Alternatives to Amsterdam

This free guide serves to show you that the Netherlands is so much more than just Amsterdam! As a Dutch person, I think Amsterdam is highly overrated as a tourist destination. I know it is a bucket list destination for many people, and the city definitely has a lot to offer, but it simply won’t give you the best experience of what the Netherlands is like. Locals have been forced out of the city centre and tourist shops have taken over. If you want an authentic experience of the Netherlands, I’d recommend reading the tips in this guide with alternatives to Amsterdam. And of course, if you really want to visit the capital, no one is stopping you!

This blog features:

• Where to find the cutest canals
• Cities with 17th, 18th and 19th-century canal houses
• Historical harbours
• The biggest cheese markets
• Places known for Dutch renaissance art
• Beautiful beaches
• The best places to visit museum and old churches
• Scenic areas suitable for hiking and cycling
• Where to go for modern architecture
• Places worth visiting close to Amsterdam

There’s also a map at the bottom of the page so you can easily plan a route past several of the places mentioned here.

Introduction

It’s on many people’s bucket list to visit Amsterdam and I don’t mean to entirely discourage you. But there are some clear downsides to heading to the Netherlands’ capital. I would say: go Amsterdam if you want to see… other tourists. I personally think Amsterdam presents a very poor reflection of Dutch culture. Many staff in shops around the city centre aren’t even able to speak Dutch, which is a real shame. Language is a huge part of culture that I believe we should try to preserve.

Next to that, there is an enormous housing problem in Amsterdam, which is largely due to tourist shops and AirBnB rentals. The city of Amsterdam therefore started actively campaigning for tourists to ‘Stay Away’ (especially targeting British men who want to party). The target is to decrease the number of tourists by up to 50%. In other words: you’re not really welcome…

But don’t despair! There are plenty of alternatives to Amsterdam. Think about what it is you really want to see. Is it the canals? Is it the art museums? Or perhaps you’ve heard good reviews about Dutch cheese?
Whatever it is: other Dutch cities will offer all those things. So, let yourself be inspired to explore more of the Netherlands than just its capital, famous as it may be.

Where to find the cutest canals?

It’s interesting to me that Amsterdam is known for its canals, because quite a lot of Dutch cities/towns have them. Almost every historical city was built around a main church or cathedral surrounded by waterways for trade and transportation of goods. Some of the famous canals in Amsterdam are a lot wider and nowadays full of (house)boats, with cars passing by nearby. In constast, canals in the cities below are much smaller and quieter, as they are located in pedestrian-only areas. There is also more greenery around some of the canals in Delft and Utrecht, which I think improves the overall atmosphere.

Delft

In my opinion, Delft is the prettiest town in the Netherlands! The buildings in the city centre are old, but their beauty is timeless. Especially in summer, when the trees lining the canals are in full bloom, walking around Delft is like being in some sort of fairytale. Because the city centre is small and houses loads of students, it can get busy, especially on warm days. Aside from wandering through the picturesque streets, Delft is home to interesting museums such as ‘Prinsenhof’, ‘Vermeer Centrum’ and ‘Royal Delft’. The latter is focused around the famous blue-white Delft porselain (of which you’d only find touristy replicas in Amsterdam shops).

Utrecht

Another insanely pretty canal city is Utrecht. I lived there for a year and absolutely loved it. This bustling city is full of things to do, yet the city centre has the look and feel of a small town. What is good about the canals in Utrecht is that they have a plateau at water level (called a ‘werf’ in Dutch). This means you can have food or a drink directly next to the water. If you’re more of a sporty type, I’d suggest renting a kayak to explore the canals. On the side streets ‘de Oudegracht’, you’ll find many boutique shops and restaurants. In terms of museums in Utrecht, don’t miss out on the ‘Spoorwegmuseum’ about the history of train travel in The Netherlands. For kids, visiting the interactive ‘Nijntje Museum’ is an absolute must. Nijntje (Miffy) is a famous character and plushie loved by multiple generations of Dutch children. Make sure to reserve tickets online, as no tickets are sold at the entrance. And fun fact: Utrecht has the busiest stretch of cycle lane in the world!

