Holland is world famous for the tulips and other flowers, cheese, clogs, windmills, polders with cows and a lot of water in canals and lakes. The best way to discover these Dutch icons is to visit the countryside of Holland. The distances in the Netherlands are short so you are in less than 30 minutes drive to the most beautiful rural locations. We always find it special when we drive home from the crowded Amsterdam and find ourself in the beautiful countryside in less than a 30 minutes drive.
Below we will give more information about three must see regions in Holland. We will start with the area north of Amsterdam.
North of Amsterdam | Zaanse Schans, Edam & Volendam
The most popular countryside location is located in the North of Amsterdam. Popular villages such as Volendam, Edam, Marken and an attraction such as the Zaanse Schans attract millions of visitors every year from the Netherlands and far beyond. In this region you learn a lot about Holland in a short time. The area is perfect for a one day visit and there are many tours available from the center of Amsterdam.
- Experience the Dutch cheeses in cheese village Edam – Edam has a unique cheese market every Wednesday morning during the summer months.
- Visit the windmills at Zaanse Schans Village – Zaanse Schans has it all: windmills, cheese farm, clog factory & museum.
- Enjoy the unique Old Dutch atmosphere at the fishing villages Volendam and Marken Island
South of Amsterdam | Bollenstreek, Lisse and Noordwijk
The south of Amsterdam is very popular during spring. This area is best known for the tulips, flower fields and the beaches. In Dutch the area is called Bollenstreek. The world famous Keukenhof Gardens are also located in this area. This region is therefore very colorful every spring. In the summer the area is popular by travellers how don’t want to be visiting the crowded places but who want to enjoy the windmills, polders, lakes and beaches this region has. Every day of the year you can visit the gardens around Keukenhof Castle for free.
East of Amsterdam | Giethoorn
This polder area is completely new ground. There are also tulip fields to see and in Spring there are very nice tulip events and about 75 miles away is the unique village of Giethoorn.
Populair links
Are you planning to visit the best (flower) activities in Holland? Make sure to check out our most populair articles:
- Everything you want to know about Keukenhof Gardens
- Check out our information about the Flower Parades in Holland
- Visit the Flower Fields in Holland with our tips
- Stay informed about the growing of the flower in Holland with our Flower Reports
- Want to experience the real thing? Visit the best Flower Farms in Holland
- Our tips for the most populair tours from Amsterdam during your stay in Holland
- Get the most out of your visit with our tips for visiting Amsterdam
- The Countryside of Holland: all about Dutch cheese, clogs and windmills
- Is there something special in Holland? Check it out in our events calendar
