42 Best Places and Attractions to Visit in the Netherlands in Summer | 42 Amazing Things to See and Do in Summer in the Netherlands | 42 Top Summer Hot Spots in the Netherlands
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

42 Best Places and Attractions to Visit in the Netherlands in Summer | 42 Amazing Things to See and Do in Summer in the Netherlands | 42 Top Summer Hot Spots in the Netherlands

Summers in the Netherlands can be a genuine celebration with the sun, sea, beach, festivals, music, overnight stays, lovely pavement cafés, delectable food, and fine wine! The longest day of the year, or the Summer Solstice, which occurs on June 21, marks the beginning of summer, according to the astronomical calendar. June, July, and August are regarded as the summer months by meteorologists. As a result of its maritime climate, which is influenced by the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the Netherlands experiences a variety of weather conditions throughout the summer, including a few hot days with temperatures considerably over the 25-degree threshold.

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Hallerbos | Belgium’s Fairytale Bluebell Forest | The Magical Blue Forest in Halle, Belgium
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Hallerbos | Belgium’s Fairytale Bluebell Forest | The Magical Blue Forest in Halle, Belgium

From late April through May, millions of bluebells blanket the Hallerbos, also known as the ‘Blue Forest’ of Belgium, located in the municipality of Halle, 20 km south of Brussels. As far as the eye can see, a flowering carpet brushes up against the slender beech trees in the 1,360-acre forests' unearthly transformation. Visitors can meander the twisting roads while keeping an eye out for deer and rabbits that wander through the lush, emerald woodlands. Though bluebells are not uncommon in Europe, especially in its oldest woods, the Hallerbos is exceptional due to the quantity and quality of its bloom.

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Complete Guide to Durga Puja 2024 in the Netherlands | All Durga Puja Celebrations in 2024 by Bengali Communities of the Netherlands | Locations, Dates, Opening Hours, and Latest Updates
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Complete Guide to Durga Puja 2024 in the Netherlands | All Durga Puja Celebrations in 2024 by Bengali Communities of the Netherlands | Locations, Dates, Opening Hours, and Latest Updates

Durga Puja, also known by the names Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is a major annual ten-day Hindu festival that is celebrated in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Tripura, and the nation of Bangladesh during the month of Ashwin on the Indian calendar (which falls between September and October on the Gregorian calendar), to commemorate the victory of the Hindu Goddess Durga (who is regarded as ‘Adi Shakti,’ the primordial cosmic energy) against the shape-shifting demon Mahishasura after a ten-day war.

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The Dutch Cheese Markets 2025 | The Cheese Market Cities of the Netherlands - Alkmaar, Edam, Gouda, Hoorn, and Woerden
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

The Dutch Cheese Markets 2025 | The Cheese Market Cities of the Netherlands - Alkmaar, Edam, Gouda, Hoorn, and Woerden

Since before the advent of Christ, the Dutch have been associated with cheese. Researchers have uncovered pieces of cheese-making machinery that date back to 200 BC. Due to the Netherlands' lush environment, which was ideal for cattle rearing, cheese-making had become an integral part of Dutch culture by the Middle Ages. Markets for cheese grew briskly, and communities with weighing privileges were able to construct ‘Weigh Houses’ and enjoyed unique status.

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5 Most Beautiful Towns and Villages to Visit in Lake Como
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5 Most Beautiful Towns and Villages to Visit in Lake Como

The inverted letter ‘Y’ shaped (or ‘lambda’ for science students) lake of Como (also known as Lario) is a gorgeous glacial lake in the Lombardy region of Italy, 50 km north of Milan. After Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore, it is the third-largest lake in Italy with a surface area of 146 sq. km. With a depth of 425 m, it is the fifth-deepest lake in Europe. Home to picturesque villages, elegant villas, luscious green mountains, and sparkling blue shores, Lake Como is a place where gleaming red Ferraris glide through little lakeside towns and aristocrats, royals, and celebs vacation in neoclassical villas. Here the 2006 Bond film ‘Casino Royale’ was partly shot and many of the opulent lakeside hotels are priced like 007 properties. Hollywood star George Clooney is known to spend the summer months at his 25-room Villa Oleandra in Laglio on Lake Como.

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Ultimate San Marino Day Trip Itinerary | 10 Best Places to Visit and Things To Do in San Marino in One Day | Top 10 Tourist Attractions to Visit in San Marino on a Day Trip
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Ultimate San Marino Day Trip Itinerary | 10 Best Places to Visit and Things To Do in San Marino in One Day | Top 10 Tourist Attractions to Visit in San Marino on a Day Trip

The Republic of San Marino situated on the slopes of Mount Titano 657 meters (2,156 feet) above sea level, northeast to the Apennine Mountains, is a European microstate landlocked by Italy on all sides, offering breathtaking views of the Adriatic coast. With a population of 33,562 and a land area of just over 61 sq. km, it is the third-smallest independent country in Europe after Vatican City and Monaco, the fifth-smallest country in the world, and until the independence of Nauru (1968), the smallest republic in the world.

