The land of blooming tulips and windmills. The Netherlands is visited annually by more than 15 million tourists, primarily from neighboring countries: Belgium, Germany and the UK. Tourism is an important sector of the economy, the most visited city is Amsterdam, the capital of the country. Of the natural attractions, the North Sea coast with long beaches and dunes is popular. One of the tourist symbols of the country is the De Wallen district, the famous red light district. Prostitution and light drugs have been legalized in the Netherlands.
Tourist Attractions in Netherlands
The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Netherlands. Photos and a brief description.
Top Tourist Attractions in the Netherlands
Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)
Art Museum in the historic quarter of Amsterdam. It is one of the 20 most visited museums in the world. The works of Dutch artists form the basis of the collection, but there are also works by famous masters of other countries. There are paintings by Van Dyck, Goya, El Greco. A collection of paintings by Rubens has been collected – 20 works. To accommodate one of them, the painting "Night Watch", the museum premises were rebuilt in 1906.
Dam Square (Amsterdam)
The central place in Amsterdam, where many historical buildings of the capital are located and solemn and festive city events are held. In addition, the square has historically been the center of the commercial and political life of the city. The attractions of the square are the obelisk monument in honor of the victims of the war, the Gothic New Church, the Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds Museum with wax figures.
Royal Palace (Amsterdam)
The building of the former town hall, built in 1665, is now in the possession of the monarch. The palace was built in the style of Dutch classicism with elements of Roman architecture. The three-storey building is built of brick and yellow sandstone. It is crowned by a dome with a weather vane in the shape of a ship. The interior decoration is made of marble. In the Central Hall, the hemispheres of the Earth are depicted on the floor. The galleries of the palace are decorated with paintings by great artists.
Amsterdam and Utrecht Canals
The Amsterdam canal system is included in the list of UNESCO protected sites. The total length of all the channels is several hundred kilometers, with about 1,500 bridges laid over them. The Herengrachtsingel, Prinsengracht and Keysersgracht canals are considered the largest. You can also take an exciting boat trip along the city canals in Utrecht. The main Audegraht canal was built in the XII century and runs through the historical part of the city.
Quarter De Wallen (Amsterdam)
The red light district is popular with tourists. Among the buildings with ancient architecture, tourists are more attracted to alleys with small rooms-cabins, which are rented by prostitutes. A glass showcase in such rooms is illuminated with red light. In De Wallen there is a prostitution museum located in the building of a former brothel and a marijuana museum. Visiting erotic shows and sex shops is popular among the visitors of the quarter.
Vondela Park (Amsterdam)
The city park, created in 1865. The 47-hectare park is visited annually by about 10 million people. People come here both just to walk along beautifully decorated alleys, and for cultural entertainment. There is a cinema museum in the park, where films of different periods are shown – from silent films to modern cinema. It also hosts lectures and exhibitions. An open-air theater operates in summer.
Keukenhof (Lisse)
Flower Park, in the center of which is the castle of the same name, built in 1642. It is called both the Royal Park and the Garden of Europe. It occupies an area of 32 hectares . Daffodils, hyacinths and even Japanese sakura grow in the park. But the incredible exhibition of tulips attracts visitors – there are more than 4 million of them in the park. Blooming gardens are located between ponds, streams and canals. Some of them can be navigated by boat.
Freithof Square (Maastricht)
From this place it is better to start exploring the small town of Maastricht on the border with Belgium. All the main streets of the city lead here, and from here begins a popular tram excursion route through the historical part of the city. Among the historical buildings of the square, the Basilica of St. Servas stands out. Nearby there is a theater with a diverse repertoire. There are many small cafes and souvenir shops on the square.
Peace Palace (The Hague)
Located in The Hague, meetings of the International Court of Justice and the Arbitration Court are held in the palace building. It is built of red brick with light sandstone and combines architecture of different styles from Gothic to Byzantine motifs. Surrounded by an English-style park decorated with a fountain and sculptures. The works of art inside the palace reflect the cultures of different countries – they were donated by the states participating in world conferences.
Binnenhof (The Hague)
This architectural ensemble is considered the political center of the country. The government of the country works in the premises of the castle and the residence of the Prime Minister is located here in one of the towers. The castle complex was built in the XIII century, many medieval architectural masterpieces have been preserved in its courtyard. The basis of the ensemble is the Ridderzaal. In it, the monarch annually delivers a speech before the opening of parliamentary sessions.
Kinderdijk Windmills
A system of windmills was built near the village located between the confluence of two rivers in 1740. 19 old mills are a popular tourist attraction and are included in the list of UNESCO protected sites. Mills are located on both sides of the artificial canal. For a walk in the park with mills, you can rent a bicycle. And in winter, a skating rink is equipped on the ice of the frozen canal.
