Top 10 Day Trips from Amsterdam

Last updated: October 2026

Amsterdam is the gateway to the rest of the Netherlands, and the best day trips from Amsterdam are some of the easiest escapes in Europe, as the official Holland tourism board shows. The country is small and its train network is fast and frequent, so within an hour you can be looking at windmills, wandering the canals of a quieter Dutch town, exploring a modern city or walking among millions of tulips in spring.

If you are still planning the city itself, start with our guide to the best places to visit in Amsterdam. This guide covers the 10 best day trips from Amsterdam, each with a practical box covering how to get there, how long to spend, the best time to go and one tip. After the list, you’ll find help choosing, suggested plans, tours versus going independently, getting around, where to stay and budget guidance.

Quick answer: What are the best day trips from Amsterdam? The 10 best are Zaanse Schans, Haarlem, Utrecht, Giethoorn, Volendam and Marken, Edam, Delft, The Hague, Rotterdam and Keukenhof. Haarlem is the best all-round choice at under 20 minutes by train, Zaanse Schans is best for windmills, and Keukenhof is the pick for tulips in spring.

Quick comparison: day trips from Amsterdam at a glance

Times are approximate. Check the NS (Dutch Railways) app or website on the day.

1. Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is the classic image of the Netherlands: a row of historic wooden windmills along the River Zaan, surrounded by green wooden houses. The Zaan region was once one of the world’s first industrial areas, with hundreds of windmills grinding spices, sawing timber and producing paint and oil.

Today, Zaanse Schans is an open-air neighbourhood where some of those windmills still work. You can go inside several of them to see how they operate, and visit workshops demonstrating clog making and cheese making. The Zaans Museum explains the area’s industrial history.

It’s very popular with tour groups, so arrive early or late to enjoy it at its best. Entry to the area itself is free, but the windmills and museum charge admission.

• Getting there: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandijk Zaanse Schans take under 30 minutes, followed by a short walk. Buses also run from Centraal.
• Time needed: Half a day.
• Best time to go: Early morning or late afternoon.
• Insider tip: Climb up to the platform of a working windmill to watch the sails turn up close.

2. Haarlem

Haarlem is often described as a smaller, calmer version of Amsterdam, and it’s one of the quickest day trips you can take. Its compact centre has canals, cobbled streets, hidden courtyard gardens (hofjes) and a lively main square, the Grote Markt, dominated by the Gothic St Bavo’s Church.

The Frans Hals Museum has a superb collection of Dutch Golden Age portraits, and the Teylers Museum, the oldest museum in the Netherlands, is a wonderful mix of art, science and fossils in its original 18th-century setting. The Corrie ten Boom House tells the story of a family who hid Jewish people during the Second World War.

Haarlem has a strong food and café scene, and in summer you can continue to the beach at Zandvoort, which is just a short train ride away.

• Getting there: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal take under 20 minutes.
• Time needed: Half a day to a full day.
• Best time to go: Saturday, when there’s a market on the Grote Markt.
• Insider tip: Look for the hofjes, small almshouse courtyards, many of which welcome quiet visitors during the day.

3. Utrecht

Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and has a lively student population. Its canals are unusual because they have two levels: old wharf cellars at water level have been turned into cafés and restaurants with terraces right by the water.

The Dom Tower is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands, and climbing it on a guided tour gives views across the city and, on clear days, much of the country. The Centraal Museum, the Railway Museum and the Rietveld Schröder House, a UNESCO-listed modernist home, are other highlights.

Utrecht feels less touristy than Amsterdam, and it’s a good place to experience everyday Dutch city life.

• Getting there: Frequent trains from Amsterdam Centraal take around 30 minutes.
• Time needed: A full day.
• Best time to go: Afternoon into evening, when the canal-side terraces are busiest.
• Insider tip: Book the Dom Tower climb in advance; visits are by guided tour only.

4. Giethoorn

Giethoorn is a village in the province of Overijssel with canals instead of streets. Its thatched farmhouses sit on little islands connected by wooden footbridges, and the main way to get around the old village is by boat or along footpaths.