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17 Best Places to Visit and Things To Do in Florence and Pisa | Top 17 Must See Tourist Attractions in Florence and Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
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17 Best Places to Visit and Things To Do in Florence and Pisa | Top 17 Must See Tourist Attractions in Florence and Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany is renowned for its exquisite scenery, magnificent art, architecture, and extraordinary charm. However, Florence is the only location in Tuscany where all four of these characteristics come together seamlessly to create a majestic, charming, and utterly unique city. Florence is known for the vast political and economic influence it held during the Medici dynasty and for providing a platform for world-renowned personalities like Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, Marconi, Botticelli, and Machiavelli, to name a few.

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8 Best Activities during Illumination Week Event 2025 at UNESCO World Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk | 8 Beste Activiteiten tijdens Kinderdijk Verlichtingsweek Evenement 2025
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

8 Best Activities during Illumination Week Event 2025 at UNESCO World Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk | 8 Beste Activiteiten tijdens Kinderdijk Verlichtingsweek Evenement 2025

The UNESCO World Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk shine like bright beacons against the dark evening skies during Illumination Week (which happens every year around the first or second week of September), when they literally shine a spotlight on each of the nineteen mills. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for photographers looking for truly unique photographs. This year it will even be the 50th edition. During this week you can follow various workshops, visit windmills and go on a boat tour.

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Ultimate Photography Location Guide to Tuscany | Top 37 Instagram Photo Spots in Tuscany | 37 Best Places to Visit in Tuscany, Italy
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Ultimate Photography Location Guide to Tuscany | Top 37 Instagram Photo Spots in Tuscany | 37 Best Places to Visit in Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany in central Italy is not only one of the most well-known regions of the country, but it's also unquestionably one of the most picturesque travel destinations in all of Europe. A few of the attractions that make a trip to Tuscany unforgettable include the fascinating hilly landscapes, pine forests, cypress avenues, rolling hilltop vineyards, golden yellow fields, olive groves, idyllic medieval villages, an immeasurable wealth of art treasures, authentic cuisines, and locally brewed wines. In addition, it is regarded as one of the most significant Renaissance cultural landscapes, having numerous sites and attractions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. No wonder photographers from all over the world come to Tuscany to shoot the best photos of their lifetimes!

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Complete Guide to Visiting Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church in Milan, Italy | Everything You Need to Know to Visit ‘The Last Supper’ | Info, Tips, and Tricks
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Complete Guide to Visiting Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ at Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church in Milan, Italy | Everything You Need to Know to Visit ‘The Last Supper’ | Info, Tips, and Tricks

‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci (Cenacolo Vinciano in Italian) is one of the most well-known paintings in the entire world. This piece of art was commissioned by Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, and created by Da Vinci between 1494 and 1498, depicting Jesus and his disciples having their final meal, on an interior wall of the Santa Maria Delle Grazie church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in Milan, Italy.

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One Day in Milan Itinerary | 9 Best Places to Visit and Things to Do in Milan in One Day | Top 9 Must See Tourist Attractions in Milan on a Day Trip
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One Day in Milan Itinerary | 9 Best Places to Visit and Things to Do in Milan in One Day | Top 9 Must See Tourist Attractions in Milan on a Day Trip

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region in northern Italy and the second most populous city in Italy after Rome. It is the most prosperous manufacturing, commercial, financial, and cultural hub in Italy where life is fast-paced, money does the talking, creativity is a major business, and fashion is an art form!

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10 Most Beautiful Sand Dunes in the Netherlands | 10 Best Dutch Dunes National Parks and Nature Reserves
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

10 Most Beautiful Sand Dunes in the Netherlands | 10 Best Dutch Dunes National Parks and Nature Reserves

The Dutch Dunes are ever-changing landscapes as a result of the water and the wind's ongoing effect, extending for hundreds of miles and comprising lakes, woods, and hills that contribute significantly to the Dutch environment. The dunes are home to a diverse array of wild flora and fauna. The dunes provide an essential barrier against the occasionally untamed and rising North Sea because nearly a third of the nation is below sea level. In addition to storm surge protection, these exceptional habitats can deliver a number of amazing experiences right from swimming in the natural freshwater lakes, to a peaceful trek appreciating wildflowers and unusual fauna to biking across rolling hills and conquering windswept vantage points that give breathtaking views in a flat country like the Netherlands.

