The Netherlands: Top 20 attractions in the country of tulip groves

Amsterdam Canals

As a rule, a trip to the Netherlands starts from the capital of the country - Amsterdam. The main attraction of the Netherlands in the capital is the numerous water canals - there are more than a hundred of them in total.

Many man-made canals along with hundreds of ingenious bridges and bridges create a unique picture of the city, which makes it recognizable among thousands of other cities. You can wander along its endless embankments for hours, marveling at the intricate architecture of the city, which we advise you to do!

Zanse-Schans

Once inside Zanse-Schans, it's as if you're inside a Dutch postcard of traditional landscapes. This historic open-air museum is located 20 minutes from the town of Zandam in the west of the Netherlands.

It's famous for incorporating classic elements of the country: mills, cheese-making and wooden clomping boots. Most of the mills in Zanse Schans are in perfect condition and open to visitors. You can try on traditional Dutch clomps - and see how they are made - at the local wooden shoe museum. Cheese lovers are in luck - the De Catherinahoeve farm holds regular tastings where you can sample a variety of Dutch cheeses for free.

The city of Alkmaar

If you don't have time to explore the country properly, don't feel bad! Head to Alkmaar, as it has everything the region is known for.

ʼDutch cheese? Please! Alkmaar's cheese fairs will not leave any lover of this delicacy indifferent. Dutch windmills? There are eleven of them. Want to laze on the beach? Not a problem, because the city is located on the shore of the North Sea. Well, the fact that the central square of Alkmaar (Canada Square) regularly holds concerts and exhibitions, and the city has a lot of interesting stores, will only make it popular with tourists.

Kinderdijk

To feel like the hero of the novel "Silver Skates", racing along the perfectly smooth surface of a frozen canal in winter, or dashing along one ancient mill after another in summer, you can perhaps only in Kinderdijk - a tiny and very cozy village.

Located in the province of South Holland, the village of Kinderdijk is famous for its amazing complex of 19 windmills dating back to the 18th century. If you want to see as many windmills as possible in one place, Kinderdijk is the place to be.

White House in Rotterdam

Rotterdam's own White House is another unique monument, but it has nothing to do with politics. And that doesn't make it any less interesting, because it's Europe's first skyscraper and a very distinctive building in its own right.

The White House was built in 1898 by architect Willem Molenbroek. The idea was born after a visit of one of the designers to New York, where by that time skyscrapers were already being built. When creating the White House, they combined traditional American "skyscraper" forms with the Art Nouveau style. The result of this fusion was a structure that looks like a skyscraper and a castle at the same time.

The building is located on the shore of the Old Harbor and makes an amazing impression from the outside.

Keukenhof

No matter where you go, there are places that will be on your must-see lists. Just such an undisputed leader in the Netherlands, occupying the first positions of tourist lists, is the Keukenhof National Park.

This fairytale park and flower kingdom, spread over an area of 32 hectares in the tulip region, has long been called the "Garden of Europe". Obviously, such a title Keukenhof deservedly received for the unique bright beauty and undoubted grandeur of 4.5 million tulips of a hundred different colors, which bloom here every year.

Dam Square in Amsterdam

Dam Square is the vibrant heart of the Dutch capital, where life booms. It is home to some of the city's most important architectural landmarks: the Royal Palace, the Gothic Nive Kerk Temple and the National Monument, which commemorates the victims of World War II.

Not a day goes by in Dam Square without festivities, street performers and folk festivities, so it is worth a visit not only for those who appreciate history and architecture, but also for those who like to be in the center of the action.

Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

The Netherlands has given the world a huge number of outstanding artists, including Rembrandt, Jan Vermeijer, Hieronymus Bosch, Vincent van Gogh and others. Therefore, it is not surprising that one of the most famous art museums in the world, located in Amsterdam.

The museum's numerous exhibitions feature works by painters and other Dutch artists, as well as large displays on historical themes. The Rijksmuseum is truly huge, so it is easy to get lost in its halls, going further and further in search of previously unseen works of art and other exhibits.

Royal Palace

The main attractions of the Dutch capital are also incredible without the Royal Palace. The majestic house on Dam Square, built in the 17th century, symbolized the influence and power of the country. It was called the eighth wonder of the world for its enormous scale for the time.

The palace is open to the public on days when there are no official measures. The huge central hall is decorated with statues in antique style. You can walk through the halls and enjoy the luxurious interiors.

Floating Flower Market

In the old days, vendors would come on barges by canal in the center of the Dutch capital and sell their goods right out of the water. Only the name remains of the old tradition: the flower pavilions no longer float in the Singl canal, but are attached to the shore. But this has not affected the idea of the market in any way.

