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Destinations: Amsterdam, The Netherlands


Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths.

Destinations From Amsterdam, The Netherlands


The Hague

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 49 mins

The Hague is a city on the North Sea coast of the western Netherlands. Its Gothic Binnenhof complex is the seat of the Dutch parliament, and 16th-century Noordeinde Palace is the king’s workplace. The city is also home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, headquartered in the Peace Palace, and the International Criminal Court.

Rotterdam

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 42 minutes

Rotterdam is a major port city in the Netherlands’ province of South Holland. The Maritime Museum’s vintage ships and exhibits trace the city’s seafaring history. The 17th-century Delfshaven neighborhood is home to canalside shopping and the Pilgrim Fathers Church, where pilgrims worshiped before sailing to America. After being almost completely reconstructed following World War II, the city is now known for its bold, modern architecture.

Delft

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 57 mins

Delft, a canal-ringed city in the western Netherlands, is known as the manufacturing base for Delftware, hand-painted blue-and-white pottery. In its old town, the medieval Oude Kerk is the burial site of native son and Dutch Master painter Johannes Vermeer. Once the seat of the royal House of Orange, the 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk houses the family’s tombs and overlooks Delft’s lively market square.

Zaanse Schans

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 18 mins

Zaanse Schans is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, near Zaandijk in the Netherlands. It has a collection of well-preserved historic windmills and houses. From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the Zaanstreek (nl) were relocated using lowboy trailers to the area. The Zaans Museum, established in 1994, is located in the Zaanse Schans.

Antwerp, Belgium

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 1 hr 15 mins

Antwerp is a port city on Belgium’s River Scheldt, with history dating to the Middle Ages. In its centre, the centuries-old Diamond District houses thousands of diamond traders, cutters and polishers. Antwerp’s Flemish Renaissance architecture is typified by the Grote Markt, a central square in the old town. At the 17th-century Rubens House, period rooms display works by the Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens.

Brussels, Belgium

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 1 hr 15 mins

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region, and the capital of Belgium. Brussels is a city of contrasts with enormous diversity when it comes to places … and a great place to enjoy Belgian hospitality at one of the many terrace cafes. The streets of Brussels feature art and architecture created from an unmistakably Belgian point of view that cannot be replicated.

Cologne, Germany

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 2 hrs 41 mins

Cologne, a 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, is the region’s cultural hub. A landmark of High Gothic architecture set amid reconstructed old town, the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral is also known for its gilded medieval reliquary and sweeping river views.

Maastricht

Travel by rail from Amsterdam via Utrecht: 2 hrs 44 mins

Maastricht, a university city on the southern tip of the Netherlands, is distinguished by its medieval-era architecture and vibrant cultural scene. Its cobbled old town is known for the Romanesque Basilica of St. Servatius, housing a significant collection of religious art, and the Gothic-style church Sint Janskerk. Along the banks of the Maas River, bisecting the city, lies the futuristic-looking Bonnefanten art museum.

Bruges, Belgium

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 2 hrs 45 mins

Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium, is distinguished by its canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Its port, Zeebrugge, is an important center for fishing and European trade. In the city centre’s Burg square, the 14th-century Stadhuis (City Hall) has an ornate carved ceiling. Nearby, Markt square features a 13th-century belfry with a 47-bell carillon and 83m tower with panoramic views.

Utrecht

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 27 mins

Utrecht, a city in the central Netherlands, has been a religious centre for centuries. It has a medieval old town, canals, Christian monuments and a venerable university. The iconic Domtoren, a 14th-century bell tower with city views, stands opposite the Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin on central Domplein square. The Museum Catharijneconvent shows religious art and artifacts in a former monastery.

Haarlem

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 15 mins

With its ancient buildings, cobbled streets and winding waterways, the medieval city of Haarlem is one of the most photogenic destinations in the Netherlands. Once a major North Sea trading port surrounded by a defensive wall, it retains its medieval character of cobblestone streets and gabled houses. It’s the centre of a major flower-bulb-growing district, and famous for its outlying tulip fields.

Gouda

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 53 mins

Think of Dutch cheese and the name Gouda springs to mind. As its name suggests, this is the home of Gouda cheese – which is still sold the traditional way at the cheese market. But there’s much more to be enjoyed in Gouda than cheese. Gouda has one of the most beautiful historic city centres in Holland, full of splendid monumental buildings, ancient canals with attractive terraces and pleasant shops.

Alkmaar

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 45 mins

Alkmaar is medium sized Dutch city on the ‘peninsula’ of Holland, north of Amsterdam and Haarlem. The city centre preserves the 17th-century pattern of canals and narrow streets, and has many historic buildings (and some ugly new ones). The nearby beaches and dune reserves are easily accessible from Alkmaar itself. Inland is a historic agricultural landscape, with 17th century polders.

Hoorn

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 30 mins

Hoorn is one of the largest harbours on the IJsselmeer, and it is the largest town and unofficial capital of the region of West-Friesland. Hoorn has an attractive city centre. The historical centre is designated a Protected Cityscape, with many buildings dating from the 16th and 17th century, including 383 National Monuments. Especially noteworthy are the charming gable stones.

Naarden

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 20 mins

Naarden is a small town in the Gooi and Vecht region of the province of North-Holland, the Netherlands, some 20km to the east of Amsterdam. It boasts an almost completely preserved system of spectacular star-shaped fortifications dating from the 17th century. The town centre itself has also kept its historic character, making Naarden one of the destinations in the Netherlands you should not miss.

Muiden

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 20 mins

Muiden is a small town of approx. 4,000 inhabitants in the province of North Holland. It is located only 12 km to the east of Amsterdam on the edge of the IJmeer lake. It is a pleasant harbour town that is best known for it historic Muiderslot castle. Muiden is a popular destination for day trippers who come here mainly for water sports, but it is less well-known with foreign visitors.

Enkhuizen

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: 55 mins

Enkhuizen is a historic town in the Kop van Noord-Holland region, province of North Holland. It is a popular tourist destination for Dutch holidaymakers, who come here mainly for water sports and the open air Zuiderzee Museum. The Enkhuizen city centre is confined within its well-preserved 16th-century fortifications, with several canals crossing the town. It is a Protected Cityscape with over 360 registered National Monuments.

Hilversum

Travel by rail from Amsterdam: from 21 mins

Hilversum is a medium-sized town in the Gooi area of North-Holland. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, most travellers still come over to cycle and hike through the surrounding forests and heath. The city is also known for its modern architecture, with Dudok’s Hilversum Town Hall (Raadhuis Hilversum) being the most significant design. Hilversum is synonymous with the Dutch media industry since its first and tallest radio aerial was built here in the 1920s.

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