Canals, bicycles, tulip fields and world-class art in compact cities.
The Netherlands is flat, green and densely packed, with water everywhere. Amsterdam's canal ring and museums, including the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, are the obvious draw, but Utrecht, Delft, Haarlem and Leiden offer the same gabled charm at a calmer pace. Beyond the cities are the windmills of Kinderdijk, the Keukenhof gardens and the dunes and islands of the north coast.
Cycling is the natural way to get around, on a superb network of bike paths, and trains make day trips easy. Food runs to cheese markets, herring, stroopwafels and Indonesian rijsttafel. Late March to May is tulip season and hugely popular; summer is mild and busy, and winter is grey and damp.
Best time to visit Netherlands
April, May, June, July, August.
Places to visit in Netherlands
Amsterdam: A city of 17th-century canals and gabled houses, with world-class museums and a cycling culture like no other.
Rotterdam: A port city rebuilt after 1940 as a showcase of daring modern architecture, with a lively food and arts scene.
The Hague: The Dutch seat of government, with the Mauritshuis art museum, royal palaces and the beach at Scheveningen.
Utrecht: A handsome medieval university city with unique two-level canals and the tallest church tower in the country.
Keukenhof: A vast spring garden in the Dutch bulb region, planted each year with millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.
Delft: A small canal town famous for blue pottery, Vermeer and the burial places of the Dutch royal family.
Maastricht: A cobbled southern city near Belgium and Germany with Roman roots, a bookshop in a church and a love of good food.
Giethoorn: A car-free village of thatched farmhouses and wooden footbridges, best explored by small boat.
Essentials
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Language: Dutch; English widely spoken
Plugs: Type C / F, 230 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC+1
Tipping: Round up; 5–10% in restaurants for good service
Getting around: Trains are frequent and easy; cycling is the local way to get around towns
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking