The Best Netherlands Itinerary: 7 Days in the Netherlands

Getting There and Getting Around

For this Netherlands itinerary, we're starting the trip in Amsterdam. Here's how to find the best prices on flights to Amsterdam.

Then, we will spend four nights in Amsterdam and three nights in The Hague, while taking some day trips from both cities.

I suggest traveling by train between destinations. Train travel is very convenient in the Netherlands. It's easy and inexpensive to travel by train.

Plus, you won't need to book any train tickets in advance. Buy them directly at the station or on your phone using the NS app.

If you want a little bit more flexibility with your schedule, you can consider renting a car. If you decide to have a rental car for the entire trip, you may need to park your vehicle outside of Amsterdam or choose a hotel outside of the city center. Parking in Amsterdam can be tricky.

We use Discover Cars when we travel and need to rent a car. This is a car rental comparison site that allows you to compare vehicles and prices across many companies. We're always able to find the best rates. Find your rental car here.

The Best eSIM to Stay Connected

As a Canadian, I always use an eSIM when I travel. If I use my Canadian mobility provider abroad, I have no choice but to face high roaming costs with a limited amount of data.

There's no reason to use your Canadian mobile provider when you're traveling. I always use Airalo.

Airalo is a well known and trusted eSIM company that I've used for years. It's as easy as choosing the eSIM for the Netherlands or all of Europe (if you plan to visit multiple countries).

Next, choose a standard package with a set amount of gigabytes for a certain amount of days. It's also possible to choose an unlimited GB package for a set amount of days if you anticipate using more data (or you don't want to worry about running out).

It's easy to load the eSIM onto your phone. Once you land in the Netherlands, switch over to your Airalo Netherlands eSIM. And away you go! Enjoy staying connected throughout your trip.

Get an Airalo Netherlands eSIM or an Airalo Europe eSIM.

7 Days in the Netherlands Itinerary

This is the ultimate 7 days in the Netherlands itinerary to maximize your time in this beautiful country. The Netherlands is a bit deceiving; the country seems small, but there are actually SO many places to visit.

It isn't possible to see all of the Netherlands in a week. You will need to pick and choose where to go. In this Netherlands itinerary, we'll base ourselves in Amsterdam for four nights and The Hague for three nights.

While we will explore Amsterdam and The Hague, we'll also take day trips to Zaanse Schans, Keukenhof, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Delft, Leiden and more.

Day 1: Amsterdam

Let's start our Netherlands trip in its most famous city, Amsterdam. Chances are that you'll arrive at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Take a train from Schiphol Airport to Amsterdam Centraal, about a 15 minute journey.

Drop your luggage at the hotel (or maybe you'll be lucky with an early check-in?) and start exploring this picturesque city of canals.

Walk Around the Canals

The first thing that I'll emphasize: always be on the lookout for bikes! There are pedestrian walkways and there are bike lanes. Don't walk in the bike lanes. Look both ways before you cross the bike lanes.

You don't want to get hit by a bike or cause someone to crash.

Cyclists are plentiful here and seem to outnumber cars and pedestrians, so please be mindful of them.

For your first day in Amsterdam, go for a wander. This city is completely unique to any other in the world. Walk around its canals, down quaint cobblestone streets and across old bridges.

One particularly lovely collection of streets and canals are located at The Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes). There are many great boutiques and galleries here. Justin and I even bought a small work of art in one of these galleries, and it always reminds me of Amsterdam when I look at it (even though it's an abstract work!).

Sunset Canal Cruise in Amsterdam

Now, it's time to experience the canals from the water itself. It might feel like a touristy activity, but taking a canal cruise in Amsterdam is an absolute must.

There's nothing quite like floating beneath the bridges and witnessing the rows of houses from down below on the surface of the water. Taking a cruise at sunset is a magical time of day to drift along.

Learn things about the city from a knowledgeable guide as you gaze at the scenery. There's an onboard bar where you can purchase drinks. Book your sunset canal cruise here.

Where to Stay in Amsterdam

For this Netherlands itinerary, we're basing ourselves in Amsterdam for four nights. I find that it's easier to stay in only one or two places for a week long trip. You won't need to travel with your luggage all the time, and it's easy to make day trips.

Stay at Pension Homeland in Amsterdam. This is a family owned and operated accommodation that has its own on-site brewery. It's located on the waterfront on a former Naval site.

It's easy to walk from this hotel all over Amsterdam. While the rooms are more no-frills, it's comfortable and cozy with everything you need. Plus, it's not as expensive as other places to stay in Amsterdam.

Book your stay at Pension Homeland.

Day 2: Amsterdam and Zaanse Schans

It's day two of our 7 days in the Netherlands itinerary. Today, we'll spend some more time in Amsterdam while also taking a little day trip to Zaanse Schans, a historic village outside of Amsterdam.