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24 Best Beaches in the Netherlands | Top 24 Dutch Coastal Towns for a Summer Holiday in the Netherlands
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24 Best Beaches in the Netherlands | Top 24 Dutch Coastal Towns for a Summer Holiday in the Netherlands

Being a maritime country with a 450 km coastline, the Netherlands is famous for its beautiful beaches. Since the Netherlands has a lesser number of sunny days in the year, with the arrival of the summer, beachgoers, wildlife lovers, and watersports enthusiasts visit the splendid Dutch coastal towns to enjoy some fresh air on the beach, have a drink at a beach club, take a stroll down the promenade or through the dunes, watch the seagulls steal french fries from a scared couple, or ride the giant waves on a windy day!

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Top 15 Exciting Things to See and Do in Valkenburg aan de Geul on a Day Trip | 15 Best Activities and Sightseeing Attractions of Valkenburg, the Netherlands
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Top 15 Exciting Things to See and Do in Valkenburg aan de Geul on a Day Trip | 15 Best Activities and Sightseeing Attractions of Valkenburg, the Netherlands

Located in Limburg, the southernmost province of the Netherlands, Valkenburg, a marlstone hamlet nestled amid moss-green hills in the heart of the 'Heuvelland' nature reserve, is the country's oldest tourist destination and one of the few places in the country with actual mountains. It has been a landmark for nearly 130 years with its undulating terrain and picturesque surroundings, as well as its two major attractions - the famed castle ruins and marlstone caves. Even though just the remains of Castle Valkenburg exist, it is nonetheless worth a visit because it is the country's only castle built on a hill and therefore offers a panoramic view of the city from its broken ramparts.

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First Timer’s Guide to Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk | Tips on the Best Things to See and Do on a First Time Day Trip to Kinderdijk
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First Timer’s Guide to Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Windmills of Kinderdijk | Tips on the Best Things to See and Do on a First Time Day Trip to Kinderdijk

In the gorgeous wetlands around Dordrecht, 25 kilometers east of Rotterdam, stands nineteen historic windmills, constructed between 1738 and 1740. The windmills of Kinderdijk were built to pump water out of the low-lying Alblasserwaard polder situated at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers, thereby preventing floods in the region. Today, they symbolize centuries-old Dutch engineering for water management. In 1997, they were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the most photographed places in the Netherlands.

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9 Best Things to See and Do in Zaanse Schans Windmill Park (Zaandam) | All You Need to Know to Visit Zaanse Schans (Zaandam) on a Day Trip from Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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9 Best Things to See and Do in Zaanse Schans Windmill Park (Zaandam) | All You Need to Know to Visit Zaanse Schans (Zaandam) on a Day Trip from Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The Zaanse Schans is a small Dutch village on the Zaan river 20 km north of Amsterdam, in the neighborhood of Zaandam. It has an open-air museum feel that offers a peek into the Dutch life of the golden ages with its traditional wood houses, vibrant windmills, and workshops. The Zaanse Schans draws in almost a million visitors each year, and it's one of the Netherlands' best-loved destinations. Together with the neighboring city of Zaandam, famous for its wooden Zaan-style houses, it is a must-visit destination when you’re in the Netherlands.

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29 Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands in Spring | 29 Best Things to Do in Spring in the Netherlands | 29 Reasons to Visit the Netherlands in Spring
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29 Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands in Spring | 29 Best Things to Do in Spring in the Netherlands | 29 Reasons to Visit the Netherlands in Spring

Spring is undoubtedly the most fascinating season in the Netherlands and therefore, the best time for tourists to visit this beautiful country. After dull, grey, and cold winter months, as the sun starts peeping through the clouds, the sky turns blue and the days get longer and warmer, you know spring is in the air. And during these spring months of mid-March to mid-May, being the largest exporter of flowers globally, the whole country transforms into a vast ocean of flowers. It starts with cherry blossoms, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths between mid-March and mid-April, followed by the famous tulips between mid-April and mid-May. This makes it a great time to explore the Dutch countryside.

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Landgoed Clingendael en Japanse Tuin in Den Haag | Clingendael Country Estate Park and Japanese Garden in The Hague, the Netherlands
Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta Netherlands Travel Blog Shirshendu Sengupta

Landgoed Clingendael en Japanse Tuin in Den Haag | Clingendael Country Estate Park and Japanese Garden in The Hague, the Netherlands

Clingendael is one of the most beautiful country estates in the Netherlands. The estate, which is located halfway between The Hague and Wassenaar, has a colorful past. Several aristocratic families have resided on the estate since the 16th century, and various garden and landscape architects have contributed to the look and feel of this country estate since the sixteenth century. In the nineteenth century, garden architect Zocher modified the garden's original French design with the popular English landscape style of the time. Later, the garden was transformed into an old Dutch park with the addition of a Japanese garden.

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