Every year, farmers and gardeners come here to buy seedlings and new products for their collections. Tourists rush to buy bulbs of legendary Dutch tulips.

Van Gogh Museum

Another brilliant artist who lived and worked in the Netherlands is the world famous Vincent Van Gogh. The Amsterdam Art Museum is home to the world's largest collection of the artist's paintings and drawings, as well as works by his contemporaries, including Paul Gauguin, Georges Serra, Paul Signac, Claude Monet, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, and Pablo Picasso.

The museum now has just over 200 paintings by Van Gogh, including such famous paintings as The Potato Eaters, Bedroom in Arles, and one of three versions of Sunflowers.

De Hoge-Veluwe National Park

De Hoge-Veluwe National Park offers so much to see and do that sometimes visitors don't have a whole day to go around and explore all of its interesting places.

Today, on an area of about a thousand square meters, there are many walking trails, equestrian and bicycle paths, a sculpture garden, a number of restaurants and three unique museums. Yes, among them is a one-of-a-kind museum of underground life. Going lower and lower into the ground on its staircase, you can find the root system of an old tree, the age of which reaches one and a half hundred years, as well as rare rocks and even extinct more than a thousand years ago animal bones.

De Haar Castle

In one of the oldest and most beautiful cities of Holland is another beautiful monument of the Netherlands - De Haar Castle. Outwardly the castle has the appearance of a historical monument of the Middle Ages, but in fact it is an estate, equipped with advanced developments.

Near the castle there are picturesque gardens of De Haar, often compared to Versailles. These are almost 7 thousand trees brought here from all over the country. The park is decorated with numerous romantic pavilions, and the surrounding village was built in a pseudo-medieval style to complete the picture.

City of The Hague

The Hague is known to many as the seat of the Dutch government and parliament. But the city is not just about politics - it is home to some of the best fine art museums in the Netherlands.

For example, in the Mauritshuis Museum you can see Jan Vermeer's famous painting, Girl with a Pearl Earring, as well as many works by Rembrandt. Another popular place in The Hague is the seaside resort of Scheveningen. Here you can practice sea sports such as windsurfing or kitesurfing, or visit local attractions such as the Museum of Miniatures, Scheveningen Museum, the old church or the oceanarium.

Volendam Orchard

Volendam is another fairly traditional tourist destination in the Netherlands. Every Dutchman has been here at least once, what to speak of tourists. Besides the fame of the "musical" capital of the Netherlands, Volendam is also known for its dam. This is definitely the most touristy part of the city, where you can take pictures to remember.

Along the causeway there are also many restaurants - here it is best to try the national cuisine, for example, Dutch poffertje pancakes.

West Frisian Islands

This series of islands stretching along the coast of the Netherlands is definitely worth a visit. This is the place to go for those who love long walks in nature, as almost all of the islands are simply designed for hiking and outdoor activities.

For example, Vlieland is an island made up of sand dunes and coniferous forests. The noise of the sea, the air filled with salt and the aroma of pine needles, and sand dunes to the horizon - the best place to relax from civilization. Other islands like Texel or Schiermonnikoz are no less interesting.

Binnenhof Castle Complex

Binnenhof is a large castle complex in the heart of The Hague, on the shores of Lake Hofwijver in The Hague. The Gothic castle was built in the 13th century as a count's residence, but already in the 16th century it became the political center of the Dutch Republic. Nowadays, both houses of government meet here, and the Prime Minister's office is located here in a small round tower.

Red Light District

The Red Light District in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a place that for centuries has made some people avert their eyes and others stare.

Representatives of the oldest profession settled here a long time ago, because Amsterdam is a port city and therefore has always been filled with sailors who spent moons at sea without female escort. In many ways, it is with the Red Light District that many people associate the Dutch capital.

However, many ideas about this area of Amsterdam are wrong, because it is not only a center of prostitution, but the heart of the night city. You can come here just to walk around, eat street food, have a few drinks in a bar, watch street performers and, most importantly, feel the atmosphere of nightlife.

Madurodom Miniatures Park

Is it possible to visit Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Amsterdam in an hour and a half? - Quite so, when it comes to the city miniatures in the Madurodom Park in The Hague. Here, the cities of the Netherlands are reproduced in great detail with their streets, water canals, ordinary houses and landmarks. Cars drive on the roads, people sit in cafes, and flowers grow in flowerbeds.

The detail and overall approach to creating miniatures is impressive.

Dutch National Heritage Museum

The Dutch National Heritage Museum in Arnhem is another open-air museum dedicated to the life and traditions of ordinary people. There are no cathedrals with tall spires or luxurious palaces, but there are old houses, farms, factories, mills, etc.

Going to the National Heritage Museum, you will learn more about the culture and history of the Netherlands than you would have learned from a single textbook or documentary.