Visit a Museum or Historic Site

Spend your morning in Amsterdam at a museum or historic site. Take our pick with what resonates with you the most.

Anne Frank House is a popular choice. It's very moving and impactful. You get to see where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II. Learn all about the story of Anne Frank here.

You will need to buy tickets in advance for a particular timeslot. Tickets go on sale on Tuesdays for six weeks in advance. They sell out within hours, so you will need to be prepared.

Another museum in Amsterdam is Rijksmuseum. This is an impressive art museum that showcases 800 years of Dutch art and houses more than 1 million works.

There's also the Van Gogh Museum, a must for fans of Van Gogh. This museum is devoted to his life, stories, and his art.

Many museums, like Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, are located in Museumplein. This makes it easy to walk from one museum to the next if you'd like to visit a couple in a day.

Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is an authentic Dutch windmill village. It's a fantastic day trip from Amsterdam (here's how to get there in about 30 minutes).

The Zaan (zahn) district is the oldest industrial area of Western Europe and there were once 600 windmills active in this region. While this village wasn't established until 1961, the traditional buildings and windmills were transported here.

Everything you see is original and it's just as it would have looked in the 18th and 19th centuries.

You might think that this is an open-air museum, but it's actually a residential area where people live and work. Of course, there are also museums and working windmills where staff members will explain their inner workings.

You can visit Zaanse Schans for free, but there is a fee to visit most of the museums and all of the windmills.

Check out our video all about our trip to Zaanse Schans. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay in touch with our latest travel videos.

Day 3: Aalsmeer, Keukenhof and Haarlem

Day three of our trip to the Netherlands has a bit of a flower and botanical garden theme. First, we'll check out the flower auction at Aalsmeer, a truly one of a kind experience.

Then, we'll visit one of the prettiest gardens in the world, Keukenhof. Afterwards, we'll spend the rest of the day in Haarlem. Again, it's easy to reach each of these destinations by train and public transportation.

Aalsmeer Flower Auction

Aalsmeer Flower Auction is the world's largest flower auction where millions of blooms are sold every weekday. Please note that it's only open from 07:00-11:00 (on Thursdays, only until 9:00) and only on weekdays. Plan your trip accordingly.

As we walked around an upper corridor in this massive warehouse, we could see trays of bulbs and blooms being shuttled across the floor. Buyers from around the world bid on and purchase flowers from farmers.

It's amazing to see how much work goes on behind the scenes to sell and deliver flowers to many international flower shops. It is also possible to book a guided tour here to learn more (must book at least 5 business days in advance).

Keukenhof

Keukenhof is one of the world's largest flower gardens. It is known as the "Garden of Europe" and translates to mean "kitchen garden". Over 2 million visitors come here every year, and it's only open for 7 weeks at a time.

No spring trip to the Netherlands is complete without visiting Keukenhof. Every year, 7 million flower bulbs are planted here manually, by hand, and there are 800 varieties of tulips.

There are so many interconnecting paths surrounded by flower beds, as well as indoor greenhouses and pavilions. Spend at least a half day here. It's even possible to take a boat ride at Keukenhof.

Book your ticket that includes admission to Keukenhof and roundtrip transportation from Amsterdam.

Please feel free to view our short video all about our trip to Keukenhof in the spring.

Haarlem

Haarlem is the perfect day trip getaway from Amsterdam as it's only 20 minutes away by train. This was one of my favourite places to visit in the Netherlands and I probably could have spent even more time here.

Start at the Market Square (Grote Markt), a huge pedestrian square with many amazing works of architecture. The St. Bavo Church in Haarlem is a 15th century Gothic church with an impressive Muller organ played by Mozart and Handel. Its floor is also made up of 1500 gravestones.

Another famous landmark is De Adriaan Windmill, a replica of an old windmill that once stood on this very site. The original burned down in 1932, but the new one (built in 2002) functions exactly as the original one did.

I really enjoyed walking around the city streets and the canals. There are many lovely boutique shops here and charming little cafes. I enjoyed a coffee and a piece of cake on the patio of one cafe and watched the world go by.

Alternative to Keukenhof: Alkmaar

Keukenhof is only open 7 weeks a year. Or maybe you're just not that into tulips and flowers? Here's an alternative trip that you can take instead of the Aalsmeer Flower Auction and Keukenhof.

Alkmaar is a small town that's famous for its traditional cheese market. It's located about 30 minutes from Amsterdam by train.

Alkmaar has many idyllic canals and beautiful architecture. Go for a stroll on Oudegracht, a street that follows a pretty canal. There are some great walking routes on Alkmaar's tourism website.

