Netherlands of Tulips and Mills

I had met a Dutch girl in France, she was from a small, secluded village, and she had told me that in springtime, in her town, the fields became so colourful that they looked as if they had been drawn by hand. Since then, the image of those ‘too perfect to be true’ tulips has stayed in my head and I always thought that sooner or later I would have to see them in person. I have been to Netherlands several times, but never in spring.

So this year, with the Easter holiday in mind, we decided to go on an on-the-road trip to the Netherlands, in search of its most iconic symbols: tulips, windmills and canals. A round trip through landscapes that look like something out of a postcard but which, in person, are even more surprising.

Itinerary in a nutshell

Our trip lasted nine days, driving about 450 km, taking a loop route through the heart of Netherlands.

We slept in Utrecht, Rotterdam, Noordwijk and Amsterdam, strolling through meandering canals, super-modern architecture and the lively atmosphere of the coming warm season.

We stopped at Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans to admire the classic Dutch mills, strolled through the flower-filled fields of Noordwijk, and among the colourful expanses of Keukenhof.
We added stops at quaint little towns like Haarlem and Edam, and allowed ourselves to celebrate the huge King’s Day in Amsterdam with the Dutch – an unforgettable experience!

If you want to find out how we organised the stages, read on: below is the itinerary day by day.

Day 1: Arrival and Utrecht

We land, collect the car and head straight for Utrecht. We arrive in the early afternoon, so as usual we throw our bags in the hotel and catch a bus on the fly! We arrive at the station and from there we walk through the streets of the centre, an intricate tangle of characteristic canals and pointed roofs. The streets are full of festive people and there is music everywhere. We wander around aimlessly, get some information at the tourist centre and book some activities for the next day. Then it’s time for an aperitif!

After dinner, we are ready to discover something unusual: the Trajectum Lumen, a nocturnal path of light and art through the old city. You only need a paper map (you can find it at the Tourist Office in Piazza Duomo) or the official app to follow the light installations that transform buildings and alleys into open-air works of art. An original way to get to know the city. Find the official map at https://www.discover-utrecht.com/route/88806/utrecht-lumen-walk

Day 2: De Haar and Utrecht

Up early and off we go, I promised Paolino a relaxing holiday but a few stops deserve the right amount of time!

Just over ten kilometres northwest of Utrecht is the village of Haarzuilens. The main attraction is the neo-Gothic medieval castle De Haar. Like any self-respecting medieval fortress, it is protected by a large moat and embellished with towers, drawbridges, bastions and a beautiful historical park. Its origin dates back to the 13th century, when it belonged to the Van De Haar family, which left its name.

Tips for Trips: During the month of September, the castle is not accessible to visitors: at this time, the Van Zuylen van Nijevelt family, the last owners, stay there and organise private receptions with distinguished guests.

After lunch, we return to Utrecht and explore its historic centre. St. Martin’s Cathedral is one of the most important examples of Gothic in the Netherlands. Founded as a Catholic church in the 13th century, it was converted to Protestant worship in the 16th century. In 1674, a violent hurricane caused the nave to collapse and it was never rebuilt: today, a tree-lined square opens in its place. Of the old building, the choir, transept and bell tower remain.

The tower, the Domtoren, was an integral part of the cathedral but today is detached from the main body. At 112 metres, it is still the highest in the Netherlands and offers a spectacular view on a clear day, even as far as Rotterdam and Amsterdam, thanks to the flat shape of the Netherlands. We clearly climbed all 495 steps that took us, one piece at a time, to the top. On the way up, we made several stops during which the guide shared historical details and trivia about the tower.

Tips for Trips: The Domtoren is only accessible via guided tours. Tickets can be booked via the official website domtoren.nl or directly at the Tourist Office located at Domplein 9, right at the foot of the tower.

