Visiting The Netherlands: My Best Tips for Artsy & Independent Travelers

I'm Carol Cram, novelist and arts travel writer, and founder of Art In Fiction, a curated database of 2,700+ novels inspired by the arts. Artsy Traveler contains affiliate links for products and services I personally use and recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the Disclosure for more information.

I first visited the Netherlands in 1970 on my epic round-Europe trip with my mom. I remember being fascinated by the super-steep stairs in our canalside hotels and being served cheese for breakfast. Raised on Fruit Loops and Shredded Wheat, I’d never heard of such a thing!

Amsterdam was also my destination on my first solo trip to Europe at 18. I stayed at the Hans Brinker Student Hostel (which still exists!) and within hours of arriving fell in with two Brits and an American. Together, we roamed through Amsterdam at night and I discovered a taste for Heineken beer.

A trip out to Arnhem took me to the marvelous Kröller-Müller Museum in the Dutch National Park. I was smitten by the incredible art and outdoor sculptures there. I’ve returned since then and include the Kröller-Müller Museum as one of my Top 12 Modern Art Museums in Europe.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited Amsterdam and other cities in the Netherlands over the last several decades. I almost always fly into Amsterdam at the start of my European trips because Gregg and I have friends there.

The country manages to feel both intimate and expansive at the same time, making it an ideal destination for travelers who enjoy lingering, exploring deeply, and returning again and again.

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The Netherlands Highlights at a Glance

These highlights showcase why artsy and independent travel in the Netherlands is so rewarding, especially for travelers who prefer culture over crowds.

• Explore the tulip fields of Keukenhof and cycle for miles along dikes under skies exploding with massive clouds rolling in from the North Sea.
• Linger in the Rijksmuseum admiring Old Master paintings and so much more.
• Discover two exceptional small museums in The Hague.
• Enjoy a beer and a few bitterballen at a canalside cafe in Amsterdam and watch the tour boats slide past.
• Visit the world-famous Kröller-Müller Museum near Arnhem, where you’ll find masterpieces by Van Gogh and an incredible sculpture garden.

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Favorite Places in the Netherlands

I wholeheartedly recommend four main areas for artsy travelers to visit in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, the Hague region (Delft and Madurodam), the Keukenhof Gardens (in the spring), and the region around Arnhem.

Amsterdam

My first stop in Europe is often Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Every time I emerge, jet-lagged and weary after nine hours in the air, into the bustling Schiphol Plaza, my heart expands with excitement.

Yahoo! I’m in Europe!

Languages bump into each other, exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke suck the freshness from the air, buses and taxis and cars vie noisily for space at the curb. I grab a taxi and within about twenty minutes, I’m being driven alongside a canal to my temporary home in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is worth a day and a half (two nights) or two full days (three nights), especially if you love art. I’ll delve into more detail about the must-see museums in the Artsy Sightseeing section, but for a good two-day itinerary, read Two Days in Amsterdam.

The Hague Region

I first visited the area around the Hague when I was 14 and traveling around Europe with my mom. Our destination was the Madurodam theme park where you can “see Holland in one hour”.

Madurodam consists of hundreds of models of a miniature version of the Netherlands on a scale of 1:25— the countryside, the cities, the industry and the agriculture. I love the tiny fields of tulips. You can also enjoy several interactive activities such as manning a Dutch dyke, generating wind energy, and playing with water.

Between the Hague and Rotterdam lies pretty little Delft, home of the ubiquitous blue and white Royal Delft pottery and famous for its connection to Johannes Vermeer who lived and worked there in the 17th century.

Wander along the picturesque canals, visit the various churches and mansions and, of course, pick up a sample of Delft pottery.

I treasure the six KLM Delft Blue houses like the ones shown above that I acquired when we traveled first class on KLM. At the end of each flight, we were each given the choice of a house from a collection of over 100.

TIP: If you do get one of the KLM houses, pack it in your checked baggage. I forgot that the houses are filled with gin and almost had them confiscated at security on my return trip to Vancouver. Fortunately, the Dutch border guard took pity on me and let me keep the houses, but I wouldn’t trust my chances a second time.

The Hague itself is worth a day to tour the historic Binnenhof and the 17th-century Mauritshuis, a top museum for 17th- and 18th-century art. Read more in my post The Hague’s Best Museums: Mauritshuis and Escher in the Palace.