You can rent a whisper boat (a quiet electric boat) and steer yourself along the canals, or take a guided canal tour. Around the village, the Weerribben-Wieden National Park has lakes and reed beds that are good for kayaking and cycling.

Giethoorn is extremely popular, especially with tour groups, and its narrow canals can get busy. It’s also the furthest trip in this guide, so it makes a long day.

• Getting there: Train to Steenwijk (around 1.5 hours), then a local bus; around two hours in total. Many tours run from Amsterdam.
• Time needed: A full day.
• Best time to go: Weekdays outside summer, arriving early.
• Insider tip: Rent a boat away from the busiest part of the village for a quieter experience.

5. Volendam and Marken

Volendam and Marken are traditional fishing villages on the shores of the Markermeer, once part of the Zuiderzee sea before it was dammed. They’re popular with tour groups for their wooden houses, harbours and Dutch traditions.

Volendam has a busy harbour lined with fish stalls and shops, and you can have your photo taken in traditional Dutch costume. Try smoked eel or kibbeling, fried pieces of fish. Marken, once an island and now connected by a causeway, is quieter, with green wooden houses on mounds and a small museum.

A ferry links Volendam and Marken in season, making it easy to visit both.

• Getting there: Buses from Amsterdam Centraal (behind the station) take around 30 minutes.
• Time needed: Half a day for both villages.
• Best time to go: Morning, before tour coaches arrive.
• Insider tip: Take the ferry between the two villages in one direction and the bus in the other.

6. Edam

Edam gave its name to one of the world’s best-known cheeses, but the town itself is a quiet, charming place with canals, drawbridges and historic houses. It’s much less busy than Volendam, which is only a short bus or bike ride away.

The historic cheese weighing house dates from the 18th century, and in summer a traditional cheese market is held on certain days, with porters carrying cheeses on wooden barrows. The Edams Museum is in one of the oldest brick houses in town.

Edam combines easily with Volendam and Marken as part of a “waterland” day.

• Getting there: Buses from Amsterdam Centraal take around 30 minutes.
• Time needed: Two to three hours.
• Best time to go: Check the summer cheese market days if you want to see it.
• Insider tip: Hire a bike to ride between Edam and Volendam along the dyke.

7. Delft

Delft is a small, beautiful city known around the world for its blue and white pottery, Delftware. It’s also the home of Johannes Vermeer, the painter of “Girl with a Pearl Earring”.

The market square is framed by the City Hall and the Nieuwe Kerk, where members of the Dutch royal family are buried. Climb the church tower for views across the city. At Royal Delft, which dates back to the 17th century and is often described as the last of the original Delftware factories still working, you can see Delftware being painted by hand. The Vermeer Centre explores the painter’s life and work.

Delft’s canals are quieter than Amsterdam’s, and it’s easy to combine with The Hague, which is very close.

• Getting there: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal take around an hour.
• Time needed: Half a day to a full day.
• Best time to go: Thursday, when the market fills the square.
• Insider tip: Combine with The Hague; the two cities are only a few minutes apart by train or tram.

8. The Hague

The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and home to the International Court of Justice. It has a calmer, more stately feel than Amsterdam, with grand buildings, museums and a beach.

The Mauritshuis is the highlight for art lovers, home to Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” and many other Dutch masterpieces. The Binnenhof, the historic parliament complex beside a pond, is one of the oldest parliament buildings still in use, though it has been undergoing major renovation. Escher in the Palace displays the mind-bending art of M.C. Escher.

Scheveningen, The Hague’s seaside district, has a long sandy beach, a pier and fish restaurants, and it’s a short tram ride from the centre.

• Getting there: Trains from Amsterdam Centraal to Den Haag Centraal take under an hour.
• Time needed: A full day.
• Best time to go: Weekdays for museums, summer afternoons for the beach.
• Insider tip: Book Mauritshuis tickets online for a set time.

9. Rotterdam

Rotterdam is completely different from Amsterdam. Its historic centre was largely destroyed during the Second World War, and it was rebuilt as a showcase of bold modern architecture. Today it’s one of Europe’s most exciting cities for design.

