Itineraries

How to spend 3 days in The Netherlands

3 days in The Netherlands, itinerary | Your Dutch Guide

Itinerary: 3 days in The Netherlands

Would you like to spend three days in The Netherlands but are you struggeling with your planning? Do you fear three days won’t be enough? Take a look at my itinerary for 3 days in The Netherlands and customize your perfect trip.

Plan your trip to The Netherlands

Itinerary The Netherlands: how to spend 3 days in The Netherlands | Your Dutch Guide

3 days in The Netherlands: itinerary

DAY ONE: AMSTERDAM

Morning

Amsterdam by bike

Spend the morning getting a feel for the city. The best way to do this is join this bike tour in Amsterdam. On your bike you will feel truly Dutch whilst exploring the canals, all the top sights, but also hidden courtyards, the Jordaan neighbourhood and leafy Vondelpark. There is plenty of time to ask questions, take photos and buy local delicacies.

Afternoon

Anne Frank (photo by Anne Frank Stichting)

Anne Frank House

A visit to the Anne Frank House isn’t just a must-see when visiting Amsterdam, but also not to be missed during your 3 days in The Netherlands. The house where the Frank family hid, in vain, from The nazis gives an impressive insight in how the family lived and what events shaped The Netherlands most in the last century.

3 days in The Netherlands: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
3 days in The Netherlands: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam | Your Dutch Guide

Visit a top museum

Enjoy one of The Netherland’s most amazing museum during your day in Amsterdam. See which museums are included in your I Amsterdam City Card or take your pick from:

DAY TWO: AMSTERDAM & DUTCH VILLAGES

Morning

Photo by Fabrique des Lumières

Colourful Amsterdam

Discover the colourful side of Amsterdam through amazing light shows, street art and/or contemporary art. I recommend:

Afternoon

3 days in The Netherlands: Zaanse Schans | Your Dutch Guide

Zaanse Schans

The Zaanse Schans offers a great half-day trip to discover ab iconic image of Holland as it once was, just a stone’s throw away from Amsterdam. A visit to the windmills and heritage village are included in your  I Amsterdam City Card.

Read more about Zaanse Schans

3 days in The Netherlands, itinerary: day trip to Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken | Your Dutch Guide

Zaanse Schans, Volendam en Marken

If you’d like to discover more than one extraordinary Dutch village near Amsterdam, a tour to Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Marken is on order. You will get to see the stunning windmills of Zaanse Schans as well as the pretty fisherman’s villages of Volendam and Marken. A gteat tour if this is your first time in The Netherlands.

3 days in The Netherlands, itinerary: Keukenhof gardens | Your Dutch Guide

Keukenhof Gardens

Are you planning your 3 days in The Neterlands in April or the beginning of May? Then you’re in luck as you can see the tulips fields and visit Keukenhof Gardens from Amsterdam. Do book ahead!

Read more about Tulip fields in The Netherlands

DAY THREE: EXPLORE THE NETHERLANDS

The last days of your 3 days in The Netherlands are spend exploring the country. Below I’ve selected some really interesting places to visit or day trips to take. Depending on what you like (culture, nature, city life, architecture, art) you can choose what you’d like to do on your third day in The Netherlands. I’ve explained with every destination/ activity how to get there or how to book your tour. Fijne reis!

Utrecht, The Netherlands (photy by Jurjen Drenth) | Your Dutch Guide

Utrecht

Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands and has everything a Dutch city should offer: winding canals, windmills (right at the edge of the city centre), ancient churches and amazing museums. Added to Utrecht’s charm is the fact that it’s home to one of the world most famous cartoon figures Miffy. Travel from Amsterdam to Utrecht by train in 25 minutes.

3 days in The Netherlands, itinerary: day trip to Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Cutting edge Rotterdam makes for a fabulous contrast to Amsterdam. Rotterdam was severely bombed during the Second World War and rose from the ashes with iconic architecture. Rotterdam is home to fantastic museums, awesome street art and some of the best restaurants in The Netherlands. Direct trains from Amsterdam to Rotterdam leave every 15 minutes.

Spring in The Netherlands, visit Delft

Delft

Walking into Delft feels like walking into Johannes Vermeer’s paintings. The cobbled streets, small canals and gabled houses are picture perfect. Visit one of the original factories producing the famous Delft Blue pottery and feel like you’re part of Vermeer’s View of Delft. It takes less than 1 hour to get from Amsterdam to Delft by train.

Kinderdijk, The Netherlands | Windmills of The Netherlands | Your Dutch Guide

Kinderdijk

The iconic 19 UNESCO listed windmills of Kinderdijk show how the Dutch have always managed the water. With your ticket you have access to the visitor centre, a boot tour and entrance to several of the historic windmills. Well worth it! Read all about the windmills of Kinderdijk.

De Hoge Veluwe national park

Hoge Veluwe national park & Van Gogh

Enjoy the largest national park in The Netherlands. Hoge Veluwe national park is home to deer, moose, mouflons and wild boar as well as sand dunes, woodlands and heathlands. And you shouldn’t miss ‘Van Gogh’s second home’, Kröller-Müller Museum which holds over 90 paintings by Van Gogh. Join a small group tour to Hoge Veluwe NP and Kröller-Müller Museum.

