Weekend and Day Trips

Being the largest exporter of flowers globally and accounting for two-thirds of the world's total floral sales, the Netherlands is aptly dubbed as the ‘Land of Flowers.’ Therefore, it goes without saying, that spring is the most beautiful time in the Netherlands. When the bulbs start blooming in the endless array of flower fields, the entire country transforms into a vast ocean of flowers. It starts in mid-March with cherry blossoms, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths. And as the famous tulips blossom in mid-April, the whole country gets ready for the biggest spring festival named ‘Bloemencorso (Flower Parade) Bollenstreek (Bulb Region)!’

Schokland, the first Dutch site on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites, located in the current province of Flevoland, was a peninsula in the Netherlands since prehistoric times. But since it was primarily a soft peatland, it suffered greatly from the frequent floods from the Zuiderzee which was an inland sea in the northern part of the Netherlands that existed from approximately the beginning of the late Middle Ages. In the 15th century, the Zuiderzee crept into a part of the land of Schokland and cut it off from the mainland converting it into an island. Post that inhabitants again occupied it. However due to continued flooding of the sea, the residents had to leave the island regularly, and it had to be permanently evacuated in 1859.

Before we begin our story today, let me ask you a “Did you know?” question. Did you know that there are Stonehenges in the Netherlands? And that they are older than the English Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids? And that too not just 1, but 54? If not, this article is for you. In this article, I’m going to demystify the prehistoric Hunebedden (meaning giant beds in Dutch) for you. So without further delay, let me share with you the intriguing story of the Hunebedden or Dolmens of the Netherlands.

If Gregory Peck got lost trying to find the bathroom just next to his bedroom on his first visit to Kasteel de Haar in 1960, you know there must be something special about this castle. To be honest, most apartments in central Amsterdam are smaller than the average bathroom in this medieval castle. And with ornate furnishings across the rooms, corridors, and bathrooms, it’s easy to imagine that it may have been quite tedious for him to find the switch of the light, especially in the dark!

Dolfinarium Harderwijk in the Netherlands is the largest marine mammal park in Europe that interactively brings humans and nature closer together. Here, you can see charming bottlenose dolphins, naughty porpoises, enormous walruses, roaring sea lions, and stumbling seals performing up close in a variety of shows. You can even get to pet some sharks and rays! It also features 4 fantastic playgrounds and the magnificent water park ‘Waterpret.’ Today, around 600,000 people visit Dolfinarium every year.

A Dutch visual artist, philosopher, and landscape architect (who liked to call himself ‘Ecotect’) Louis Guillaume Le Roy (1924–2012) is credited with coining the term ‘Eco-cathedral.’ The name is made up of two elements, ‘Eco’ standing for the natural world, and ‘Cathedral’ for the culture. He intended this to convey the idea that culture and environment should coexist. They are interdependent; their relationship is symbiotic.

The lush countryside immediately north of Amsterdam is known as Waterland. Waterland is both land and water, as its name implies. With thousands of little canals, brooks, rivers, and lakes, this landscape is almost entirely covered by water. It's known as "Amsterdam's wet back garden." This rural area boasts a scenery that is genuinely representative of the Dutch landscape: it is flat, abundant with historic "polders" (reclaimed land tracts), lush green pastures, twisting dikes, and functional windmills. In a nutshell, Waterland is the Netherlands, and it's only a short distance from the hectic metropolis. Nevertheless, this area is absolutely distinct from Amsterdam. It is a place where "the clock ticks more slowly," as we like to say in the Netherlands!

The lavender fields in Provence are among the most well-known in the world. Every year between mid-June and mid-August, when the Provence lavender fields begin to take on their distinctive purple tint, and the countryside gets inundated by their sight and scent, it reminds us that even when life is about to come to a standstill at the whim of the sun's powerful rays, the earth can still ripen, that there can be joy amidst misery. And that, my friends, is not a sight to be missed! Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the best lavender fields of Provence. Let the journey begin!

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

‘De Efteling’ is a one-of-a-kind fantasy-themed amusement park in Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands, with a fairytale ambiance, natural settings, and a variety of thrilling and captivating attractions derived from ancient myths, legends, fairytales, fables, and folklores, making it a perfect short-break destination for children, adult, and families who need a little magic and thrill now and again!

The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), is without a doubt one of the most well-known and renowned artists in the world today. Her remarkable works of art, turbulent life, and unconventional lifestyle made her a global icon and cult figure. She suffered severe agony as a result of a tragic bus accident and had to endure multiple surgeries throughout her life. Her passion for art, her love for her husband, Diego Rivera, and Mexico's indigenous culture gave her the fortitude to persevere.

The National Military Museum at Soest, in the Dutch province of Utrecht, is a defense museum with the largest military collection in the Netherlands. Stichting Koninklijke Defensiemusea (Royal Defense Museums Foundation) oversees it along with the Marine Museum in Den Helder, the Military Police Museum in Buren, and the Marine Museum in Rotterdam. From flying an F-16, driving a tank, or picking up some NATO lingo, the National Military Museum offers a variety of activities for both children and adults.

‘The Diary of a Young Girl,’ popularly known as ‘The Diary of Anne Frank,’ is one of the most well-known books of the twentieth century, that has inspired countless plays and films. Written between 1942 and 1944, it paints a vivid picture of a maturing young woman rising to the challenge when thrust into an incredible situation, and exposes the plight of individuals who suffered at the hands of the Nazis during their occupation of the Netherlands.

Situated in the Southern Dutch province of Limburg near the Belgian border, the city of Thorn, popularly dubbed as 'The White Village,' 'The Tiny White Town,' or 'Het Witte Stadje' in Dutch, is a fascinating place to visit, thanks to its history as an Imperial Abbey ruled by women and the turbulent aftermath of the French invasion in the 18th century. Today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the 7 best things to see and do in this beautiful town. Let the journey begin!

The annual Amsterdam Light Festival (ALF) fills the Dutch capital's canals with magnificent works of light art every winter. Designers, architects, and artists from all around the world submit hundreds of concepts each year, out of which 20 to 30 artworks are chosen for display in the festival by a selection committee.

If you plan to stroll incessantly through gorgeous winter landscapes and enchanting Christmas decors, you need to be at Kerststad Valkenburg. Having seen a lot of Christmas Markets around the globe, I can safely proclaim that Valkenburg Christmas Market is hands down the best Christmas Market in the Netherlands and one of the most unique Christmas Markets on the planet. After all, it's not every day that you get to a Christmas Market within a marlstone cave!

High on a green mound, sandwiched between the hustles and bustles of a highway, a railway, and a new neighborhood, stands a small, austere white chapel as a beacon in the landscape. The clock in the tower echoes the time in its own way, creating a serene ambiance amidst busy city life.

Veluwezoom, a part of Hoge Veluwe (but not the Hoge Veluwe National Park), is the first National Park in the Netherlands, located close to the Hoge Veluwe National Park in the province of Gelderland near the cities of Arnhem and Apeldoorn. It has a hilly landscape with an area of 55 square kilometers, comprising heathlands and sand dunes created during the Ice Age.

Giethoorn is an enchanting Dutch fairytale village with centuries-old picturesque thatched-roof houses, a myriad of canals and numerous quaint wooden bridges situated in the province of Overijssel amidst the Weerribben-Wieden National Park - a vast nature reserve. Since the old part of the village has no car roads and hence the only means of transportation are walking, cycling and boating through a network of small canals, it has earned the title of 'Little Venice of the Netherlands' or 'Small Venice of the North.'