Europe Netherlands Amsterdam 10 Best Day Trips From Amsterdam

10 Best Day Trips From Amsterdam

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When people want to experience the Netherlands, chances are they go to Amsterdam. There are plenty of things to see in Amsterdam, but what makes it such a great tourist destination is how it opens up the rest of the country to you. By staying in Amsterdam, you can spend some time exploring the city and the rest of your time on the many things to see in the Netherlands outside of Amsterdam. From other major Dutch cities to quaint villages built along canals and full of windmills, the best day trips from Amsterdam may not take you far, but they’ll all show you something completely new.

How to Get Around

Although you can make many of these day trips with public transport, consider renting a car for the day to give yourself more flexibility and independence. With your own four wheels, you control your time and schedule. Depending on how many people are in your group, renting a car might even work out to be cheaper than other forms of transportation. You can compare car rental deals and find the lowest prices at Rentalcars.com, an aggregation site that searches and displays prices and availability from hundreds of car rental companies, helping you find the best possible car for your budget.

Don’t want to drive or deal with the hassle of public transport? No worries! We’ve listed the best tour for each day trip (where available).

Oudaen Castle and people on outdoor terrace of restaurants alongside Oudegracht canal in the city of Utrecht, Netherlands
TasfotoNL / shutterstock.com

Utrecht

The quaint university city of Utrecht is just a short trip from Amsterdam. Start your visit at the central Dom Square and gaze up at the soaring Dom Tower. After a walk through the Dom Church Garden, head up the tower for city views and a chance to hear the melodic bells. 

Walk through the University Quarter to find great cafes and markets, then find the fantastic Oudegracht (Old Canal) waterfront in the Stadhuis District. Whether you take a cruise or simply walk along the canals, you’ll find some of the city’s prettiest spots here. Down by the water, you can visit various bars and art galleries in cellars beneath the road. Don’t miss the psychedelic lights of the Ganzenmarkt Tunnel, which leads down to the canal.

Getting there: The train is the easiest way to Utrecht from Amsterdam, with the journey only taking 30 minutes.

Keukenhof park in Netherlands
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Keukenhof

There’s no better place to see the Netherlands’ famous tulips (and all sorts of other flowers) than Keukenhof, which is officially the largest flower garden in the world and surely one of the best Amsterdam day trips possible. Located in the small town of Lisse, the gardens are open from mid-March to mid-May. 

You don’t need to have a green thumb to appreciate these gardens, as the flowers are often arranged in large patterns and simply bursting with color. Then there are the flower fields, where long stripes of bold colors run for row after row to create vibrant rainbows – which are best seen from the air, or at least from the small windmill on the grounds. Everywhere you look at Keukenhof is full of life and color, making it an ideal spot for avid photographers.

Getting there: The easiest way to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam is with a guided tour, especially when it includes fast-track entry. Coming on public transport is a little trickier, depending on where you are in Amsterdam, but the frequent 852 bus from Europaplein will get you to Keukenhof in around 30 minutes.

Book Tour to Keukenhof

view of famous village Giethoorn with canals in the Netherlands. Giethoorn is also called 'Venice of The Netherlands'
Ververidis Vasilis / shutterstock.com

Giethoorn

Often dubbed the “Venice of the Netherlands,” the canal village of Giethoorn is one of the best day tours from Amsterdam and looks like something out of a fairy tale. The best way to get around this green village is by boat, as there aren’t really any roads. 

To add to the charm, the houses here are mostly beautiful old cottages, retaining the atmosphere of days long past. These cottages are particularly known for their thatched roofs, yet another sign of Giethoorn’s idyllic nature. While you won’t want to miss a boat ride, you can also walk or cycle along the paths as you soak up the village’s beauty.

Getting there: Giethoorn isn’t the most convenient place to reach from Amsterdam, so a day tour really cuts down the stress of a visit. Going by public transport means a three-hour journey of two trains and a bus.

Book Tour to Giethoorn

Windmill in Zaanse Schans, quiet village in Netherlands, province North Holland
Anton_Ivanov / shutterstock.com

Zaanse Schans

People love to see windmills when they come to the Netherlands, and Zaanse Schans is the ideal place for that fix. With its scenic collection of traditional houses and windmills along the Zaan River, this village is one of the best places to visit from Amsterdam. For a glimpse into the traditional heritage of Holland in a convenient half-day trip, Zaanse Schans is the way to go.

While enjoying the quintessentially Dutch scene of 18th- and 19th-century windmills, you can also learn more about the heritage of the windmills and the area in the Zaans Museum. You can even learn how the iconic Dutch wooden clogs are made here. Don’t miss the chance to visit some local bakeries and cheese shops!

Getting there: Zaanse Schans is only a 20-minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal. However, visiting with a guide for a half-day trip will give you a better sense of the village’s history and culture.

Book Tour to Zaanse Schans

View on the Town hall and beautiful buildings on the central square during the sunny morning in Delft city, Netherland
RossHelen / shutterstock.com

Delft

To experience a small Dutch city, take a day trip to Delft, one of the best places to visit in the Netherlands. While best known for its signature blue-and-white ceramics, Delft also has its fair share of interesting city scenery. Among the small network of canals, begin with Market Square to see both the Delft City Hall and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). At opposite edges of the Old Town, seek out the Rose Windmill and the Eastern Gate, both striking in their own way. 

