pinterest pin 6 Best Places for Snow Photography in the Netherlands

Prologue

The Netherlands is not known as a popular winter destination, as characteristically, the country receives a few days of snow every year. With climate change, the number of days is reducing with each passing year, and the day’s not far when we will narrate our grandchildren about the merry times we spent with our friends, ice-skating over the frozen lakes and canals.

However, when it snows in the Netherlands, the centuries-old windmills, polders, wooden houses, and drawbridges blanketed with a thick layer of snow turn the whole country into a winter wonderland, making it the perfect time to shoot beautiful snow images of the country. So today, I thought of sharing with you a few of my favorite places to capture beautiful snow/winter images in the Netherlands.

6 Best Places for Snow Photography in the Netherlands

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Rural Landscape Photography

White Canal Houses (Anywhere)

So to kick off, I would advise you to photograph some white canal houses with the snow wherever you can find them in the Netherlands. When the canals freeze and snow blankets the white houses' surroundings, the landscape looks like a living fairytale. I shot these images of the Floriande Canal Houses in Hoofddorp at a drive of 10 minutes from my home.

white houses with thatched roof snow frozen canal lake and birds shot at sunset during golden hour at floriande hoofddorp netherlands noord holland

Rural Landscape Photography

Piers and Lighthouse, Marken (Noord-Holland)

Marken, the fisherman’s village in North Holland, situated on the 700 square km lake of Markermeer that joins the 1100 square km IJsselmeer (which’s the largest inland lake of Western Europe), is an iconic location to shoot the snow. It has beautiful elements for photography like piers and a quaint lighthouse at the end of the village, accessible only on foot, about a half-hour walk over the dike. With exceptional week-long freezing weather, the Markermeer and IJsselmeer freeze. And I can tell you that walking on the frozen Markermeer feels unreal. Next time this happens, you ought to be there!

To know more about Marken, please read our article Experience Waterland | 11 Most Charming and Beautiful Authentic Dutch Villages of Waterland | The Wet Back Garden of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

marken noord holland netherlands fisherman village on markermeer ijsselmeer frozen lake showcasing wooden house boat piers breakwaters lighthouse and snow shot at sunset during golden hour

Urban Landscape Photography

Canal Rings and City Center, Amsterdam (Noord-Holland)

For capturing iconic urban landscape shots, I recommend Amsterdam alone. There is no other city in the Netherlands that can compare to Amsterdam's cosmopolitan character, which’s further enhanced in the snow. Amsterdam is an amalgamation of hip and orthodox, upstart and traditional. A perfect blend of old meets new, which’s just right for an old town urban landscape photography.

buildings bridges row houses church cars and snow in amsterdam netherlands noord holland

Architecture Photography

City Center, Den Haag (Zuid-Holland)

Living in Den Haag for six years, I’ve come to know it as a fascinating city for architecture and street photography in the Netherlands. Starting with architecture, there are several interesting monuments around the center of The Hague like The Vredespaleis (The Peace Palace or International Court of Justice), The Binnenhof (the Dutch Parliament), Mauritshuis Museum, Nieuw Kerk (New Church), De Plaats, The Noordeinde Palace (the King’s official residence), and Chinese Gate to name a few.

vredespaleis peace palace international court of justice covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

binnenhof Dutch Parliament covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

city center and binnenhof Dutch Parliament covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

Mauritshaus museum covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

Nieuw Kerk New Church covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

Statue Markt covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

equestrian statue of king willem of orange in noordeinde palace covered in snow in den haag the hague holland netherlands

Street Photography

Spui, Den Haag (Zuid-Holland)

As I mentioned earlier, Den Haag is also a hotspot for street photography with a plethora of shops, restaurants, and historic buildings in its old town center Spui (pronounced as ‘Spaawoo’ in Dutch), offering abundant opportunities for capturing fantastic street images with extraordinary backdrops. I always love to start with The Plein, a square with a monument of Prince William of Orange surrounded by shops, cafeterias, and restaurants. In December, The Plein is adorned with a grand Christmas tree that adds to the place's romantic ambiance.

city center den haag the hague holland netherlands showcasing shops people lights and snow plein with children playing christmas tree couples and snowman

city center den haag the hague holland netherlands showcasing shops people lights bike and snow

city center den haag centraal train station tram the hague holland netherlands showcasing shops people lights bike and snow shot during sunset

