The best-hidden gems in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is a small country, mostly known for Amsterdam, bicycles, and weed (only in Amsterdam). However, the Netherlands is so much more than just that. There’s unique nature, historical towns, and unusual activities you can do. These are the best hidden gems of the Netherlands.
Make sure to read this entire post, to find a practical guide for visiting the Netherlands at the end!
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Hidden gems in the Netherlands
Many people visiting the Netherlands often visit just Amsterdam, the Hoge Veluwe, and the Zaanse Schans. Even though these places are a must for your itinerary, there are many more incredible sights to be discovered! Here’s the list of my favorite hidden gems in the Netherlands.
PS. You might want to visit so many hidden gems, you won’t have much time left to see Amsterdam… But I have great news for you! One day in Amsterdam is enough to see many of its highlights. Check out this best one-day itinerary in Amsterdam!
1. Seringenberg Wassenaar
The first hidden gem, is like, really hidden. The only reason I know it is because I live near that place.
The Seringenberg in Wassenaar is a magical place that’s not crowded at most times (Sundays it gets a bit crowded). It’s located in a forest called: the Horsten.
The literal translation of Seringenberg is the lilac mountain. But seeing that the Netherlands doesn’t have mountains, this is not an actual mountain. It’s more like a high hill filled with lilac bushes. This purple hill looks and smells amazing!
Around the month of May, the Seringenberg will be in bloom for 2 to 3 weeks. It’s a little walk through the forest, to get to this hill. The Horsten is open daily from 9 am to 8:30 pm. A parking ticket costs 3 euros, and entrance to the forest is free.
The Seringenberg Definitely a fun gem to visit!
2. Texel
Another hidden gem of the Netherlands is Texel.
Texel is a little island where you can get by boat from Den Helder. It’s a fun island to road trip through and there are a lot of things you can do, like:
- Going surfing
- Visit Ecomare (a sanctuary for seals and birds)
- Visit de Schans Fortress
- Rent an E-scooter to explore the island!
- Take a look at Texels lighthouse
- Hike one national park Duinen van Texel
Dutchies often visit Texel in summer, so it may get a bit crowded around July and August. I recommend visiting Texel in May, June, or September.
The ferry will cost you 25 or 37 euros, depending on the day you want to go. This goes for a ticket for passing with a car. There are also other options available. It’s a round trip, so you only have to pay once.
There are also many amazing AND affordable tours in Texel, that will definitely give you a unique experience! Check them out here!
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Best place to stay in Texel: Prins Hendrik Hotel
3. Elburg
This hidden gem is a small town some Dutchies haven’t even heard of. Elburg is a historic town surrounded by city walls. With some cute restaurants, bakeries, and shops, Elburg’s a wonderful place to spend a day at.
At parking Elburg, you can park your car for free. From here it’s only a one-minute walk to the old town.
Best stay in Elburg: Boutique Hotel Elburg
4. Veluwezoom National Park
A hidden gem I return to every single year is for sure the Veluwezoom National Park. This park is amazing to visit all year long, however, from mid-August to mid-September, something magical happens here…
Have you ever heard about heather?
Imagine fiels upon fields of purple. Late summer is when the heather is in bloom and some places in Veluwezoom NP will be so full of this stunning purple plant, You’ll be able to see it as far as the eye reaches!
The best place to admire the heather fields in Veluwezoom NP is called Posbank. Every year I like going there early in the morning to catch the sunrise and watch the heather fields turn from dark purple to pink in golden hour. Often in the morning you’ll find the hills covered in a mysterious kind of fog that usually makes me feel like I’ve been transported to Tuscany.
Which is exactly why it’s popular amongst the locals and a hidden gem for tourists. If you happen to be in the Netherlands around late summer, make sure to check it out!
Best stay near National Park Veluwezoom: Landgoed Rhederoord
5. Pampus Fortress island
Pampus is quite an unpopular activity to do when in Amsterdam. This little island is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Pampus is a fortress built in the late 19th century. You can get there by boat and explore the island on your own, or book a tour.
If you book your ticket online, you’ll get a small discount. A ticket to the island including the boat trip is 17 euros per adult (if booked online).
In summer a boat from Pampus leaves from Amsterdam. All year round it leaves from Muiden, which is a great combination to visiting Pampus, as there is a stunning castle to visit in Muiden; Muiderslot. Check it out, it’s really worth a visit.