Pop into Sint-Laurenskerk, a 16th century Gothic church that no longer functions as a church, but now as a museum and cultural center. The oldest playable organ in the Netherlands is here, too.

Day 4: The Hague (Den Haag)

On day four of our Netherlands itinerary, we're moving our home base from Amsterdam to The Hague. Spend the morning in Amsterdam enjoying breakfast, doing some last minute shopping or even taking in a tourist sight that you missed.

Take the train from Amsterdam to Den Haag Centraal. It's about an hour long journey by train from Amsterdam to The Hague.

Drop off your luggage at the hotel and check in early if it's possible. Otherwise, leave your luggage with the hotel staff and enjoy your afternoon exploring The Hague.

Mauritshuis

For art lovers, Mauritshuis is an unmissable art museum. It's home to a very famous masterpieces, the Girl with a Pearl Earring. This art museum is renowned for its Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 17th century.

Aim to spend at least 90 minutes here, taking in the works of Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn, Judith Leyster, Jan Steen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Rachel Ruysch, to name a few. It's possible to buy a combo ticket with the Prince William V Gallery, just a five minute walk from Mauritshuis.

In the 18th century, this gallery housed a collection of paintings owned by Prince William V. This became the original foundation of the Mauritshuis collection. Nowadays, 150 Old Masters from the Mauritshuis collection adorn the walls here.

Where to Stay in The Hague

Justin and I spent three nights at Moxy The Hague, a hotel conveniently located in the city center, not far from the train station and popular attractions. We enjoyed quiet and relaxed evenings here, getting a great night's sleep.

The rooms are comfortable and there are great public spaces around the hotel, too. There's a fitness center, restaurant and bar. We'd definitely stay here again!

Book your stay at Moxy The Hague.

Day 5: The Hague

Den Haag, or The Hague, is the third largest city in the Netherlands. It's most known as the global hub of international law and arbitration.

The Hague is home to the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and over 200 international governmental organizations.

Like many other places in the Netherlands, The Hague has restored many of its canals. While these 17th century canals were filled in between 1910 and 1970, they've been restored and revitalized in recent years thanks to community efforts.

If you'd like to learn more about the history, art and architecture of the city, consider taking this small group walking tour. It's two hours in length and it's also very inexpensive.

Huis van het Boek (House of the Book)

Huis van het Boek (House of the Book) is the oldest book museum in the world. There are collections of early printed books and rare manuscripts on display here.

This book museum is located in the historic residence of the Baron Van Westreenen van Tiellandt, 1743-1848. The foundation of the book museum comes from his vast collection of books, as well as other antiquities and objects from  Greece, Rome and Egypt.

The highlight for us was the Miniature Book Collection. This is a miniature book library with 1515 tiny books, the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. Notably, the collection has a miniature Italian manuscript from 1540 and a miniature copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

I also love that Huis van het Boek is home to a peaceful museum garden, the perfect place to read your favourite book in a beautiful spot.

Madurodam

Continuing with the theme of miniatures, we ventured over to Madurodam, a miniature theme park and world. This is where visitors can discover all of the Netherlands on a much smaller scale.

See the Netherlands in an hour! Walk around this theme park to see iconic landmarks, like the canals of Amsterdam, palaces, city streets, the airport, shipping ports and more. Some of these displays are even interactive, too.

Madurodam is wonderful for children but it's fantastic for people of all ages. Justin and I had a total blast here, wandering around and discovering all of the sights. It's amazing to see all of the miniature buildings before witnessing them on a larger scale (or vice versa).

Noordeinde Palace and Garden

Noordeinde Palace is one of three official palaces of the Dutch Royal Family. As it's the official workplace of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, it is not open to the public. The public can only visit on a few days throughout the year.

I suggest viewing Noordeinde Palace from the front gates and then taking a walk around the palace gardens afterwards. This is a lovely greenspace right behind the palace with a large, grassy lawn.

There are also flower beds, fountains and ponds. It's a great place to walk around or rest for a while. You could even have a picnic here.

The Bookstor Cafe

The Bookstor Cafe is a bookshop that's over 100 years old in The Hague. Since 2015, it's also been a cafe serving up delicious coffee and pastries.

Upon walking into this bookshop, it feels more like a charming little library. They have a great collection of English books. Even though it's a small shop, the atmosphere is so inviting that you might feel like staying for a while.

There is a little garden out back with some tables where you can relax and sip a cup of coffee. We really enjoyed our time at The Bookstor Cafe. It's a great place to hit pause on a day of sightseeing, and gather your thoughts in a thoughtful environment.

Day 6: Rotterdam

It's day six of our 7 days in the Netherlands itinerary. Let's spend the day in Rotterdam. Take the train from Den Haag Centraal to Rotterdam Centraal. This journey takes anywhere from 21 to 32 minutes.

