Inspiration

18 Places to Visit in the Netherlands That Aren't Amsterdam

There is so much more to the land of windmills, canals, and tulips than just Amsterdam.

May 8, 2024

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Take it from a born-and-raised Dutchman: There are plenty of places to visit in the Netherlands that aren’t Amsterdam. If you stick to just the capital city, you’re only scratching the surface of this small-but-mighty country.

Look beyond Amsterdam’s tourist-thronged canal belt, and you’ll find plenty of villages plucked straight out of a classic painting by one of the Old Masters—windmills, tulips, swirling waterways, and all. There are sprawling national parks brimming with birdlife and criss-crossed with cycling trails, while envelope-pushing cities like Eindhoven and Rotterdam show that the country is a creative powerhouse too.

The best part? The national train network reaches all corners of the country, and its relatively small size puts even the most far-flung places within a day-trip distance from Amsterdam. Below, 18 places to visit in the Netherlands that aren’t Amsterdam—from frozen-in-time villages to museum-packed cities—to consider adding to your itinerary.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Katherine LaGrave and Caitlin Morton.

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Zaandam
Wrapped in the Dutch countryside within easy day-trip distance from Amsterdam, Zaandam once stood at the heart of the Dutch milling industry. Remnants of these glory days can be found at Zaanse Schans, a short drive north from downtown, where a stroll through its jumble of windmills and clapboard houses feels like stepping into a real-life version of an Old Masters painting. Downtown, the ubiquitous Zaan-style architecture has gotten a mind-bendingly modern makeover at the landmark Inntel Hotel (an Escher-esque mash-up of traditional Zaanse houses), and the Zaandam City Hall, which reinterprets the shapes of Zaanse houses into minimalist masterpieces.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Zaandam in 15 minutes.
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Groningen
For Dutch standards, the two-hour train ride to this northern city is a nearly impossible schlep, but the picturesque journey through rolling farmlands is well worth it. Criss-crossed with canals and dotted with monumental churches, Renaissance-era gardens, and warehouses dating back to the 16th century, Groningen is packed with history. But as one of the country’s main university towns, the city has a surprisingly forward-thinking nightlife scene too. Most of the action happens around de Grote Markt (Big Market) square, which hosts a lively fish and food market by day, and turns into a party hub after dark.
How to get there: Trains from Amsterdam with a transfer in Utrecht or Almere bring you to Groningen in about two hours.

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Maastricht
Thought this place was pancake-flat? Most of it is, yes—but Maastricht and the surrounding Zuid Limburg countryside prove that there’s more to this land than polders and endlessly flat farmland. Start off in Maastricht, the country’s southernmost major city, where you can walk through centuries worth of history in its cathedrals and limestone mines. After, venture into the undulating hills, forests, and meadows of Zuid Limburg via picturesque towns such as Valkenburg and Gulpen, from which miles of walking and cycling trails roll into every direction. The area’s close proximity to Belgium and Germany make it possible to visit all three countries within a single day.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Maastricht in two and a half hours.
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Giethoorn
This tiny village in the country’s northeast is often referred to as the “Venice of the Netherlands,”and it’s easy to see why. With its thatched-roof farmhouses and wooden arch bridges, Giethoorn seems to have come straight out of a fairytale. It’s best explored via its network of bike lanes and canals—either by boat, or by ice skating during the frozen winter months. For a lay of the land, make the Museum Giethoorn ’t Olde Maat Uus your first stop. Set in a former farm, this museum walks guests through Giethoorn’s fascinating history via historic artifacts, hand-written letters, and hands-on workshops on old-timey cottage crafts.
How to get there: Trains from Amsterdam bring you to Zwolle in about an hour, from where buses link to central Giethoorn.

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Volendam
This picturesque fishing village is Holland’s best-known for a reason: It’s filled with colorful wooden houses, bobbing fishing boats, and seafood stall after seafood stall dishing up fish and chips, smoked eel, and pickled herring piled high with onions (to be eaten like the Dutch: in a single gulp). Once you’ve had your share of Volendam, hop on a ferry across the Markermeer lake to Marken, another old-timey Dutch village on a small island some 30 minutes away.
How to get there: Bus 316 leaves from Amsterdam Central station and brings you to Volendam in around 30 minutes.
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Kinderdijk
Imagine a scene of the bucolic Dutch countryside, and the village of Kinderdijk is probably what comes to mind. In other words: lots of windmills. The village’s 19 monumental mills were built in the early 18th century to prevent flooding and keep soil dry, and the mill network has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Some of the mills, including Blokweer and Nederwaard, are open to the public and function as fascinating museums that share a peek into the lives of the families that once inhabited them.
How to get there: Buses leave from Rotterdam and bring you to Kinderdijk in about 30 minutes.

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Alkmaar
Alkmaar has many intriguing museums and lots of medieval architecture worth checking out, but most visitors flock here for one reason: cheese. The town is known for its traditional cheese market, which takes place on Friday mornings from April to early September. There’s plenty to see in other months too, though: There’s a cheese museum located in the 16th-century Waagtoren tower, half a dozen hofjes (almshouses) with gorgeous courtyard gardens, and a handful of ornately decorated churches dating back to the 17th century.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Alkmaar in just over 30 minutes.
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Haarlem
Haarlem’s cobbled streets and pretty canals make this northern Dutch city feel like Amsterdam without the tourist crowds. Even its museums are of a similar caliber, with the renowned Frans Hals Museum exhibiting pieces by Dutch Masters such as Frans Hals and Pieter Bruegel, and its ‘Hal’ wing showcasing contemporary works by international artists. There are historic churches, market squares and quaint hofjes to explore, while the miles of dunes rolling along the coast make for a perfect break away from the city.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Haarlem in 15 minutes.

