The Netherlands is a wonderful country full of numerous oddities architecture, famous for windmills and tulip fields. Over the course of years, the Dutch civilization has grown to a progressive and powerful country, rich in history and culture.

That being said, the country is well worth visiting and investigating a vast range of beautiful places to amp up your vacation. Charming cities and towns alongside friendly locals are just some of the things you can expect while exploring this fantastic destination.

Since there are so many places to go, it might be challenging to pinpoint the best ones. But worry not, because we’ve got you covered, and in this article, we will walk you through some of the best places for a weekend trip in the Netherlands.

1. Amsterdam Centrum

Famous for its small canals and cobblestone bridges that link 90 different islands, Amsterdam is one of the most famous and prettiest places to visit in the Netherlands. Amsterdam Centrum is a place that you surely saw on numerous tourist TV shows or internet articles, and it is famous for its vivid canal ring.

It is a home of numerous historical monuments and buildings, and like most of the big cities, you can also find plenty of restaurants, cafes, and bars to take a break from sightseeing and relax a bit.

In case you want to stay at some of the popular hotels or hostels in Amsterdam Centrum, our recommendations are St Christopher’s at the Winston and Swissotel Amsterdam.

Attractions to Visit

• Anne Frank House – Original hiding spot of Anne Frank and her family
• Noordermarkt – Organic farmer’s market
• The Royal Palace of Amsterdam – A 17th-century building that was once a city hall

2. The Hoge Veluwe National Park

The Hoge Veluwe National park is one of the oldest and prettiest landscapes you can visit in the Netherlands. It predates the Ice Age, and it is a highly popular tourist destination that you should not miss seeing. The park has dusty sand dunes, low-growing heathlands, and canopied forests that will leave you breathless the moment you get in.

Apart from numerous outdoor activities, you can enjoy, the park also has several museums and monuments you can spend time exploring. Some of the museums contain works of Picasso, Redon, and Seurat, and you can also find the second-largest Van Gogh collection.

Attractions to Visit

• Kroller-Muller Museum – Art museum and sculpture garden inside the park
• Museonder – Underground museum focused on geology and biology

3. The Cool District in Rotterdam

This charming and artistic neighborhood in Rotterdam offers you various options to go for if you are a fan of nightlife and cocktail lounges. Colorful tree-lined streets and red brick roads make the Cool District one of Rotterdam’s most attractive and prettiest places to visit.

This district is home to some of the trendiest spots you can find in the city. During the daytime, you can visit various vintage boutiques and snuggly coffee shops, but the real fun in the Cool District starts at night when the main streets start to fill with urban locals.

Attractions to Visit

Rotterdamse Schouwburg Theatre – Event hall that shows numerous performances
Witte de Withstraat – Street in which you can find interesting dining establishments
Galerie Ecce – Modern art gallery displaying works of Dutch designers and artists

4. Haarlem

Haarlem is a town that is considered “Amsterdam’s little brother.” Although it is only a 15-minute train ride away from Amsterdam, it gives a much different vibe and experience. It is a town well-known for brewing beer and growing tulips.

Haarlem has deep historical roots that date all the way back to the 17th century, which is considered the Dutch Golden Age. It is a home of spectacular cathedrals and buildings, and the whole town buzzes with rich culture and wonderful architecture.

Attractions to Visit

• Grote Markt – The sprawling plaza in the center of the town
  Grote Kerk – 75 meters high cathedral
  Grote Houtstraat – One of the most popular shoping districts

5. Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is a riverside town that you should definitely visit if you plan a trip to the Netherlands since it is home to some of the most iconic spinning windmills. The town is very close to the Lek and Noord rivers, and its residents built these windmills to pump out the excess river in order to prevent the town from flooding.

Although most tourists visit Kinderdijk to admire these famous and beautiful windmills, you can explore and enjoy numerous other historical and cultural locations in this lovely little town.

Attractions to Visit

• The Kinderdijk Windmills – UNESCO World Heritage Site with 19 windmills built in the mid-1700s
• Kinderdijk basin – Place where you can take boat tours to get a better view of windmills and fields
• The Kinderdijk Visitors Center – Place where you can get some insights on the history of this riverside town and the production of windmills.

6. Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof gardens are one of the most beautiful outdoor places you can visit in the Netherlands. It is the largest flower garden in Europe and the second-largest in the whole world.

The garden boasts 32 hectares of blooming tulips in every vibrant color that you can think of. The best period to visit is during the spring months when the garden is blooming and looking prettiest. In case you decide to visit during April, you will be lucky to see a big flower parade with flower-covered floats, dancers, and live music.

Attractions to Visit

Keukenhof Castle – Gorgeous castle built in the late 1600s
Strawberry Fields Garden – A themed garden with some of the brightest red tulips
The Green Machine Garden – A garden dedicated to edible herbs and flowers

7. Utrecht

Utrecht is the 4th largest city in the Netherlands, and during the Dutch Golden Age, was considered the cultural and religious center of the country.

This city was once considered the capital of Roman Catholicism in the Netherlands at the point when the Pope appointed the bishop of Utrecht as the prince of the Holy Roman Empire.

Nowadays, Utrecht is a highly populated city rich with museums, sports arenas, theaters, and cinemas. Apart from numerous cultural significancies, the city is also home to the largest University in the country.

Attractions to Visit

• Rietveld Schroder House – The UNESCO World Heritage Site built by architect Gerrit Rietveld
• Miffy Museum – Museum dedicated to fictional rabbit Miffy that appears in a series of picture books drawn and written by Dutch artist Dick Bruna
• The Dom Tower – Iconic landmark of Utrecht that stands 112 meters over the city and takes 456 steps to reach the lookout point at the top of the tower

8. Wadden Islands

In case you are looking for escapism and the perfect retreat from the city, Wadden Islands might be an excellent solution for you. The Netherlands has shared these islands with Denmark and Germany for a long time, and to this day, they represent a peaceful retreat where you can enjoy nature and sightseeing with friends and family.

The Wadden Islands are located off the Dutch coast, and all five of them are protected environments where you can spend relaxing days away from the city’s noise. The islands are beautiful and a very popular destination for tourists.

Attractions to Visit

• Texel – The largest and the most popular of the Wadden Islands
• Vlieland – The least populated and one of the prettiest isles
• Schiermonnikog – The smallest island that has one of the main attractions –
• Schiermonnikog National Park

Final Words

Now that you have a lot of information on what the Netherlands can offer, you can create a traveling plan to visit some of the most popular locations.

Although there are many other places you can visit that we did not manage to list, there are still more than enough options to explore.

Whether you are looking for a city’s buzz or a peaceful countryside retreat away from the noise, you will surely find the perfect place here!