A photograph of Netherlands

Country guide

Places to visit in Netherlands — page 4

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.

  1. Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam
    57 1 hour

    Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam

    Internationaal Theater Amsterdam

    Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam is a working theatre on Leidseplein in central Amsterdam and the home base of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. The building is a performance venue rather than a museum or a monument with a fixed sightseeing route.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Amsterdam
  2. AFAS Live AFAS Live
    58 1 hour

    AFAS Live

    AFAS Live is a dedicated live-performance venue in Amsterdam for concerts and other ticketed entertainment events. Visitors come for a particular artist, show, or programme rather than a permanent exhibition.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Amsterdam
  3. Het Schip Het Schip
    59 1 hr 30 min

    Het Schip

    Museum Het Schip

    Het Schip is a social-housing complex in Amsterdam’s Spaarndammerbuurt, designed by Michel de Klerk and completed in 1921.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Amsterdam
  4. Carré Theatre Carré Theatre
    60 1 hour

    Carré Theatre

    Koninklijk Theater Carré

    Koninklijk Theater Carré, commonly known as Carré Theatre, is a historic live-performance venue beside Amsterdam's Amstel river. Its identity is tied to the auditorium, the stage and the changing programme presented there, rather than to a fixed museum collection.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Amsterdam
  5. Hollandsche Manege Hollandsche Manege
    61 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
  6. Cobra Museum Cobra Museum
    62 1 hr 30 min

    Cobra Museum

    Cobra Museum is a specialist art museum in Amstelveen, the municipality bordering Amsterdam. Its subject is the Cobra movement, an international post-war group whose name joins Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Amsterdam
  7. Felix Meritis Felix Meritis
    63 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
  8. Amsterdam Dungeon Amsterdam Dungeon
    64 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
  9. Amsterdamse Bos Amsterdamse Bos
    65 1 hour

    Amsterdamse Bos

    Amsterdamse Bos is a large, deliberately designed landscape on Amsterdam’s southwestern edge, combining planted woodland, open meadow, water and recreation across one continuous park.

    • High
    • Nature site
    • Amsterdam
  10. Mouse Fort Mouse Fort
    66 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
  11. Spui Spui
    67 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
  12. National Monument on Dam Square National Monument on Dam Square
    68 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
  13. De Krijtberg De Krijtberg
    69 30 min

    De Krijtberg

    Sint-Franciscus Xaveriuskerk

    De Krijtberg, also called Sint-Franciscus Xaveriuskerk, is a Catholic church on the Singel canal in central Amsterdam. The church is dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier and remains part of the city’s religious life.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Amsterdam
  14. Python Bridge Python Bridge
    70 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
  15. Noorderkerk Noorderkerk
    71 30 min

    Noorderkerk

    Noorderkerk is a Protestant church in Amsterdam, situated in the Jordaan district on the Noordermarkt. Designed by Hendrick de Keyser, construction began in 1620 and was completed in 1632.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Amsterdam
  16. West-Indisch Huis West-Indisch Huis
    72 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
  17. Madame Tussauds Amsterdam Madame Tussauds Amsterdam
    73 1 hr 30 min

    Madame Tussauds Amsterdam

    Madame Tussauds Amsterdam is a wax museum located in the city centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is part of the global Madame Tussauds franchise known for displaying lifelike wax figures of celebrities, historical figures, and cultural icons.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Amsterdam
  18. Beth Haim Beth Haim
    74 30 min

    Beth Haim

    Beth Haim is a historic Jewish cemetery in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, about seven kilometres south of central Amsterdam. Founded in 1614 by Amsterdam’s Portuguese Jewish community, it is among the oldest Jewish cemeteries in the Netherlands.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Amsterdam
  19. Huis met de Kabouters Huis met de Kabouters
    75 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
  20. Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ
    76 1 hour

    Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

    Muziekgebouw

    Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ is a purpose-built concert venue on Amsterdam’s IJ waterfront, known for contemporary classical music, jazz and adventurous new work.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Amsterdam
  21. Tuschinski Theatre Tuschinski Theatre
    77 2 hours

    Tuschinski Theatre

    Pathé

    Tuschinski Theatre is a historic Amsterdam cinema that continues to operate as a Pathé venue. Built as a luxurious film theatre in the early twentieth century, it remains both an entertainment destination and an architectural landmark.

    • High
    • Entertainment venue
    • Amsterdam
  22. Melkweg Melkweg
    78 1 hour

    Melkweg

    Melkweg is a prominent music venue and cultural centre in Amsterdam. The name translates to Milky Way in English. It occupies a former dairy factory, which accounts for its distinctive industrial character.

    • High
    • Art and culture venue
    • Amsterdam
  23. Mozes en Aäronkerk Mozes en Aäronkerk
    79 30 min

    Mozes en Aäronkerk

    Mozes en Aäronkerk is a Catholic church in Amsterdam’s historic centre, named for Moses and Aaron. It is a working place of worship rather than a museum arranged around a visitor route.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Amsterdam
  24. Frankendael Frankendael
    80 1 hour

    Frankendael

    Park Frankendael

    Frankendael is a public park in Amsterdam’s Oost district, offering an open green setting within the city.

    • Notable
    • Nature site
    • Amsterdam
  25. Muiderslot Muiderslot
    81 1 hr 30 min

    Muiderslot

    Muiderslot is a medieval castle located near Amsterdam in the town of Muiden, southeast of the city centre. The structure dates to approximately 1285 and represents one of the Netherlands' best-preserved historic castles.

    • Notable
    • Museum
    • Amsterdam

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.