Day Trips from Amsterdam

The most rewarding short day trip from Amsterdam. A beautifully preserved historic city that many people feel is what Amsterdam used to be before tourism. The Grote Markt, the Sint-Bavokerk where Handel and Mozart played, the Frans Hals Museum and the lively shopping streets make for a full day. Zandvoort beach is 10 minutes further by train if you want to add the coast. Far fewer tourists than Amsterdam and a genuinely Dutch atmosphere.

One of the most beautiful small cities in the Netherlands. Vermeer was born here, the royal family is buried in the New Church on the Markt, and the Delftware pottery tradition is still alive. The canal system is exceptionally well preserved and the city is genuinely beautiful. The Royal Delft factory is open to visitors. Combine with The Hague (10 minutes) for a full southern day trip.

A beautiful university city with more canals than Amsterdam, over 15 museums in a compact historic centre and the Hortus Botanicus – one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded in 1590. Rembrandt’s birthplace. The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (national antiquities museum) has an extraordinary collection. Less visited than Haarlem and Delft and arguably more interesting.

The most underrated city in the Netherlands. A medieval centre with wharf-level canal cafes unique in the world, the Dom Tower (oldest Gothic tower in the country) and one of the oldest and best universities in the Netherlands. The Oudegracht is extraordinary. 30 minutes from Amsterdam and worth a full day – or a reason to move there permanently.

Far more than just a cheese name. Gouda has one of the most beautiful historic centres in the Netherlands – the Stadhuis on the Markt is magnificent – and the St Janskerk contains the finest collection of stained glass in the country. The cheese market runs on Thursday mornings in summer and is a genuine piece of living Dutch tradition rather than a tourist performance.

Europe’s largest port and the most architecturally ambitious city in the Netherlands. Bombed flat in 1940 and rebuilt from scratch, Rotterdam has the Cube Houses, the Markthal, the Erasmus Bridge and a skyline unlike any other Dutch city. The food scene is excellent. A full contrast to Amsterdam’s historic beauty – raw, bold and genuinely impressive.

The political and judicial capital of the Netherlands. The Binnenhof, the Mauritshuis (one of the finest small art museums in the world – Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is here), the Peace Palace, the Lange Voorhout and Scheveningen beach 20 minutes away. A full day covering the museum quarter alone. Very different in character from Amsterdam.

The capital of the north and one of the great student cities in the Netherlands. A two-hour train journey but worth it for the Groninger Museum (a deliberately provocative building by Alessandro Mendini), the Grote Markt and a city atmosphere completely different from the Randstad. A longer day trip or a natural overnight stay.

The world’s largest flower garden, open only from late March to mid-May when the tulip fields surrounding it are in full bloom. Seven million bulbs across 32 hectares. The fields around Lisse on the way are as extraordinary as the garden itself. Book tickets well in advance – this is one of the most popular attractions in the Netherlands and sells out on peak spring weekends.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site with 19 historic windmills in an extraordinary polder landscape. The most photographed Dutch landscape and genuinely impressive in person. Allow a full day – take the train to Rotterdam, the Waterbus across the river and explore the windmill network on foot or by bike. Best visited on a clear day when the reflection in the canals is perfect.

The closest North Sea beach to Amsterdam, directly connected by train. A proper Dutch beach resort with a long sandy beach, beach clubs, a Formula 1 circuit and a lively atmosphere in summer. The water is cold by Mediterranean standards but the atmosphere on a good summer day is excellent. The direct train makes it genuinely easy for a spontaneous afternoon.

The largest of the Wadden Sea islands and one of the finest nature destinations in the Netherlands. Wide beaches, dune reserves, bird-rich nature areas and a series of small villages with a character entirely unlike the mainland. The ferry crossing from Den Helder takes 20 minutes. A long day trip or better as an overnight – the island rewards slow exploration.

A preserved Dutch village with working windmills, traditional wooden houses and craft workshops showing how the Dutch lived in the 18th century. Touristy but genuinely interesting – the windmills are real and working, the cheese and clog makers are authentic and the setting on the Zaan river is picturesque. Best visited mid-week to avoid the weekend crowds.

The most un-Dutch city in the Netherlands. A Roman city on the Maas, bordering Belgium and Germany, with a character, cuisine and atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the country. The Vrijthof square, the Sint Servaasbasiliek, the medieval fortifications and the extraordinary restaurant and cafe scene make it worth the journey. Better as an overnight but doable as a very long day trip.

A beautiful North Holland city best known for its traditional cheese market, held on Friday mornings from April to September. Cheese porters in white and coloured hats carry rounds of Gouda and Edam on wooden sledges across the historic Waagplein. Beyond the market, Alkmaar has a well-preserved historic centre, good museums and a relaxed atmosphere far removed from Amsterdam’s tourist intensity.