Holland'stop cities to visit
Come and fall in love with some of Holland's most beautiful cities!
You can do this by train - on a round trip from Amsterdam - or you can hire a car and take it easy. The roads are good and it's easy to drive there.
If you're only staying in Amsterdam, it's not worth hiring a car, but if you're travelling around the other cities in Holland, it might be worth it.
Read also: What to do in Amsterdam
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The biggest cities in Holland
The Hague
The Hague, or Den Haag, is one of the cities in Holland that you must visit.
Did you know that the seat of the Dutch government is actually in The Hague? The calmest city, extremely clean and far away from the "chaos" of Amsterdam, is also home to the royal residence.
It's 60 kilometres away and you can see neoclassical mansions, visit the Escher Museum and the Mauritshuis museum, which was built by none other than Maurício de Nassau.
It's also home to the Madurodamwhich is a park with miniature Dutch icons.
It's also the perfect place for those who like to enjoy good food. Plan a day trip from Amsterdam. It's worth it!
Rotterdam
This is one of the largest cities in Holland and you've probably heard of it, as it's considered the second most important city in the country and is home to the largest Europe's largest seaport.
In addition to the charm of the harbour, the modernity of Rotterdam also stands out when compared to the others.
Rotterdam is one of the largest cities in the Netherlands - Photo: Anthea Gerrie
From there, you'll be close to a beautiful trip to Kinderdijk, the real Dutch windmills.
Maastricht
A curiosity of this Dutch city is that it is close to Germany, as well as being on the Dutch-Belgian border.
The architecture is a mixture of Dutch style and a touch of Roman architecture. The beauty is unrivalled!
From Amsterdam, you can take the train to Maastricht and explore it on foot. From the station you can see the Sint Servaasbrug Bridge and reach the historic centre.
Don't miss the Basiliek van Onze Lieve Vrouwebasiliek, or Basilica of Our Lady.
Utrecht
Speaking of a cosy place, Utrecht is not to be missed among Dutch cities either. The canals surrounded by historic houses give a special charm to the atmosphere of the place, which is just over 30 minutes from Amsterdam.
Among its 300,000 inhabitants, 70,000 are students, who bring the youth movement to the place.
To cater for young people and tourists, the city has many bars and restaurants. And one day is enough to explore its historic centre on foot.
Among attractions in Utrechtdon't forget to visit the Domtoren, which is the city's main tourist attraction, Castle Oudaen, the DOMunder, the Miffy Museum (especially if you're travelling to the Netherlands with children). Holland with children) and the Rietveld-Schröder House.
Utrecht, one of Holland's cities to visit
Holland's most beautiful cities
Delft
Among the cities in Holland, if you're looking for a quieter, typically Dutch place with a spectacular historic centre, go to Delft! It's like a mini Amsterdam.
To make the quiet town even better, it has a Dutch cuisine that caters for even the most demanding palates.
Read also: Delft tips for first-time visitors
When you arrive, be sure to visit the Markt, a beautiful square. It's home to the famous and unforgettable Nieuwe Kerk, a 15th century church. Lose yourself in its streets, bridges and canals, because the city is really very pretty.
Delft is one of the most charming Dutch cities we know - Photo: Holland.com
Volendam
Small and very romantic, it's the right destination for couples in love. Located on the shores of Lake Issel, in the province of North Holland, it has the simple setting of a fishing village, whose strong point is the harbour, surrounded by the promenade of Zuideinde Street.
Volendam is very close to Amsterdam and, as it is very small, you can visit it in a morning or less.
Marken
Like Volendam, Marken is also one of Holland's picturesque and traditional towns. And as it's also very close to Amsterdam, you can take a day trip there and back.
The place is small, but the green houses made of wood are charming. It's a great walk and has an incredible atmosphere for those who like to take good photos.
Zaandam
On the banks of the River Zaan and close to Amsterdam is Zaandam (15 minutes by car).
The town is perfect for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the mills and historic houses in the Zaanse Schans, one of the most beautiful places I've visited in the country. Take the opportunity to cycle and take a boat trip.
Here's an extra tip: there are several round trips from Amsterdam that include Volendam, Marken and Zaanse Schans. We did it and I highly recommend it. We had already done both by car and on our own. But the second time round, we went on this tour and enjoyed it much more and saw a lot of things we hadn't seen before. The three places are beautiful and the tour lasted about five hours without rushing. I think it's well worth it!
Gouda
This Dutch city is 75 kilometres from Amsterdam and you can get there by train. The station is very close to the centre.
To start the tour, go to the main square, called the Markt. If it's winter, you'll see children skating on an ice rink.
You can also visit the town hall, Stadhuis, which dates back to 1459, and eat the famous gouda cheese, which takes its name from the city.
Haarlem
Also practically next to Amsterdam (24 kilometres), this city can be visited in just one day or less.
The production of tulips has made it known as Bloemenstad, which means "city of flowers".
Stunninghistoric buildings, canals, museums and bridges are just some of the sights to be seen on this trip. You can start at the Grote Market, which is the main square, and explore the city on foot from there.
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Leiden
It takes around 40 minutes to get to Leiden by train from Amsterdam.
The Molenmuseum De Valk is the highlight of the trip. It's a mill turned museum that doesn't open on Mondays. A great place for a boat trip too.
Lisse
Tulips are also part of the history of this city, Lisse, which boasts a huge botanical park, the Keukenhofwhich throngs the city with tourists between March and May, when the park opens for visitors.
From Amsterdam, it takes about 30 minutes to get there and spend a pleasant day. The site is small but very beautiful, even outside the tulip season.
Giethoorn
Known as the Venice of Holland, this village has become famous on social media for having no streets, only canals. It's so cute that it's like something out of a fairytale!
The typical houses with thatched roofs look like they're on little private islands, and to get from one part to another you have to cross one of the 180 bridges that exist in the little town.
The town actually has a few narrow streets, but they are pedestrianised. The main street is Binnenpad, which is home to shops, museums and beautiful houses. The stone sculptures are characteristic of the place.
One of the cutest towns in Holland. Photo: Shutterstock
Read more:
What to do in Holland in winter
"Tulip Mania: understand Amsterdam's passion for flowers
Travelling by train through Holland and Belgium (routes and practical tips!)
When to visit the cities of Holland?
Well, I'm in love with the country, so I go at any time of the year, but because I've been to the country many times and in different seasons, I'd say that the most beautiful time - arguably - is spring.
If you want to enjoy Holland's cities more in the open air and see everything green and blooming, book your trip for spring in Europe or summer, which runs from April to September.
It's from the end of March to the middle of May that you'll be able to see the famous tulip fields, for example.
But by that I mean that autumn and winter are not good times to go!
Not at all! Autumn takes on special colours, but it's already getting chilly. And winter is really cold and often rains a lot, but on the other hand you can get a better feel for the normal rhythm of life in Dutch cities, as well as more affordable prices.
And if you want to feel almost like a local, don't miss the opportunity to hire a bike, as it's one of the best ways to explore the small Dutch towns.
What's the weather like in Holland?
Holland is never a hot country, as we are used to in Brazil. The Dutch summer has an average temperature of 26 degrees and spring is around 18 degrees. A little more, a little less. The advantage is that there are more days with blue skies and the sun stays out longer, getting dark around 9pm.
In autumn, the temperature is around 12 degrees and winter, in addition to less sunshine, has an average temperature of around 5 degrees, sometimes reaching minus temperatures and even snow, but with the right clothes, it is perfectly feasible to visit the country at this time.
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