Despite its modest size, the Kingdom of the Netherlands offers unlimited opportunities to broaden your horizons. Unique architectural complexes, rich collections of paintings and antiquities, extensive ethnographic and spectacular museum sketches of complex social phenomena are constantly tossing wood into the fire of thought.
Fascinating excursions to the Netherlands help tourists quickly and efficiently assimilate colossal amounts of new information without experiencing irritation and fatigue.
Views Excursions: vacation ideas for all tastes
Excursion vacations in the Netherlands cater to a wide range of cultural needs. Walking tours through touristic cities will familiarize you with the main architectural and historical landmarks that have shaped the image of the city. The predominant majority of sightseeing programs of this kind are centered on major tourist cities, such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Maastricht, Zwolle, and others.
For historic suburbs, bus tours and excursions or travel on your own by train or rented bicycle following the example of the locals. Among the most visited suburbs of Amsterdam are Haarlem, Aalsmeer, Zaandam, the towns of Alkmaar and Gouda. Rotterdam and The Hague are convenient to the ethnographic park Kinderdijk and Delft - the oldest center of porcelain production in Europe.
Hiking tours in the natural parks, gardens, and nature reserves in the Netherlands get in touch with the mysteries of nature. National Park De Hoge-Veluwe, nature park Het Twiske, arboretum Trompenburg and the Apenheul Monkey Sanctuary are traditional ecotourism destinations in the Netherlands.
Themed and targeted tours form an innovative segment of the travel services market, aimed at maximum personalization of excursion services. The Netherlands has developed exciting programs for excursions to cheese factories, flea markets, fishing villages, diamond mills, and even the infamous Red Light District!
Tours of the museums of Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam are subjects for a separate discussion. Suffice it to say that the organization of group escorts here is top-notch. Instead of monotonous lecturing, you will experience an exciting interactive program with elements of provocation.
Ever wondered what it's like to feel like a bottle of beer on a conveyor belt at the Heineken Beer Museum or retrace Panurg's path through the innards of the giant at the Museum of the Human Body in Leiden? Creative excursions in the Netherlands are characterized in a variety of ways: ecstatic delight is closely intertwined with righteous indignation—no one is indifferent!
How Are Tours Organized in the Netherlands?
A sightseeing vacation in the Netherlands involves two scenarios - either book a tour with a pre-packaged sightseeing package or explore the country's cultural heritage on your own, purchasing excursions locally.
Prices for sightseeing tours range from 600 to 1700 EUR. More precise figures can be given, taking into account the destination, the season, the duration of the trip, the intensity of the program, and the way the group moves. Obviously, a weekend bus tour is almost three times less expensive than a six-day Christmas tour in Amsterdam.
In Amsterdam's historic neighborhoods, you can also take advantage of Hop-on Hop-off buses with audio guides that follow popular sightseeing routes. Recently, tourist river streetcars have become popular. A daily ticket for a tourist bus for an adult passenger costs from 15 EUR, and for a boat, from 20 to 25 EUR.
For independent travelers, prices for excursions to the Netherlands on an individualized itinerary are more variable. In most cases, visits to museums and cultural sites are charged a fee from 8 to 20 EUR for adults and 4-8 EUR for children. In the ethnographic parks Zaakse Schans and Kinderdijk, the park area is free of charge, but entrance to each mill is charged separately.
