Amsterdam is a city you’ll happily sightsee for days on end, but the Netherlands is small, the trains are excellent, and there’s a lot to see beyond the canals. Within an hour or two, you can be in a medieval university town, a working windmill village, on a North Sea beach, or in a car-free village you explore by boat. Here are nine of our favourite day trips, each within easy reach of Park Plaza.
Quintessential Dutch Countryside, Windmills & Cheese
Zaanse Schans
Just 20 minutes from Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans is one of those places that looks exactly like the postcards. Its working windmills, wooden clog workshops, and cheese tastings of fresh Gouda and Edam make it feel like a dream. Spend an afternoon there, and you will understand why the Dutch landscape has been painted for centuries. And if you want to take the postcard feeling home with you, book a local photographer for a short shoot on site: they know the best spots, and you’ll leave with proper photos instead of just phone snaps.
Marken
Marken used to be an island until a causeway connected it to the mainland in 1957, but it still feels a bit like one. The village is small and walkable in an afternoon, with rows of green wooden houses on stilts, a working harbour, and a fishing village feel that hasn’t been polished away.
Giethoorn
Giethoorn is a village with no roads through the centre. “But how do you get around then?” you might ask. The answer: by boat. And you can rent one yourself. They are called “whisper boats” because of their no-noise electric motors. Simply drift past the thatched farmhouses and little wooden bridges and enjoy yourself. Tip: go early or late in the day to skip the busiest hours and make sure you reserve your whisper boat a few days in advance.
Historic Cities & Culture
Haarlem
Haarlem is 20 minutes away by direct train and feels like a calmer, smaller version of Amsterdam. The Grote Markt is a beautiful old square with the huge Sint-Bavokerk church at one end, and the Frans Hals Museum is well worth a couple of hours if you like the Dutch Old Masters. The city is great for shopping too.
Delft
Delft is small, walkable, and rich in character. It may feel strangely familiar, like a scene from a Vermeer painting, and that’s because it is. The artist lived and worked here, and many of the canals and church towers he painted still stand today. Delft is also known for its signature blue-and-white Delftware, handcrafted to this day at Royal Delft.
Utrecht
Utrecht has something you won’t find anywhere else: split-level canals, with cafés and old warehouses sitting at water level below the streets above. Climb the Dom Tower (the tallest church tower in the country) for the views, then grab a drink on one of those lower-level terraces. It’s a lively student city with a great food and bar scene.
Leiden
Leiden is a lovely, walkable city with a charm that will leave a lasting impression on you. It’s home to the oldest university in the Netherlands (founded in 1575) and the Hortus Botanicus, one of the world’s oldest botanical gardens, and also where the first European tulips were grown.
Coastal & Nature
Zandvoort
If you fancy a beach day, Zandvoort is the easy answer. After a short 30-minute ride on a direct train from Amsterdam, you’ll find yourself on a wide stretch of North Sea sand. In summer, it’s all about the beach bars and terraces. For the rest of the year, the dunes behind the beach are great for walks through one of the country’s biggest nature reserves.
Texel
Texel, the largest of the Wadden Sea islands, feels like a true escape. Its UNESCO-protected landscapes stretch from wide, windswept beaches to open fields dotted with sheep, creating a sense of calm almost instantly. With sea air, endless skies, and quiet island villages, it’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down without even trying.
Before you go
Getting there
The Dutch train network (NS) connects Amsterdam Centraal to almost everywhere on this list, either directly or with one easy change. Grab an OV-chipkaart or a day pass as it covers trains, buses, and the Texel ferry.
From Park Plaza
Park Plaza Amsterdam Victoria stands directly opposite Amsterdam Centraal. Every journey on this list starts by simply crossing the square. Our concierge can advise on tickets, timings, and seasonal recommendations.
