Things to do in Holland did such a big impression, we really will need to return for more. Holland has not been attracting foreign visitors only due to its idyllic and almost fairytale-like image, but also for its mixture of different cultures and a funky capital – Amsterdam. So, what are the best things to do in Holland?
Top 14 things to do in Holland
#1 Admiring windmills
There is no real Holland without the famous windmills. You will see them all over the country, but for true admiration, stop at the beautiful Kinderdijk Park (Coordinates: 51.53.16.2 / 004.38.15.8).
Visiting the Kinderdijk Park (Best things to do in Holland)
#2 Searching for the largest wooden clog
Another popular symbol for Holland are their wooden clogs. There are all kinds of them, from small to big and from yellow to pink.
In search of the wooden clogs (Best things to do in Holland)
#3 Exploring the water canals
Holland is all about water canals. We loved the villages, towns and cities with water canals – so charming to explore.
Charming water canals (Best things to do in Holland)
#4 Tasting traditional food
You cannot get to know a country without tasting it, so don’t forget to indulge yourself with some Holland traditional food. Check out what not to miss here.
Enjoying typical Holandaise food (Best things to do in Holland)
#5 Walk around tulips
If you like flowers, especially tulips, you should travel to Holland during the tulip season. There are gorgeous and colorful fields, full of tulips (almost) everywhere. Amazing indeed! It is also nice to walk around Keukenhof Park near Amsterdam during tulips bloom. (Coordinates: 52.16.23.3 / 004.32.40.5)
Colorful tulips (Best things to do in Holland)
#6 Buying cheese
Even though you might not be keen on cheese, you probably heard for the famous Hollandaise cheese Gouda and Edam, coming from the town of Gouda and Edam. Visiting at least one city on the market day is a must.
Tasting cheese (Best things to do in Holland)
- Cheese market day in Gouda: every Thursday (10:00-12:30 from 6th April to 31st August)
- Cheese market day in Edam: every Wednesday (10:30-12:30 from 6th April to 31st August)
Visiting the cheese market day in Gouda (Best things to do in Holland)
#7 Riding a bike
Riding a bike is extremely popular among locals no matter if they live in a countryside or in the city. The whole country has great biking paths so make sure to rent a bike and do as the locals do.
Exploring Holland by bike (Best things to do in Holland)
#8 Being romantic in Giethoorn
If you are traveling around Holland and skipping the beautiful Giethoorn you should feel sorry. The area around water canal is stunningly beautiful. Rent an electric boat and explore the area on the water.
Being romantic in Giethroon (Best things to do in Holland)
#9 Wander around The Red District and the famous coffee shops in Amsterdam
Do we need to say more? If nothing else, you must have heard for the iconic Red Light District in Amsterdam and the funky coffee shops for sure. This district is actually one of the most popular areas among locals, having great vibes to hang out and have fun. We liked it too as well. If you want to enjoy and get to know the famous Amsterdam and to eat cheap, this is definitely the place to be. You can read more about Amsterdam and how to do it on a budget here.
Enjoying the funky vibe in Amsterdam (Best things to do in Holland)
#10 Cheers with Heineken
I know, we are so predictable, but we just cannot help it. Heineken is for sure one of the best known beers in Holland and if you enjoy it too, visit The Heineken Experience to find out more about the brand.
Cheering with Heineken (Best things to do in Holland)
#11 Wind and kite surfing
The coast in Holland is full of enthusiastic wind and kite surfers. There are good winds almost year-round and long sandy beaches are perfect for these two water sports. If you don’t do wind or kite surfing, just a sight on them is worth a stop.
Wind and kite surfing (Best things to do in Holland)
#12 In search of the best postcard motive
It is not hard to find a nice and picturesque motives in Holland. The hardest thing is to choose, which one is your favorite; water canals, houses made out of bricks, lighthouses, countryside…
Looking for postcards motives (Best things to do in Holland)
#13 Strolling around small villages and towns
Most of travelers to Holland visit the larger cities – some don’t even leave Amsterdam. But, if you ask us, some of the cutest findings were out of the main touristic paths. We really enjoyed walking around Leiden, Burghaamsted, Den Burg on the Texel Island, Sloten, Hindeloopen.
Little known towns and villages (Best things to do in Holland)
#14 Don’t miss out the Texel Island
Whenever we are in a foreign country, we try to explore places, off the typical tourists’ radars and that is also why, we have ended up on the Texel Island. The Texel Island is extremely popular among domestic visitors, but we had difficulties in finding any foreigner visitor there. We really enjoyed the Texel Island and its diverse landscape, long sandy beaches and the famous red lightning house. If we caught your attention, read more about the Texel Island here.
Texel Island (Best things to do in Holland)
No matter which places you will visit during your Holland travel, we are certain, the country will grow on you. We had lots of rain and cold days during our summer roadtrip, but we will definitely be coming back for more, as we can sure find more than 14 things to do in Holland on our next travel there.
Guys you left out what I think is the best stop in Holland, Bruges.
Hi John, thanks for the comment, but Bruge is actually in Belgium 😉 And we did make a stop there when roadtripping around Belgium. You can read all about Bruge here: https://www.nina-travels.com/bruge-belgium-travel/
Thanks for post. I grew up in a small Dutch town in Washington State and there was a few windmills at one of the city beach parks. Over the years through travel I’ve met tons of Dutch and have become more and more interested in visiting. This post is a great start. The food is always a plus and the water canals look like a great place to take the wife out on a date. Thanks for this!
Hi Mark, thanks for your interesting feedback. I hope you already traveled to Holland since your comment and that you were not disappointed over the country and its people. 🙂
The things you have mentioned in your post that every individual should do while traveling around the Holland to make your trip memorable. I would like to add one more thing i.e riding a cycle with your partner in the Holland is a pretty amazing experience. So, we should enjoy cycling during our visit. Hi Nina, Thanks for sharing such stuff here.
Hi there, oh yes, cycling is a must in Holland, but we had such a bad weather … it was rainy every day, so we just skip it this time. But when we are traveling to Holland again, we will sure do some cycling too. 🙂 Cheers, Nina