We walked all over Rotterdam. This is the second largest city in the Netherlands. It was badly bombed in World War II and was mostly rebuilt to the city that you see today. Here are a few highlights of our day in Rotterdam.

Markthal (Market Hall)

Markthal, or Market Hall is a huge indoor covered market located inside an iconic horseshoe-shaped structure. It features nearly 100 fresh food stalls featuring authentic flavors from all over the world. There's also a supermarket and several restaurants.

There's a gigantic mural splashed across the inside walls and ceilings. The artwork by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam is called "Horn of Plenty" or "Cornucopia" with imagery of flowers, produce and insects. It's also been called "the largest artwork in the world" and "the Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam".

To avoid the crowds here, aim to visit in the morning or later in the afternoon, especially on the weekend. It was really busy when we visited on a Saturday around lunchtime.

Cube Houses of Rotterdam (Kubuswoningen)

Just a minute away from Market Hall are the famous Cube Houses of Rotterdam. Architect Piet Blom designed this collection of modern homes that you won't see anywhere else in the world.

The bright, yellow Cube Houses are a village themselves within the city. Each house has three floors and grows much wider towards the top, resembling trees. Together, these "tree" homes form a forest and gained the nickname, "Blaak Forest".

Walk around the neighborhood of Cube Homes while staying respectful as people do actually live here. It is possible to tour one of the Cube Homes if you're interested. You can also stay the night in one of them at Stayokay Hostel Rotterdam.

Dutch Pinball Museum

The Dutch Pinball Museum is dedicated entirely to pinball machines from their inception through to present day. Best of all, there are more than 150 playable pinball machines to play an unlimited amount of times with your ticket.

I highly recommend purchasing a ticket to the Dutch Pinball Museum ahead of time. This is a very popular place to visit in Rotterdam and tickets often sell out. Your ticket covers a two hour time slot.

Wander through the various rooms on a couple of different levels to play different themed pinball machines. There are pinball machines for bands and musicians, movies and more. Not only that, but there's also movie and music memorabilia to match the pinball cabinets.

More Places to Visit in Rotterdam

Here are some more spots to add to your day in Rotterdam:

• Lijnbaan, the main shopping street in Rotterdam
• Delfshaven, one of the few areas that wasn't bombed during World War II
• Witte de Withstraat, trendy area with cool bars, restaurants, art galleries, public art

Day 7: Delft and Leiden

On our last day in the Netherlands, we'll visit two small towns, Delft and Leiden. You may have heard of Delft as it is renowned for its Dutch pottery, Delft Blue. We'll check out the Royal Delft Museum in the morning and head to the nearby town of Leiden in the afternoon.

Royal Delft Museum

We spent the morning taking a tour of the Royal Delft Museum, which is home to the famous blue and white pottery. It's the only remaining earthenware factory from the 17th century in Delft that still makes Delft Blue.

Delft Blue is still created the traditional way here and it's all painted by hand. On our visit to the museum, we wandered through many rooms filled with historic pieces of Delft Blue and learned about the stories behind them.

We even walked through the factory itself and watched an artist paint the pottery. Your admission ticket comes with an audio guide or you can arrange to have a guided tour.

At the end of the tour, there's a shop with Delft Blue available for purchase. Since it's all handmade and quite collectible, it was a bit on the expensive side for us.

Leiden

From Delft, Leiden is about a 25 minute train ride. Leiden is a university town that's buzzing with energy. There are many beautiful old buildings that line the canals that I immediately fell in love with.

Start your trip to Leiden with a canal tour by boat. Your knowledgeable guide will tell you all about Leiden on this 50 minute boat ride.

We loved walking all over Leiden. There are three windmills in Leiden with one in the middle of the city. Leiden is also home to the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands.

For art lovers, Leiden is the birthplace of Rembrandt. There are monuments dedicated to Rembrandt and you can visit the Young Rembrandt Studio where he learned to draw, paint and make etchings as a child.

7 Days in the Netherlands Itinerary: Final Thoughts

And there you have it, an excellent Netherlands itinerary that you can feel free to follow. If you've never been to the Netherlands before, of course you need to visit Amsterdam.

However, with this guide to spending a week in the Netherlands, I hope you can see that there's so much more to the country than just Amsterdam!

Make sure you take the time to explore The Hague, Rotterdam, and some of the smaller towns. See windmills, eat stroopwafels, and maybe even step inside of those giant pairs of wooden clogs wherever you see them (I've seen them at the airport and at Keukenhof, in case you wanted to know).

And remember, especially if you're a Canadian like me, you'll want to get that Airalo eSIM ready before you leave home. Get an Airalo Netherlands eSIM or an Airalo Europe eSIM and you'll have a fast and reliable connection on your smartphone in the Netherlands.