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A photograph of Netherlands

Country guide

Netherlands

Twenty-six per cent of the Netherlands lies below sea level, and the polders holding that water back have been under construction since the fourteenth century....

Photograph · Michielverbeek · CC BY-SA 4.0

2,920 Places
1Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Twenty-six per cent of the Netherlands lies below sea level, and the polders holding that water back have been under construction since the fourteenth century. The 2026 census counted 18,130,208 people on 33,500 km2 of land, a density of 541 to the square kilometre, and that figure is what a visitor actually experiences: towns arriving one after another with worked farmland in between rather than open country. Twelve provinces sit in Europe. Three further special municipalities belong to the same country and are nowhere near it, out in the Caribbean.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Dutch
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+31
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Safe from the mains
Dutch public drinking water is regulated for direct consumption

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

37 places match

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Category

Historic monuments 37 Museums 33 Places of worship 8 Nature sites 0 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 0 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 0 Art and culture 0 Activities 0

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 35 1 to 2 hours 1 Half a day or more 1

Interests

History 37 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Zuiderkerk Zuiderkerk
    07 45 min

    Zuiderkerk

    The Zuiderkerk is a former Protestant church in Amsterdam, located in the Nieuwmarkt area near the historic city centre.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  2. Montelbaanstoren Montelbaanstoren
    08 45 min

    Montelbaanstoren

    Montelbaanstoren is a surviving medieval tower on Oude Schans, beside the canal in Amsterdam’s historic centre. Built in 1516 as part of Amsterdam’s defensive fortifications, it preserves the outline of the city’s former fortified waterfront.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  3. Homomonument Homomonument
    09 45 min

    Homomonument

    The Homomonument is an outdoor memorial on Amsterdam’s Keizersgracht, beside the Westerkerk. Karin Daan designed the three-part pink granite monument, unveiled in 1987, as a public place of remembrance for LGBTQ+ people persecuted because of their sexuality.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  4. Oost-Indisch Huis Oost-Indisch Huis
    10 45 min

    Oost-Indisch Huis

    Oost-Indisch Huis is a historic Amsterdam building identified with the Dutch East India Company, or VOC. Unlike a private canal-side merchant house, it is remembered for institutional work: administration, meetings, records and decisions connected with a powerful trading organisation.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  5. Schreierstoren Schreierstoren
    11 45 min

    Schreierstoren

    Schreierstoren is a late-medieval defensive tower beside Amsterdam’s old harbour, on Prins Hendrikkade close to the IJ waterfront.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  6. Amsterdam Central station Amsterdam Central station
    12 45 min

    Amsterdam Central station

    Centraal Station

    Amsterdam Central station is the city’s principal railway gateway, set between Amsterdam’s historic centre and the IJ waterfront.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  7. Scheepvaarthuis Scheepvaarthuis
    13 45 min

    Scheepvaarthuis

    Scheepvaarthuis is an Amsterdam landmark whose identity is unusually clear: it was built between 1912 and 1916 as the headquarters of six shipping companies.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  8. Leidseplein Leidseplein
    14 45 min

    Leidseplein

    Leidseplein is a central Amsterdam square where theatre façades, cinemas, cafés, restaurants, bars and hotel entrances meet around an open paved space.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  9. De Wallen De Wallen
    15 45 min

    De Wallen

    de Wallen

    De Wallen is the oldest and most historic neighbourhood of Amsterdam, located in the medieval centre. It encompasses the city's original harbour and canal network, with buildings dating back centuries.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  10. Oosterkerk Oosterkerk
    16 45 min

    Oosterkerk

    Oosterkerk, or East Church, is a historic church building in Amsterdam. Its name points to the eastern part of the city, while the building itself belongs to Amsterdam’s religious and architectural heritage.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  11. Huis met de Hoofden Huis met de Hoofden
    17 45 min

    Huis met de Hoofden

    Het Huis met den Hoofden

    Huis met de Hoofden, also known as Het Huis met den Hoofden, is an Amsterdam canal house known for a row of carved stone heads on its facade.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  12. Munttoren Munttoren
    18 45 min

    Munttoren

    Munttoren is Amsterdam’s historic clock tower at Muntplein, where the Amstel meets the Singel canal.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  13. Waag Waag
    19 45 min

    Waag

    Waag is the historic landmark at the centre of Amsterdam’s Nieuwmarkt. It began as Sint Antoniespoort, a medieval city gate completed in 1488, and later became a weigh house for goods entering the city.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  14. Hollandsche Manege Hollandsche Manege
    20 45 min

    Hollandsche Manege

    The Hollandsche Manege is a historic riding school in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Established in the nineteenth century, it represents one of the oldest indoor riding facilities in the country.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  15. Felix Meritis Felix Meritis
    21 45 min

