The three must see places you don't want to miss if you are visiting the Netherlands in spring!!
There is always more to a place than what it is most famous for. Amsterdam is a city which is any tourist's paradise and it has everything for just about everyone, from world class museums,quirky festivals,theaters,live music,bars laid back restaurants to weed joints and of'course the most famous red light district. Irrespective of age,gender, race creed and class people from centuries continue to remain smitten by the floral landscape dotted with canals and beautiful alleys and cobbled streets of this old charming city.
But today I am here to talk about the places in the Netherlands which may not be that popular among tourists worldwide but I highly recommend you to visit these places once if you have a couple of days in the Netherlands.
The best time to visit the Netherlands is in spring that is in April-May if you want to see the actual beauty of the floral landscapes.
Keukenhof-The tulip garden and Hillegom
Keukenhof also known as the garden of Europe is one of the worlds largest flower gardens. The word 'keuken' means kitchen and 'hof' means garden and so the literal translation of this place is ' 'Kitchengarden'. It is situated in a small town called Lisse.
The history of Keukenhof goes like this that Keukenhof castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to an area of 200 hectares inclusive of a Kitchen garden.In 1949 a group of 20 flower bulb exporters came up with a plan to use this private estate for a permanent exhibition of spring-flowering bulbs,signalling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. In 1950 the park opened its gates to the public and was an instant success with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. Ever since then this has become the symbol of Dutch culture and tourism and 2017 witnessed the 68th edition of Keukenhof gardens with Dutch design as its theme.
It is a must see destination if you are visiting the Netherlands for the first time and you most definitely will be awe-struck to see 7 million flower bulbs in 32 hectares of land mostly full of tulips and hyacinths all in one place. The vast array of colours and the beauty of the flower bulbs will have a intoxicating effect and you will feel you have arrived in heaven. However the garden is quite famous worldwide and can be very crowded in season. The garden also has an entry ticket and does not have vast stretches of tulip fields. But there are privately owned fields just outside the garden where you can visit if you hire a bicycle or have a car or even on foot if you are the adventurous type and can manage to walk quite a bit.
Keukenhof garden
Keukenhof garden
Tulip fields in Lisse
Travelers tip: The best way to visit Keukenhof if you don't have a car is by availing the bus service ran by the Arriva which generally has a tie-up with Keukenhof gardens from Amsterdam-Schiphol airport which is quite affordable and time saving.But do keep a lookout on the bus timings and plan your travel accordingly especially the timing of the last bus leaving from Keukenhofin the evening as the garden can be quite intoxicating and may result in you missing the last bus.
The history of Keukenhof goes like this that Keukenhof castle was built in 1641 and the estate grew to an area of 200 hectares inclusive of a Kitchen garden.In 1949 a group of 20 flower bulb exporters came up with a plan to use this private estate for a permanent exhibition of spring-flowering bulbs,signalling the birth of Keukenhof as a spring park. In 1950 the park opened its gates to the public and was an instant success with 236,000 visitors in the first year alone. Ever since then this has become the symbol of Dutch culture and tourism and 2017 witnessed the 68th edition of Keukenhof gardens with Dutch design as its theme.
It is a must see destination if you are visiting the Netherlands for the first time and you most definitely will be awe-struck to see 7 million flower bulbs in 32 hectares of land mostly full of tulips and hyacinths all in one place. The vast array of colours and the beauty of the flower bulbs will have a intoxicating effect and you will feel you have arrived in heaven. However the garden is quite famous worldwide and can be very crowded in season. The garden also has an entry ticket and does not have vast stretches of tulip fields. But there are privately owned fields just outside the garden where you can visit if you hire a bicycle or have a car or even on foot if you are the adventurous type and can manage to walk quite a bit.