Between the Domkerk and the Academiegebouw of the University lies the Pandhof van de Dom, a medieval cloister built between 1390 and 1440. The garden was restored in the 19th century. In the centre is a fountain with a statue of Hugo Wstinc, a 14th century canon, intent on writing. The cloister is surrounded by a 15th century Gothic arcade with fascinating architectural details. Admission is free of charge and you enter through a neo-Gothic gate on Domplein.

Behind the tower, on the other hand, a small alley leads to Flora’s Hof, a tiny public garden, little known to tourists, with a few benches, a few trees, flowers and a quiet, cosy atmosphere. The space is surrounded by old brick buildings, with picturesque views of the cathedral tower towering above it all. We are thrilled!

We wander around the city centre, a tangle of canals, bridges and narrow streets that invite you to take a leisurely stroll. The most iconic canal is the Oudegracht – the Old Canal – which crosses the city from north to south for more than two kilometres. It is so characteristic that it has been listed as a UNESCO heritage site. One of its special features are the old cellars along the banks, which have now been converted into bars, cafés and restaurants with tables by the water.

Day 3: Kinderdijk and Rotterdam

After a quick breakfast we leave the city and drive south. In less than an hour we arrive in Kinderdijk, one of the most anticipated stops on this trip.

Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of 19 historic mills distributed along a network of canals. Here, everything is flat and uncluttered, the air smells of wet grass, and your gaze is lost between water, sky and blades that are occasionally activated, more for tourists than for use, but the effect is delightful! It is the kind of place that invites you to slow down.

At the entrance there is a medium-sized car park, for a fee, and we leave the car there (in the other areas it is full of signs indicating that the car parks are residents ONLY, so we don’t seem to have much choice). At the entrance is the information centre with the ticket office, where you can decide whether and what ticket to buy. The walking tour is free and no ticket is needed to walk along the canals. If, on the other hand, you want to visit the inside of the two museum mills, you can buy a ticket at the entrance. Another option is the combined ticket, which also includes a mini-cruise along the canals, with the possibility of getting on and off freely. We preferred to walk: the distances are absolutely doable and the path is flat.

We have lunch in the village and enjoy the warmth of the central sun for a while. We hit the road and after a good hour’s drive, we arrive in Rotterdam in the late afternoon. We leave our luggage at the hotel just long enough for a quick shower and then head straight down to the centre, curious to see the most modern part of the city. The idea is to see the Market Hall but as soon as we arrive, we immediately come across the famous Cubic Houses: impossible not to stop. We look at them from every angle, trying to figure out how they stand. Some of them can be visited from the inside, and we sneak in. It must be very strange to live in houses like that, but what a beauty! We also squeeze into the central passage to see them from every angle, no photo will do justice to these peculiar houses. The contrast with what we saw on the day is total.

Only after this somewhat surreal tour do we make our way to the Market Hall, a short walk away. The structure is impressive and very scenic, especially inside, with its ornate ceiling and illuminated stalls. We wander around among the colours and scents and stop for a relaxed aperitif. It is a nice way to end the day: modern, lively, different from everything else on the trip so far.

Day 4: Rotterdam and Noordwick

We spend the day discovering Rotterdam, mixing history, architecture and a bit of vertigo. We start at the Church of St Lawrence, one of the few historical remains standing after the bombings of World War II. The exterior is imposing, Gothic, with a façade that seems out of context in hypermodern Rotterdam. We enter and find ourselves in a simple but very atmospheric interior, with massive columns and a few stained glass windows. We decide to climb the tower: the steps are many and in the last stretch they become a steep iron staircase that is almost suspended, but the view from up there pays off (Paul gives me my first warning of the day and it is only 10 o’clock).

A few steps and we reach Rotterdam’s City Hall, a building that miraculously survived the bombings and today retains its early 20th century charm. The façade is elegant and well-kept, but the real surprise is the small inner courtyard with a quiet and tidy garden. Admission is free and worth the visit, if only to appreciate the contrast between the old and the new in the city.