Amersfoort

Amersfoort is a small city close to Utrecht. The main highlight here is the gate (which looks more like a castle) over one of the canals. You will find another gate with a tower on the opposite side of the city centre. Parallel to the canals, you can stroll through the ‘Muurhuizen’ street if you want to admire historical houses and cute little streets. Besides the canals and parts of a defensive city wall, Amersfoort is home to serveral buildings designed by renowned Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld. For example, the ‘Rietveld Paviljoen’ is now a moden art gallery. Similarly, there is a museum dedicated to abstract painter Piet Mondriaan. Funnily enough, both Rietveld and Mondriaan where fans of using mainly primary colours (blue, red, yellow).

Where can you see the iconic canal houses?

When searching for photos of Amsterdam online, you will immeadiately notice the gorgeous houses. In several cities throughout the Netherlands, you’ll find similar buildings. I have to admit that you will not find the exact same style elsewhere in the country, but that doesn’t mean the buildings in for example Middelburg and Leeuwarden are any less impressive! I’d also recommend reading up on the origin of these 17th, 18th and 19th-century ‘pakhuizen’, as they have a gruesome past linked to colonialism and slave trade. Originally, they used to store imported goods that were brought into the harbour, before they were sold at local markets.

Middelburg

Another one of my favourite cities in the Netherlands is Middelburg. I may be a bit biased after living there for 3 years and getting married there. Middelburg, like Amsterdam, was a major trading city in the Dutch ‘Golden Age’. It nearly became the country’s capital instead of Amsterdam! Therefore, it’s no surprise that you can find equally stunning canal houses in Middelburg. Both Amsterdam and Middelburg thrived on the exploitation of Dutch colonies and played a major part in slave trade. If you want to learn more about the history of the province of Zeeland (the province where Middelburg is located), head over to the ‘Zeeuws Museum’. Otherwise you can simply fill your day with walking around the charming streets and alleyways throughout the city centre. Don’t forget to spot the ‘Kuiperspoort’, as you’ll easily walk past it without noticing.

Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden is located all the way at the other end of the country compared to Middelburg. This northern city has a few magnificent buildings, including the city hall, an old prison and the ‘Waag’. You will find the staple, tall Dutch houses along several of the canals. What’s also fun is that you can find miniature people hidden all around the city. For just a few euros, you can buy a map which will bring you past all of the miniatures. A perfect activity for kids, but also for adults! For museum lovers, Leeuwarden is a good place, too. The museum about Eise Eisinga (yes, that is a real name) is still on my own list of places to visit. And did you know that Leeuwarden serves as both the start and finish for the famous ice skating race called the ‘Elfstedentocht’ (Eleven Cities Tour)? Learn more about this at the ‘Fries Museum’.

Groningen

Another city in the north that is worth a visit, is Groningen. I did a scavenger hunt through the city centre once and enjoyed seeing all the beautiful buildings. Because Groningen is quite isolated from other large Dutch cities, it has an interesting history as part of a German trade network and as an independent city-state. ‘Museum aan de A’ will undoubtedly tell you all you want to know about this fascinating city. But back to the historical buildings! Aside from imposing Renaissance buildings and the tallest tower in the country (the ‘Martinitoren’), you should be on the lookout for Jugendstil and postmodernist styles, too.

The best (historical) harbours

With its extensive coastline and focus on water management, the Netherlands is full of harbours. A few good ones can be found in the places listed below. Idyllic harbours are often located in towns with a so-called ‘vesting’ (a type of fortrification). It was hard to pick only a few of the many harbours throughout the country, so consider this list a mere starting point to getting to know Dutch naval history.

Hellevoetsluis & Brielle

I’d never thought that I would recommend people to go to Hellevoetsluis (I grew up there), but I must admit it is home to a very special harbour. The ‘droogdok’ (dry dock) here is quite unique. First, a ship sails into an enclosed area for repairs. After closing the locke, the water drains away so the ship appears to be on dry land. As Hellevoetsluis used to be an important marine base, it only made sense to equip it with a next level ‘boat garage’ for repairs. Brielle is not too far from Hellevoetsluis and also has a rich history. This small city played a pivotal role in the independence of the Netherlands in the 16th century, after it was occupied by Spain. Brielle is a really cute town that still celebrates its victory over the Spanish every year on the 1st of April.

Veere & Zierikzee

If you love Middelburg, you’ll enjoy the smaller towns of Veere and Ziekzee, too. Both have a pittoresque harbour and a town centre full of old buildings. In Veere, it’s worth booking a walking tour to learn about the history of the streets and buildings. You can also visit museums and fortifications. If you climb the tower of the church, you can even see Middelburg. Zierikzee is at least equally interesting with over 500 monumental buildings. There are also many bars located around the harbour, so you can marvel about the astonishing 17th-century architecture while sipping a drink.

