16 Jun 7 small towns worth visiting in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is full of the cutest small towns you’ve ever seen! The bigger cities offer a lot in terms of culture, museums, shopping, etc, but the best small towns in the Netherlands pack a punch of authenticity, beautiful walkable streets, and a bunch of friendly people.
As an alternative to Amsterdam, think about visiting the smaller towns to round out an experience in The Netherlands. Because I believe in this so much, I’ve created this post of 7 small Dutch towns worth visiting. Keep in mind that people live in these picture perfect places, so give back to the local community by purchasing items in a shop, staying in a hotel, or eating in their restaurants. That’s what makes tourism that little bit more responsible.
All of these towns are easily reachable by public transportation. You can simply tap in and out of all buses, trains, trams, and metros with a contactless payment method. So, you don’t need to worry about renting a car and finding parking in historic towns. I suggest using the website or app 9292.nl to see how to get to the various destinations.
This post contains affiliate links which means this website may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links.
Giethoorn
This little town is famous for its gorgeous homes and the part of town that is only accessible by foot or boat. It’s a treat to visit, but my recommendation is to stay the night at a hotel or B&B along the canals. A lot of day-trippers head out there, but in the evenings and mornings, you have it all to yourself. It’s the perfect place to take a stroll or rent a boat on your own. In the summer time, pre-book your boat rental before you arrive to be sure they don’t run out. And try to be the first one on the water for the day! Read up on the ultimate guide to of things to do in Giethoorn and watch our video of this beautiful place to get a peek at what you can expect.
Woerden
I was pleasantly surprised when we visited Woerden, while technically a city, it feels like a village. People are friendly, food is sold at a reasonable price (Amsterdam isn’t cheap!), and it’s so cute. If you like to learn about history, you’ll love this little city. I love that they found a Roman boat when they were digging for a parking garage and decided to leave it where they found it. Yes, there’s a real Roman boat in a parking garage in Woerden that you can see for free.
A few things you should do while in town are: take yourself on a self-guided tour, visit the Cheese Warehouse, walk around the cheese market, and have lunch — just like we did. You can also take a tour of a windmill, learn more history at the City Museum, climb St. Peter’s Tower, and see a 600 year old castle. There’s a lot packed into this small area!
Alkmaar
If you’re looking for a more animated place that gets plenty of visitors and puts on a cheese market to show you how life used to be, then Alkmaar is your place! It’s an adorable and walkable town that’s easy to fall in love with. Just veer away from other visitors sometimes and you’ll find some quiet streets all to yourself. Keep an eye on the bridges, if a boat goes by and the bridge needs to go up, it will be done by hand. It’s a sight to see!
This is a super fun place to take a canal cruise. You may have to duck a few times because the bridges here are super low, but it makes for a very memorable experience.
Monnickendam
Overshadowed by nearby Volendam, Monnickendam stays quiet in comparison. It feels like a tight-knit town with plenty of corners and streets that make for beautiful photos. There’s even a place to stay that I can highly recommend: Apartments Waterland. The room I stayed in had a great morning view of the boats and was ridiculously charming.
With the larger cities, it makes sense to look for specific things to do when deciding where you want to stay or visit. The smaller towns offer so much more than just “things to do”. They offer a feeling that you can’t get anywhere else. That’s why you should visit these towns, but each is completely different — that’s the charm.
Delft
You may know the name “Delft” because of its pottery. The famous Delft Blauw (Blue) Pottery is known worldwide. There will be plenty of places to see the pottery and nearby you’ll find a factory where you can see where it all happens. That’s the coolest thing you can do! It will add to your visit so much.
If you don’t want to go to the factory, or before you head over there, take time to wander through Delft. It’s small, has canals, and traditional Dutch architecture that you’ll be looking for. Be sure to wander into the local shops and support them, too. We took a day trip to Delft to explore and had the best chocolate we’ve ever tasted.
Gouda
Yep, that’s the name of the famous Dutch cheese! It’s probably pronounced a bit differently than you might think, too…which you’ll find out pretty quickly when you arrive. Some fun things to do in Gouda are to taste some cheese at the different cheese shops and then learn all about it while you’re there. Then, you can watch a cheese market for yourself Thursday mornings during the season. A canal tour is always high on my list because I love experiencing places from different vantage points. Finally, you must visit the Stroopwafel Factory. It might sound weird but it was a highlight for me! Also consider staying in Gouda for a more local experience.
It’s a quaint traditional Dutch town, so you’ll also find a few windmills. You may be able to visit some when you’re in town, and you can buy the products from the windmills! Some are still used today. It’s an all-around Dutch experience in Gouda. Give yourself a little time to explore on your own.
Marken
Marken is a striking little former island (now connected to the mainland by a causeway) with its green homes. One of the most memorable sunset sets I’ve ever seen was from here…so stay a little later than the other visitors and you may be rewarded with that, too. Be sure to head to the lighthouse, Paard van Marken, at the end of a small road with animals on either side. It’s a long walk, or you can rent a bike to make it a bit easier!
There’s something about this little town that stays with you. Maybe it’s just because it’s a bit far from everything else and has an even more distinct personality than the other little towns. It’s something special, for sure. And many people know that, so it’s best to visit during the off-season or mid-week so it’s not too crowded.
I love the Netherlands…I don’t think that shocks any of you! These small villages (and cities) in the Netherlands each have their own personality and charm, and they’re some of my favorite places to recommend to travelers looking for a unique Dutch experience. Be sure to watch our YouTube playlist full of videos from all over the Netherlands.
Wishing you joy and travels!
