What are the Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands? The Most Underrated Cities in the Netherlands? What is unique in The Netherlands?

Discover your Ultimate Netherlands Bucket List of the 13 Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands, the Best Hidden Gem Attractions in The Netherlands You Must See. 

From Westkapelle to Uitdam, the 13 Coolest and Most Unusual Places to Visit in The Netherlands, the 13 Hidden Gems & Secret Spots in The Netherlands You'll Love are waiting for you. 

Book your flights, your accommodation in The Netherlands as well as your Tours and Activities in The Netherlands and visit Hidden and Magical Places in The Netherlands.

Need more inspiration? Discover the Most Scenic Places to Visit in The Netherlands, The Most Dramatic Castles in The Netherlands, the Best Sandy Beaches in The Netherlands as well as the Most Magical Christmas Markets in The Netherlands.

Uitdam

Waterland

This small village of 150 inhabitants is located just 20 minutes by car (50 minutes by public transport) from the historic centre of Amsterdam.

With its pretty colourful wooden houses, endless expanses of nature and its unique geographical location, Uitdam is one of the Best Hidden Gems and Magical Places in The Netherlands.

On this isthmus (long strip of land surrounded by water) you can make beautiful walks, on foot or by bike (there is a secure cycle path) and enjoy this 100% natural landscape.

During your stay in the Netherlands do not miss to visit Marken and its lighthouse as well as Volendam, both ranked among the Best Hidden Gems in The Netherlands and located only 10 minutes by car (1 hour by bike).

Disconnect from work, social networks and reconnect with nature in one of the Coolest and Most Unusual Places to Visit in The Netherlands.

Book your flights to Amsterdam as well as your accommodation in Amsterdam or Uitdam and your tours and activities in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam. Uitdam is located just 20 minutes by car from the city centre (50 minutes by public transport or by bicycle).

 Where to stay: "Hotel Pension de Harmonie" is a family hotel located in Edam (like cheese), 10km by bike

Veluwezoom National Park

Rheden

By bike, on foot, on horseback, it's up to you to decide how you want to discover the oldest and most beautiful national park in the Netherlands.

This haven of peace is one of the 13 Hidden Gems & Secret Spots in The Netherlands You'll Love. The fauna and flora will take away all your worries.

Watch carefully and you will see wild boars and deer roaming freely. How rejuvenating! The purple heather and mist form an incredible backdrop for unforgettable walks.

The park is a 2-hour drive from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport or Rotterdam-The Hague Airport.

Our advice: leave early in the morning to enjoy the first rays of the sun and the spectacle of the fog rising on this landscape. The best time to see the heather in bloom is ... all year long as this beautiful plant has several successive blooms. 

Book your flights, accommodation and activities and tours in the Netherlands, such as a 3-Hour guided tour of Historical Amsterdam and discover Unusual Places to Visit in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam-Schiphol or Rotterdam-The Hague and drive to Rheden (2 hours by car).

 Where to stay: "Buitenplaats Beekhuizen" set in the middle of the National Park Veluwezoom.

Bourtange

Groningen

This fortified village is one of the Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands. Located in the northeast of the Netherlands, this village forms a border with neighbouring Germany.

Bourtange owes its fortifications to the Eighty Years' War, also known as the "Netherlands Revolt" against the Spanish monarchy.

Bourtange and the large neighbouring town of Groningen had at the start of this revolt, chosen the Spanish camp which was not easy to assume and had required important fortifications in order to resist the popular revolt which would end 80 years later with the recognition of the independence of the provinces extending from the Netherlands to Belgium.

It is a piece of history that you will discover when visiting Bourtange, one of the Most Underrated Cities in The Netherlands.

This small village experienced various misadventures until 1960. The local authorities decided to rebuild the village as it was originally and had the ditches filled in and the ramparts and fortifications dug. Bourtange is now home to museums, cultural and historical events and reconstructions.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam (2 hours by car) or Groningen (50 min).