Maassluis & Schiedam

Maassluis is a tiny town which isn’t much more than a harbour, really. But what a cute harbour it is! If you’re interested, there is a museum on towage which tells you all about Maassluis and its towing boats since the 19th century. Travelling some 15 minutes by metro brings you to Schiedam, which is known for its distilleries. It has both a historical harbour and a much more modern harbour to accommodate industrial ships. Visiting both makes a good daytrip from Rotterdam.

Heeg & Sneek

The northern province of Friesland is all about sailing. As there is good access to canals and lakes, Heeg and Sneek are much loved destinations for water sports. To be fair, Heeg is a village where there’s not much else to do besides hopping on a boat. Sneek, on the other hand, is a larger town with museums (about boats) and bars. People say you cannot go to Sneek without also paying a visit to ‘Weduwe Joustra’ for a drink. Adults only!

Visiting the cheese markets

Crazy as it may sound, I really don’t like the taste and texture of cheese (nor the animal abuse that’s necessary to produce it). So I wouldn’t know, but appearantly Dutch cheese is internationally regarded as being of good quality. Despite not being a fan ‘Gouda cheese’ myself, I do know which places have the greatest cheese markets. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Gouda is one of them.

Gouda

The market square in Gouda is full of big, yellow wheels of cheese on Thursday mornings between April and August. Although the cheese market used to be a genuine activity, it is now a show for tourists. If you can stand the smell, it’s quite the spectacle to watch. Of course, you can also get a tour about the process of making cheese. There are several places dedicated to ‘the cheese experience’ in Gouda. If you’re looking for a more animal friendly cheese, the major Dutch supermarket chains sell several vegan cheeses. Admittedly, if you want to visit a fully vegan cheese shop, you do need to head to Amsterdam. But in Gouda there is much more to do than just watching a cheese market. You can visit the Gouda Museum, the Sint-Janskerk, and the harbour.

Alkmaar

In Alkmaar, you can witness a similar cheese show to the one in Gouda on Friday mornings between March and September. In July and August, the city even hostst extra cheese markets in the evenings. Information about the history of the cheese market is available in several languages. Alkmaar also has other attractions such as a beer museum, classic windmills, and a clogs shop. The centre of town is adorned with pretty historical buildings, much like any other Dutch city. Again, if you want to opt for cheese that does not involve harming innocent animals, Alkmaar isn’t the best place. There’s a lot to say about Amsterdam, but it does proudly house several vegan cheese shops.

Cities famous for Dutch Renaissance art

As the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam already attracted artists many centuries ago. However, it’s far from the only place where art thrived. ‘De Haagse School’ for instance, refers to a group of artists working and residing in Den Haag during the late 19th century. Similarly, one of the ‘Old Dutch Masters’ Frans Hals spent his working life in Haarlem after migrating to the Netherlands from Belgium. Both Den Haag and Haarlem are full of (art) museums. I would say either city is worth a visit if you’re into Renaissance paintings and/or history more generally.

Den Haag

Den Haag is a city with a rich history that houses the Dutch government. As the city of politics, international justice, and human rights, it’s full of interesting things to do. Both modern art and classical art lovers will find enough to see. The Mauritshuis is home to some absolute masterpieces by famous Dutch painters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. On the other side of the Hofvijver, you will find the Breduishuis. This is a smaller museum with somewhat lesser known paintings, but still worth a visit if you want to admire more 17th century Dutch paintings. If you want to have a go at painting something yourself, there are many parks with lovely views that may serve as inspiration.

Haarlem

Many people who want to live in Amsterdam but cannot afford it instead try to move to Haarlem (which as a result has become an even more expensive place in terms of housing). I cannot blame them, as Haarlem is a bit quieter but no less beautiful. Haarlem is one of those cities where you can spend hours just looking at buildings. Or, you can visit one of the many museums. The museum dedicated to Frans Hals and his contemporaries is by far the most popular. It possesses multiple important works in the development of Dutch art.

Which beach to choose?

