Holland Travel Guide - Travel Insights and Tips

Thinking about touring the Netherlands in January? With cool temperatures, wintry activities, and few tourists, it can be a pleasant time to visit. There are plenty of things to do in January in the Netherlands, including ice skating on the frozen canals in Amsterdam, exploring world-class museums like the Van Gogh Museum, and even enjoying a cultural festival in Rotterdam. Despite the chill, it’s a great time to explore this beautiful country.

The weather in the Netherlands is famously fickle, but the best time to visit the Netherlands is doubtless in summer, when there are pleasant daytime temperatures and minimal rainfall. However, summer is also the high season throughout Europe. Expect sky-high airfares and hotel rates in Holland and beyond.Some travelers may prefer to travel between high season and low season instead, especially considering the recent overcrowding in Amsterdam. Spring is an enticing season, in particular for garden lovers yearning to see Dutch tulips bloom. Autumn involves fewer tourists and cheaper prices across the board. While summer is generally considered a good time to got to the Netherlands, it isn’t the only option. Read on for an in-depth guide on the best time to travel to the Netherlands.

With huge festivals, cheap rates, and temperatures starting to warm up, visiting the Netherlands in February is a good time to visit. Whether you’re looking to party at the legendary Carnival or want to explore the historic cities and museums without a ton of tourists around you, touring the Netherlands offers a lot of variety.Although the temperatures in February are starting to rise, it’s still chilly during this month. Indoor attractions are a great idea, or if you’re heading outside, wrapping up warm is going to be really important!

From Van Gogh to tulips to Amsterdam blossoms, March is an excellent time to take a trip to the Netherlands— at least if you’re happy to rug up. This small European nation resides in a temperate zone so you can expect balmier March temperatures than its northern neighbors, but the Netherlands will be colder this time of year than Southern European countries like Italy and Spain.There are still plenty of benefits to visiting the Netherlands in March. Colder temperatures mean far fewer tourists, which results in thinner crowds, cheap airfares and better-value hotels.

The Netherlands is a unique country known for many things beyond bicycles and gouda cheese, including its art and historical attractions in cities such as Amsterdam, a charming system of water canals spreading across the whole nation, and iconic traditional windmills.The Netherlands in April is when temperatures are finally rising after a chilly winter. The Netherland tours have plenty to offer to all types of visitors this month. Head to Zaanse Schans to see the famous windmills that inspired many artists from all over the world, try the Dutch precursor of gin, jenever, or get lost in the intricate entanglement of canals and crooked houses typical of this country.

Planning a trip to the Netherlands in May is a great option, as you will find enjoyable temperatures and sunny days, which you don’t see a lot in this country. With favorable temperatures, you also get to enjoy the late spring. There are fewer crowds in May compared with the high season. Rent a bike and explore some of the Netherlands' best national parks, such as Hoge Veluwe National Park, head to Flevoland and see the stunning flower fields characterizing these lands, or explore Amsterdam and stay out till late, partying in one of the city's popular clubs.

Although people often associate Holland with museums and canals, the country is more than just that. The windmills and wooden houses of Zaanse Schans hark back to the past, while a riot of colors welcomes visitors in Keukenhof, the famous tulip garden, in the months of April and May. Discover a variety of landscapes in Hoge Veluwe National Park and take in the medieval architecture of Delft’s old town on your Holland itinerary. Then sail down the quiet canals of Amsterdam, taking in the sights and sounds of the city famous for its artistic heritage, before catching your flight home.

The Netherlands is one of Western Europe’s smaller-sized countries, but this works in favor of many travelers. It’s a fantastic destination if you only have a few days to spare, and yes, crossing countries in this timeframe is totally doable, too. Pick a base, then enjoy plenty of day trips — with just 4 days in the Netherlands, you don’t want to spend most of your time on the roads/water. Amsterdam is popular for this, venturing to nearby cities like Volendam and Edam, where Dutch traditions are tenfold. Explore scenic Windmill Villages, experience Holland’s famous canals and museums where Dutch Masters shine, or even discover a part of Germany. 

The whole of the Netherlands could fit into New York nearly three times. Yet, despite its small size, a 5-day trip to the Netherlands packs a lot of punch. Five days is just enough to soak its capital, Amsterdam and nearby villages and attractions. But if five days is all you’ve got, you can still hit all the major highlights and cities in the Netherlands and make the most out of the duration. Making Amsterdam your base, you can discover multiple cities, towns and villages—checking out at least two in one day. Cruise the Dam’s canals, sightsee windmill museums and fields of tulips. With 5 days in the Netherlands, you can also touch down in Belgium for Belgian waffles or Germany. 

Thanks to its flat landscapes and small size, traveling across the Netherlands is easily doable in a relatively short time. With just one week in the Netherlands, it is possible to cover its main highlights and get an overview of this Low Country. A couple of days’ stay in Amsterdam allows you to explore the iconic city and take day trips to nearby destinations such as Haarlem, Rotterdam and Zaanse Schans. Meanwhile, the Netherland’s extensive waterways and cycle routes offer epic river cruises and cycling tours. From exploring colorful flower villages like Aalsmeer to learning how to make traditional Dutch cheese in Gouda, from admiring the medieval streets and gabled houses of Haarlem to appreciating the artworks of Vincent Van Gogh in Amsterdam, you can pack in a lot of tours and activities into your 7-day Netherlands trip.

If you have 6 days in the Netherlands, you can visit major cities like Rotterdam and Utrecht, or smaller ones like pretty Bronkhorst. You can also cycle through stunning national parks, go hiking, or laze about on the beach (the seaside town of Zandvoort is just 30 minutes from Amsterdam). Six days may not seem like much, but it is enough to explore the country and partake in various activities. Run through tulip fields (in spring), sample Dutch delicacies like stroopwafels, bitterballen and herring or compare architectural styles, from colorful timber-houses along harbors to Dutch baroque buildings to the ruins of castles and caves in Valkenburg.

You can cover a lot of land (and water) in the Netherlands in 10 days. Whether you wish to explore the entire length and breadth of the country or focus your trip on a handful of destinations of your choice is entirely up to you. But if you ask us, we recommend narrowing down your destinations and allowing yourself to truly relish your vacation. With 10 days in the Netherlands, you can explore the museums and canals in Amsterdam, cycle through the picturesque Green Heart area, enjoy the tours in Haarlem and Rotterdam, and see the sites and attractions in Nijmegen, Maastricht and Utrecht. What’s more, on a well-planned 10-day Netherlands tour, you can venture further afield and see bits of neighboring Belgium as well.