6. Radio Kootwijk
One of the most susprising places in the Netherlands is called Radio Kootwijk. I only found it a few years ago by accident and was so fascinated by seeing this huge building in the middle of the dune-like area.
With a rich history about different communication networks and how they were used in the first World War, this Building A will fascinate every history enthusiast!
Radio Kootwijk Building A is no longer in use for its original purposes. In school vacations, they often open their doors for visitors. But open or not, Radio Kootwijk is a fascinating sight to see, make sure to check it out!
Best stay near Radio Kootwijk: Hotel Buitenlust
7. De Orchideeën Hoeve
So, you’re visiting the Netherlands… And you’re having the worst weather… Then the Orchideeën Hoeve is your go-to place.
The Orchideeën Hoeve is a great place for a tropical break. This jungle-like place is filled with butterflies, plants, tropical birds, and more!
You can just walk through this wonderful place and discover all its beauty. You can feed the fish, turtles, duckies, and some tropical birds (that’ll literally land on your head and arms).
An adult ticket is 16,50 euros. Get your ticket here!
The Orchideeën Hoeve is such a fun hidden gem to visit, make sure to keep it in mind!
8. Katwijk aan Zee
When looking for hidden gems in the Netherlands, what better place to explore than the charming fishing town of Katwijk aan Zee? Despite its popularity among locals, it still retains its hidden gem status, with its picturesque beaches and dunes calling for a relaxing day under the warm sun.
Even if you’re not a beachy person, you can enjoy a warm summer day in the town, shopping in the many boutiques and getting a refreshing drink on the most lively terraces!
Katwijk aan Zee is a place that has a charm you won’t just find anywhere in the Netherlands. I always used to overlook Katwijk as a hidden gem, since I grew up in this town. However, when I finally started appreciating this amazing little town, I couldn’t wait to add it to this list of hidden gems!
Katwijk aan Zee is a must-visit on a warm sunny day!
Pro tip: I highly recommend staying in Hotel Steeds aan Zee for a few nights. This charming little hotel is the best one I’ve come across in Katwijk, with many accommodation types and delicious breakfast in the morning!
9. National Park Dwingelerveld
For this hidden gem, we’ll be going to a province called Drenthe. This is one of the most beautiful provinces of the Netherlands, one you should definitely visit.
Especially National park Dwingelerveld was magical! We hiked this park a few times now, and it’s just the best! Every season gives this park a different charm. You can visit places like:
- Vlonderpad (a super cute wooden pathway)
- Sheep field Achter ‘t Zaand
- Dwingeloose heather (in August/September in bloom)
The last time we visited was in fall and with the mushrooms and the warm colors, this park was absolutely stunning. And it’s free to visit!
Make sure to check it out!
Best stay near Dwingelerveld National Park: De Stobbe hotel & suites. I’ve stayed in this hotel for nearly a week last fall and it was incredible! I highly recommend Hotel de Stobbe!
Note: Here you’ll find a general guide to visiting the Netherlands + popular places.
10. Drents-Friese Wold National Park
Another beautiful place in Drenthe is Drents-Friese Wold National Park. This park makes you feel like you’ve entered another world!
We especially visited this park at the Bosbergtoren, which is a high watchtower. At only 2 euros you can climb this tower and take in the breathtaking views from above.
This sure is a hidden gem, as not many people know of its existence.
You should visit this place when you’re in the Netherlands!
Best stay near Drents-Friese Wold National Park: Villa BlauwHemel Diever
11. Groningen
Now it’s time for a hidden city. Although you may have heard of it, visiting Groningen will be like visiting a hidden gem.
As Groningen is a bit further away from Amsterdam, it discourages people to visit this beautiful historic city. But that’s such a shame as Groningen really is a must-visit place.
This post is sponsored by our partners Wigs
Groningen is so cozy, with lots of beer breweries and cute restaurants. This is one of my favorite Dutch cities.
Make sure to check it out!
Unique stay in Groningen: Hotel Watertoren West
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12. Bourtange
Near Groningen lies a unique fortified village called Bourtange. From the sky, this town has the form of a snowflake. This beautiful historic town is one hell of a hidden gem, most Dutchies don’t know this place exists.
There’s a cute mill, an interesting museum, and a lot of historic sites in this small town.
You can easily park your car at Bourtange parking for free. Then walk to the historic town in only 6 minutes.
Make sure to check it out!
