Five ideas for guided tours in the Netherlands

• Explore the island of Marken

  Just 20 kilometers from Amsterdam, immerse yourself in a picturesque world by visiting the island of Marken. It’s a trip back in time that awaits you. The peninsula is surrounded by small wooden houses on stilts that protect them from flooding and are called “terpen”. Marken, which was connected to the mainland by a two-kilometer long dike in 1957, has now become a peninsula and is part of the municipality of Waterland.
  It is very pleasant to walk or cycle there, stopping in the fishermen’s villages, strolling through the narrow streets and continuing the walk to the lighthouse. The change of scenery is total!

• The beaches of Zeeland

  If the cold of the North Sea doesn’t scare you, head for the beaches of Zeeland, which means “Land of the Sea” in Dutch.
  These stretches of white sand are a must-see during your stay in the south of the former Dutch Republic, not far from Belgium. The beaches of Cadzand and Ouddorp are ideal for families, while those of Brouwersdam and Domburg, the oldest seaside resort, are more geared to water sports enthusiasts. The province has other assets.
  – Middelburg : typical Flemish town surrounded by canals.
  – Veere : medieval village and coastal port with many famous gardens and the lighthouse of Noorder Hoofd built in 1874.
  – Ruins of Fort Rammekens : considered as the oldest European maritime fortress, it dates from the middle of the 16th century.

• Kinderdijk

  Kinderdijk is a village known for its windmills. The village is located in the province of South Holland. It is part of the municipality of Molenlanden and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its 19 windmills, which were used to drain the marshes in the area adjacent to the rivers Lek and Noord. Kinderdijk is a popular place for tourists, who come to see the windmills built around 1740 and installed on a polder.
  Polders are artificial areas of land that have been built around dikes to prevent flooding by pumping water and draining it through canals over land.

• Glenfinnan

  The university city of Utrecht is easily accessible, only 30 minutes from Amsterdam. Its youthfulness and vitality contrast with the two-thousand-year-old history of the city founded by the Romans. A stroll through its old cobbled quarters will give you the historic atmosphere of an old medieval town. Admire the St. Martin’s Cathedral, known as the Dom van Utrecht, with its famous tower and fourteen bells. Further on, stop at Rietveld’s Schröder House. This house, built in 1924, will captivate you with its avant-garde forms and modernity.
  As you continue your walk, you will probably come across one of the many local markets that the municipality organizes every week. Close to Ultrecht, Haar Castle is located in Haarzuilens. It was built in the 14th century as a fortress and was transformed into a castle in the 19th century. Today it is known for its gothic architecture and beautifully maintained gardens. It is open to the public and hosts events such as concerts and weddings.

• Hoge Veluwe National Park

  The Hoge Veluwe National Park is a national park located in the center of the Netherlands. It covers an area of about 5,500 hectares and includes forests, moors, dunes, swamps and ponds. The park is famous for its collection of modern art in the Kröller-Müller Museum with the second largest Van Gogh collection, as well as for its many bicycle paths (1,800 bicycles provided free of charge) and hiking trails. It is managed by a private foundation and was initiated by a wealthy industrialist couple (Helene Müller and Anton Kröller) ‘who bought the land in the region that was devastated by a long drought in the early 20th century. The Hoge Veluwe park is also home to wild animals such as mouflons, deer and hinds.