More on The Netherlands - Rotterdam and Giethoorn!

Hey ya’ll! So you must’ve seen my previous post on Amsterdam, and I’ve mentioned suggested itineraries in case you have more than just 3 or 4 days! Here’s what you can add to your trip if you’ve got a couple more days on hand 🙂

Because The Netherlands is way more than just Amsterdam! 😀

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is an hour or so away by train, and is the second largest city in the Netherlands. You can explore Rotterdam in a day trip from Amsterdam. Here’s everything you can look at covering in a day –

Kinderdijk – The medieval windmills. They’re a 45-minute bus ride away from Rotterdam. Pick up the bus timings and schedules from Rotterdam Centraal, the directions are super easy. Once you get to Kinderdijk, the windmills are a short walk into the countryside. It’s a stunning sight, trust me. Take a look 🙂
Markthal – The market hall is a mind-blowing piece of architecture! There are stalls and stalls selling local food, drink, cheese, you name it and it’s there! Also, the ceiling of the Markthal is the world’s largest art piece, ‘Horn of Plenty’ by Arno Coenen. Art buffs, rejoice!
Architecture – When you look at Rotterdam, you can immediately see how different it is from Amsterdam. The Erasmus bridge is a stunning architectural wonder spanning across the city. There are so many cool buildings and structures. There’s even a floating pavilion, that is used to host events. Go crazy.
Erasmus bridge

Giethoorn

How often have we heard of this tiny village be referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’? it’s a charming little village, connected by waterways. Getting there can be tricky, so I’m going to put it down here for all of you who want to go!

If you’re there during winter and shoulder season (October – April), take the off-season pass. It’s for 38 Euros, and allows you access to all the trains and buses on the Dutch network. So cool right? You’ll end up saving quite a bit. by taking this pass for Giethoorn!

You can always drive down, but the cost of renting a car and buying fuel was working out way more than using the public transport system, since we were fewer people. If you’re a group of 4 or more, renting out a vehicle totally makes sense. Via public transport, you’ll use 3 routes.

Amsterdam Centraal to Utrecht – Utrecht to Steenwijk – Bus from Steenwijk to Giethoorn.

Canal Tour – Super easy to book, the booking stall is on the right side the minute you enter the village, you can’t miss it. This tour will take you around the little village through the canals and the guide will tell you about the place, point out the areas of interest and answer your questions. Most likely you will be so immersed in clicking everything you see, you may not even notice what he’s saying! Or you could even..
Rent a boat! – A lot of the cafes and restaurants rent out little electric boats that seat two to three people, and doesn’t need much technical knowledge to operate. Lovely way to explore the place by yourself!
View from the canal cruise <3 Ain’t it gorgeous?
Book accommodation by the water – If you’re planning on staying overnight, take a place right by the water. Only because it’s really pretty.
Walk – Walk around the village. Explore the little bridges, the canals, the boats. Order beer and fries at a cafe that overlooks the canals. Sample some of the local nosh.

Giethoorn is all about pretty <3 It’s full of photo opportunities at every nook and cranny. It isn’t fully commercialised yet, and still retains a lot of natural beauty, so head there now before everyone else does 🙂