Five days in Holland - where to go that isn't Amsterdam?

[A380]

As the title says I've got five days in September to spend in the Netherlands, tacked on to another trip to Belgium. I've been to Amsterdam a fair few times so fancy something different. We will have a car.

Suggestions for where to stay and where to go please? Museums and galleries are a thing. As are walks near water...


Thanks

 

[two sheds]

Utrecht is a lovely city to wander round if you like wandering round places, and not far on the train.

 

[jontz01]

This is also on my to do list. Watching with interest...

 

[Elpenor]

Space centre at Noordwijk - loved it as a kid

Leiden is a nice university town from memory

I’d also be interested to visit WW2 related stuff at Arnhem etc

 

[Hollis]

Leiden is very nice.

 

[brogdale]

De Hoge Veluwe National Park is pretty special, (including its white hire-bikes), and in the centre is the wonderful Kröller-Müller Museum with its Van Gogh collection, loads of other goodies and probably the whackiest sculpture park in Europe.

 

[Ax^]

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Texel National park tis lovely if a bit close to Amsterdam

 

[Callie]

I'm going to go to Maastricht in Nov. Any tips??

 

[hiccup]

I'd second Utrecht. It's lovely walking around the canal bit.

 

[brogdale]

Last time we were in the Netherlands we had a couple of days in both Groningen & Rotterdam; enjoyed both cities a great deal.

 

[scifisam]

It could be Rotterdam, or anywhere, anywhere at all.

 

[jontz01]

De Hoge Veluwe National Park is pretty special, (including its white hire-bikes), and in the centre is the wonderful Kröller-Müller Museum with its Van Gogh collection, loads of other goodies and probably the whackiest sculpture park in Europe.

This sounds right up my street, thanks.

I'm thinking of doing a cycle tour on the assumption that I can pick up a dirt cheap bike at a market, some decent hash and roam around aimlessly for a week. I was hoping to take a tent, it seems as though there are plenty of options.

 

[davesgcr]

Utrecht and Groningen both very nice university towns / cities. As is the Hague. Short tram ride to Schevinghem

If you fancy a bit of seaside / ports - try Zaandvoort for beach and Vlissingen for maritime activity. Latter impressive for watching the pilot boats shoot off to escort big ships into Antwerp etc. (my great , great grandfather was a master mariner there so I found it impressive) .

(all have decent Coffee shops - so hash not a problem )

 

[two sheds]

Remember some stunning philosophers' stone mushies in either Centraalpark or Vondelpark a few years ago. With urbanites as I recall but my recall is all a bit hazy.

 

[spitfire]

As the title says I've got five days in September to spend in the Netherlands, tacked on to another trip to Belgium. I've been to Amsterdam a fair few times so fancy something different. We will have a car.

Suggestions for where to stay and where to go please? Museums and galleries are a thing. As are walks near water...


Thanks

Arnhem.

/predictable

 

[JimW]

I'm going to go to Maastricht in Nov. Any tips??

Don't sign any treaties.

 

[A380]

Arnhem.

/predictable

Ham and Jam.

 

[WWWeed]

Check out the open air museum in Arnhem. Worth it for a ride on the old trams alone but there's a fair bit to walk around alongside lots of other stuff: Ontdek het museum

The madurodam model village is worth a visit Holland's highlights and heritage | Madurodam which is about half an hour from Rotterdam.

There's also the windmill place in Leiden: Molenmuseum De Valk | Home

I recommend a visit to HomeComputerMuseum in helmond if your into old computers/games

If it was around Christmas I'd say go and visit Valkenburg markets in the caves.

 

[two sheds]

Maastricht I've heard they actually have hills (aka mountains) to look at. Never been but does look a lovely city.

 

[A380]

So I've booked a chalet type thing on a campsite on the very edge of Utrecht.

It does look nice so far. Any more suggestions for days out gratefully received thanks.

Thanks WWWeed I'm deffo going to go to the madurodam model village (love a good model village) but the other suggestions look good too. And Arnham is on the cards...

 

[brogdale]

Check out the open air museum in Arnhem. Worth it for a ride on the old trams alone but there's a fair bit to walk around alongside lots of other stuff: Ontdek het museum

The madurodam model village is worth a visit Holland's highlights and heritage | Madurodam which is about half an hour from Rotterdam.

There's also the windmill place in Leiden: Molenmuseum De Valk | Home

I recommend a visit to HomeComputerMuseum in helmond if your into old computers/games

If it was around Christmas I'd say go and visit Valkenburg markets in the caves.

Been to the first 2 there; loved 'em both

Taken note of the other 2, ta.

 

[geminisnake]

I'd like a proper look round den Bosch so you could go there and report back

 

[two sheds]

Some really nice cafes there, by a canal as hiccup noted. Perfect for a Sunday cup of coffee and afternoon read of the Sunday paper (I think Utrecht is in protestantish area rather than roman catholicish area although I assume they'll all be open sunday by now). With the coffee you get four? of those really nice cinnamon biscuits that I had an episode with .

 

[Ming]

This is late for your dates but I’ve been to this one and it’s excellent (on this weekend actually). Just an FYI really.

https://www.festicket.com/festivals/lowlands-festival/

ed sp

 

[DJWrongspeed]

If you want peace and quiet you couldn't do better than Woudrichem over the Waal from Gorinchem. It's a little walled village that is all peace and calm on the banks of the river. There's even a beach.

Day trip from Rotterdam would be the unbombed historic Dordrecht, perhaps what the later city used to look like. This is cyclable with ferries an option.

 

[brogdale]

Leiden is very nice.

Yep, really nice place; went there on Record Shop day one year, (don't ask when! ) and I seem to recall visiting 3 record shops that are all good with coffee/beers etc. I suppose that's partly reflects its university town demographic? In one of the shops even saw what's was then left of 10CC perform a nice little acoustic set.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

I enjoyed both Leiden and Haarlem.

 

[flypanam]

Haarlem is pretty wonderful. I remember really enjoying the Teyler’s and Frans Hals museums. Pretty friendly place and I have fond memories of drinking on Grote Markt.

 

[ElizabethofYork]

I liked Rotterdam. Some really cool architecture. And walking across the bridge is great.

 

[BristolEcho]

Utrecht and Rotterdam are great!