Skip to Content

Discovering Holland’s Largest Cities

Holland cities

Located in the northwestern part of Europe, Netherlands has a unique landscape with lots of windmills, tulips and canals.

Cities in Holland are very beautiful and each has its own charm and beauty.

Here are the 5 most important cities in the Netherlands:

1. Amsterdam

Netherlands’ capital, Amsterdam is the largest city from the country and world capital of entertainment and endless parties.

It is located in the province of North Holland, the city with a population of almost 750.000 inhabitants is one of the top European destinations for city breaks, bachelors parties and art lovers.

The city is famous for its museums, canals, coffee shops and legal prostitution. It is a very active place with a positive vibe and full of tourists roaming around the place.

Topping our listing of enjoyable things to do is wandering the cobbled streets that line the city’s lots of stunning canals, particularly around the eye-catching Jordaan neighbourhood. The old houses below were built in the very early 17th century and also are noteworthy for the small inner yards tucked away behind them.

Head over to Grachtengordel later on. This romantic area includes the renowned bridges as well as houseboats the city is recognized for, and also no end of fun can be had to check out the many charming shops or quitting at a coffee shop for some people watching.

From here, you’re just a couple of minutes away from Dam Square, together with premier destinations, consisting of the Rijksmuseum, house to an amazing collection that consists of numerous works by the Old Masters, consisting of Rembrandt. Various other must-visits consist of Anne Frank Home as well as the Van Gogh Gallery. No wonder why Amsterdam is considered to be one of the best Holland cities!

In order to get a good feeling of the city, you need to spend at least 3 nights here. We don’t recommend you to book accommodation in the city centre because it is expensive.

We chose to stay at Crown Plaza, a beautiful hotel located in the business district, close to the metro station. The breakfast was good, the rooms were clean and with the metro, we get to the city centre in less than 20 minutes.

2. Rotterdam one of the best cities in Holland

The second-largest city of Netherlands, Rotterdam is a port city located at the banks of the Nieuwe Maas River and is famous for its Cubical Houses, the TV tower with a restaurant called Euromast, its beautiful bridge Erasmusbrug and its wonderful Rotterdam Zoo.

Just 40 mins from Amsterdam by train, the port city of Rotterdam need to definitely be consisted of on your Netherlands travelling plan. Situated at the North Sea end of the Rhine, Rotterdam is the busiest (as well as largest) port on the planet, with much of Europe’s freight passing through it.

While the style below is newer than in Amsterdam – much of the city core was damaged in the battle – there’s still lots of sightseeing to be taken pleasure in below.

Highlights include the beautiful 15th-century Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk church, noteworthy for its stained-glass home windows, its three body organs, as well as the opportunity to climb its tower; Gallery Boijmans Van Beuningen, a preferred art gallery consisting of works by Ruben as well as Rembrandt; and also a variety of awesome modern-day design, consisting of the 185-meter-tall Euromast and the renowned Cube Homes.

If there’s time in your routine, be sure to jump aboard a watercraft for a trip of the Europoort harbour.

Rotterdam: Private Tour with a Local is the best way to discover this wonderful city. This 2 – 4 hours customized private tour with a local is exactly what you need if you want to discover the authentic vibe of the place.

Rotterdam Private Tour with a Local

Rotterdam Private Tour with a Local

Where to sleep:Hilton Rotterdam is our choice for this amazing city. The hotel is located right in the city centre, close to the train station. The rooms are clean and very well maintained, while the breakfast is varied and very tasty. There are many options to choose from!

3. The Hague

The capital of the South Holland province, The Hague is one of the most beautiful Dutch cities located right on the North Sea Coast. The Hague is home of the Dutch Government and of the International Court of Justice, one of the most important courts from the entire world.

The place is conveniently located 65 kilometres away from Amsterdam and is a great destination for a city break.

The third-largest city in the Netherlands has a lot to use travellers looking for unforgettable experiences. Topping our checklist when checking out The Hague (Den Haag) is the city’s Binnenhof, or Inner Court, including structures dating completely back to the mid-13th century.

Right here, you can discover the magnificent old houses that once belonged to the upper class and which now serve as home to the nation’s parliament. Make sure to visit the Knight’s Hall, or Ridderzaal, a middle ages hall that’s been immaculately maintained.

From here, it’s a very easy stroll to the city’s ideal purchasing and also dining chances, along with various other popular attractions, such as the 14th-century Wonderful St. James Church (Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk) as well as the well-known Peace Palace, integrated in 1913 as well as the home of the International Court of Justice.

The New Church, Madurodam and Peace Palace are just some of the places to visit when in The Hague. The city is full of chic hotels and modern restaurants.

The Collector Hotel located right in the middle of the city is a great option if you are looking for a modern place to stay. The rooms are simple and modern, the services are great and the breakfast is delicious. A great choice for your city break!