From there we walk to the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, the mirrored building that seems to have landed from another planet. Although we don’t have time to go inside, we enjoy its reflective architecture from the outside: it’s like watching an urban collage in real time. We regret not being able to go up to the roof (ticket required), but even just walking around it is an experience.

Before lunch we admire the imposing Erasmusbrug, the city’s landmark bridge. They call it ‘the swan’ and up close we quickly understand why: it is elegant and sleek, and offers one of the best views of Rotterdam. The walk over the bridge, even with a bit of wind, is very pleasant.

For lunch we move toHet Park, an English-style city park where we stop for lunch.

We end the city tour with a bit of adrenaline: we climb the Euromast, the panoramic tower overlooking Het Park. Already the lift offers a nice view, but the funniest part is at the top, where a transparent capsule slowly turns on itself, taking us even higher. It is a kind of suspended merry-go-round that rises and rotates, while a guide voice narrates the city’s points of interest. Paul admonishes and disqualifies me in one fell swoop but it is the perfect way to greet Rotterdam from above, he will forgive me a few hours later.

We arrive in Noordwijk in the late afternoon. The idea is to sleep here in order to be close to Keukenhof the next day, but since there is still time we decide to take a walk around the fields in the area. The sun is still high, but starting to soften, and the light becomes perfect. Our hotel is outside the town centre and with a walk we are immediately immersed in the fields, a spectacle! Neat rows of red, yellow, pink and orange tulips that never seem to end. We smell the earth and the flowers, we pass a few people, a few photographers with tripods, a few locals on bicycles (we envy them a bit). Everything is silent, yet very much alive. Some fields are accessible, others are not, but even just walking along the edges is satisfying. It is a simple but beautiful way to end the day. No queues, no tickets. Just the tulips and the warm light of sunset.

Day 5: Keukenhof and Haarlem

We arrive at the Keukenhof car park fairly early, around 9:00. We hope to avoid the crowds and enjoy the park a bit quietly… we fail, however, because the park is already full of tourists. We have taken the entrance ticket and also the parking ticket online so, despite the crowds, we enter quickly. As soon as we are inside we are surrounded by perfect flower beds, flowers everywhere, and a fresh spring smell that smells a bit like wet soil and a bit like a manicured garden.

Keukenhof is not a ‘natural’ tulip field, but a large floral park designed down to the last detail. There is not only the classic carpet of tulips: there are also daffodils, hyacinths, ponds, small thematic pavilions, greenhouses with rare flowers, art installations scattered around and picnic corners. Map in hand, we walk around the entire park and take countless photos.

After a morning spent among the flowers of Keukenhof, we arrive in Haarlem in the early afternoon. The city is small but immediately welcoming, with a cosy historic centre, perfect to explore on foot. We park outside the centre and pass under the Amsterdamse Poort, the ancient gateway to the city, which has remained as a symbol of the medieval past: it almost feels as if we are passing through a portal in time.

We make our way through the cobbled streets, past brick houses with their curtains drawn, bicycles everywhere and shop windows full of beautiful things: independent boutiques, bookshops, florists, fragrant bakeries. We arrive in the Grote Markt, the main square, which is truly scenic. In the centre stands the church of St Bavon, with its elegant bell tower and the stalls around it selling flowers and cheese. The square is surrounded by elegant buildings and bars with outdoor tables. Despite the somewhat cloudy sky, there is beautiful light and a lively but not chaotic atmosphere.

We move on to the Molen De Adriaan, the windmill overlooking the River Spaarne. It is one of the most photographed in the area and is well worth the walk: from the footbridge over the river you have a perfect view, with the houses overlooking the water and the mill turning slowly (we also catch a few tourists intent on making it turn under the watchful eye of the watchman). If there is time, you can also visit inside, but we are content to admire it from the outside.