Open-air Museum in Arnhem
The museum-park with an area of 44 hectares was founded in 1912. It houses the ancient buildings of the country – residential buildings, public buildings and factories. There are a total of 80 buildings of different time epochs. The creation of the museum aimed to preserve knowledge about ancient traditions and crafts. The reenactors demonstrate the works of linen and paper production, as well as brewing. There is an exhibition of transport, including electric trams.
Zaanse-Schans (Zaandam)
Another open-air museum, but in the city of Zaandam. It contains samples of Dutch wooden art of the XVII-XVIII centuries, as well as several windmills. The mills function and are used for oil mills, sawmills and mustard production. You can see with your own eyes the production of wooden shoes, and try about 50 varieties of fresh cheese in the cheese maker. The shops sell products made in the museum.
Castle De Haar (Utrecht)
The largest castle in the country in the national Gothic style. The fortified tower on this site was built in 1391, but the change of owners, attacks and tornadoes left the castle in ruins by the XIX century. The restoration of the castle lasted about 20 years. Architect Peter Kuipers was engaged not only in the castle walls, but also added plumbing and heating. The interior decoration is striking in luxury, and there is a garden with 7000 trees around the castle.
Utrecht Cathedral
Located in the city center. Once the cathedral was a single ensemble with the Duma Tower, but the buildings were separated by a strong tornado that brought down the central nave of the cathedral. The Gothic-style cathedral was built in the XII century. To date, many fragments from the old church have been preserved. A square was built on the territory of the destroyed nave and trees were planted. Decorated arches and multicolored stained glass windows stand out in the interior.
St. John's Cathedral (Hertogenbosch)
It is based on the site of a Romanesque church. The construction of the cathedral began in 1220 and ended in 1340. The construction of the tower with a height of 73 meters was completed only in 1525. The length of the church is 115 meters. Currently, the cathedral building is a monument of historical architecture of the country. For a long time the church was a parish, until in 1559, with the formation of the city diocese, it was given the status of a cathedral.
Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)
The Amsterdam Museum, dedicated to the work of the famous artist, holds almost a quarter of all his canvases – 200 works. In addition to paintings, about 400 of his drawings and about 700 letters are exhibited. Several expositions are devoted to the artist's life. The museum also exhibits works by Impressionist artists such as Manet and Monet, Gauguin and Signac. There are several sculptures by Rodin and Dalou. More than 1.5 million people visit the museum every year.
Anne Frank House Museum (Amsterdam)
In this house, the girl and her family were hiding from the Nazis in a "Shelter" built to shelter Jews from the Holocaust. For more than two years of her life in the Shelter, Anna kept a diary, the publication of which caused a public outcry. This led to the opening of the house museum in 1960. Among the exhibits there is the original of Anna's diary, materials about the terror of the Nazis, a film is shown -a biography of the girl's life. More than a million people visit the museum every year.
Rembrandt House Museum (Amsterdam)
An art museum dedicated to the artist's work. It is located in the house where Rembrandt lived for 17 years. It recreates the atmosphere that was here during the artist's lifetime – furniture, decoration of rooms. The museum has interesting collections of the master's works – engravings and graphic works. One of the main expositions consists of the works of Rembrandt's students and teachers, as well as paintings by the artist's contemporaries.
Mauritshuis (The Hague)
Royal Art Gallery. The number of paintings in it is small, but the canvases exhibited in it, all to one cause the admiration of the public. These are works by Rembrandt, Potter, Hals, Vermeer, Wall. In total, about 250 paintings by Dutch artists from the Golden Age have been collected. The gallery is located in the mansion building, built in 1641. It is often compared in importance with the Royal Palace.
Frans Hals Museum (Haarlem)
The Art Museum, founded in 1862. The collection is based on the works of Hals, but the museum has many paintings by other local artists. In the museum you can see the works of van Haarlem, van Heemskerk, van Skorel and Goltzius. The museum's collection also includes ancient religious exhibits related to Roman Catholic art. The museum's exhibitions often change due to the lack of exhibition space.
NEMO Museum (Amsterdam)
The museum's expositions are mostly designed for children. It tells about scientific discoveries and facts in a simple and visual form. The exhibitions are divided into floors according to the level of complexity. On the ground floor there are mirrors, soap bubbles and other exhibits for primary school age. Above are expositions devoted to physics and chemistry. On the top floor, the exhibits will be of particular interest to teenagers.
