When traveling around Europe, the Netherlands is a must-see destination, where there are many natural and cultural attractions that are interesting to see. The sights of Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, and the endless tulip fields, windmills and mysterious castles, as if from a photo, fall in love at first sight with their bright streets, outlandish works of art and the openness of the local population.
Among the abundance of options for what to see, we suggest highlighting the most important sights of Holland.
What to see: the main attractions of Holland
Medieval castles and temples, numerous structures of non-standard forms, buildings that excite the imagination and original colored street decor – the cities of the Netherlands seem to absorb the characteristic atmosphere of the area. Here you can go on a tour of castles and temples. See the luxurious decoration of the royal palace and get acquainted with the work of the great Dutch artists.
Rijksmuseum
According to Top-medical-schools, the capital of Holland has collected unique cultural attractions – artworks by famous Dutch and foreign masters of the brush. We recommend visiting the Rijksmuseum, which honorably occupies one of the buildings in the historic center of Amsterdam. Walking through the ancient majestic halls, you can get acquainted with rare works by Van Gogh, paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck and other artists.
Tourists note that it is beneficial to come here with the whole family to acquaint children with art from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. Note that a ticket for an adult costs 20 €, and visitors under 18 do not need to pay an entrance fee. At the same time, you can visit the Rijksmuseum on any day, because it is open daily from 9 to 17 local time.
De Haar Castle
De Haar Castle is one of the main attractions of Holland, the name of which is familiar to every inhabitant of the country. A medieval castle built in the Gothic style welcomes visitors majestically in Utrecht. Here you can not only feel the spirit of the Middle Ages – guests like to walk along the alleys in the luxuriously equipped park around the castle.
The prices for a tour of the castle are quite democratic, so we recommend visiting this attraction of Holland even for a budget tourist (ticket for an adult – 17 €, children 4-12 years old – 11 €, and up to 4 – free of charge ).
Binnenhof Castle
Studying briefly the main attractions of Holland, you should pay attention to the seat of the Dutch Parliament in The Hague. Here, in a medieval ensemble of castles, defensive towers and extraordinarily beautiful architectural structures, the government of the country is located.
Tours of the castle buildings are carried out for only 15 €, and if you want to save money, we offer a walk around the courtyard for free. An important advantage of the impregnable castle is its location on the coast of the Palace Pond. A real postcard view opens up from the opposite bank of the pond, where you can take a photo of the main attraction of Holland.
Royal Palace
A significant place among the sights of Holland and Amsterdam is occupied by the Royal Castle. This architectural relic was built in the style of Dutch classicism, but some elements inherent in Roman architecture can also be traced. This is a great place to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of the country, because the interior of the castle is a real work of art, and the walls of individual rooms are decorated with famous paintings by famous artists of the last century. You can visit the royal palace for a small fee – 10 € / adult and free for children.
Van Gogh Museum
Among the stone sights of Holland, monuments are less popular, but among all there is one that tourists especially liked – the Vincent van Gogh Museum. In terms of attendance, it can be compared with Madame Tussauds in London.
A tour of the museum reveals the unexpected secrets of the famous artist. In addition to hundreds of his works and drawings, personal items and even Van Gogh’s correspondence are on display.
The museum building itself is another highlight of Holland, because it is distinguished by huge windows that contribute to acquaintance with paintings under natural light.
Entrance to the “cradle” of Vincent van Gogh’s creativity is 19-24 €, and for young connoisseurs of creativity under 18 years old – free of charge.
cube houses
As you travel through the cities and towns of the Netherlands, be prepared to be surprised at every turn. There are many unusual entertainments here, but even the surrounding buildings can serve as an unprecedented “curiosity” for tourists. Cube houses are an unusual landmark of the Netherlands, which has become the hallmark of Rotterdam.
The treehouses, as the townspeople affectionately call them, were designed in the late 1900s. Outwardly, they seem to create a unique forest lawn with high crown peaks. Angular and non-standard designs of houses, which together form the world-famous street Overblac.
To take a closer look at the features of tricky buildings and the complex arrangement of furniture, you can go to the shops that are located on the ground floors of the buildings.