    Felix Meritis

    Felix Meritis is an Amsterdam cultural landmark remembered for bringing several fields of knowledge and creativity into one institution. Its Latin name means “Happiness through Merit,” a phrase that reflects the Enlightenment ideals associated with its founders.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  16. Amsterdam Dungeon Amsterdam Dungeon
    22 45 min

    Amsterdam Dungeon

    The Amsterdam Dungeon

    Amsterdam Dungeon is a theatrical attraction built around live actor performances, atmospheric sets, sound, lighting, and dark episodes from Dutch history.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  17. Mouse Fort Mouse Fort
    23 45 min

    Mouse Fort

    Muizenfort

    Mouse Fort is the English name recorded for Muizenfort, a fortification associated with Amsterdam’s wider defensive landscape. Its interest lies in the relationship between military construction, controlled water and the low-lying terrain around the Dutch capital.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  18. Spui Spui
    24 45 min

    Spui

    Spui is a central Amsterdam square beside the Singel canal, where a broad paved public space meets bookshops, cafés and the entrance to the Begijnhof.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  19. National Monument on Dam Square National Monument on Dam Square
    25 45 min

    National Monument on Dam Square

    Nationaal Monument

    The National Monument is a white stone memorial pillar located on Dam Square in central Amsterdam. Erected in 1956, it commemorates Dutch victims of World War II and subsequent conflicts.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  20. Python Bridge Python Bridge
    26 45 min

    Python Bridge

    Pythonbrug

    Python Bridge, known locally as Pythonbrug, is a pedestrian bridge in Amsterdam’s Eastern Docklands. The bridge is recognizable for its serpentine form, which gives the structure its English and Dutch names and distinguishes it from Amsterdam’s many straighter crossings.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  21. West-Indisch Huis West-Indisch Huis
    27 45 min

    West-Indisch Huis

    West Indisch Huis

    West-Indisch Huis is a historic Amsterdam building associated with the Dutch West India Company, the seventeenth-century chartered company involved in Atlantic trade, colonial administration and commercial operations.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  22. Huis met de Kabouters Huis met de Kabouters
    28 45 min

    Huis met de Kabouters

    Huis met de Kabouters means House with the Gnomes. It is a distinctive Amsterdam building known for decorative gnome figures and an unusual facade.

    • High
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  23. Agnietenkapel Agnietenkapel
    29 45 min

    Agnietenkapel

    Agnietenkapel (UvA)

    Agnietenkapel is a historic chapel in Amsterdam, associated with the University of Amsterdam (UvA). The name derives from the former convent of Saint Agnes. It serves as an academic ceremonial venue rather than a regular place of worship.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  24. Huis aan de Drie Grachten Huis aan de Drie Grachten
    30 45 min

    Huis aan de Drie Grachten

    Huis aan 3 grachten

    Huis aan de Drie Grachten is an Amsterdam canal house whose name means “House on the Three Canals.” The name points to the building’s defining setting: it stands where three canals meet, making its relationship with the water more important…

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
  25. De Schreeuw De Schreeuw
    31 45 min

    De Schreeuw

    De Schreeuw is an outdoor memorial monument in Amsterdam, identified by its Dutch name, “The Scream.” It is a fixed public artwork in the city rather than a museum, gallery, or historic building with visitor rooms.

    • Notable
    • Historic monument
    • Amsterdam
Show 6 more places

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Netherlands be?

Six to nine days can use Amsterdam as one base while adding Utrecht, Haarlem, Rotterdam, or The Hague by train. Flower areas are seasonal and need confirmed opening dates, so they should not replace a permanent city day without checking the calendar.

What entry documents are needed for Netherlands?

The Netherlands is in the Schengen Area, and passport or visa requirements depend on nationality. Verify the applicable rule through the Dutch government's official entry service before travel.

What is the best way to travel around Netherlands?

Schiphol has a railway station beneath the airport, and the national network reaches roughly 400 stations. OVpay supports contactless check-in and check-out, but the same card or device must be used at both ends of a journey.

When is a practical time to visit Netherlands?

April to May suits spring flowers when opening dates align, while September is a broader city-trip option. Weather can change quickly, so protect outdoor cycling or garden plans with an indoor alternative.

What money and payment basics apply in Netherlands?

The Netherlands uses the euro (EUR). Contactless payment is widespread, but keep a compatible backup because a card used to check into transport must also be available to check out.

What practical safety details should I save for Netherlands?

Dial 112 for emergencies in the Netherlands. Type C and F sockets provide 230 V, and mains tap water is recorded as safe.