 Where to stay: "Vlagtwedderstraat 89" is set in Bourtange.

Giethoorn

Overijssel

Located 1h30 from Amsterdam by car (2h by train) Giethoorn is one of the Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands.

This pretty little town is so romantic with its thatched roofs, canals and flower gardens.

The canals were dug by men to extract peat. The name "Giethoorn" comes from the Dutch "Geitenhoorns" and refers to the goats’ horn which were found in the fields.

If you come by train from Amsterdam Central Station, take the first train to Amersfoort and a second train to Steenwijk (then take bus number 70). It is longer than a car drive but more ecological.

You can also book online your tours in the Netherlands, such as a "From Amsterdam: Day trip to Giethoorn by bus and boat" to discover one of the Best Hidden & Magical Places in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to  Amsterdam and book your day trip to Giethoorn by bus and boat. 

 Where to stay: "Bed & Breakfast Giethoorn" features river views. 

Westkapelle

Zeeland

Westkapelle is one of the most beautiful and the Most Incredible Secret Spots in The Netherlands.

Located on what was then an island, the island of Walcheren, it is now connected to the rest of the Netherlands by various bridges.

Located in the South West of the Netherlands, this island has experienced floods, bombings, and paid a high price for the war as more than 130 of its inhabitants perished and many had to evacuate Westkapelle.

This community apart from the rest of the Netherlands has often been closed on itself. In fact, many Westkapelle residents bear the same family name and almost all bear the same firstname.

Today more open to the rest of the world thanks to tourism, Westkapelle is a perfect destination for nature lovers and one of the 13 Gorgeous Hidden Gems in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Rotterdam-The Hague airport and join Westkapelle (1h30 by car, 3h by public transport). 

 Where to stay: The "Hotel Kaap West" is one of our top picks in Westkapelle.

Lake Ijsselmeer

Central Netherlands

Surrounded by towns and villages such as Uitdam, Volendam or even the famous village of Edam (like the Edam cheese), Lake Ijsselmeer is a must-see place for nature lovers and one of the Unique Places You Must Visit in The Netherlands.

Only 50 minutes by bike from central Amsterdam, this lake and the towns and villages that surround it are a perfect place to reconnect with nature, one of the Secret Spots in The Netherlands You'll Love.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam (10 min by car, 50 min by bike).

 Where to stay:  "Ijsselmeer Lake Houses". Guests loved the amazing garden 

Stochemhoeve Park

Leiden

It's not as popular as the Keukenhof tulips, but Stochemhoeve's wild garlic fields (Allium Ursinum) are a free natural spectacle of rare beauty and one of the 13 Incredible Hidden Gems in The Netherlands You Must See.

Leiden itself is a beautiful destination ranked among the most beautiful destinations to visit in the Netherlands.

Put it on top of your to do list if you want to discover another image of the Netherlands and leave the big cities. Just 10 minutes from The Hague, Leiden is a perfect destination for a short break. To witness the flowering of Stochemhoeve's wild garlic, come in May and discover one of the Most Underrated Cities in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport and get to Leiden by car (20 min) or by public transport (1h).

 Where to stay: The "Boutique Hotel Seenhof Suites". Guests love their spacious room, friendly staff and its excellent location.

Delft

The city of blue and white faience is one of the Best Hidden Gems in the Netherlands. Just 20 minutes from Rotterdam-The Hague Airport, Delft is a relaxed, romantic, peaceful city.

Not to be missed is a visit to the Royal Delft, a museum dedicated to the famous Delft faience.

Book your flights to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport as well as your accommodation at the best price and come to discover one of the Best Kept Secret Destinations in the Netherlands. 

 How to get there: Book your flights to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport (20 minutes by car, 30 minutes by public transport). 

 Where to stay: "Casa Julia" is one of the top rated accommodations for travellers to Delft.

Volendam

Edam-Volendam

Just 30 minutes by car or train from the centre of Amsterdam, Volendam is one of the Hidden Gems of the Netherlands.