Keukenhof Gardens & Tulip Fields

Twice I’ve visited the Netherlands during tulip season which runs from the end of March to mid-May. On both trips I trekked out to the Keukenhof Gardens about 40 minutes southwest of Amsterdam to enjoy what must be the world’s most luscious display of seven million flowering spring bulbs.

Curving beds of planted tulips in every shade and species—large, small, feathered, spiked, multi-hued, and striped—shimmered under budding trees and alongside twisting pathways. Other flowers on display included daffodils (so many varieties!) and chubby hyacinths in brilliant purples and pinks.

TIP: The key to visiting the Keukenhof Gardens in tulip season is first, to buy your tickets in advance and second, to arrive at the park as soon as it opens. If you wait until lunchtime or later, you’ll be hard-pressed to get any photographs of tulips that aren’t obscured by people.

Seriously. The place gets mobbed by tour buses, but if you go early, you’ll have the gorgeous park all to yourself for at least an hour or two.

If you don’t want to rent a car, take a tour from Amsterdam. Book the earliest available tour to beat the crowds.

In addition to touring the park, you can drive around the tulip fields in the area or, if the weather isn’t too cold, rent a bike. The fields stretch for miles in perfect multicolored rows. Everything you’ve dreamed about Holland as the place for tulips and windmills comes true on a spring day under brilliant blue skies.

Mind you, both times I toured the area, the clouds were thick and gray but the colors of the tulips were still extraordinary. Every so often, a shaft of sunlight pierced the clouds to illuminate a sweep of tulips, and took my breath away.

If you don’t have your own wheels, book a tour to Keukenhof. You won’t want to miss this quintessentially Dutch experience if you’re in the Netherlands during tulip season.

Here’s a selection of tours featuring tulips:

TIP: If you want to take some Holland bulbs home to plant in your own garden, make sure to buy ones that are certified for export. Your best bet is to wait until you get to the airport and then buy a few boxes of the right varieties. You don’t want your bulbs confiscated at security.

I’ve often brought home bulbs from Schiphol and many months later have relived my love affair with the Netherlands when the bulbs emerge into tulips on my front deck.

Amsterdam also gets in on the act during tulip season. Enjoy floating flower markets of cut flowers and a massive tulip festival where what looks like a million flower bulbs (maybe more) burst into bloom all around the city.

Arnhem and Surrounding Areas

I first visited Arnhem when I was 18 on my first solo trip to Europe. My memories of the town are fond, thanks to a brief fling with a young man from Texas who took me to the marvelous Kröller-Müller Museum.

Arnhem is a picturesque town on the Rhine River close to the German border. Its pedestrian-free central area throngs with locals and restaurants and doesn’t feel at all touristy. Arnhem is quite close to the major site in this region, the Dutch National Park (the Hoge Veluwe National Park).

The park itself is magnificent—5,400 hectares of woodland, dunes and heathland in the Gelderland province. You can cycle for miles around the park, stopping to watch photographers that line the road, cameras at the ready, to catch glimpses of the herds of magnificently antlered deer. Four species call the park home: red deer, wild boar, mouflons, and roe deer.

Bike stations are located throughout the park and at the Otterlo, Schaarsbergen, and Hoenderloo entrances. You can borrow a white bicycle for free to explore the 40 kilometres of trails.

But the highlight of the park for art lovers is the Kröller-Müller Museum.

Arts and Culture in The Netherlands

From an arts perspective, the Netherlands has a tremendous amount to offer the visitor. Swoon in front of the Dutch Old Masters at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, then walk across the Museumplein to marvel at the world’s largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh at the Van Gogh Museum.

You’ll also find plenty of lesser-known artsy travel pleasures in the Netherlands—distinctive architecture, world-class classical music, and cutting-edge modern art.

Art Museums in Amsterdam

The two biggies in Amsterdam are, of course, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. Also worth visiting are the Hermitage, especially if a good special exhibition is on, and the Stedelijk if you enjoy contemporary art.

Rijksmuseum

As mentioned (and bears repeating!) a good strategy for your museum-going in Amsterdam is to visit the Rijksmuseum as early as you can on your first day. Purchase tickets online and get to the museum when it opens at 9 am.