Hillegom
However if you are the kind of person who likes solitude and can give a miss to the man made garden I would highly recommend visiting Hillegom which is one of the actual offbeat locations to see the famous Dutch tulip fields. Even a lot of Dutch people are not aware of this small town along the 'bollenstreek ' the flower cultivation region in western Netherlands.This is the most convenient location to experience vast stretches of tulip fields away from the hustle-bustle of the cities and crowd. Once you get down from the train you can see the fields just outside the station which are fairly accessible. You will be able to see tulips of every colour being cultivated here and as per my experience the farmers here are very nice and as long as you are not messing around you can be in the fields the whole day and no one will stop you. If you have a cycle its even better because the best way to experience and explore Netherlands is on a bicycle having picnic lunches in the middle of nowhere. The best part is you can experience all this for free except for the train fare.
Tulip fields in Hillegom just outside the train station
Tulip fields in Hillegom just outside the train station
Travelers Tip: Hillegom is kind of remote location and trains are less frequent so it is best to download the 9292.nl app to be aware of the train timings and plan your travel accordingly.
A sneak peak in the Chocolate Factory
National Park De Weerribben-Wieden
Travelers Tip: Hillegom is kind of remote location and trains are less frequent so it is best to download the 9292.nl app to be aware of the train timings and plan your travel accordingly.
Zaanse-Schans
The Zaanse-Schans is the Dutch model village in the neighbourhood of Zaandam which you surely will not want to miss if you have an extra day in your hand while visiting Amsterdam. The Zaanse Schans is an unique part of the Netherlands dotted with wooden houses,mills,barns,museums and workshops.It is a residential area where the 18th & 19th century Dutch lifestyle has been brought back to life.This place is a popular tourist destination because it has a well preserved collection of 18th century wooden houses and historic windmills. Also the famous Zaans Museum is located in the Zaanse Schans. The Zaanse Schans houses seven museums: The Weavers House, the Cooperage, the Jisper House, Zaan Time Museum, Albert Heijn Museum shop and the Bakery Museum. The Zaanse Schans derived its name of the river Zaan and its original function was to act as a sconse (schans in Dutch) that is fortification against the Spanish troops during the Eighty years war of Dutch independence.
Zaanse Schans village
On a bright sunny day you definitely will love to stroll past the bakery museum and enjoy the smell of fresh bread or take a look at the warehouse where you get to see how clogs are made.
It will be a shame if you miss the chocolate shop where you can actually see how the chocolate is manufactured and taste the yummiest chocolate of all time or give a miss to the cheese factory where you get to buy numerous varieties of cheese, can checkout how cheese is made and have an experience of unlimited cheese tasting. I personally recommend the garlic cheese and Gouda cheese if you want to buy cheese from there.
You may also love to make a cycling or a sailing trip or simply browse the different shops and treat yourself at the pancake restaurant.
A sneak peak in the Chocolate Factory
A sneak peak in the Cheese Factory
If you are a museum lover I would recommend you to buy a Zaanse Schans card from the Information centre in Zaans Museum which costs 15 EUR and you can visit several museums here for the entire day free of any extra costs ,climb up one windmill for free and get discounts in souvenir and museum shops but if you don't like museums simply a stroll around this village and making a stop by the peaceful Zaan river will be more than enough to keep you occupied in the picturesque Zaanse Schans.
Now some insight on the windmills in these area:
The windmills here were built after 1574 and below are the name of the most important ones along the river Zaan:
- De Huisman (The Houseman), a mustardmill
- De Gekroonde Poelenburg(The Crowned Poelenburg), a sawmill
- De Kat (The Cat), a dyemill
- Het Jonge Schaap (The Young Sheep), a sawmill
- De Ox(The Ox), an oilmill
- De Zoeker(The Seeker), an oilmill
- Het Klaverblad(The Cloverleaf), a sawmill
- De Bonte Hen(The Spotted Hen), an oilmill
I would highly recommend climbing up one of the windmills from the choices of paint mill De Kat, sawmill Het Jonge Schaap or oil mill De Zoeker to get a beautiful view of the surroundings.
Names of the mills from left to right: Het Jonge Schaap ("the young sheep"), De Zoeker ("the seeker"), De Kat ("the cat"), De Gekroonde Poelenburg ("the crowned poelenburg") and De Huisman ("the houseman").