We move on to Amsterdam, sleep a little outside the city and since we arrive that it is already dinner time we choose a place in the area. I fall in love, one of the best dinners in a place that also leaves us speechless in terms of location: a renovated old guardhouse, surrounded by greenery and directly overlooking the Amstel and in contrast to the skyscrapers you see from its window. It almost looks like a country house, with scattered chairs, wooden tables and a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

Day 6: Zaanse Schans and Edam

We leave Amsterdam early and in just over half an hour we arrive in Zaanse Schans. The sky is grey, the same clouds that have accompanied us for the whole holiday, we can’t tell if they will bring rain or just atmosphere. The car park (which also has to be paid for) is already full, but as soon as we step out of the car, the view makes us forget the rest: green wooden houses, quiet canals, and a row of mills that seem to be drawn.

The light is constantly changing. When the sun comes out, even for a few minutes, everything lights up: the grass becomes greener, the water shinier, the mill blades stand out sharply against the sky. We walk along the paths between the small houses of the old craftsmen together with many tourists but without too much confusion, no one is in a hurry here. There is the smell of wood, cheese and wet grass. We go into a few shops, taste some gouda (actually, I’m having a taste of local cheeses, how delicious!) and stop to take photos when the sky gives us a glimpse of blue.

After lunch we get back in the car and from Zaanse Schans we reach Edam in about twenty minutes, we park just outside the centre (there is a large free car park that is very convenient, I’ll put it on the map!). The pace changes immediately: from the bustling tourism of the mills to the almost suspended silence of this small town. Edam is orderly, calm, full of greenery and water reflections. We stroll between little white bridges, brick houses and quiet canals where not a leaf moves.

The sun comes and goes, as it always does here, but the afternoon is warmer and more pleasant. We stop to browse around the cheese market square, which is now more scenic than active. We visit the central square and go as far as the northernmost tip to the sea (perhaps not worth it, but we got there!). Edam is small and can be visited in a short time, but it has that discreet charm that makes you want to stay a little longer, just for the sake of observation. No crowds, just bicycles passing slowly by and a few boats gliding by in the silence.

Day 7: Amsterdam

Today is our first day in Amsterdam. Despite the wind, rain and cold, we are not deterred and set off.

We set off on foot from Amsterdam Central Station, which is already a first taste of the pace of the city. Ahead of us is a continuous stream of bicycles, trams, taxis and people with suitcases or backpacks on their shoulders.

In a few minutes we arrive at Nieuwmarkt, a large square already bustling with stalls (King’s Day is celebrated the following day in Netherlands, you can already feel it). In the middle of the square stands De Waag, a building with medieval turrets that now houses a restaurant. It looks like a small fortress stuck in the middle of the city.

We wander through the alleys to the Oude Kerk, the oldest church in Amsterdam, nestled in the heart of the red light district. The contrast between the religious building and its surroundings is obvious. The alleys here are narrow, as are the canals, the façades of the buildings seem to brush against each other. During the day, the atmosphere is more sober, dormant and almost silent, and one can move about calmly.

Continuing towards the centre we come to Dam Square. Always crowded, always on the move. The square is overlooked by the massive and austere Royal Palace, flanked by the Nieuwe Kerk and shops and shopping centres.

We cross it and continue to one of the quietest and most surprising corners of the centre: the Begijnhof. The entrance is almost hidden, a simple wooden door. Inside is a quiet courtyard with neat little houses, manicured gardens and a small chapel. This courtyard is also overlooked by the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam.

We resume our walk and we are presented with the Munttoren, a bell tower that stands out among modern buildings and immediately next to it the very famous Bloemenmarkt, the flower market on the Singel canal. A bit chaotic, full of souvenirs and tourists, but still capable of surprising us with the colours of the flower arrangements and the rows of bulbs neatly arranged in each stall.

After lunch we set off we were supposed to visit the Anne Frank House but we had not thought about the fact that, as it was King’s Day, the tickets would have sold out (zero tickets online, zero tickets on the spot). We then decided to explore Amsterdam’s most characteristic bridges. The city’s canals are criss-crossed by 1,753 bridges, some of which offer beautiful views of the canals and the city.

