Places to Visit in Netherlands

List of Places to Visit in Netherlands

While you work on your travel plans for the Land of Canals, make sure to confirm all the requirements for this trip. Once you’ve dealt with all these requirements, take a look at some of the best places to visit in Netherlands:

• Amsterdam
• Utrecht
• Maastricht
• Rotterdam
• The Hague
• Leiden

Being a Schengen country, you will need to apply for a Netherlands visa that requires a valid Schengen travel insurance plan.

Amsterdam

The country's largest city attracts more than 20 million tourists annually, making it one of the most popular places to visit in the Netherlands, as well as Europe. The city has charming areas lined with cobbled streets and picturesque canals. The famous Jordaan neighbourhood has homes constructed in the 17th century and several old areas full of quaint shops and cozy cafes. Some of the most amazing areas include Grachtengordel, Rijksmuseum and the Dam Square.

Don't forget to visit the Anne Frank House, the place where she hid with her family. Right next to this place is Amsterdam's West Church, which was completed in 1630. Another great place you shouldn't miss is the Van Gogh Museum and the 120-acre Vondelpark.

Since its establishment in 1972, the Van Gogh Museum attracts art fans and historians from all over the world, one of the right places to visit in the Netherlands. With more than 200 paintings and over 700 letters, the place showcases his numerous works, sketches and other artifacts.

There is also the Amsterdam Royal Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in Europe. Make sure to tour the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, earlier a King's residence, is a classical architecture with stunning apartments, ornamentation, sculptures and ceiling paintings.

Utrecht

Though one of the largest cities, Utrecht is most popular for its charming Old Town and a considerable lack of traffic that makes exploring this place truly memorable. With its old architecture well-preserved, you can visit the famous Domkerk, also known as St. Martin's Cathedral which was built in 1254. Don't forget to experience the DOMUnder, a self-guided tour that takes you underneath the Cathedral Square to the ruins of the old Roman fortress. The Centraal Museum is a museum dedicated to the art and artefacts of the city, while Museum Speelklok is a special museum dedicated to musical clocks.

If you love architecture, then you must visit the Rietveld Schröder House, an early 1920 house that has been deemed a world heritage site by UNESCO. The house was ahead of its times by decades and involved features like retractable walls and unique windows that could be fully opened.

In the winter, the city is flooded with tourists who visit to attend the popular KNUS Winter Market and Festival before Christmas. Other must-see places include De Haar Castle, the most beautiful and largest castle in the Netherlands. If you want to explore the famous Oudegracht, don't forget to take a kayak tour through the city's canals.

Maastricht

With its history going as far as 50 BC, Maastricht is an attractive place drawing tourists from everywhere. Set along the River Mass, it is one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Netherlands. The city was fortified first in the 3rd century and once again in the 14th century, resulting in significant and interesting architecture. The city's attractions include extremely well-preserved churches, museums and old squares. The city also boasts being very pedestrian-friendly, where you can easily enjoy taking a walk while sightseeing many of the city's attractions, namely the City Hall and the Market Square, a popular place thanks to its pleasant cafes and markets. Other notable landmarks include the 6th century Roman Catholic Basilica of St. Servaaskerk, the oldest church in the Netherlands. However, the most important part of the church has been turned into a museum, popularly known as the Treasures of St. Servaaskerk. A natural attraction you must visit is the Caestert Plateau, a natural reserve with a historic 18th-century fort. The Fort Sint Pieter is well-preserved and today a great attraction thanks to its underground system of tunnels and passages covering 200 kilometres. Finally, don't forget to visit Valkenburg for a romantic trip or simply a relaxing time at one of its spas.

Rotterdam

Situated very close to Amsterdam, Rotterdam is the largest port in the world and notable for its limited but stunning landmarks. The city lies on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas and is among the most interesting places to visit in the Netherlands. The city was almost destroyed during the second world war but was rebuilt and replanned after the war. Thus, it has more modern elements, unlike other cities that remained well-preserved. The city is also famous for being the birthplace of Erasmus, the famous humanist born in 1467. Sightseeing can easily start from its Old Harbour, which also has great cafes for people to relax in good weather.

You can also visit the Maritime Museum Rotterdam to learn more about the city's waterways and history. Art lovers can head to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, one of the most important art centres in Europe with some of the best works from the 14th to 16th centuries. Among the few medieval buildings that survived the air raids, Great St. Lawrence Church was fully restored and must be visited for its beautiful interiors. Finally, if you're short on time, head towards the Miniworld Rotterdam, a miniature copy of almost all the recognizable landmarks of places to visit in the Netherlands.

The Hague

With several buildings dating back to the 13th century, Den Haag or The Hague is among the most memorable places to visit in the Netherlands. The place is most famous for impressively preserved homes of the aristocracy, stunning art galleries, museums and entertainment opportunities. Some of the best landmarks include the elegant Mauritshuis, an important museum boasting Rembrandt's Anatomy Lesson and many other medieval paintings. Other must-visit places include the Escher in the Palace for lithographs and woodblocks collections, the Knight's Hall, the Louwman Museum for some of the oldest car collections of the world, and the famous Peace Palace.

Leiden

Visiting the Land of Tulips is incomplete without visiting the university city of Leiden. This is where Tulip was first introduced in Europe and is today a remarkable flower growing area. For those wishing to experience Holland's famous tulip blossoms, Leiden can be visited during May. Other than the flowers, you can spend your time exploring the city's busy Leiden Street Market for some local traditional foods, crafts and clothes. The birthplace of famous painters, Leiden also has significant cultural importance. Burcht van Leiden, or the Old Castle is a must-visit place. Protected by canals, you can get panoramic views from the castle.

The city also boasts the Naturalis Biodiversity Museum, established in the early 1800s and has over 37 million specimens. There are also other museums you must visit, namely the National Museum of Antiquities and Museum Boerhaave. If you're into botany, don't forget to visit Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. Laid out in 1590, this place has over 10,000 botanical species from all over the world. Other significant places include the Molen de Valk Windmill Museum or the Windmill Museum, Steam Train Valkenburg Lake, Leidens Municipal Museum and the stunning Duivenvoorde Castle.

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