Seawall “Delta”
Recall that the Netherlands is a maritime country. Although the seaside resorts of Holland here are very different from the usual summer vacation spots on the Mediterranean coast or near the warm shores of the ocean. At the same time, there are unusual places on the coast in the country that surprise with their grandeur, grace and accuracy. This project is a protective barrier that helps protect the local population from floods. Amazing buildings – high giant gates and even a complex of such gates that serve as real guards from the water element. You can see the giant Maslantkering in the Rhine River Delta, and his older brother, Osterscheldekering, in the west of the Eastern Sheld.
Museum Nemo
Continuing the theme of the sea, we note which sights in Holland, located on the water, it will be interesting to see the whole family. A great option for a family excursion is the Nemo Museum in Amsterdam.
In appearance, the museum building resembles a huge mysterious ship. The sightseeing tour of the floors of the unusual building will be no less entertaining. In the museum you will find cognitive physical experiments, an unusual understanding of medicine and the biology of microorganisms, the greatest “secret” developments of the modern miracle of information technology. And a lot of other cognitive knowledge about things that surround us every day. Walking through the museum floors will appeal not only to adults, but will also be an interesting first acquaintance with the world of science for children.
Natural attractions of Holland
The coloring and cheerfulness of the country is best revealed by the natural attractions of Holland. We recommend visiting one of the many open-air National Parks where you can “live” a day in the life of the ancient Dutch.
The nature of the country especially violently welcomes guests in the spring and summer. Tulip fields shimmer with colorful waves, and parks surprise with the unique interaction of wildlife and humans. Walking in the parks is one of the favorite activities of the local population. And it will be doubly interesting for a tourist to see the living treasures of the Netherlands.
Park De Hoge Veluwe
Many natural attractions can be seen on the map of Holland, including the De Hoge Veluwe park. This national park is a flat expanse of wilderness where locals and tourists come to see mouflons in their natural habitat.
This attraction of Holland is a great place to relax with the whole family with children. Active recreation is also allowed here, for example, hiking, horseback riding, special attention is paid to cycling, which tourists are given for use in the national park absolutely free of charge.
Keukenhof Flower Park
When traveling in Holland, we recommend setting aside a day for a trip to the Keukenhof Flower Park in Lisse. Among hundreds of monuments and architectural heritage, it is easy to understand what is the main natural attraction of Holland. The National Park, with an area of 32 hectares, strewn with the colors of summer or the Royal Park, as tourists call it, enchants with the luxury and abundance of the presented species of tulips and other plants. This is a real paradise for romantics, artists, creative people.
Entrance ticket – 19 €, but if you decide to come to the national park from Amsterdam – we recommend using a complex ticket for 32 €, which includes travel in both directions and a walk through the “Garden of Europe”.
Museum of the National Heritage of the Netherlands: what is interesting to see in the Netherlands?
The National Open Air Museum a few kilometers from Arnhem is a real treasure. Here is the historical development of the country:
- on the territory of the park you can see the old housing of the local population;
- most of the park is strewn with old windmills, which have long become a real symbol of Holland;
- handicraft workshops are not inferior in popularity among tourists, where you can clearly see what tools were used to build medieval castles and temples, and which ones served for the daily maintenance of the home;
- Churches are an important part of the national park. A ticket to the museum can be bought for 12-16 € depending on the age of the visitor.
Zaanse Schans Museum
It is best to see picturesque places in May in the Zaanse Schans – say experienced travelers in Holland. During this period, it is especially beautiful here. In the riot of flowers of blossoming trees, small mills are located (pay attention, they are operating), there are cozy traditional houses that show in detail the characteristic features and customs of the region. Here you can visit a museum, a mill, and a farm. And do not refuse treats – this is a special detail of the atmospheric acquaintance with old Holland.
You can go on an unusual open-air excursion with the whole family for only 15 €.
Water channels of Amsterdam
“Flowering Venice”, jokingly, is called the numerous canals and water streets of Amsterdam by guests of the capital of the Netherlands. An unusual water web occupies a significant part of the city, forming an unusual plexus in the form of intersecting four semicircles. Hundreds of small romantic bridges are laid across these city rivers.
Take a canal boat tour to experience the colorful atmosphere of Amsterdam. Thanks to 150 canals, the capital is dominated by water transport, which can be used to travel through the ancient streets, falling in love with every corner of an unusual, vibrant and friendly country.