Of course a country that is so focused on water and preventing floods is home to a good few beaches. The Netherlands has an extensive coastline with both tourist hotspots and more hidden beaches. The list below includes places that are popular amongst locals, instead of listing the usual suspects such as Zandvoort (conveniently marketed as ‘Amsterdam Beach’) and Scheveningen. Scheveningen looks nice, but is much too busy in summer. Overtourism is a big issue there. Zandvoort on the other hand is a place that lost its charm due to the lack of maintenance on its boulevard. In my opinion, it looks a little sad now. So on to the better stuff!

Brouwersdam

As a kid I often went to Brouwesdam. It’s basically a sandy, wide-stretched dam as part of the ‘Delta works’. In other words, it acts as a buffer to diminish flood risks. If you want to know more about water management in the Netherlands, I can recommend ‘Neeltje Jans’. As a beach, Brouwersdam gets really busy in summer. If you want to go there and secure a good spot, you need to arrive very early in the morning to avoid queuing. My tip is to find a spot on the edge of the beach, where the ground is more stony with only a thin stretch of sand. You’ll have to walk down quite some way to reach the beach, but it will be much more calm at the bottom. It’s also great if you like swimming, as the sea will be nearer compared to wider parts of the Brouwersdam.

Domburg & Dishoek

A bit further south are two more lovely beaches. Both are quite popular among German tourists, as Domburg is a nice town and Dishoek is relatively close to Vlissingen. Domburg and Dishoek are full of holiday homes, as well as cafes and restaurants that mainly open in summer. The dunes are also nice to walk through if you’re not someone who enjoys baking in the sun for hours. The best way to get to either beach is by cycling from Middelburg, Veere or Vlissingen.

Kijkduin

As an alternative to Scheveningen, I recommend Kijkduin as a beach that’s close to Den Haag. Scheveningen will be absolutely crammed on a hot day, but Kijkduin provides a bit more space. You will still find some beach clubs here, though not as many as in Scheveningen. The area is popular for water sports and there are great cycle routes through the dunes south towards Hoek van Holland. The dunes are full of paths for walking, too.

Vlieland & Terschelling

The Netherlands has five islands that welcome tourists, of which Vlieland is my favourite. Visitors are not allowed to bring their car, so there’s little traffic on the island. The beach on the side of the North Sea is very large and houses several restaurants. These restaurants (‘strandtenten’) are ideal if you prefer a cold drink with a good view and without too much sand in your shoes. Terschelling is a bit bigger and has several villages. It is also slightly more of a party-island in summer. Both islands provide ample opportunities for walking, cycling and getting some well-deserved rest. The dunes are rich in biodiversity, so it’s important to stick to the paths.

Where to go for museums and churches?

I’ve already mentioned quite a few museums in other cities, but there are a number cities that I think outperform the others. In general I suppose the Netherlands is a museum-dense nation. Amsterdam is filled to the brim with all kinds of museums, but so is Leiden! Moreover, Leiden, Den Bosch and Maastricht are all great alternatives to Amsterdam in terms of their museum-worthy churches.

Leiden

If you’ll believe me, the Netherlands’ best museums are located in Leiden. Perhaps this is due to Leiden being home to the oldest university in the country, as the city is truly bustling with knowledge. There are the ‘National Museum of Antiquity’, ‘Naturalis’, ‘Corpus’, ‘Japanmuseum Sieboldhuis’, ‘World Museum’ and more. There is simply too much choice! Leiden’s botanical gardens are (in my humble opinion) also the very best you’ll find in the Netherlands. The greenhouses are gorgeous, filled with exotic species. Outside, you can read about biodiversity and the evolution of fauna. Now on to the churches: the ‘Pieterskerk’ is the biggest, most impressive one. But as you can see from the top of the ‘Burcht’, there are many more. And have I mentioned that Leiden’s city centre is full of canals? The only negative thing I can say about this city is the lack of greenery.

Den Bosch

The most important landmark of Den Bosch is the ‘Sint-Janskathedraal’ (St. John’s Cathedral). Make sure to book a guided tour to the top of the cathedral for the best view. If you can’t get enough of the catholic grandeur (most of the Netherlands is predominantly protestant, but not Den Bosch!), there’s also a basilica in a village just south of Den Bosch. In the city itself, you cannot fail to notice its rich history. Did you know Den Bosch has the oldest brick house in the country? To learn more, you need to visit the ‘Museumkwartier’. For a cultural or culinary experience, have a look at what’s on at the modernised ‘Tramkade’. And to fully immerse yourself in Den Bosch culture, you’ll have to visit the funny ‘Oeteldonks Gemintemuzejum’. It deals with everything related to the yearly carnaval celebration in the southern provinces of the Netherlands.

