10 best day trips from Amsterdam for an amazing vacation!

Amsterdam is now becoming the most favourite vacation spot for many people around the world. There are several other places in the Netherlands that are as beautiful as Amsterdam. There are elegant villages, gothic castles, massive buildings, and many beautiful cities to visit from Amsterdam. Here is a list of the 10 best day trips from Amsterdam that you will never want to miss!

10 Amazing Day Trips from Amsterdam

Giethoorn
Keukenhof Tulip gardens
Bruges
Zaanse Schans
Rotterdam
Brussels
Alkmaar cheese market
Utrecht
Leiden
Haarlem

1. Giethoorn

Giethoorn is an exceptionally beautiful village near Amsterdam. And also, it is one of the most popular day trips from Amsterdam. Firstly, the standstill waters, low thatched roof houses, colourful flowers blossomed everywhere, and tranquillity makes you wonder if you are in another world. Secondly, you can roam around the beautiful village in small boats on the 1 metre deep waters. The authentic Dutch people who live here take care of their villages with love and compassion. The bridges, royal boats, and waterways make this beautiful town more special and as a result, it is called “The Venice of the Netherlands”. Amidst the posh and manmade tourist spots, Giethoorn stands still with its strong essence of authenticity and beauty.

There are plenty of day trip services from Amsterdam to Giethoorn. You can reach this village by car, bus, or train.

Distance from Amsterdam to Giethoorn

Approx 120 km

How to reach Giethoorn from Amsterdam?

Car- 1 to 1.5 hours (INR 1400 to INR 1900)

Bus- 3 to 3.5 hours (INR 1800 to INR 2500)

Train- 3 hours (INR 1680 approx)

2. Keukenhof Gardens- Garden of Europe

How can you visit Amsterdam and not visit the Keukenhof gardens? This beautiful garden in Amsterdam is popularly known as the “Garden of Europe”. It is popular for its tulips. It is also home to a wide range of flora including daffodils, lilies, roses, hyacinths, rises, and carnations. Over 1.4 million people visit this garden per day which makes it one of the largest flower gardens in the world. It stretches over 32 hectares and is believed that over 7 million flowers are planted every year for the Amsterdam Tulip Festival. The unique fragrances of the flowers will sweep you off your feet.

How to reach Keukenhof from Amsterdam?

The distance from Amsterdam to Keukenhof is 40 km. You can take a bus from Schiphol Airport to Keukenhof. Walk for a few minutes until you reach the fields. You can also drive through the countryside for about 35-40 minutes and reach the gardens.

Best time to visit Keukenhof?

April. When the flowers start to bloom and shine in the spring season.

3. Bruges, Belgium- Day trips from Amsterdam

Bruges is a beautiful city in Belgium that is famous for lace making. It is home to many scenic buildings, historical sites, rustic churches, and lively markets. The city makes you feel like you’re in a fairytale with its pebbles cobbled pavements, horse carriages, waterways, and ancient medieval buildings. You can jump into some stores and do some store hopping. It is one of the famous day trips from Amsterdam.

How to go from Amsterdam to Bruges

249 km distance can be travelled by bus (5 hours) or a train (3 hours and 15 minutes)

4. Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is an obscure place in Amsterdam with green fields and domestic animals grazing the grass. Sawing wood, producing oil and paint, weaving fabric, grinding spice and herbs are some of the major uses of these windmills. This beautiful place is just 20 km away from Amsterdam. This is one of the heartthrobs of the Netherlands and also a perfect place for tourists to visit.

How to reach Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam?

Board a train from the nearest train station Zaandijk to Zaanse Schans and travel for 17 minutes and walk for another 15 minutes until you reach the place.

5. Rotterdam

Rotterdam, a highly developed second largest city in the Netherlands is famous for its nightlife because of its many bars, pubs, historical museums, and ports. Nights in Amsterdam are very much similar to the nightlife in Rotterdam. It was completely rebuilt after continuous bombings destroyed the whole city during World War II. Some of the famous landmarks are cube houses, Erasmus Bridge, and glossy skyscrapers.

How to reach Rotterdam from Amsterdam?

The distance from Amsterdam to Rotterdam is 78 km. You can travel by bus, car, or train and reach the city in 1 to 1.5 hours. Board a train from Amsterdam Centraal station to Rotterdam Centraal station that the Dutch Railways offer. The ticket costs around 11-20 Euros.

