Things to Do in the Netherlands: 13 Picks with Costs

Quick answer

The best things to do in the Netherlands are the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, a small-boat canal cruise, Keukenhof in tulip season, the windmills at Zaanse Schans or Kinderdijk, and a day trip to Giethoorn, Delft or Rotterdam. Four days covers Amsterdam plus two day trips. Book museums and Anne Frank House online well ahead.

13 things worth your time in Netherlands

01
Rijksmuseum
Museum
The national museum holds Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Vermeer's The Milkmaid and an excellent Delftware and ship-model collection.
3 hoursAbout ₹2,600–2,800 (€25–27.50)
Book a 9 am slot and see the Gallery of Honour first, before tour groups arrive.
02
Van Gogh Museum
Museum
The world's largest Van Gogh collection, hung in order so you can follow how his style changed over ten years.
2–3 hoursAbout ₹2,300–2,600 (€22–25)
Tickets are sold online only with a time slot, and spring dates sell out days ahead.
03
Anne Frank House
Landmark
The canal house where Anne Frank's family hid for two years. The rooms are left bare, which makes the visit more affecting.
1–1.5 hoursAbout ₹1,700 (€16–17)
Tickets are released online about six weeks ahead and go fast; there is no ticket desk at the door.
04
Canal cruise in Amsterdam
Experience
The 17th-century canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and looks best from water level, especially at dusk.
1–1.25 hoursAbout ₹1,700–2,600 (€16–25)
Choose a small open boat over a large glass-roofed one; you see more and the guide is easier to hear.
05
Keukenhof gardens
Nature
Around seven million bulbs planted across 32 hectares, open only from mid-March to early May (18 March to 9 May in 2027).
Half dayAbout ₹2,200 (€21–22) entry, plus transport
Buy the combined entry-and-bus ticket from Schiphol or Leiden and arrive at opening on a weekday.
06
Zaanse Schans windmills
Day trip
Working wooden windmills, a clog workshop and cheese farms, about 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal.
3–4 hoursFree to walk; windmill interiors about ₹500–800 (€5–8) each
Arrive before 10 am, when the tour buses start; pick one or two windmills to enter rather than all.
07
Volendam and Marken
Day trip
Two former fishing villages on the IJsselmeer, popular with families for traditional-dress photo studios and cheese tastings.
Half dayAbout ₹1,000–1,500 for a regional bus day ticket
Take the bus to Volendam and the seasonal ferry across to Marken, then bus back to Amsterdam.
08
Giethoorn by boat
Day trip
A car-free village of thatched farmhouses and canals, about two hours from Amsterdam by train and bus.
Full dayBoat hire about ₹2,500–4,000 (€25–40) per hour per boat
Electric whisper boats need no licence. Go on a weekday; summer weekends get crowded on the narrow canals.
09
Kinderdijk windmills
Day trip
Nineteen 18th-century windmills along polder canals, a UNESCO site and the classic Dutch windmill view.
Half dayAbout ₹1,900–2,100 (€19–20)
Reach it by waterbus from Rotterdam; combine with Rotterdam's modern architecture on the same day.
10
Rotterdam architecture
Day trip
Rebuilt after the Second World War, Rotterdam has the Markthal food hall, the Cube Houses and the Erasmus Bridge.
Full dayFree to walk; train about ₹1,800–2,400 (€17–23) each way
The Intercity Direct train takes about 40 minutes from Amsterdam but needs a small supplement.
11
The Hague and Delft
Day trip
The Mauritshuis holds Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, Madurodam is a miniature Netherlands children love, and Delft has blue-and-white pottery workshops.
Full dayMauritshuis about ₹2,000 (€19–20); Madurodam about ₹2,100–2,400 (€21–23)
Delft and The Hague are 15 minutes apart by tram or train, so both fit in one day.
12
Cycling in Amsterdam and Vondelpark
Experience
Amsterdam is flat and built for bikes, and a ride through Vondelpark and along the Amstel shows the city as locals live it.
2–3 hoursBike hire about ₹1,200–1,800 (€12–18) per day
Learn hand signals and never stop in a bike lane. If you are not a confident cyclist, join a guided ride.
13
Albert Cuyp Market and De Pijp
Food
The city's best-known street market, with cheese, fresh stroopwafels, Surinamese snacks and cheap souvenirs.
1–2 hoursFree; fresh stroopwafels about ₹300–500 (€3–5)
Open Monday to Saturday; go before noon. The surrounding De Pijp streets have good vegetarian cafés.

How many days do you need in the Netherlands?

Four days is the right length for a first visit. Spend two days on Amsterdam's museums, canals and neighbourhoods, then use the excellent train network for two day trips: Zaanse Schans and Volendam to the north, and Delft, The Hague, Rotterdam or Kinderdijk to the south. In tulip season (mid-March to early May), swap one day for Keukenhof.

The country is small. Rotterdam is about 40 minutes from Amsterdam by fast train, Utrecht 27 minutes, and Schiphol airport 15 minutes from Centraal station. You do not need a car, and parking in Amsterdam is expensive.

What should you book ahead?

Three Amsterdam sights work on timed online tickets and regularly sell out:

Anne Frank House — released about six weeks ahead, gone within days in peak season
Van Gogh Museum — book one to two weeks ahead, longer in April and July
Keukenhof — book as soon as your dates are fixed in spring

The Rijksmuseum and canal cruises are easier, but booking still saves queue time.

Getting around

Trains, trams and buses accept contactless bank cards at the gates and readers, so most visitors no longer need a separate transport card. Check that your Indian card works abroad and know its forex markup, or carry a multi-currency forex card; see our forex service.

Amsterdam's bike lanes are red and busy. Walking in one is the most common tourist mistake; cyclists will not slow down.

Plan the rest of your trip

Check the Netherlands visa guide and the best time to visit the Netherlands first. Then choose a base from our Amsterdam where-to-stay guide, budget with the Netherlands trip cost, and see the vegetarian food guide for Indian and Surinamese options.

Frequently asked questions

Is the I amsterdam City Card worth buying?

It covers Amsterdam public transport, a canal cruise and entry to many museums for 24 to 120 hours. It pays off only if you visit three or more paid sights plus a cruise in that window. Check which museums are included the year you travel, as some headline sights still need separate timed tickets.

Where can I see windmills near Amsterdam?

Zaanse Schans is the closest, about 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal, with working windmills and craft workshops. For the classic row of windmills along a canal, go to Kinderdijk near Rotterdam, a UNESCO site with nineteen 18th-century mills, reachable by waterbus from Rotterdam.

Is the Netherlands good for families with children and grandparents?

Yes. Distances are short, trains are frequent and the country is flat. Children enjoy Madurodam, the NEMO science museum and Keukenhof. For grandparents, avoid canal-house hotels with steep stairs and no lift, and budget for taxis over cobbled stretches in central Amsterdam.

Do I need to book Keukenhof tickets in advance?

Yes. Keukenhof sells timed tickets online, and weekends in April sell out. Buy a combined entry-and-bus ticket from Schiphol or Leiden to avoid queues. For 2027 the park is open from 18 March to 9 May; mid-April is usually peak tulip time.

How we checked this page

Last reviewed 28 October 2026

Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.