We had the entire museum almost to ourselves when we wandered in about 9:15 during an April visit to Amsterdam. By the time we left at around noon, the line-up extended out into the rainy Museumplein. Satiated by great art and in cheery spirits after our leisurely stroll through near-empty galleries, we had to feel sorry for the sad-looking tourists huddled under dripping umbrellas. Don’t be one of those tourists!

The Rijksmuseum houses some of the greatest Dutch art in Europe, including numerous works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals, in the more than thirty galleries that feature art from the Dutch Golden Age.

A special room is devoted to displaying Rembrandt’s The Night Watch and is a great improvement from the first time I saw the painting back in 1970. Then, the painting was so dark and ill-lit that my 14-year-old self left unimpressed.

Now, the painting holds pride of place in a special gallery that most of the time teems with camera-snapping tourists. Remember – go early and contemplate Rembrandt’s masterpiece in blessed solitude.

Paintings from the Golden Age are just some of the attractions at the Rijksmuseum. I was hugely taken by the Medieval/Renaissance collection (1100 to 1600) displayed in beautifully lit and organized galleries. Since most visitors make a beeline for The Night Watch, you’ll find the medieval galleries comfortably empty. Enjoy numerous paintings, sculptures, objets d’art, furniture, and even tapestries.

As the premier museum in the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum has even more to offer, including special exhibitions which usually require an additional ticket so check ahead.

Van Gogh Museum

Again, pre-purchase your ticket to the Van Gogh Museum online a day or more before you plan to visit, preferably for an early time slot. The Van Gogh Museum is, quite simply, fabulous, which means that it’s also very crowded. The last time we went, we enjoyed a special exhibition of Japanese prints that inspired van Gogh.

At the Van Gogh Museum, you’ll see the world’s largest collection of van Gogh’s art, including such signature pieces as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, and a personal favorite, Wheatfield with Crows, one of his last paintings. Download the app provided by the museum. It’s a good one.

Kröller-Müller Museum

If you’re a fan of van Gogh and modern sculpture, then you must visit the Kröller-Müller Museum near the Dutch National Park in the province of Gelderland east of Amsterdam.

Trust me on this.

Take a day tour from Amsterdam or rent a car and explore the area for several days. When we visited the Kröller-Müller, we stayed at the Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant De Buunderkamp a few minutes’ drive from the park.

The museum is light, airy, and filled with famous works by van Gogh and many other painters from the same era. But the highlight of the Kröller-Müller Museum is the massive sculpture garden that beckons you out of doors almost as soon as you arrive.

We wandered for hours along serpentine paths that led us past dozens of amazing modern sculptures. Every turn brought to view a new delight. Quirky, idiosyncratic, eccentric, unpredictable—these are the words that describe the sculptures scattered around the vast grounds of the Kröller-Müller. Made of wood or stone or marble or plastic, some sculptures move, some are massive, some are even ugly, but all are well worth seeing.

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Practical Tips for Artsy & Independent Travel in the Netherlands

Although small, the Netherlands is densely populated and offers a great deal to see. We’ve been traveling there for years and still feel like we’ve only scratched the surface.

Communicating in Dutch

Thank goodness most people you’re likely to meet in the Netherlands, particularly people who work in the service industry, will speak English. But learn a few polite phrases to earn yourself some tolerant smiles.

• Goedenavond – Good evening
• Ja – Yes
• Nee – No
• Dank je – Thank you. Pronounced “dank-u”
• Alstublieft – Please: the magic word in any language
• Hallo – Hello
• Goedendag – Good day
• Ik spreek geen Nederlands – I don’t speak Dutch
• Spreekt u Engels? – Do you speak English?

Check for Events and Exhibitions

Before you travel to the Netherlands, check online for exhibitions and performances in the places you’ll visit.

Also look for local festivals and start a conversation with your server at dinner to ask about interesting local sights and events. The multilingualism of most people I’ve met in the Netherlands puts me to shame.

The Netherlands and the World

Did you know that the Netherlands is one of the world’s wealthiest countries? Although one of the smallest countries in Europe, the Netherlands has wielded major influence on Western culture for centuries. It’s a constitutional monarchy with a royal family headed by King Willem, and is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Despite its small size, the Netherlands (which literally means “lower countries”) is the world’s second largest exporter of food and agricultural products, surpassed only by the United States. There’s a lot of fertile soil and intensive agriculture practices in the Netherlands.