6. Brussels, Belgium- Day trips from Amsterdam

Brussels is not only the capital of Belgium but also the largest city in the country. This beautiful city holds high heritage and traditional values. In Brussels, you can visit the Grand Palace, Atomium, and Parc du Cinquantenaire which are the most famous tourist attractions. How can you miss out on the world-famous Belgian waffle in Belgium? Grab some waffles, cheese, fries and a drink on your visit to Brussels. The city is also famous for its vibrant fashion and lifestyle.

How can you travel from Amsterdam to Brussels?

202 km of distance can be travelled by train or car. There are many direct train services from Amsterdam to Brussels available every 30 minutes. The ticket costs around 24 Euros (INR 2120).

7. Alkmaar Cheese Market

Alkmaar is a city in the Netherlands in the northern province of Holland with vintage vibes and an ensemble of cultural diversities. The most popular thing about Alkmaar is its cheese markets. The Alkmaar cheese market attracts thousands of tourists, especially cheese lovers. This city has been making and trading cheese since 1365. On your visit to Alkmaar, you can watch how cheese wheels are made and sold all over the country. The types of cheese that are made here will make your jaw drop!

How to reach Alkmaar from Amsterdam?

The average distance from Amsterdam to Alkmaar is 41.5 km. The most convenient way to reach Alkmaar is to drive for 40 minutes until you reach the markets. It will cost around 5 to 7 Euros.

8. Utrecht

day trip from Amsterdam to Utrecht — Image Credits- Unsplash

Utrecht is the 4th largest municipality in the Netherlands. This city is famous for its medieval buildings, canals lined with trees that look dashing during the night, the Bell Tower built in the 14th century opposite the Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin in the town square. You can travel on the canal cruises while munching on some famous European bites and drinks. You can also witness a number of cultural events hosted in the city and they are inestimable.

Facts about Utrecht

Utrecht was under the control of Nazi Germany until they were liberated in 1945 during the end of World War II. They celebrate their independence on May 5th every year.

How to travel from Amsterdam to Utrecht?

The distance from Amsterdam to Utrecht is 44 km. There are continuous train services from Amsterdam that takes about 21 minutes to reach Utrecht. Moreover, there are also rideshare options that will cost only around 5 to 6 Euros.

9. Leiden- Day trips from Amsterdam

Leiden is a city in the Netherlands that is very famous for its medieval architecture, centuries-old buildings, and Leiden University which is also the oldest in the country. Leiden is home to the Leiden Botanical Garden founded in 1590 that introduces tulips to Western European countries. There are also historical museums and preservations from the World War II period. It is also one of the gracious places to live in the Netherlands.

How to reach Leiden from Amsterdam?

The distance is 45 km. There are continuous train services that take about 17 minutes to reach Leiden from Amsterdam.

10. Haarlem

day trip to Haarlem from Amsterdam — Image Credits- Unsplash

Haarlem is a beautiful city in the Netherlands that still retains the ancient touch of architecture. Buildings here were built during the medieval period with cobblestones and rustic stones. It is also a powerhouse for growing the most number of tulip bulbs and flowers in their gardens. Haarlem is famous for Hofjes (enclosed courtyard gardens) in the city’s outskirts. The green fields and colourful flowers never fail to amuse the people who visit the city. Haarlem is popular for its kind gesture and irresistibly delicious restaurants and cafes. The next time when you visit Amsterdam, do not forget to visit this charming city.

How to reach Haarlem from Amsterdam?

The total distance is about 30 km. It usually takes 35 minutes to reach Haarlem from Amsterdam and costs only 2-3 Euros. There are also frequent train services from Amsterdam station to Haarlem station that takes about 17 minutes to reach and costs a minimum of 4.5 Euros.

There are plenty of day trips from Amsterdam to its surrounding cities and even countries. The above-listed trips are some of the most famous and favourite trips for many tourists around the world. Visit as many places as possible on your vacation to Amsterdam because every place has something unique and graceful that attracts the visitors. Check them off your list and enjoy your vacation! Do checkout Pickyourtrail to know more about the Amsterdam tour packages and Netherlands holiday packages Did you know that you can also customise your Netherlands package according to your choices and budget? Know everything from our Guides page about the place and plan wisely and have a fantastic vacation!