3 days in The Netherlands: itinerary
Save on Pinterest

3 day itinerary The Netherlands? How to spend 3 days in The Netherlands? | Your Dutch Guide
3 day itinerary The Netherlands? How to spend 3 days in The Netherlands? | Your Dutch Guide

You Might Also Like

24 Comments

  • Reply
    Lolo
    January 30, 2019 at 2:28 pm

    Oh I do enjoy this guide! I would really like to have a do-over and spend more time in the Netherlands, exploring a little bit more outside of Amsterdam to those cute neighborhoods! #WanderfulWednesday

  • Reply
    Katherine
    January 30, 2019 at 4:37 pm

    My supervisor at work is Dutch, so I love reading posts about the Netherlands then casually dropping things into conversation (I just realised how lame that is). Anyway, I’d love to come visit you in Utrecht – it sounds like a quintessential town, is it very touristy? #WanderfulWednesday

  • Reply
    Sammie
    January 30, 2019 at 11:26 pm

    What a great guide! We went to Amsterdam many years ago, we had friends living in the Hague right near the beach which is such a great spot. Anne Frank’s house was a highlight and I’m pleased we made it to Rotterdam but now I feel I need to go back and work my way through your entire itinerary!

    • Reply
      Esther
      February 8, 2019 at 8:41 am

      Oh but then I guess you’ve seen more of The Netherlands than most visitors, which is great. Yes, there’s always lots more to explore!

  • Reply
    Lorelle
    January 31, 2019 at 4:54 am

    A great schedule. Would love to visit the Netherlands one day. 🙂

  • Reply
    Sara
    February 1, 2019 at 4:11 am

    Oh, the OV card is such a good idea!! I wish more places had that for travel everywhere. (Of course, I lost my 3 day transportation pass in Venice a few hours after buying it, sigh.) This is a great guide on how to see more than Amsterdam – the next time I see a cheap flight, I might just have to make a long weekend out of it!

  • Reply
    Sharon
    February 1, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    This is ideal bike-riding country — flat and so many windmills. I rode from Bruges to the Netherlands along a canal. I would love to return to Amsterdam sometime and ride around the Netherlands!

  • Reply
    Sarah
    February 2, 2019 at 2:46 am

    I would definitely take you up on this guide next time I’m in the Netherlands! I liked having 3 straight days in Amsterdam last time, but now I’ve seen the city I’d definitely be open to exploring the surrounding villages more 🙂

    • Reply
      Joanne Scouler
      October 21, 2021 at 3:44 am

      We have 3 days in the Netherlands in May and I want to spend the second day in Zwolle, my birthplace and where I spent the first ten years of my life. We will take a Rhine cruise to Switzerland after that, which includes sightseeing in Amsterdam the first day. Any suggestions of must sees? Suggestions of reasonably priced, central hotels in Amsterdam?

  • Reply
    Emese
    February 3, 2019 at 4:02 am

    A great itinerary! Such beautiful places to explore, even in only three days. Thanks for sharing.

  • Reply
    Amanda
    February 6, 2019 at 9:36 pm

    Amsterdam looks so lovely! It’s somewhere I’ve wanted to visit forever. Those little houses are adorable. It seems like such a vibrant, colorful place. I’ve also heard soooo many amazing things about The Netherlands. Definitely need to plan a visit!

  • Reply
    Angie
    February 7, 2019 at 8:05 am

    I just love the Netherlands, and this 3 day guide would keep me super happy as it covers a bit of everything. Food, culture, flowers, history – what more could you ask for? Thanks for sharing. Pinned #feetdotravel

  • Reply
    Clare
    February 7, 2019 at 3:47 pm

    You are my indispensable go-to guide for anything to do with the Netherlands, Esther! Sometimes you need a local to just tell you what to miss and what you really can’t miss. I particularly like the highlights of the other Dutch cities – it is helpful for planning a trip. Thanks again for inspiring me on #FarawayFiles

  • Reply
    Zenbabytravel
    February 7, 2019 at 4:04 pm

    We need to come back with the kiddies, I have in mind boat and canals, Banksy and Rijksmuseum! #farawayfiles

  • Reply
    Janis
    February 7, 2019 at 5:55 pm

    I really like the Netherlands and like you say it is actually quite a small country. We did a road trip a couple of years ago, and there are so many lovely towns and villages to visit. Delft is very pretty. #farawayfiles

    • Reply
      Esther
      February 8, 2019 at 8:40 am

      I agree, Delft is so cute and it played a key role in Dutch history, so I think it’s a must-visit!

  • Reply
    Tilly Horseman
    February 7, 2019 at 6:45 pm

    I would love to explore the Netherlands more beyond my one and only trip to Amsterdam a couple of years back. There are so many places I would love to see, but I think Delft, The Hague and Rotterdam would be high up on my trips list. I would love to visit some of the traditional villages and the windmills and tulips….YES PLEASE!!

    • Reply
      Esther
      February 8, 2019 at 8:39 am

      That’s a great plan Tilly! And you can visit The Hague, Rotterdam and Delft just by staying in either of them, as they’re so close together!

  • Reply
    Cristina
    February 7, 2019 at 8:39 pm

    I’ve never been to the Netherlands but it’s on my bucket list. Every place looks amazing, specially the nearby places! #WanderfulWednesday

  • Reply
    Lauren
    February 7, 2019 at 8:49 pm

    Thanks for sharing this amazing guide. The Netherlands is still on our to-do list but we have to visit after reading this

  • Reply
    Catherine
    February 10, 2019 at 10:25 am

    What a great itinerary, we love the Netherlands so much more than just Amsterdam #FarawayFiles

  • Reply
    Hilary
    February 11, 2019 at 4:47 am

    This is a fabulous guide, and the photos are stunning! really stunning! I loved our visit to The Netherlands a few years ago, and have been longing to get back and explore more. We did see the windmills, but I’d have loved a few more days to beyond Amsterdam. I’ll be pinning this guide for sure! #farawayfiles

  • Reply
    Marc
    August 24, 2022 at 7:20 pm

    Visiting again the Netherlands soon. This time I’ll will go to the neighboring cities not just Amsterdam . Excited much..

Leave a Reply