This pretty authentic village will enchant you with its wooden houses painted in green not to mention its canals and picturesque mills.

The easiest way to reach Volendam, one of the Most Underrated Places in The Netherlands, is to book your flights to Amsterdam Airport as well as your hotel or apartment at the best price and to treat yourself to an afternoon of discovery at this secret destination.

Book your tours and activities in the Netherlands, such as the "Marken, Volendam and Edam full-day tour from Amsterdam." 

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam as well as your day tour to Volendam. 

 Where to stay: If you want to stay in Volendam, book the "Hotel Cafe Restaurant Van Den Hogen", a nice little hotel with only 4 rooms with beautiful sea views.

Ameland Island

Frisian Islands

Ameland is one of the wildest islands in the Netherlands and one of the Hidden & Magical Places in The Netherlands.

Here sheep roam freely and on the beaches of the North Sea you can watch seals playing endlessly.

The simplest way to reach the island is to book your flights to Amsterdam, drive to the port of Holwerd and take the ferry to Ameland.

If you want to travel by public transport, take the train to Leeuwarden. Once in Leeuwarden board an intercity train with terminus to Holwerd from where you will take the ferry.

In high season the ferry leaves every hour and in low season every two hours. So come on, leave the city and stress behind you and book your stay in Ameland at the best price.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam and get to Ameland (3 hours by car, ferry crossing included).

 Where to stay: "Hotel Restaurant Molenzicht" is just a 5-minute walk from the beach.

Fort Island Pampus

Ijmeer

This artificial island, one of the Coolest and Most Unusual Places to Visit in The Netherlands, was built in the 19th century to protect Amsterdam from enemy attacks.

The fort built on this island has managed to dissuade the attackers for many years. It was however closed too early in 1933 before the rise of Nazism in Germany.

During their occupation of the Netherlands the Nazis used this island as an anti-aircraft base.

The fort then fell into ruin before being renovated in the 1990s by a heritage protection association. The island is open to the public from April 1st to November 1st (closed on Mondays). 

Book your flights to Amsterdam and take the bus or car to the port of Muiden. After 20 minutes by ferry you will arrive at one of the Most Secret Destinations of the Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam and reach Muiden by car (30 min) or bus (45min). Board a ferry to Fort Island Pampus (20 min).

 Where to stay: The "NH Collection Amsterdam Doelen" in the heart of Amsterdam awarded for the beauty of its suites.

Zaanse Schans

Zaanstad

Zaanse Schans is certainly the Most Beautiful Secret Spot in The Netherlands.

Located 20 minutes from the historic centre of Amsterdam you can reach this village from the station Sloterdijk Amsterdam.

Walk, take a boat or go by bike in this little corner of paradise. A perfect destination for a getaway out of town.

Book your flights to Amsterdam as well as your accommodation at the best price and your tours in Amsterdam, such as the "Half Day Tour of Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam" to discover Hidden Gems & Magical Places in The Netherlands.

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam and reach Zaanse Schans by train or car (20 min). 

 Where to stay: "Zaanhof Luxurious Amsterdam Zaanse Schans Loft Apartment".

It offers an outdoor fitness and a hot tub.

Marken's Lighthouse

Marken 

The lighthouse on the Marken peninsula is one of the symbols of Marken, one of the Best Hidden Gems in The Netherlands.

Marken is a peninsula just a 30-minute drive (40 min by train) from the centre of Amsterdam.

As you walk along, you will see many wooden houses painted in light and dark green. These charming fishermen's houses are typical of this region of the Netherlands. 

Book your flights to Amsterdam, your accommodation at the best price and your tours in Amsterdam, such as a "Marken, Volendam and Edam full-day tour from Amsterdam".  

 How to get there: Book your flights to Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport and join Marken (30 minutes by car, 40 minutes by train). 

 Where to stay: "Hof van Marken" for its rooms with views on the port.