Utrecht, Leiden & the South
Utrecht★★★
Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands — and for many Dutch people, the most beautiful. Medieval canals, the tallest church tower in the country, a lively student scene (85,000 students!), and the unique wharf cellars right by the water make Utrecht an absolute insider tip.
Highlights
- Domtoren — The 112-meter-high Dom Tower is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands — and it stands alone! The church nave between the tower and choir collapsed in 1674 during a tornado and was never rebuilt. 465 steps lead to the observation platform with panoramic views. Tour (70 min.): €12.
- Wharf Cellars (Wharves) — Utrecht's unique feature: The canals here are two stories deep. Along the Oudegracht, there is a second level at water level with cafés, restaurants, and terraces — the famous wharf cellars. Nowhere else in the world does this exist. In the evenings, the illuminated terraces by the water are magical.
- Oudegracht — Utrecht's main canal is 2 km long and lined with medieval houses, cafés, and the unique wharf cellars. Canal boats from €15.
- Museum Speelklok — A wonderfully eccentric museum for mechanical musical instruments: music boxes, automatic organs, singing birds, dancing dolls. The tour (including live demonstration) is an experience for all ages. Admission: €16.
- Centraal Museum — City history, fashion, design, and a significant collection of works by Utrecht painter Dick Bruna — the creator of Miffy (Nijntje). For Miffy fans: the separate Nijntje Museum next door is a children's paradise.
- Trajectum Lumen — A nighttime walk along light art installations in the old town. Free of charge, takes about 90 minutes. The works change annually.
Utrecht is 27 minutes by train from Amsterdam — perfect for a day trip or as a relaxed base for exploring the Netherlands.
Tipp
Utrecht's wharf cellar restaurants are the coziest dining spots in the Netherlands. Reserve a table at "Oudaen" (brewery with its own beer, right by the water) or "De Rechtbank" (in a former courthouse). Evenings in summer: let your feet dangle over the canal edge, beer in hand — pure bliss.
Leiden — University Town★★
Leiden is the oldest university town in the Netherlands (founded in 1575 by William of Orange as a reward for the heroic defense against the Spaniards) and the birthplace of Rembrandt. The city has the charm of a small version of Amsterdam: canals, museums, historic architecture — but without the crowds.
Highlights
- Museum De Lakenhal — Freshly renovated city museum with works by Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt, and Jan Steen. The building itself (1640) is a jewel of Golden Age architecture.
- Hortus Botanicus — One of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe (1590), where the first tulips were planted on Dutch soil. The garden is picturesquely located on the Witte Singel canal. Admission: €8.
- Pieterskerk — Gothic church where the Pilgrim Fathers were active in the congregation before their journey to America. Leiden was the last European home of the Mayflower pilgrims.
- Rijksmuseum van Oudheden — The national archaeological museum with an impressive Egyptian collection, including an entire temple (Temple of Taffeh, a gift from Egypt to the Netherlands). Admission: €15.
- Muurgedichten — Over 100 poems from around the world are painted on house walls throughout the city: from Shakespeare to Neruda, from haiku to Persian poetry. A free open-air literature museum.
- Burcht van Leiden — The medieval round castle on an artificial hill offers the best panoramic view of the city. Free of charge.
Leiden is 35 minutes by train from Amsterdam and is the perfect base for the Keukenhof (15 min. by bus).
Gouda★★
Gouda — yes, the city is really named that, and yes, the cheese comes from here. But Gouda is much more than just cheese: The small city (70,000 inhabitants) between Rotterdam and Utrecht has one of the most beautiful market squares in the Netherlands, significant church windows, and a surprisingly lively atmosphere.
Highlights
- Cheese Market — From April to August every Thursday (10 am–1 pm) on the market square. Gouda cheese in all stages of maturity (jong, belegen, oud, overjarig), cheese carriers in traditional dress, tastings. Less touristy than Alkmaar and therefore more authentic.
- Town Hall (Stadhuis) — The Gothic town hall (1450) is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. The facade with the stone figures is remarkable, and the carillon plays several times a day.