4. Utrecht one of the most picturesque cities in Holland

A beautiful university town with a total population of almost 330.000 inhabitants, Utrecht is located in the province with the same name from the central part of the Netherlands.

Not a very popular destination among tourists, the city has many interesting attractions and beautiful places to see. Castle de Haar, Dom Tower of Utrecht and St. Martin’s Cathedral are just some of the places to see when in Utrecht.

Although it’s one of the largest cities in the Netherlands, there are parts of Utrecht that will certainly trick you into believing you’re someplace a lot smaller. Much of the older style has been well-preserved as well as is in locations usually lacking traffic, making discovering on foot a satisfying experience, specifically around the captivating Old Town area.

Utrecht Netherlands

Utrecht Netherlands

In Cathedral Square, you’ll come face-to-face with the incredible St. Martin’s Cathedral, or Domkerk. Constructed in 1254, it’s somewhat smaller currently, as the original tower – the Domtoren – stands alone throughout a park, separated from the major structure by a storm in the 17th century.

Another leading destination you can experience on foot is DOMUnder, a self-guided trip that takes you deep beneath the square to the remains of the old Roman citadel upon which the city was constructed. This is for sure one of the most surprising dutch cities of all!

Other must-see destinations in Utrecht, one of the most interesting Holland cities include Gallery Speelklok, dedicated to musical clocks; the Centraal Museum, which houses the city’s collections of art as well as artefacts; and also the Train Gallery, with its display screens of old engines and also rolling stock.

If you like to travel in style, then I have a good option for your overnight stay.

Hotel Loft 188 Stylish Apartment is an 80 square metres apartment located right in the heart of the city offering incredible views over the lake and the town, an ideal place to rest and enjoy the beauty of the city.

5. Eindhoven

The fifth-largest city of the Netherlands, Eindhoven one of the most fascinating cities of Holland is wrongly considered by many just a stopover for the low-cost airline companies. But it is more than that! There is the Philips Museum, Van Abbemuseum, St. Catherine’s Church and many other interesting places!

Famous as the birthplace of electronics firm Philips, Eindhoven provides plenty of fun things for vacationers to do. Covering our checklist of preferred experiences in the “City of Light” is discovering its many connections to the art globe. Begin your expedition of the city’s rich social heritage with a visit to the Van Abbemuseum, a gallery housing important jobs of modern-day art by the world’s leading artists, consisting of Pablo Picasso.

Cities in Holland Amsterdam Netherlands

Cities in Holland Amsterdam Netherlands

Hop on a bus and just a few mins ride away, you’ll find yourself in the charming village of Nuenen, made well-known by Vincent Van Gogh, who not only painted scenes depicting the place, yet likewise lived right here for a short period. The Vincente destination is dedicated to this period in the wonderful artist’s life.

I perfectly understand you if you did not know that Eindhoven is that beautiful! It is one of the cities in the Netherlands about which many don’t have a lot of information! But now that you know, you might consider spending some time in this place, one of the best Holland cities!

But after long days of exploration, I am sure you need a cool place to sleep. Our recommendation is Nh Collection Eindhoven Centre , a beautiful and modern hotel located right in the centre of the city. The rooms are very clean and spacious, while breakfast is varied and of very good quality.

These are the largest cities in Holland and the most important one! You will see that each one is different than the other and that you need to visit all of them if you want to have an idea of this country!

Logistical tips and tricks for your trip

Book your accommodation

We always use Booking.com as they have the best price-quality ratio and they offer a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, apartments, and villas to choose from.

You will find here all types of accommodations, from the cheapest ones to the most luxurious.

Don't forget travel insurance

We never leave home without HeyMondo Insurance or Safety Wings Insurance as they offer the best services and a good value for money, plus COVID coverage.

When we go for longer trips around the world we get Globelink Insurance as it offers a good cover for an affordable price.

Travel insurance will always protect you against unexpected events and cost like illness, COVID, injury, theft, or travel cancellation.

We never go on any trip without travel insurance and there were many cases when we had to use it.

Renting a car
We like to explore a country on our own and a car gives us the mobility and freedom to do that.

We always rent our car from Discovercars as they have free cancellation 48 hours prior to starting date and a wide range of car rental companies and options to choose from all over the world.

Tours and attractions
When we are looking for some adventure or we simply want to break up the monotony and discover new places, we always use GetYourGuide.

We love it because we always find the most amazing experiences, with free cancellation and a large variety of activities and tours to choose from.

Airplane tickets and holiday packages
Expedia is our ally when searching for the best price for airplane tickets as it works as an aggregator for a huge number of airlines and we always find the best price for our flights.

Travel tip: use Expedia when you are searching for holiday packages as they have many last-minute offers and great discounts for hotels, flights, and even the whole holiday packages.