Touch down in Amsterdam, where you’ll enjoy an afternoon of sightseeing, including a canal cruise and a visit to the Anne Frank House. On day two, the cycling trip officially begins. Catch a train to nearby Weesp, grab your bike, and ride towards to the scenic lakes of the Ankeveense Plassen. The region was traditionally a getaway for Amsterdam’s upper class. Pedal onward to Utrecht to spend the night. The next day, you’ll cycle through the so-called “Green Heart of the Netherlands” and take a break in the famed cheese-producing town of Gouda. Sample the local specialty before pedaling onward to the famous windmills at Kinderdijk, a highlight of day four.

You’ll have time to explore the port city of Rotterdam before moving on to Delft. Park your bicycle and tour the Vermeer Center, where you’ll learn about Vermeer’s life and work. The cycling trip heads next to The Hague, then onward to the coast for a relaxing evening by the sea. On the last full day of the trip, you’ll enjoy cycling through gorgeous landscapes, first in the Bollenstreek or “Flower Bulb Region,” then in Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. Cycle back to Amsterdam to finish the adventure. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Family Tour of the Netherlands

Bring the whole family along on this one-week trip filled with activities, from cruising around Amsterdam on a private boat and cycling to the beach to exploring interactive museums to learn about sea monsters.

Your family’s adventure in the Netherlands starts in the capital city with a trip to the hands-on NEMO Science Museum. Older kids — and daredevil parents too! —might enjoy a trip up to the top of sky-high A’DAM Tower, home to Over the Edge, Europe’s highest swing. You’ll leave the city on day two, sampling Dutch-style seafood in the fishing village of Volendam and marveling at the historic windmills of Zaanse Schans. More windmills await on day three at Kinderdijk, and in the afternoon, you’ll go on a private boat tour of Biesbosch National Park, the largest freshwater tidal zone in Europe. It’s home to hundreds of beavers, and spotting them is fun for the whole family.

Continue on to Rotterdam and the popular Maritime Museum on day four. Kid-friendly exhibits, including one about sea monsters, are interesting for all ages. You’ll cycle around The Hague the following day, pedaling out to Scheveningen Beach in the afternoon to build sandcastles and relax on the sand. Children will be delighted with a visit to Madurodam on the last day of the trip, where you can walk through a miniature version of Holland. Hands-on activities are plentiful here: kids can operate a storm surge barrier, load cargo ships, and make an airplane take off from Amsterdam’s airport. You’ll head to the real airport the next day as the trip comes to a close. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Dutch Art Tour

Art enthusiasts will be delighted with this 7-day tour around the Netherlands’ top fine art museums and art-related attractions, including the Van Gogh Museum, the Vermeer Center, and the Museumpark complex in Rotterdam.

Your art-focused explorations of Holland begin in Amsterdam. Visit Stedelijk Museum on your first afternoon, home to masterpieces works by Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondriaan, and Henri Matisse, among others. On day two, you’ll see Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” at The Rijksmuseum and tour the Van Gogh Museum, where many of Van Gogh’s original works are on display. The tour continues with a day exploring the museums of Leiden, home to the oldest university in the country. 

Catch the train onward to The Hague, home to the Mauritshuis art museum and one of the most magnificent paintings in the country, Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring”. Then it’s onward to Rotterdam’s Museumpark, a creatively landscaped outdoor space that connects Rotterdam’s major museums. Two highlights here are the Kunsthal Rotterdam art museum and the Depot Boijmans van Beuningen. You’ll board an e-bike on day five and ride through De Hoge Veluwe National Park, stopping to visit Kröller-Müller Museum, featuring the second-largest Van Gogh collection in the world. Learn about Dutch Modernist architecture in Utrecht on the last day of the trip before circling back to Amsterdam. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Highlights of Holland & Flanders

This wide-ranging itinerary takes you to key attractions in the Netherlands before crossing the border to Belgium for a gourmet food tour in Antwerp and a boat tour past medieval castles in Ghent. 

This trip begins in Amsterdam with a canal tour and a visit to the Anne Frank House, followed by a visit to the windmills at Zaanse Schans, then a walking tour of architectural highlights in Rotterdam. But a few days into the journey, you’ll cross the border over to Flanders, the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. You’ll do some sightseeing in Antwerp on your first day in the country, taking a picnic to one of the city’s river beaches in the evening.

On day five, you’ll taste gourmet treats, including world-famous Belgian waffles, on a guided food tour of Antwerp. After the tour, pay a visit to Rubens House, once the home of the 17th-century painter Peter Paul Rubens. The following day, you’ll transfer to Ghent, home to the medieval castle Gravensteen and an impressive cathedral. View the city from a unique perspective on a boat tour in the evening. You’ll stroll through Vrijdagmarkt, a beautiful square that hosts a popular market on Fridays and Saturdays, before heading back to Amsterdam. Learn more

More Great Dutch Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to the Netherlands, but don’t have a week to spend experiencing the culture and landscapes? Then check out these 5-day itineraries.