Tulips, windmills, canals, cheese, bicycles and wooden shoes! This is the Netherlands and it is undoubtedly worth putting on your bucket list as a destination. And maybe its capital, the Amsterdam, may be the most obvious choice for most people to visit, but we have news for you! Luckily for nature lovers, this densely populated state has a stunning natural landscape that you should explore.
The most important thing you will need to choose is when to go. And believe us, there is no better time than spring when the tulips are in bloom! Nature is at its best, your eye will see endless fields of flowers of all colors and the weather is usually good. Avoid winter as, in addition to the cold, you will also have to deal with the wind, which is a given there (hence the windmills), while summer is a good season but the flowering will have stopped.
How to get around
Although the Netherlands has a very good public transport network, to see as much as possible and get from one place to another quickly and easily, you will need to rent your own car. Also, stay outside of Amsterdam (you can easily see it in 2 days) to get a feel for life in the countryside and to avoid the city traffic jams. In addition, something to keep in mind is that parking in city centers is quite expensive, while on the highway the speed limit is 100km from 6 am to 7 pm and 120km for the rest of the time.
What to see
The Keukenhof Gardens
The tulips of Holland are the most famous in the world! About 50 kilometers from Amsterdam are the famous Keukenhof gardens, where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Here you will admire an impressive collection of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many more. Walking through the gardens, you will be immersed in an impressive spectacle of colors and aromas that will captivate you! The spot in the center of the park with the lake and fountains is truly heavenly!
The gardens receive approximately 2 million tourists in the 2 months of operation, which is equivalent to 26,000 visitors per day! One can understand that in the approximately 300 acres of land they occupy, you can encounter quite a few people. Tip: Go before 11 am or after 4 pm. (Tickets only online)
Bulb Region
Between Haarlem and Leiden lies the so-called “Bollenstreek”, an area full of fields of tulips and all kinds of flowers that have been cultivated since the 17th century and were an important element in the economic prosperity of the Netherlands. You will see countless colorful areas with flowers as far as the eye can see! Stop to admire them and take pictures, but be careful not to cause any damage. Many fields are fenced off as the flowers are intended for sale, but several of them have free access and with a little searching you will find them even next to the main roads.
Haarlem
A picturesque town a short distance from Amsterdam. The difference here is that time moves at a slower pace than in the capital. One of the city's landmarks is the windmill de Adriaan in a picturesque location next to the Spaarne River.
The Grote Kerk or St.-Bavokerk is a Protestant church and former Catholic cathedral located on the central market square in the city of Haarlem. It was built in the 14th century and is the city's landmark.
The Amsterdamse Poort, an impressive medieval gate from 1335, is the only one to have survived from Haarlem's fortifications.
Giethoorn
They call it the “Venice of the Netherlands” and perhaps not without reason! Giethoorn is a quaint village an hour and a half from Amsterdam. Its residents travel exclusively by… boats!
The 2,750 lucky residents of Giethoorn live in an idyllic green landscape, where the only sounds heard are those of birds and the water of the canals! Even the boats are electric so as not to make any noise!
The settlement was created between the 17th and 18th centuries and little has changed since then. The 176 wooden bridges help in communication between the houses that look as if they have grown out of the earth.
Sit by one of the numerous canals with a picnic or simply watch the boats lazily come and go, filled with tourists. Rent a boat and cruise the picturesque canals or follow the 4km circular hiking trail that runs through the settlement.
Kinderdijk
If you've seen photos of the Netherlands online, you've definitely seen its windmills. Kinderdijk. This is the largest concentration of traditional windmills in the country! Since 1740, the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk have been used to drain the area, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to the public. The windmills controlled the water level through the complex mechanisms installed inside them.
You can visit those that function as museums, go boating in the polders (water systems) and learn about the history and use of the land over the centuries. Many will say that there are several similarities with the Zansee Schans that we talked about in our article about the Amsterdam , which is not true. Kinderdijk is something truly authentic where you will not encounter the hordes of tourists nor the artificial landscape created at Zansee Schans.
The windmills are inhabited by the descendants of the miller families who originally used them, and touring the exterior is free. However, if you want to learn more about the area, go inside the windmills (which we highly recommend), or take a boat ride, there is a ticket fee that helps preserve these wonderful 18th-century achievements.th century!
Utrecht
Utrecht is a doll! Ideal for a few hours, with the most beautiful part of it being the historic center. Its peculiarity is that here you will find the wharfs (werfs), something you don't find anywhere else in the country. The wharfs are like cellars, at the base of the canal right in front of the water. They were used as warehouses for trade and today they house cafes, restaurants and even houses!
You can walk in front of the cellars and we recommend having a coffee or a bite to eat by the water. Head towards the old large canal, the Oude gracht, and take a walk along it heading south.
Don't miss the large Gothic cathedral and bell tower on Domplein Square, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Utrecht. Behind the cathedral, enter the monastery of Pandhof van de Dom to see a rare retreat in the center of Utrecht.
Efteling
It has also been called “the Disneyland of the Netherlands” and not without reason. It is a fairytale theme park for young and old, which we have told you about in detail in this article. article! Don't miss it!
Things to know
In many guidebooks you will see a suggestion to visit the villages of Waterland, namely Marken, Edam, Enkhuizen, Broek in Waterland and Volendam. However, we believe that with Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof and especially Giethoorn you have more or less seen the most remarkable places and have covered the most beautiful sights outside the cities in the Netherlands.
Many also suggest a day trip to The Hague and Rotterdam, which we have visited before and the truth is that we were not thrilled with them and we would only recommend them if you have time and have seen everything else.
What to try
Because no trip is complete without some culinary experiences, don't leave the Netherlands without trying: Bitterballen, fried meatballs accompanied by spicy mustard, fries, coarsely chopped french fries, haring, raw herring in a sandwich with pickles and onions, snore, pea soup or fava soup, stroopwafel, two thin slices of waffle joined with syrup in between, poffertjes, pancakes with butter and powdered sugar, oil balls, sweet dough balls that taste like donuts, apple pie their traditional apple pie and of course don't forget to try their numerous beers and of course not the ones you can find in Greece!
Before you leave, read this too article where we describe our visit to a unique theme park in southern Holland, aimed at young and old!
