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The Netherlands, via its tulips and canals
4 stops
4 nights
69 miles
Can photographs ever really be a substitute for experiencing something firsthand? You have to travel to the southern Netherlands to truly capture the splendor of its tulip fields or the majesty of its windmills, and to encounter the authentic taste of Gouda cheese. As beautiful as they may be, photos can never really capture the emotions experienced on a bike ride along its towpaths or during a paddleboarding trip on a centuries-old canal. Rotterdam offers an ideal real-world introduction to these picture-postcard Dutch settings.
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Departure
Recommended duration : 1 night
Rotterdam
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Rotterdam, between tradition and modernity
This is a story of a renaissance_a rebirth. Having been severely damaged during the Second World War, the city of Rotterdam has since reinvented itself in a dramatic contrast to its Old Port and historic Delfshaven district. Taking a stroll through it is like opening a large, beautiful book on architecture: along the canals, ultra-modern structures like the Erasmus Bridge and Cube Houses now stand alongside old brick warehouses and the world's largest covered market. With its trendy bars, bookstores, gardens and museums, Rotterdam is undoubtedly worth a visit.
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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Kinderdijk, in the shadow of the windmills
While there are more than a thousand windmills still standing across the Netherlands, Kinderdijk is arguably its most iconic collection. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the detination brings together 19 windmills that stretch for more than a mile alongside canals. They represent the constant struggle of the Dutch people against rising waters. While they are no longer in operation, the mills' sails may still turn during your visit.
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15 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
Weeshuis Gouda
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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Visit the Gouda cheese market
Some of the cheesemongers here will try to convince you that it's Gouda cheese that gave the city its name, and not the other way around. Whether you choose to believe them or not, this market, dedicated to the famous cheese wheel, feels like something of a festival. Every Thursday morning, between April and September, farmers and producers showcase their artisanal cheeses in a charming atmosphere filled with traditional costumes, choirs and dancing, where each transaction always concludes with a series of low-five claps between buyer and seller.
During your stay
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Paddleboarding on the city's canals
Located between Flanders and the main Dutch cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam, the city of Gouda occupies something of a strategic position. The main canal that runs through it has long been the region's main trade route. Today, you can navigate it on a small traditional boat, in a kayak, or even on a paddleboard: an ideal way to encounter its medieval houses, locks and impressive old bridges.
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19 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
Voorburg
Things to do, see, and discover
On the road
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Keukenhof, for the visual poetry of tulips
Much more than a garden, Keukenhof is a national heritage site in the Netherlands. Only open between March and May, during flowering season, this botanical garden is a tribute to spring for the Dutch. Spread over 80 acres, more than 7 million flower bulbs are grown here, the vast majority of which are tulips of various colors, alongside daffodils, jonquils and hyacinths. Strolling through this English-style park is an unmissable experience, as beautiful as it is intoxicating.
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37 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
Amsterdam
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Amsterdam, unmissable and vibrant
While Amsterdam is arguably the most important city in the Netherlands, it somehow manages to retain the feel of an old fishing village. This vibrant, must-visit destination is home to the country's most popular attractions: the Rijksmuseum and Royal Palace, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. Across the city, a thousand memorable cultural discoveries await, interspersed with walks or bike rides along its 165 canals and via its 1,300 bridges.
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