Travelers Tip: The best way to to reach Zaanse Schans is by train,Check in the 9292.nl app and plan your trip accordingly from Amsterdam Central or any other station in Netherlands depending on where you are located to Zaandijk and then if you walk for 10 minutes from Zaandijk station you will reach Zaanse Schans.
Giethoorn
Giethroon is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk. Giethoorn is often referred to as 'Little Venice' of the Netherlands. The village, still only fully accessible by boat, except for a cycling path in some parts is commonly known as the Venice of the North or Venice of the Netherlands.
A farm house in Giethroon village
Giethoorn is at the centre of Overijssel’s canal system. It has over 180 bridges.In an environment full of lakes,reed beds and forests lies this picturesque village with its many handsome farms with thatched roofs and characteristic wooden bridges.
The little village is so dependent on its waterways that many of the houses cannot be reached by road. Even the postman here delivers the mail by punt that is a small boat.
It is too quiet, too serene and remote. It is so calm that its nickname of the “Dutch Venice” may give a false impression of size and crowds and commercialism. Here in Holland’s water village of Giethoorn the loudest sound you can normally hear is the quacking of a duck. It is so peaceful, so different and has such simple beauty that it hardly seems real – gently gliding along small canals past old but pretty thatched-roof farmhouses drifts you into an unreal ethereal world of solitude.
Giethroon village
Giethoorn’s name originates from the first inhabitants’ discovery of hundreds of goat horns (gietehorens) in the marshland, remnants of a 10th-century flood. Giethoorn was established as a settlement of peat harvesters who made a living out of selling peat from Giethroon in Amsterdam in the early days.Peat cutting created ponds and lakes and people built houses on the man made islands which got created in the process.As a result access only became possible by bridge or using the traditional Giethroon boats,the so called Punters-narrow boats pushed along using a long pole by a punteraar.
Today no goat horns will be found here nor is the peat cutting a business anymore, but the vegetation is still quite distinct . Here you will find yourself on the edge of vast series of lakes and canals, ideal for boaties, angling and paddle-cycling through the waterways with 18th and 19th century farmhouses passing on the both sides of your boat.The Dutch has preserved this village fully as it was in the old times.
Although there are organized boat tours, it’s more fun to hire a small electric boat called 'whisper boat' or dinghies driven by an electric motor that requires no great technical skill to operate, and seats two or three comfortably.Most of the canal side restaurants rent them and is about 25Eur for 2 hours and 35Eur for 3 hours.
whisper boats
This is the best place if you want to spend a lazy afternoon in the perfect Dutch landscape gently puttering down the narrow waterways, under gracefully arching bridges, past cosy thatched cottages.
There are three canal-side museums here to visit and the Schreur shipyard, where the Giethoorn punt is built.
Footpaths beside the canals are ideal for walking or cycling, and there’s a wide selection of cafes and restaurants as well to spend your time while enjoying the picturesque landscape.
For nature lovers, National Park De Weerribben-Wieden is highly recommended. You will see many water birds and perhaps even spot the rare otter, a small copper butterfly or dragonfly hidden between the vegetation here.This is easily accessible by boat and you can have picnic lunch on the boat at your pleasure meandering through the marshlands of the National park.
National Park De Weerribben-Wieden
Not far from Giethoorn, you will also find old Zuiderzee towns like Vollenhove and Blokzijl. There, you can stroll past historic buildings, ancient churches and castles, and have a moment of pure enjoyment on a terrace by the water’s edge. And, if you like exclusive restaurants, be sure to visit the top-level restaurant Kaatje bij de Sluis in Blokzijl.
Travelers Tip-Best way of visiting Giethroon if you don't have a car is to board a train from your nearest station to station Steenwijk and then board bus no 70 in the direction Zwartsluis from that station to the stop Giethroon Dominee Hylkemaweg
So next time you are visiting the Netherlands in spring don't miss out these places!!
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