- Sint-Janskerk — The longest church in the Netherlands (123 m) houses the famous Goudse Glazen: 72 stained glass windows from the 16th century, unique in Europe for their color and size. An art historical highlight of the first order.
- Stroopwafel Bakery — The stroopwafel was invented in Gouda! At the Kamphuisen Syroopwafelfabriek, you can watch the production and taste fresh, warm stroopwafels — a world of difference from the packaged ones from the supermarket.
- Museum Gouda — In the former hospital "Catharina Gasthuis" (1542): city history, religious art, and an excellent collection of Goudschen Pijpen (clay pipes). Admission: €11.
At Christmas: Gouda bij Kaarslicht (Gouda by Candlelight) on the second Tuesday in December — the entire market square is illuminated with thousands of candles. Magical.
Zeeland — Beaches & Delta Works★★
Zeeland is the southwesternmost province of the Netherlands — a patchwork of islands, peninsulas, and dams between the North Sea and the river mouths of the Rhine, Maas, and Scheldt. Zeeland has the most sunshine hours in the Netherlands, the widest beaches, and a fascinating history of battling the water.
Highlights
- Delta Works — The largest flood protection system in the world, built in response to the devastating flood disaster of 1953 (1,836 deaths). The Oosterscheldekering (3.5 km long, 65 pillars) is one of the modern wonders of engineering. At Deltapark Neeltje Jans, you can visit the facility and experience the history interactively (€21).
- Domburg — The oldest seaside resort in the Netherlands (since 1834), where Mondrian painted his famous seascapes. Wide beach, dunes, charming town center with boutiques and restaurants.
- Vlissingen — Port city on the Westerschelde with a magnificent beach promenade (Boulevard). You can see the huge container ships passing by — the port of Antwerp is just around the corner.
- Middelburg — Zeeland's capital with a splendid town hall (UNESCO candidate), Gothic abbey, and lively Thursday market. Small but fine.
- Veere — A tiny, perfectly preserved town with a harbor that was one of the richest places in the Netherlands in the 16th century (wool trade with Scotland). Today a sailing paradise.
Zeeland is accessible by train from Rotterdam in about 1 hour (train to Vlissingen via Middelburg). By car: via the A58. Ideal for a 2–3-day beach holiday or as a stopover on the way to Belgium.
Maastricht — Southern Charm★★
Maastricht is the least Dutch city in the Netherlands — and that's precisely why it's so fascinating. Nestled between Belgium and Germany, in the far south of the Limburg province, Maastricht has a Burgundian lifestyle that resembles Liège or Aachen more than Amsterdam.
Highlights
- Vrijthof — The most beautiful square in the city, flanked by the Romanesque Sint-Servaasbasiliek (oldest church in the Netherlands, founded around 560) and the Gothic Sint-Janskerk. Surrounded by terrace cafés — the perfect place for an afternoon with Vlaai (Limburg fruit pie) and coffee.
- Boekhandel Dominicanen — A Gothic Dominican church from the 13th century, converted into a bookstore. Regularly voted the "most beautiful bookstore in the world" — and that's no exaggeration. The vault, the frescoes, the bookshelves in the former chapels: breathtaking.
- Sint Pietersberg — The hill on the outskirts of the city houses a 250 km long tunnel system (caves) created over centuries through marl extraction. Guided tours (also with a spooky effect) show charcoal drawings, bats, and the room where Rembrandt's Night Watch was hidden during World War II. From €8.50.
- Wyck District — The charming district between the train station and the Maas: concept stores, delicatessens, art galleries, and the Bonnefantenmuseum (modern art in a striking building by Aldo Rossi).
- Three-Country Point — At the Drielandenpunt on the Vaalserberg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany meet. The highest point in the Netherlands (322 m) — yes, that's all. Still: worth a photo.
Maastricht is accessible by train from Amsterdam in 2.5 hours. For a round trip: Rotterdam – Zeeland – Maastricht – Aachen is an exciting southern route.
Tipp
Maastricht is famous for its "Burgundian zest for life": good food, long terrace afternoons, Limburg wine (yes, there is Dutch wine — and it's not bad!). The culinary level is high — try "Zuurvlees" (Limburg-style pot roast) with fries.
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