One of Delft’s claims to fame is as the home of renowned artist Johannes Vermeer, whose life and work you can explore in the Vermeer Center. The other, of course, is its ceramics, which you can learn more about at the Royal Delft Museum, the last factory of its kind in the country.

Getting there: The simplest way to reach Delft from Amsterdam is via the regular one-hour train that connects through Rotterdam. However, if you want to combine your trip to Delft with other cities nearby, a guided tour is the easier approach.

Book Tour to Delft

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Modern market hall in Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Rotterdam

The modern port city of Rotterdam is a rising star in the Netherlands. Lacking the historical charm of other Dutch destinations, Rotterdam instead impresses travelers with its flair for modern architecture. Start with the geometric magic of the Cube Houses, a sea of bright yellow cubes where people actually live. Right nearby is the horseshoe-shaped Market Hall with a huge painted ceiling and all sorts of food stalls. 

Watching over Rotterdam is the Euromast, an observation tower that lets you admire the city skyline from 104 meters up. You’ll also find culture in places like the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, which boasts artworks by Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet.

Getting there: Rotterdam is a simple 40-minute train journey from Amsterdam. A guided tour makes it easier to move on to nearby destinations like Delft and The Hague, however.

Book Tour to Rotterdam

iew of the Binnenhof palace on place of Parliament, The Hague, Netherlands
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The Hague

Yet another great city destination in South Holland is The Hague. A city of culture and national importance, The Hague is riddled with museums, art galleries, and major institutions. For instance, you’ll find the Dutch Parliament inside the stately Binnenhof complex across the scenic waters of the Hofvijver

Then there are all the embassies and grand buildings lining the Lange Voorhout boulevard. You can see the mind-bending art of M.C. Escher at Escher in the Palace or classical works in the Mauritshuis. Of course, we can’t forget Noordeinde Palace, home of the Dutch royal family, nor the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice.

Getting there: The Hague is another one of the easy train trips from Amsterdam, with the journey taking only 50 minutes. If you want to see both The Hague and Rotterdam in just one day, though, a multi-city tour is the smart choice.

Book Tour to The Hague

Coloured houses at the Marine Resort in Volendam, Netherlands
Rudy Mareel / shutterstock.com

Edam, Volendam, and Marken

The Netherlands has no shortage of great countryside villages for you to visit, with Edam, Volendam, and Marken being three of the best. Each of these villages shows you what an authentic Dutch village looks like. For instance, while Edam is best known for the local cheese, it’s also a pretty place for a stroll, featuring medieval streets and canals. 

Just a bit farther down the coast is Volendam, a picturesque fishing village. After a short walk around the harbor, enter the complex network of streets and find St. Vincent’s Church. Marken is also a fishing village, but it was actually an island once. It’s now packed with quaint buildings, some on stilts to cope with rising tides.

Getting there: While you can reach each village from Amsterdam by bus in under 30 minutes, it’s also possible to get between Marken and Volendam by ferry. A more relaxed way to see the three villages in one day is on a guided Dutch countryside tour.

Book Tour to Marken, Volendam & Edam

People enjoying the sun at a historic canal in Haarlem, Netherlands
Marc Venema / shutterstock.com

Haarlem

The city of Haarlem may well be one of the best side trips from Amsterdam, especially with how close it is and how few tourists know about it. Full of medieval history and character, Haarlem is a perfect place to explore the beauty of Holland’s cities further. 

Starting at the Grote Markt (the city’s central market square), you’re already surrounded by interesting sights, such as the Gothic Grote Kerk, a former Catholic cathedral converted into a Protestant church. You can then delve into the local culture and art history at the Frans Hals Museum and Teylers Museum

For a great photo, find De Adriaan Windmill, then climb it to see the rooftops of Haarlem. If you’re tired of sightseeing, take advantage of the city’s renowned shopping district full of boutique, independent, and antique stores.

Getting there: Haarlem couldn’t be easier to reach from Amsterdam, with trains leaving every 15 minutes and making the journey in 19 minutes.

Colorful old brick houses in the Market Square in the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town of Bruges, Belgium
Gabor Kovacs Photography / shutterstock.com

Bruges

One of the joys of certain parts of Europe, including the Netherlands, is how easy it is to hop over to a neighboring country. For instance, a visit to the charming Belgian city of Bruges from Amsterdam is manageable in a day. 

When you arrive, head for Market Square, where colorful houses sit beside the standout Belfry of Bruges and Provincial Court. It’s a short walk from there to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, said to house a cloth stained with the blood of Christ.

Of course, you can’t leave Bruges without a cruise down its winding, picturesque canals. Back on land, don’t miss cute spots like the Boniface Bridge and Wall Square (Walplein), where you can find plenty of delicious Belgian chocolate.

Getting there: To make the most of your sightseeing time, go with a guided tour to Bruges. Otherwise, you’ll spend three hours and 30 minutes taking the train from Amsterdam via Antwerp.

Book Tour to Bruges

There you have it – all the best day trips from Amsterdam! A stay in the Dutch capital gives you the opportunity to explore different parts of the Netherlands as well as the different elements that make it so wonderful.

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