The starting point is the Groenburgwal. On the southern tip, overlooking the Amstel are the famous dancing houses: slender, sloping buildings that seem to lean against each other so as not to fall.

We cross the Staalmeestersbrug, the white movable bridge that spans the Groenburgwal. Looking northwards, they say we overlook one of the most beautiful views of the city (even Monet immortalised it in one of his paintings).

Moving on, we pass the opera house and arrive at the Blauwburg with tall lampposts bearing the Amsterdam coat of arms and adorned with sculptures of fish and ships’ prows. Apparently it was inspired by the beautiful Alexandre III ponete in Paris.

Following the course of the Amstel we arrive at the Magere Brug, the white bridge that connects the two banks of the river via a small, hand-operated mechanical bridge. It is one of the most photographed spots in the city, especially when it opens to let boats pass. It is said to be a favourite backdrop for wedding photo shoots, especially in the evening when it is lit up by a thousand tiny lights.

We end the afternoon in the Negen Straatjes district, nine small streets full of independent shops, cafés, neat shop windows and hidden details. It is a perfect area to walk around unhurriedly, look inside the shops, take a break and maybe have something to eat in one of the cafés with tables on the canal.

Day 8: King’s day in Amsterdam

Today was supposed to be museum day. The idea was to start at the Rijksmuseum, spend a couple of hours among the Rembrandts and Vermeers, then move on to the Van Gogh Museum, where you can follow the evolution of his style step by step, the changing colours, the letters, the landscapes of the South of France. In between, a break at the Vondelpark for a lunch break in the midst of nature.

However, knowing about the festival, we added a ‘touch and go’ just to see what it is like. As soon as we arrived we found ourselves immersed in King’s Day, a giant party. The streets were already full, people all dressed in orange, music on every side, families selling old toys in front of their houses, boats cruising the canals with loud speakers and flags everywhere. We abandoned the idea of museums almost immediately. The boat parade started mid-morning: rows of boats passing slowly, laden with people dancing, singing, playing. The rhythm does not stop all day, the canals are dense, full like no other day of the year. Each bridge is a perfect vantage point, and you only have to move a few metres to find a new scene, a new piece of music, new colours.

We walked around, somewhat aimlessly, driven only by curiosity. We skipped the museums but didn’t mind: the festive city full of absurd characters, details to notice, sounds to follow was an unforgettable experience.

In the afternoon, when the energy became less frenetic, we took refuge in the Vondelpark. There too, full of people, but with a different atmosphere: more relaxed, more like a picnic, more like a neighbourhood party. Children improvising shows, families lying on the grass, people playing live music or improvising small markets. We walked through the park unhurriedly, stopping here and there.

The museums, in the end, we only grazed them as we passed by. But that’s OK: King’s Day is an experience that tells the story of Amsterdam in a completely different way, and experiencing it from the inside – even by accident – is an occasion you won’t easily forget.

Day 9: Departure

We wake up calmly, the last day is spent returning the car and then the slow drive home.

***

Our on-the-road trip to Netherlands turned out to be much more than just a holiday: it was an experience made up of quiet roads between tulip fields, walks through windmills and silent curses aimed at local cyclists. Yes, the very ones, who swoop in from every direction with the grace of ninjas on city bikes, convinced, with good reason, that they always have the right of way. Although much of the country is secular or agnostic, in Netherlands there is a profane cult that unites everyone: that of the bicycle. Here, true religion is celebrated in the saddle, between cycle paths that look like motorways and cyclists who, armed with a bell and moral certainty, are always right. Woe betide you if you question the sacred saddle: you risk heresy (and the death sentence for being hit by a bicycle).

But we, little four-wheeled blasphemers, close the bonnet with a smile and some cheese in the boot. In their faces. But with affection of course.

Last modified: 13 June 2025