Netherlands holidays

Holidays to the Netherlands serve up canal-filled cities, sandy swathes and a countryside bursting with flowers.

City exploring

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ most famous city. Its winding streets, collection of canals and tall, narrow houses are immediately recognisable. And, it’s packed full of things to do. You’ve got museums of all shapes and sizes and attractions like the highest swing in Europe, alongside an excellent food scene and lively nightlife. Just half an hour’s drive outside of Amsterdam you’ll find Haarlem. This place is another historical hotspot, and it’s known for being a haven for shopping fans.

Beautiful beaches

This place lines up some stellar swathes of sand. Zandvoort aan Zee is a favourite with locals as well as tourists. It ticks all the boxes – there’s plenty of space for sunbathing, it’s lined with beach bars and restaurants and it’s a favourite with fans of watersports like kitesurfing, kayaking and surfing. Amsterdam’s got its own offerings, too, including an urban beach speckled with giant beanbags.

Full of flowers

The Netherlands is famous for its flower-growing industry – you won’t find a more colourful countryside anywhere else. Different types of flowers grow throughout the year, but if you want to see the Dutch countryside in full bloom, spring’s the best time to go. You’ll see millions of flowers in countless colours on the Flower Strip, or Bollenstreek, set out in distinctive stripes. Visit the Keukenhof flower gardens, which, featuring over seven million colourful bulbs, are so impressive that they’ve become known as the garden of Europe.