King’s Day in the Netherlands

TIP: If you are in the Netherlands on April 27, join the entire country and celebrate King’s Day (Koningsdag). We spent King’s Day in Amsterdam in 2018. Everyone wears orange and the celebrations last well into the night with the canals in Amsterdam so full of boats you can walk across them.

In the streets and canals around our accommodations at the Apollo Hotel, hundreds of people set up tables to sell their stuff (some might say junk): old records, half-used bottles of nail polish (really), toys and books, racks of second-hand clothes, you name it.

I have never seen so much old stuff in my life. It’s the world’s biggest flea market.

A lot of the goods on display looked like they’d been bundled up and put away at the end of the last King’s Day and then brought out again for another go.

Safety in Tthe Netherlands

In my experience, the Netherlands is a safe country in which to travel. I’ve never felt in danger, even when walking alone at night alongside deserted canals in residential areas of Amsterdam. But always be aware of your surroundings and stay alert. Also, avoid Amsterdam’s Red Light district after about 10 pm when the atmosphere gets very sleazy.

The famous Dutch tolerance makes for some eye-popping window and postcard displays in Amsterdam. But you don’t have to look! As well, you’ll smell plenty of pot wafting from the tiny coffee shops in central Amsterdam.

If you choose to go in, you’ll find a low-key atmosphere, friendly proprietors and an interesting selection of products.

Unfortunately, at night in central Amsterdam, you’re likely to run into gangs of loutish revelers who come to Amsterdam to partake of its more liberal offerings. Local citizens are getting fed up with the disruptions and recently Amsterdam decided to stop advertising their city as a tourist destination. This interesting article describes the problems and solutions.

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Where to Stay for an Arts-Focused Trip in the Netherlands

Often when we’ve visited Amsterdam, we’ve saved a few euros by staying several tram stops outside the inner rings of the principal canals such as Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht.

Now, we always stay in the historical center of the city (the Centrum). It’s worth the extra cost. If you have the budget, get a room overlooking one of the canals and watch the canal boats glide past.

I recommend the Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American (#4), a venerable old hotel with a gorgeous art deco restaurant, friendly staff, and comfy rooms. The location, about a ten-minute walk from the Rijksmuseum (#1) and overlooking the Singelgracht, can’t be beat.

Another great choice is Mokum Suites (#5) on a very picturesque stretch of the Herengracht and close to the lively Rembrandtplein.

In Amsterdam, you’ll pay at least €300 a night for a hotel and probably a lot more. You find lower-priced hostels and budget hotels near the train station but in my experience, you don’t pay all that much more for a really nice place in a great location. 

Here’s a map of Amsterdam showing options for accommodations. Prices vary considerably by season, with winter being the most reasonable and summer the most expensive.

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Eating Well in the Netherlands: Beer & Bitterballen

We’ve always eaten well in the Netherlands. Dutch cuisine is hearty and plain with lots of dairy products, particularly cheese. If you enjoy Gouda and Edam cheeses, you’ll be set.

Another specialty is thick Dutch pea soup. Called “snert”, it’s one of the signature dishes of the Netherlands, often eaten in winter but also welcome after a chilly day of sightseeing during the spring or autumn.

Rijsttafel

We ate our most memorable meal in the Netherlands in Eindhoven, a workaday town in the south. I think we might have been the only tourists for miles! We sampled our first rijsttafel (Dutch for “rice table”), a legacy of the Netherlands’ colonial ties with Indonesia.

Definitely make trying rijsttafel a part of your culinary agenda when you’re traveling in the Netherlands. You’ll enjoy up to forty small dishes;egg rolls, sambals, satay, fish, fruit, vegetables, pickles, nuts, and more, accompanied by rice. The variations of taste, texture, and heat make rijsttafel a true eating adventure.

Check online for Indonesian restaurants when you’re traveling in the Netherlands. You won’t be disappointed!

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Why the Netherlands Belongs on Every Artsy Traveler’s Itinerary

Here are several posts to help you plan your trip to the Netherlands:

• Two Terrific Small Museums In Amsterdam You Should Visit
• Best of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum: Guaranteed Thrills for the Artsy Traveler
• Exploring Amsterdam’s Anne Frank House and Begijnhof
• Best Two Days in Amsterdam
• An Amsterdam Canal Cruise: Should You Take One?
• The Hague’s Best Museums: Mauritshuis and Escher in the Palace