Action Photography

Amsterdamse Bos Canals (Noord-Holland) or Kinderdijk Canals (Zuid-Holland) or any Canals

The Dutch are patrons of winter sports. But in the Netherlands, generally, during winter, there isn’t a lot of snowfall or frozen canals for skiing or skating opportunities. That’s why Alpine skiing holidays are trendy among the locals. And if such a rare situation occurs that the canals are frozen for over a week, the winter gears in sports shops across the country get sold out in a couple of days. And as a photographer, it gives you an excellent opportunity to get some action shots of the Dutch canals bustling with skaters of all ages. And if you can club it with a stunning sunset, then you’ve killed two birds with one stone!

people skating in snow ice frozen canal and lake in amsterdam amsterdamse bos forest amstelveen shot at sunset during golden hour in netherlands holland

people skating and playing ice hockey in snow ice frozen canal and lake in amsterdam amsterdamse bos forest amstelveen shot at sunset during golden hour in netherlands holland

people skating in snow ice frozen canal and lake in kinderdijk windmills netherlands holland

Landscape and Nature Photography

Any Forest

Since the Netherlands is mostly a flat, low-lying country, the only option of getting some landscape or nature shots is in the woods. Head to the woods quickly before the snow falls off the branches!

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal and plants

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal bridge and plants

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal bench and plants

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal bench and plants with man biking

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal bench and plants with man and dog walking

haagse bos forest snow den haag the hague netherlands holland showcasing frozen canal bench bird and plants

Visiting the Netherlands

Best Time to Visit: The best seasons to travel to the Netherlands are spring (April to May) when tulips are in full bloom and early fall (September to October) when beautiful fall colors are everywhere. The weather is mild and pleasant during these times, and the crowds are generally smaller compared to the peak summer season (June to August).

Number of Days to Stay: Seven to ten days are perfect for touring the Netherlands. This allows you to visit major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, as well as explore smaller towns and attractions such as Utrecht, Haarlem, Maastricht, and the tulip fields. It also gives you time to experience the Dutch countryside and iconic windmills.

Best Place to Stay: Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is a great place to start your Dutch exploration. It has a large selection of accommodation options, ranging from high-end hotels to inexpensive hostels. Major attractions in the city include the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House, and the Van Gogh Museum. For those seeking a more contemporary urban experience, Rotterdam is a fantastic choice because of its modern architecture and vibrant cultural scene. Additionally, it is a significant transportation hub that facilitates travel around the country. Den Haag (The Hague) which is the seat of the Dutch government and the International Court of Justice, is home to many historical landmarks, museums, and beaches. For those who like to avoid the bustle of the bigger cities, Utrecht is a wonderful option because of its convenient central location and quaint medieval old town. It has excellent train connections to various regions of the nation.

Best Way to Arrive: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest airports, serves as the primary international entry point into the Netherlands. It is connected to numerous international destinations. The Netherlands has excellent train connections to its surrounding nations. Amsterdam is connected to cities like Brussels, Paris, London, and Berlin via international trains like Thalys, Eurostar, and ICE. Numerous international bus companies, including FlixBus, run services from different European cities to the Netherlands. You can also drive to the Netherlands by car, especially if you want to explore the surrounding regions. There is a vast road network throughout the nation, and airports and major cities offer car rental services.

Best Local Mode of Conveyance: The Netherlands has a first-grade public transportation system consisting of buses, trains, trams, metros, and ferries. A contactless smart card called the OV-chipkaart is used to board all public transportation. Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) runs the trains, which are the most convenient means of transportation between cities. In addition to ridesharing services like Uber, taxis are accessible in all major cities. The Netherlands is well-known for its cycling culture, featuring bike-friendly infrastructure and designated bike lanes all around the nation. Cities in the Netherlands are very walkable, especially the central areas of Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague. In cities like Amsterdam, canal boats are a popular way to see the city from a different perspective. Various companies offer canal cruises and water taxis.

Epilogue

So those were the top 6 spots for snow and winter photography in the Netherlands. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.

And to learn how to capture dazzling snow/winter images, please read our article A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Master Snow and Winter Photography | Snow and Winter Photography Tutorial | 20 Ultimate Tips and Tricks for Snow and Winter Photography. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!