Vaud Steam Pumping Station
The station was built in 1920 in the province of Friesland for flood protection. Queen Wilhelmina came to her opening. The basis of the station's design was a complex of steam engines and centrifugal pumps. In the future, the station's corner boilers were replaced with modern ones, which were eventually converted to oil. The station is operational, and it is launched for several days a year. It is included in the UNESCO list.
Markthalle Market (Rotterdam)
A unique shopping and residential complex in Rotterdam. The building is made in the form of a giant arch, between the residential buildings there are retail areas. There is an underground parking. The device of a transparent facade allows you to evaluate the artistic design of the arches from the outside. Bright paintings cover the entire ceiling inside – it is 11,000 m2. Queen Maxima was present at the opening of the masterpiece of modern architecture.
Cubic houses (Rotterdam)
The most striking and popular architectural landmark of the city. Avant-garde cube houses are combined into a single residential complex. Visually, the houses look like cubes set with edges on a hexagonal pylon. The intricate view of the houses raised to a height attracts many tourists. This is used by apartment residents, inviting them on excursions to their home. Each club has a three-storey apartment.
Euromachta (Rotterdam)
The tower is 185 meters high. At the same time, the diameter of the amazing structure is only 9 meters. The observation deck of the tower is located at an altitude of 96 meters. Because of its shape, locals often call the Euromachta a "crow's nest". A luxury restaurant is located on the observation deck, two super-luxury hotel rooms are located on the upper level. Visitors overcome part of the ascent in a panoramic cabin.
Erasmus Bridge (Rotterdam)
It is one of the symbols of the city, thanks to its unusual and recognizable design. It is called the "swan bridge". The cable-stayed bridge was built in 1996. Its length is 802 meters. The height of the pylon is 139 meters. The bridge structure has a draw span. In Western Europe, it is considered one of the heaviest and largest. In the dark, the bridge of the original shape is beautifully illuminated with lights.
The Delta Project
A complex system of structures designed to protect the lands in the Rhine River Delta from flooding. Within the framework of the project, a complex consisting of storm barriers, dams and locks has been created. The work was completed in 1997 and the Delta project is considered one of the largest such projects in the world. It includes almost 15,000 dams and about 300 structures. The project was included by American engineers in the modern list of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Port of Rotterdam
One of the largest ports in the world with a large cargo turnover. Most of the cargo consists of petroleum products, ore and coal. About 30,000 vessels pass through the port every year. The area of the port is 105 km2, the length is 40 km. The first harbors on this site appeared in the Middle Ages, but the main development of the port was already in the XIX century. Visiting this place will be interesting not only for those who are interested in ship business.
Madurodam Miniature Park (The Hague)
It is a miniature copy of the city with typical Dutch buildings, the originals of which are located in different parts of the country. The models are made in 1:25 scale. About 4 km of railway has been laid along Madurodam. The park is interactive and incredibly real. With the help of a special remote control, you can control barrier dams, container loading or aircraft takeoff.
Efteling Theme Park (Katshevel)
An entertainment park with beautiful landscapes and a variety of attractions. Its area is 276 hectares. The theme of the park is fairy tales. In it you can meet many heroes of favorite fairy tales of Perrault, the brothers Grimm, Anderson. It has a golf course and three park-themed hotels. The park has 36 attractions, including 6 roller coasters. The number of visitors to the park per year is approximately 5 million people.
Amsterdam Zoo
A large royal zoo. It was opened in 1838. In addition to an extensive collection of animals, the zoo has a planetarium, a large aquarium and a zoological museum. Visitors are interested in the unique museum of microorganisms, which has no analogues in the world. The animals are provided with living areas corresponding to their habitat in the wild. Centuries-old unusual plants grow in the park, there is a lot of greenery in it.
De Hoge Veluve
A national park located on a large flat area. Founded by private individuals – patrons of Keller. The park is loved by locals and tourists for the opportunity to engage in active recreation in it – hiking, cycling, equestrian sports. Specially imported mouflons live in the park. The landscapes of the park are represented by heather heaths, coniferous forests and open sands.
Scheveningen Beach and Pier
The beach is located on the North Sea and is popular with vacationers in the summer – the water temperature reaches 23 degrees. The wide sandy area of the beach stretches for several kilometers. Suitable beaches for surfers. One of the attractions of the beach is the old pier. The multi-level structure offers a picturesque view of the sea and the beach. The landscape is especially beautiful in the rays of the setting sun.
The Wadded Sea
It is separated from the North Sea by a chain of small Wadded Islands. The Wadden Sea consists of many shallow areas. The unusual coast was formed as a result of natural changes in the X-XIV centuries. At low tide twice a day, the sea is drained completely and refilled during high tides. The Wadden Sea is included in the UNESCO list, it has a unique flora and fauna, where many migratory birds live.