Windmills, art and more than a little cheese make Holland a top destination for relaxing and taking some down time. Visitors can stroll through beautiful spring gardens, bag a foodie bargain at indoor markets, watch traders haggling over cheese, and look round the house where Rembrandt use to live.
1. Visit Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
Not just an attraction in Amsterdam, The Rijksmuseum is one of the best museums across the whole of the country. Tourists will find 80 rooms stuffed with the art history of Holland. Top picks include Rembrandt van Rijn’s Night Watch and Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. There’s more than enough art to keep anyone entertained for an afternoon.
2. Sit in the Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse
Unfortunately, visitors aren’t always able to see the Keukenhof Gardens, as they’re only open for 8 weeks a year (from March to May). A stroll through the spring gardens passes by more than 7 million flower bulbs, and there is a different display every year, which keeps things fresh plus a cute windmill. Tourists not keen on walking can cycle through the nearby fields.
3. Dom Tower, Utrecht
The picturesque canal city of Utrecht has plenty of different activities, as well as myriad shops and restaurants, but the jewel in its crown is the Dom Tower. It’s both the highest and oldest church tower in Holland, and active types can give themselves a leg work out by climbing the 465 steps to the top. There’s also a great view over the city.
4. See the traditional Gouda cheese market
A delicious way to spend an afternoon, the cheese market is open every Thursday between April and August. Tourists can watch farmers and traders negotiate over cheese, see the wagonettes bring the delicious produce to market and watch the cheese weighed at the weighing house (the Waag). Savvy tourists will make sure they get a little sample of the cheese.
5. See Van Gogh at the Kroller-Muller Museum
One of the best places to see works of art by Vincent van Gogh, the Kröller-Müller museum boasts a particularly impressive collection. The 25-acre sculpture park attached to the museum also has some great pieces, and is a worthwhile setting for a stroll. Altogether there are more than 11,500 objects in the museum’s collection.
6. Wander round the indoor market, Markthal, in Rotterdam
The amount contained in Markthal is mind boggling. The largest indoor market in Holland, it has 100 different fresh produce sellers as well as food shops and restaurants. One of the best bits of the market is, of course, buying the best produce on offer. Shoppers can buy fish, tapas, poultry and cheese, among other things.
7. Pay a visit to Rembrandt House, Amsterdam
An absolute must for art lovers, the old house of Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn has been restored to resemble just how it looked way back in the 17th century, when Rembrandt himself lived there. Visitors can see a collection of prints, watch demonstrations of etching techniques, and visit his studio.
8. See the art at Mauritshuis, The Hague
Even more art, the Royal Picture Gallery has more than 800 different works, to keep art buffs happy, and popular works like Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring to keep non art buffs happy too As well as a ridiculous number of artworks, there’s also some superb architecture on display from the building itself.
9. Visit the Windmills of Kinderdijk
Holland is well known for its windmills – they’re prettily dotted all over the country. But the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk are particularly impressive. Built around 1740, they were made as part of a larger water management system that prevented flooding. The site got UNESCO recognition in 1997 and give tourists a peek at how millers used to live.
10. Take a tour of Muiderslot Castle
Visitors have the opportunity to get a little medieval with a visit to Muiderslot Castle. Holland’s most famous moated medieval castle can be found in the Amsterdam metropolitan area, and tourists can take a peek within the walls of the fairytale-like building. The castle’s previous inhabitants include the famous poet P.C. Hooft.
Windmills, art and more than a little cheese make Holland a top destination for relaxing and taking some down time. Visitors can stroll through beautiful spring gardens, bag a foodie bargain at indoor markets, watch traders haggling over cheese, and look round the house where Rembrandt use to live.
1. Visit Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
Not just an attraction in Amsterdam, The Rijksmuseum is one of the best museums across the whole of the country. Tourists will find 80 rooms stuffed with the art history of Holland. Top picks include Rembrandt van Rijn’s Night Watch and Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid. There’s more than enough art to keep anyone entertained for an afternoon.
2. Sit in the Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse
Unfortunately, visitors aren’t always able to see the Keukenhof Gardens, as they’re only open for 8 weeks a year (from March to May). A stroll through the spring gardens passes by more than 7 million flower bulbs, and there is a different display every year, which keeps things fresh plus a cute windmill. Tourists not keen on walking can cycle through the nearby fields.
3. Dom Tower, Utrecht
The picturesque canal city of Utrecht has plenty of different activities, as well as myriad shops and restaurants, but the jewel in its crown is the Dom Tower. It’s both the highest and oldest church tower in Holland, and active types can give themselves a leg work out by climbing the 465 steps to the top. There’s also a great view over the city.
4. See the traditional Gouda cheese market
A delicious way to spend an afternoon, the cheese market is open every Thursday between April and August. Tourists can watch farmers and traders negotiate over cheese, see the wagonettes bring the delicious produce to market and watch the cheese weighed at the weighing house (the Waag). Savvy tourists will make sure they get a little sample of the cheese.
5. See Van Gogh at the Kroller-Muller Museum
One of the best places to see works of art by Vincent van Gogh, the Kröller-Müller museum boasts a particularly impressive collection. The 25-acre sculpture park attached to the museum also has some great pieces, and is a worthwhile setting for a stroll. Altogether there are more than 11,500 objects in the museum’s collection.
6. Wander round the indoor market, Markthal, in Rotterdam
The amount contained in Markthal is mind boggling. The largest indoor market in Holland, it has 100 different fresh produce sellers as well as food shops and restaurants. One of the best bits of the market is, of course, buying the best produce on offer. Shoppers can buy fish, tapas, poultry and cheese, among other things.
7. Pay a visit to Rembrandt House, Amsterdam
An absolute must for art lovers, the old house of Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn has been restored to resemble just how it looked way back in the 17th century, when Rembrandt himself lived there. Visitors can see a collection of prints, watch demonstrations of etching techniques, and visit his studio.
8. See the art at Mauritshuis, The Hague
Even more art, the Royal Picture Gallery has more than 800 different works, to keep art buffs happy, and popular works like Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring to keep non art buffs happy too As well as a ridiculous number of artworks, there’s also some superb architecture on display from the building itself.
9. Visit the Windmills of Kinderdijk
Holland is well known for its windmills – they’re prettily dotted all over the country. But the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk are particularly impressive. Built around 1740, they were made as part of a larger water management system that prevented flooding. The site got UNESCO recognition in 1997 and give tourists a peek at how millers used to live.
10. Take a tour of Muiderslot Castle
Visitors have the opportunity to get a little medieval with a visit to Muiderslot Castle. Holland’s most famous moated medieval castle can be found in the Amsterdam metropolitan area, and tourists can take a peek within the walls of the fairytale-like building. The castle’s previous inhabitants include the famous poet P.C. Hooft.