Highlights include the Markthal, a huge arched market hall with a giant artwork on its ceiling, the tilted yellow Cube Houses, and the Erasmus Bridge across the River Maas. The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is a mirrored building where you can see a museum collection’s storage up close. For views, go up the Euromast tower, or take a harbour boat tour through one of Europe’s largest ports.

Rotterdam is also great for food, with the Markthal and the Fenix Food Factory among the best places to graze.

• Getting there: Direct trains from Amsterdam Centraal take around 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the service.
• Time needed: A full day.
• Best time to go: Start at the Markthal around lunchtime.
• Insider tip: A water taxi is a fast and fun way to cross the river.

10. Keukenhof

Keukenhof is one of the world’s largest flower gardens, planted with millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. It’s only open for a few weeks each spring, generally from around mid-March to mid-May, and it’s one of the most popular day trips in the Netherlands during that time.

The gardens are designed with themed displays, pavilions and a historic windmill. Around Keukenhof, the bulb fields of the surrounding countryside create stripes of colour, and many people rent bikes to cycle through them.

If you’re visiting outside spring, consider Kinderdijk instead. Its 19 historic windmills, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are one of the most beautiful sights in the country and make a great day trip combined with Rotterdam.

• Getting there: Special buses run to Keukenhof during the season from Schiphol Airport, Leiden and other hubs.
• Time needed: Half a day to a full day.
• Best time to go: Weekday mornings. Peak bloom is usually mid to late April, depending on the weather.
• Insider tip: Buy timed tickets online in advance, often bundled with transport.

How to pick the right day trip

• For windmills: Zaanse Schans or Kinderdijk.
• For canals and old towns: Haarlem, Utrecht, Delft, Edam or Giethoorn.
• For art and museums: The Hague and Haarlem.
• For modern architecture: Rotterdam.
• For tulips: Keukenhof in spring.
• For a short half-day: Haarlem, Zaanse Schans or Edam.

Suggested plans for 1, 2 or 3 days

One day: Zaanse Schans in the morning, then Haarlem for the afternoon and evening.

Two days: Add Delft and The Hague on day two, as they’re very close together.

Three days: Add Rotterdam, or Volendam, Marken and Edam for a day in the waterland villages. In spring, swap one day for Keukenhof.

Tours versus going independently

The Dutch rail network is fast and reliable, so most of these trips are easy to do independently. Tours are useful for Giethoorn, which takes longer to reach, and for combining Zaanse Schans, Volendam, Marken and Edam in one day. In spring, combined transport and entry tickets make Keukenhof straightforward without a tour.

Getting around

• Trains: NS runs frequent trains across the country. Use the NS app for times and tickets.
• Contactless payment: You can tap in and out with a contactless bank card or phone on trains and most public transport. Remember to check out at the end of your journey.
• Buses: Buses to Volendam, Marken, Edam and Keukenhof are run by regional operators.
• Bikes: Renting a bike is a great way to explore the countryside around Edam, Keukenhof and Giethoorn.

For up-to-date timetables and visitor information, check the official sources: NS (Dutch Railways) and Keukenhof.

Where to stay for easy day trips

Staying near Amsterdam Centraal makes it easy to catch trains and buses, which leave from the station. The Canal Belt and Jordaan are attractive and walkable to Centraal. Amsterdam Zuid has good connections to Schiphol, Rotterdam and The Hague, and is often quieter.

Budget guidance

• Shoestring: Travel by train or bus with contactless payment, choose free sights such as canal walks, markets and the Zaanse Schans area, and buy lunch from bakeries and markets.
• Mid-range: Add museum entry, a windmill visit or a canal tour, and have lunch in a café.
• Comfortable: Book guided tours to Giethoorn or the waterland villages, add private boat hire, and visit several museums.

Discover More Day Trips and Destinations

Day trips are a great way to see more of a country. For more ideas, read our guide to the best day trips from Lisbon for another city-based escape list, our guide to day trips from Edinburgh for castles and landscapes, or our roundup of the best places to see in Europe to plan your next trip.

Featured image: Photo by Adrien Olichon on Unsplash