Maastricht

The history of Maastricht dates back to the Roman era when the first bridge across the river Maas was built. The ‘Maastricht Museum’ tells you more about this. Other fascinating museums include a natural history museum, the ‘Museum of Illusions’ and a photo museum. You can also tour the casemates, which are defensive underground tunnels. For the churches, head to the main square called ‘Vrijthof’. Over there, you’ll find an red church tower (which you can climb for a panoramic view), a basilica and a chapel. I’d advice checking the church’s calendar, as it closes for private events quite regularly. On top of everything to do in the city, Maastricht is the gateway to hilly cycling and hiking routes. This way, you can combine an active holiday with a citytrip. If you’re still not convinced, I recommend the famous bookshop ‘Dominicanen’. It’s located in a church!

Where to go for hiking and cycling?

The Netherlands is famous for its top-notch cycling infrastructure. At the same time, most of the country is very flat, which doesn’t lend itself well to hiking. There are, however, a few great places that combine hills and cycling routes. Tourists generally overlook the southern and eastern parts of the Netherlands, so I’m here to show you they’re great regions for the more active, outdoors type of traveller! Take a look at my blog about nature areas to visit in the Netherlands for more inspiration.

Valkenburg

Valkenburg is near to Maastricht. If you prefer walking in hills instead of over them, you might fancy yourself a trip there. Many Dutch people will go here at least once in their lifetime to wander through the caves. Between November and January, the most accessible caves will be filled with lights and Christmas stalls. The hiking and cycling is good all year round. You might find the area to look very non-Dutch due to the amount to (sometimes quite steep) elevation. Especially venturing south of Valkenburg makes for a good workout. Do be aware that the hills come with a flood risk in the wetter seasons. Mountain water from southern Germany has caused big problems in the province of Limburg before. But don’t let that stop you from admiring the charm of an area that couldn’t be more different from Amsterdam!

Arnhem

I would describe Arnhem as a neat, well-maintained city. The first time I cycled through it, I was amazed by how scenic it looked. When you arrive by train, you also get a good first impression because of the renovated station. The reason Arnhem is a great place to stay is because it’s super close to two (of the few) national parks in The Netherlands. Both the ‘Hoge Veluwe’ and the ‘Veluwezoom’ are within cycling distance of the city centre. These nature areas can be crossed on foot or on a bike that can handle a bit of gravel. Within the city of Arnhem itself, there are also several large parks. And there is some nice cultural stuff going on as well, including museums and foodhall.

Nijmegen

Another city surrounded by a good amount of greenery is Nijmegen. You might have heard this city’s name before, as it organises the 4-day walking event that takes place there every year. I get why they picked Nijmegen, because the area is beautiful! Nijmegen is a decent-sized city that has a big park and a small riverside beach. But really, the reason you should go is for the hills closeby. There are good routes for road cycling, but the mountainbike trails are even better! Hikers will also find enough options. And don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself in Germany, as Nijmegen lies pretty much on the border.

Kaatsheuvel

Most people go to Kaatsheuvel solely for the ‘Eftelingen’ amusement park (great for all ages, would definitely recommend it). But did you know it’s close to a rather special national park, as well? The ‘Loonse en Drunense Duinen’ consists of a large area of dunes, without any sea nearby. To keep it from converting into a forest, rangers actively manage the area by removing excess saplings. The area is perfect for walking, and there are a few mountainbike trails around it. The sand can make the walking quite a challenge, so it makes up for the very mild elevation that results from the continuous reformation of the dunes. As said, this type of ecosystem is truly unique: you will have a hard time finding a similar place in Europe. It’s worth getting a tour guide who can tell you all about it.

Which cities are best for modern architecture?

The north side of Amsterdam has a more modern look, but other cities are much more known for modern architecture. Especially Rotterdam, which was heavily bombed during the Second World War. Instead of trying to restore its old buildings (as happened in for example Middelburg), Rotterdam took a turn in the other direction. It’s not without reason that the Netherland’s second largest city has become world famous for its architecture. Eindhoven, the country’s fifth largest city, also has a reputation for being future-oriented. It’s the self-proclaimed city of tech, innovation and design. This is in part due to its history, but gentrification is doing its part, too.