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De Hoge Veluwe National Park
This park is one of the largest in the Netherlands, and within its 13,343 acres, counts rare wildlife, some of the most iconic buildings in the country, and the Kröller-Müller Museum, which showcases a collection of nineteenth and twentieth century art in addition to the largest private collection of Van Goghs. Zoom around on a (free) white bike—the park has about 1,700 on loan at central locations.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Apeldoorn in an hour, from where buses link to various points around the park.
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Wadden Sea Islands
The five islands in the Wadden Sea, part of an archipelago of about 50 islands that stretches all the way to Denmark, are some of the country’s best places to unplug. Each one has a unique character, but all deliver seaside tranquility in spades—windswept dunes, cheeky seals, frozen-in-time villages and all. Seek out Texel, the largest of the bunch, for its wildlife-rich nature reserves; opt for largely car-free Schiermonnikoog, if it’s beachside hiking you’re after; or plan a trip to Vlieland during its annual Into The Great Wide Open festival around September, which transforms the island into a giant laid-back music and arts exhibition.
How to get there: Ferries from different cities on the mainland (including Harlingen) with a seasonally-changing schedule bring you to each island in about one to one and a half hours.

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Lisse
You can’t visit the Netherlands and not seek out some of its famous technicolor tulips. There are many places around the country to view the beautiful flowers, but the Keukenhof Gardens (open from March to May) and sprawling fields around the town of Lisse are a sure thing. The floral frenzy is at its peak around mid-April, when the annual Bloemencorse Bollenstreek parade of flower-adorned floats will travel from Noordwijk to Haarlem, with a stop at the Keukenhof along the way.
How to get there: The Keukenhof Express bus from various locations around Amsterdam and Schiphol airport brings you to the Keukenhof in about 30 minutes.
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Delft
Many people flock to Delft for its eponymous blue pottery, but don’t overlook the town’s Renaissance architecture and Vermeer Centre museum (the Dutch painter, famous for such works as Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Milkmaid, was born and died here). The compact size of its historic center make it a perfect spot for leisurely strolls: Stop for coffee along its canals, browse Delftware in its numerous boutiques, and sample cheeses at the cafe-lined Markt square in front of the Nieuwe Kerk, where a lively local market pops up every Thursday.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Delft in an hour.

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Eindhoven
If you like technology and design, head to Eindhoven, a southern city home to some of the country’s most envelope-pushing museums and design academies. Seek out the Van Abbemuseum for its modern and contemporary art; stop at industrial park-turned culture hub Strijp-S; and hit up the Inkijkmuseum, a micro-museum located in a former washhouse. The city is at its best during the yearly Dutch Design Week (the largest design fair in northern Europe), which takes over Eindhoven’s creative spaces every October.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Eindhoven in just under one and half hours.
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Utrecht
Utrecht’s historic canal houses have two stories, and its centuries-old wharf cellars now serve as spots to enjoy food and drinks at water level—something unique to this city. You can also enjoy the towering churches and cozy cafes of Utrecht by bicycle, as it’s one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world. It’s also the perfect place for history buffs, with sites like the Dom Tower and Centraal Museum offering glimpses into the country’s past.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Utrecht in 25 minutes.

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Beemster Polder
About thirteen miles north of Amsterdam, the Beemster region is a prime example of a Dutch polder—a flat piece of green farmland formed by draining a body of water. Aside from its cultural significance (it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999), the Beemster Polder is a gorgeous landscape, complete with little canals, windmills, and lush green fields. Make sure to stop by Middenbeemster, which, like most towns in the country, is impossibly charming.
How to get there: Buses from various locations around Amsterdam bring you to the Beemster in about 30 minutes.
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Rotterdam
Holland’s second-largest city lost most of its heritage buildings during World War II bombings, but now leads the way in envelope-pushing architecture. Its skyline is a highlight reel of works by architecture greats such as Rem Koolhaas, who designed the gravity-defying De Rotterdam tower that soars above the Meuse river. Other standouts include the quirky cube houses (for rent on Airbnb!) by Dutch architect Piet Blom; the horseshoe-shaped Markthal building by local architecture firm MVRDV; and the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, a bowl-shaped metallic edifice that’s home to the Boijmans Van Beuningen’s 151,000-piece art collection.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to Rotterdam in 45 minutes.

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Thorn
Located near the Belgian border in the province of Limburg, Thorn is another one of those postcard-pretty Dutch hamlets with cobblestone roads and ancient churches. What makes Thorn unique, though, is its whitewashed architecture; at the Thorn Museum in the center of town, you’ll learn why this all-white look was an ingenious form of Medieval tax evasion. The other can’t-miss attraction is the 10th-century abbey church, which throughout history grew into a tiny kingdom ruled by noblewomen.
How to get there: From Amsterdam, trains to Weert take about two and a half hours, from where buses connect you to Thorn.
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The Hague
Amsterdam may be the capital, but the Dutch parliament meets in this stunning city on the North Sea. Within its Gothic-style Inner Court lie some of the country’s best museums, including an homage to M.C. Escher and the Mauritshuis (which houses Girl with the Pearl Earring). Most locals, though, flock to The Hague for its beaches: long stretches of sand lined with lively boulevards, seafood restaurants, and breezy beach clubs.
How to get there: Direct trains from Amsterdam bring you to The Hague in 50 minutes.