be hiking in beatiful dense forests with a small chance of seeing local wildlife(deers, boars and other smaller animals).
This is only the beginning though…
Because if you had on further and walk towards the actual attraction De Hoge Veluwe is famous for then you’ll be rewarded with wide open fields!
Wide open fields filled with purple lit flowers(as seen on the picture).
Wild horses also roam these fields so keep your eyes peeled and who knows you catch a glimpse of them.
Done with walking? Head for the nearby city of Arnhem or Apeldoorn and treat yourself on a good meal!
Tip: Visit the hills on a sunny day, find the lookout point called: Posbank and you might catch a glimpse of nearby cities and even Germany in the distance!
2: Valkenburg, Limburg province
Valkenburg my favorite destination in the Netherlands perhaps!
The only city that makes you feel you’ve entered a whole different country.. while you never even left!
The Netherlands is just flat and boring right?
Well think again, Valkenburg is the only city that has actual hills, the highest one being 134m high even!
Another one in the city center still has castle ruins on top of it, which has become a popular tourist attraction.
But perhaps the most charming about Valkenburg is it’s atmosphere during Christmas.
Believe me, this is the place to be during winter season!
Streets are decorated with colourful lights, dozens of restaurants/bars open up their outdoor terrace, providing you with blankets and heat machines so you don’t freeze your ass off.
Order a hot chocolate milk and enjoy the Christmas scenery!
And last but definitely not least, the famous Christmas markets located in the caves of Valkenburg.
Stroll through dozens of Christmas stalls while the caves itself provides a wonderful experience!
3: Castle de Haar, Utrecht
Just outside the famous city of Utrecht is this beatiful castle located!
Castle de Haar, the biggest castle we have in the Netherlands.
A castle built hundreds of years ago and that has seen lots of changes in the past, the last known renovation happened in 1892-1912.
A castle that will take your breath away from the outside and inside.
Tours into the castle will cost you 18euro for adults and 12.50 for children.
These entrance tickets provide you with a guided tour through parts of the castle.
Expect lots of beatifully decorated rooms, a visit to the royal bedchamber, the kitchen, main hallway and bathrooms on your tour, the price is worth it if you ask me.
Also included in the price is access to the park around the castle and trust me this is just as stunning as the castle itself!
The park provides plenty of places to chill, amazing photography opportunities and nice sceneries in general.
4: Zeeland province in general
So basically I wanted to make a top 3 list as always but I just didn’t want to skip this one for all of you..
The province of Zeeland is not so famous while I think it has plenty of opportunities for everyone.
For example there are quite a few cities that are worth mentioning, like: Middelburg, Vlissingen, Burgh-Haamstede to name a few.
Or how about Renesse, a famous place for especially the youth to go partying and to have themselfs a ‘hot’ summer.
Not for everyone maybe but if you do like partying then this is the place to go in Zeeland!
Prefer something a bit more quiet and relaxing?
Also fine, there are lots of beaches that are not crowded, without loud music and no trash being littered everywhere, things that do happen on the beaches near the big cities.
I see Zeeland as a perfect destination if you are looking for rest, beaches and you want to experience a side of the Netherlands not many would see.
My top 3 famous places in The Netherlands:
1: Rotterdam
Rotterdam the city I was born and raised, the city I have lived in all my life.
I have to say about 10 years back I wouldn’t have even considered to put Rotterdam on the list but nowadays yeah I do.
Rotterdam has made huge renovations across the city, opening up new attractions and turning it into a city that can compete with the others.
Not to forget Rotterdam was the decor of the Eurovision song contest in 2021, putting it even more on the map for the general public.
Now I have to say between Amsterdam and Rotterdam I have a really hard time choosing which one is best(there’s a huge rivalry between the 2 so I should say Rotterdam haha😅)
But they are just so different and unique in their own way!
Amsterdam is the old city with the authentic old homes and the unmistakable canals etc.
While Rotterdam has been completely rebuilt since it was bombed during WW2.
Thus making it very modern with very tall buildings and unique architecture like the Markthal and Cube homes.
Speaking of those 2, they have become the biggest attraction in Rotterdam and are a must visit!
Markthal is an indoor market with dozens of food stands, ranging from Dutch snacks, fish, candies, Asian food and many more!
No to forget the spectacular interior and it’s colourful artwork on the roof!
In any case Rotterdam is a city you should visit, there’s plenty of fun to be had in the city center.
The Witte de With street being the most laidback street with plenty of bars and restaurants.
And then there is the Lijnbaan, a huge shopping street with all the biggest brands you might be looking for.
Bored of Rotterdam? Then there is always the option to take a water taxi and make your way towards other nearby cities like Dordrecht or even Kinderdijk(the famous place with dozens of windmills)
2: Amsterdam
Amsterdam who doesn’t know it? A huge player on the market in terms of tourism and even back in the old days when the Netherlands was colonizing places.
Amsterdam has a very rich history and all of it is preserved in the city streets.
Every building is authentic, the canals next to them provide a cosy setting and not to forget all the museums Amsterdam is famous for!
With museums like: Anne frank House, Rijksmuseum, sex museums and many more, there is a lot to be seen here!
Done walking around then take a canal boat tour, sit back, relax and let your eyes behold the charm of Amsterdam.
Witness the dozens of bridges, old monumental buildings and the homes that have stood here for hundreds of years!
Do you hate boats and you prefer flying around?
Walk inside one of the dozens of coffeeshops Amsterdam is famous(and infamous) for, smoke something good and lift off😜😅
Last but not certainly least… The Red light district!
A sight you have to see atleast once and I’d highly advice you to go there when it’s dark!
During the day it doesn’t do it any justice and you might even miss the place completely.
Visit during the dark and see the red lights reflecting on the water, giving it a charming and warm feel.
Watch the girls dancing around and perhaps visit one of the sex shows in the area, everything is possible in Amsterdam and nobody would judge you haha.
3: Keukenhof
Besides sex, drugs, cheese and our orange army during worldcups what else is The Netherlands famous for??
Indeed.. flowers, huge amounts of them are being exported throughout the world every single day.
Around 70 years ago a group of flower growers deciced to take our flower tradition to a whole new level!
They decided to open up a field portraying all their different kind of flowers and named it Keukenhof.
It was an instant succes and the tradition has being going on every since, attracting tens of thousands of tourists every year!
Open every year from the 24th of March untill the 15th of May.
It’s a stunning park with plenty of activities for young and old.
Rent a bycicle and ride across the colourful fields, appreciate the art sculptures, take a boat trip or go for a quick snack at all the food facilities the park has to offer.
Entrance fee: 18.50eu for adults and 9eu for children.
How to get there: Keukenhof is located just outside the city of Lisse, about 1 hour from Amsterdam.
Easily reachible by car or by public transport.
Busses towards Lisse depart from Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam Central station and from Hoofddorp so pick whatever works best for you.