Best stay in Bourtange: Ster van Bourtange
13. Wageningen
This last hidden gem has earned a pretty special place in my heart. Wageningen is my number one favorite town. With a historic center and beautiful nature, Wageningen is a place you must visit!
You can go shopping in the historic city center, walk through Belmonte Arboretum, and say hi to the cows at Wageningse Uiterwaarden.
For me, Wageningen is just a special romantic place, you should visit when you’re in the Netherlands!
Best stay in Wageningen: Hotel de Wereld
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A practical guide for visiting the Netherlands
The Netherlands is a country like no other. It’s smart to read this guide before visiting; to get a little taste of what the Netherlands is like.
Getting to the Netherlands
If you’re from a neighboring country, it’s easiest to go to the Netherlands by train or car. This is cheap and shouldn’t take too long. However, most people are gonna have to fly to the Netherlands. We do have 2 airports, but you will probably (and should!) land at Schiphol, located near Amsterdam.
From Schiphol, many trains and buses will take you to the city center of Amsterdam (or other cities).
How to get around
Getting around in the Netherlands isn’t hard at all. With an amazing train network, rental bikes everywhere, and car rental, the options are endless!
Car
Many people visiting from Belgium, Germany, or France, choose to drive to the Netherlands, which instantly gives you complete freedom to explore the entire country. As I live in the Netherlands, I go everywhere by car, which is in my opinion the best way to get around.
We have incredibly good highways, that will direct you to your destination fast.
Cycling
Did you know that in the Netherlands, there are more bikes than people? It’s not because every person owns 2 bikes (some do though…), I presume it’s because of rentals.
In the Netherlands, you can always find trusty bike rental services, but you can also get an OV-chipkaart (more about this below). With this card, you can ‘’rent’’ a bike to get from one place to the other.
OV (public transport)
OV means public transport. Many Dutchies own an OV-chipkaart, which is a card you can use to check in and out of buses and trains. But as I’ve told you above, you can also use this card to rent a bike.
On a week’s trip to the Netherlands, you don’t really need an OV-chipkaart, because you can pay with your debit card in buses and just buy train tickets at the station. However, if you’re in the Netherlands for longer than a month, and using public transport a lot, you should get one (most Albert Heijn supermarkets sell them at the service desk, for €7,50).
Money
The local currency of the Netherlands is the Euro. This is the easiest currency in all of Europe, as many other EU countries also use it. The Euro is very similar to US dollars, in worth, which also makes it easy to use for Americans.
Language
The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch. But this country has one of the highest rates of English proficiency in the world, even when you include English-speaking countries. So speaking English in the Netherlands is no problem at all, most Dutch citizens speak English fluently.
Weather
The most used small talk topic in the Netherlands is the weather. But why do people talk about it all the time?
Because it’s unpredictable.
But having lived in this country my whole life, I’m pretty used to it. It’s not that unpredictable when you live here. It’s unpredictable when you want to book your trip, because you may think it’s safe to come in summer, but then it’s raining all the time.
You just need to be lucky.
We’ve had 20°C and sun in February. We’ve had loads of rain, even storms, in July and August. The weather never does what it’s supposed to, so you just need to pray for good weather and maybe you’re in luck.
Click here to check out the current weather in the Netherlands.
Best time of year to visit the Netherlands
There is no best time weather-wise. There is bad and worse, though.
But the best time to visit is between June and September. Temperatures will be very hot on a good day and there are tons of possibilities to avoid the heat (like floating in the sea).
Summer is a wonderful time in the Netherlands, however, my favorite time has to be Spring. This season is when the Netherlands welcomes the most tourists, because of the world-famous flower fields. April and May are incredible months to visit.
Read this flower fields guide, to find the best dates for your trip.
Dutch delicacies
I’m so lucky to live in the Netherlands. Because some of our delicacies are the best in the world. In this country, we have so many unique foods that you simply have to try. You shouldn’t be allowed on the plane back without having tasted:
- Stroopwafels
- Hollands nieuwe haring (by the sea)
- Kroket
- Oliebollen (in season from October til NYE)
- Gouda cheese
- Poffertjes
- Snert (pea soup)
This is just a fraction of our local foods, but the most delicious ones. Make sure to try every one of them. You’ll thank me later.
Final thoughts on these hidden gems in the Netherlands
So, these are my favorite hidden gems in the Netherlands. You should really visit these places to get a really good taste of the Netherlands. And don’t forget to eat a stroopwafel.
Why do you want to visit the Netherlands? Let me know in the comments below!
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