Rotterdam

A station that looks like an upside-down tinfoil bowl (like the ones the traditional Rotterdam junkfood ‘kapsalon’ comes in), streets filled with street art, a giant shiny modern art depot, and a harbour notorious for smuggling cocaine into Europe: Rotterdam has it all! Jokes aside, Rotterdam really does have a lot to offer for tourists. The city is full of museums, funky places and design shops. Check out the street art around the ‘Witte de Withstraat’. Closeby you can visit the ‘Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art’. But the real the modern art highlight is the ‘Boijmans van Beuningen’, as well the surrounding ‘museumpark’. Next to that, Rotterdam is good for vegan food and has a vibrant music arthouse film scene. And did I mention the architecture? People come to Rotterdam from all over the world to see the ‘Erasmusbrug’. In any case, Rotterdam is a large city that provides things of interest for virtually anyone. You definitely won’t get bored here!

Eindhoven

Eindhoven prides itself in being the design-capital of the Netherlands. It hosts the annual Dutch Design Week every October and houses a university focused on solving the world’s challenges through tech. Especially the neighbourhoods Strijp-S, Sectie-C, NRE-terrein and Kanaalzone are full of small-scale shops, ateliers, street art and start-ups. Eindhoven used to be quite an industrial city as it was the founding place of Philips. Since much of the production was outsourced over the past decades, many empty factory spaces have been converted in to maker-spaces, galleries, and more. As a growing city, Eindhoven is also welcoming lots of modern architecture with smart housing solutions (such as multi-purpose spaces, utility sharing, and adaptable designs). In short, Eindhoven is the place to be if you’re interested in innovation but at the same time value supporting small-scale businesses and sustainability.

Destinations near Amsterdam

Okay, I get it, some of you still want to go to Amsterdam. If, however, you want to see just a little bit more of the Netherlands, or you’re looking for cheaper accommodation outside of the capital, look no further! The three places listed below are all quite different, so pick one that suits you best.

Hilversum

Hilversum is only a short train ride away from Amsterdam and also within easy reach from Utrecht. The studios in Hilversum record most tv and radio shows in the Netherlands. The so-called ‘Mediapark’ is therefore the main thing that drives people to visit Hilversum. There are a couple of museums about various media, but it’s also possible to attend a real recording! You can sign up to be in the audience of a show or purchase a ticket to see a live performance. You might have to start learning some Dutch beforehand, though. In the town centre of Hilversum, there is a fun but often really busy foodhall. Other things to do would be to visit the city museum, a church or the council house. Better yet, there is good walking through the “hei” (heath) around Hilversum. You might stumble across an old sanatorium while you’re at it.

Muiden

Who doesn’t love castles?! The one closest to Amsterdam is the ‘Muiderslot’. The town to which the castle belongs isn’t overly exciting, but there are a few nice things to do. Close to the castle are the remains of a fortress, as Muiden is another fortrified town (‘vestingstad’). Much of Muiden lies around a harbour, so you can make the most of that by hopping on a ferry to the island ‘Pampus’. This man-made island was part of a defence system in the late 19th century. But getting back to the castle: this is the best reason to go to Muiden. In summer, the gardens next to it are very pretty, but the castle itself is worth it in any season.

Zaandam

Zaandam is slightly north of Amsterdam and its main tourist highlight is an eye-catching hotel. The other thing to see is a cluster of three windmills called the ‘Zaanse Schans’. It’s a popular part of multi-stop daytrips from Amsterdam, so it’s only slightly less overtouristed than the capital. The tiny town centre does not have lots going on. There are however a couple of small but interesting museums. One of them focuses on the French painter Monet; another is the house of late Tsar Peter, who resided in Zaandam for a week and visited a few more times after that. Hence why one of Zaandam’s neighbourhood is named after Russia. All in all, Zaandam is not the most exciting of places, but it does provide a bit more of a view into Dutch culture.

Conclusion

I hope this guide inspired you to consider some of the alternatives Amsterdam and has got you excited to explore the Netherlands. Obviously there are many more places I could have mentioned that did not end up on the list. Zwolle, for example, is a nice city, but it didn’t particularly stand out in one of the categories above. Still, I hope to have given you an idea of what lies beyond the capital. And, again, if you still want to visit Amsterdam, definitely go! Just remember there’s a lot more to the Netherlands than this one city full of tourists.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you for reading this blog. I’ve put quite some time and research into compiling this list of destinations throughout my home country, so I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a review or share this guide with your friends & family. And if you want help planning your trip to The Netherlands, don’t hestitate to contact me!

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