Wooden shoes, tulips, cheese and the famous redlight district in Amsterdam. Forget the Dutch clichés and tourist traps and remove those from your must-see bucket list in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a beautiful country and has much more to offer than crowded souvenir shops and cliché attractions. Nevertheless, there are some Dutch tourist traps you should definitely keep on your list. We’ll tell you which ones those are and what you should consider when visiting.
1 The art Museums of Amsterdam
While Amsterdam has its fair share of tourist traps that are best avoided—such as Madame Tussauds or the Tulip, Sex and Vodka Museums, unless you’re visiting on a stag or hen party—there are also several museums that are genuinely worth your time. Starting with the beautiful and light Van Gogh Museum, where you can admire the oeuvre of the Dutch impressionist painter Van Gogh. Downside is that it is very, very busy. If possible, avoid the peak times (go for a time slot early in the morning on a weekday) and make sure you’ll pre-book your ticket online to skip lines.
Close to the Van Gogh Museum, you’ll find the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum. Whereas in the Rijksmuseum you’ll find some of the most famous paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, in the Stedelijk Museum modern art lovers will get their money’s worth. The same goes here; both museums can get busy, and it is best to avoid peak times and book your ticket in advance. Make sure you’re not only focusing on the Dutch masters (a.k.a. Rembrandt) when visiting the Rijksmuseum, as you’ll find many hidden treasures while wandering through the giant building.
If you plan on visiting multiple museums, some discount options might be worth considering.
- Museumkaart: If you are a museum lover and you live in the Netherlands for a more extended period, you might consider the museumkaart for €75 a year. It allows you to visit most museums in the Netherlands for free. Given that a single entry is mostly around €25, you’ll already be better off if you visit three to four museums or more a year.
- I Amsterdam City card: If you are staying in Amsterdam for a couple of days and if you love to keep your days busy, the I amsterdam City card might be a convenient offer for you. For €94 for 48 hours you can visit all museums for free, use public transport and get discounts in numerous other places.
2The Efteling in Kaatsheuvel
As soon as you mention you are planning a visit to the Efteling to a Dutchie, most likely, a dreamy expression will appear on his or her face right after (s)he starts to hum the famous theme song and tell you about Holle Bolle Gijs. (Fun Fact, The central station in Amsterdam uses the Efteling theme song during the night to keep people from lingering in the station for too long. True story!) Every child in the Netherlands has at least once in their lives been to the Efteling. No wonder, as the park easily keeps up with other famous theme parks like Disneyland or Europa Park. The readers of themeparkinside.com even voted the Efteling the world’s best theme park in 2017.
Enough of the praise; what does the park actually have to offer? There are multiple attractions in the Efteling. The most famous one is Het Sprookjesbos (“The Fairytale Forest”), where you can admire fanciful installations about classic fairytales. The Fairytale Forest is not only for children and worth a visit but also allows people of every age to dream away and bring out that inner child again. But also adrenaline junkies get their money’s worth, as the Efteling offers multiple rollercoasters where you can scream your head off.
If possible, try to avoid the park during the school holidays, as this is the time when it’s most crowded. Naturally, weekends also tend to be busier than weekdays. If you’re in for the whole experience, it can also be nice to book an overnight stay. Adjust your visit accordingly. Last but not least, the park is international-friendly, as it provides all information in four languages — more than enough reasons to include De Efteling in our Top Five “tourist traps” to visit anyway.
3 The Anne Frank house in Amsterdam
If you have ever read the famous diary of Anne Frank, who was forced to hide from the German occupation, you will be impressed by a visit to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. The museum is located in the house where Anne Frank and her family went into hiding during the Second World War. With eight people, they hid in the top floors of the annexe of the main house behind a secret door hidden by a cupboard. While staying there, Anne Frank kept a diary which became famous after the war where Anne and her family died.
The Anne Frank house is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the Netherlands and does not offer room for many people. Make sure to reserve your ticket and time slot in advance. Nevertheless, it is worth the effort. It is a very authentic place and captures the claustrophobic atmosphere the family must have felt.
Tip: If you are planning a couple of touristy days in Amsterdam, consider the I amsterdam City card which allows you to visit all museums for free, use public transport and get discounts in numerous other places for a fixed price.
4 The Windmills of Kinderdijk
The Windmills of Kinderdijk are among the Netherlands’ most popular tourist attractions. While they certainly attract large crowds and could be considered a tourist trap, they’re also absolutely worth a visit. Let us tell you why. First of all, it is an open-air attraction, and the windmills are wildly distributed alongside a canal and allow the tourist masses to spread out over the whole area. Don’t let the high tourist concentration around the souvenir shops and the car park put you off.
Our top tip, therefore, is to explore Kinderdijk by bike. You can either rent a bike nearby or, if you’re up for a more active day, bring your own bike on the train to Rotterdam and cycle from there—the ride takes about an hour. Don’t confine your visit to Kinderdijk itself, as the surroundings have a lot to offer too. Hop on your bike, follow the dykes, and enjoy the beautiful views over the canals and lowlands.
If you are staying somewhere in or around Amsterdam, you might consider visiting the Zaanse Schans instead, as it might be closer. The area is smaller than Kinderdijk and can therefore feel more crowded, especially during peak times. With access to several mills, a bakery museum, the Albert Heijn Museum—the birthplace of the Netherlands’ most famous supermarket chain—the Verkade Experience, and traditional labourers’ cottages, the tourist-trap barometer does start edging dangerously towards the red. Since it’s an open-air attraction, however, you can set your own pace and, if needed, steer clear of the busiest spots.
5 Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum
The same goes for the Hoge Veluwe National Park. Since you will be outside in nature in a spacious park, you won’t get the crammed feeling of a tourist trap. Use the White Bikes for free, which are parked at the entrances to the park. With the bike, you can move freely throughout the park and explore everything on your own. The bikes work based on a rotation system; as soon as they are in the storage facility, everyone can grab them. The bikes cannot be booked in advance, and it is not allowed to lock them.
Consider the seasons if you visit the Hoge Veluwe National park. It is beautiful in autumn colours, but also spring, where everything starts to get green again, is a lovely time for a visit. Make sure to plan a whole day. That gives you enough time to visit the Kröller-Müller Museum in the heart of the park. The artworks in the museum used to be part of a private collection, which is why the museum includes artworks from very different periods and styles amongst the second-largest Van Gogh collection. According to the Kröller-Müller Museum, Friday is the quietest day, so it might be worthwhile to plan your trip accordingly.
Tip: If you visit four museums or more a year, you might want to consider a Museumjaarkaart for €75 a year.
To be honest, including Madurodam and Keukenhof in our list is a bit of a risk. But we think you should at least visit one or two real tourist traps. At Madurodam you can admire miniatures of all essential sights and buildings from the Netherlands. Especially with children, a day at Madurodam is a fun day out. The park is located close to the seaside resort Scheveningen, why not end your day with a chilled biertje at the seaside?
Keukenhof yearly opens its doors from March until May for flower enthusiasts. The park is, in the website’s own words, “the international and independent showcase for the Dutch floricultural sector, with a special emphasis on flower bulbs”. Without question, it is a beautiful park, where you can admire beautiful flower creations, especially on a nice and sunny spring day.
Make sure to avoid peak times, as Keukenhof tends to be severely overcrowded. According to the Keukenhof’s website, it is less busy before 10:30 and after 16:00 and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays. Plan your visit close to closing time, as it tends to be less busy, or try to find out what days are the least crowded.
Have a good time exploring Holland, and let us know if you have a golden tip we’ve not listed yet.
