Netherlands travel guide

Getting there

Amsterdam Schiphol is one of Europe's main hub airports, with smaller airports at Eindhoven and Rotterdam. High-speed trains connect with Belgium, France, Germany and London, and ferries run from the UK to Hook of Holland, Rotterdam and IJmuiden.

Best time to visit: Apr–May for tulips; Jun–Sep for warm days and festivals.

Tougher months: No bad time – November to February is grey, damp and windy, but cosy cafés, museums and festive lights make up for it.

Weather by month in Amsterdam

• 6°J●●
• 7°F●
• 10°M●
• 14°A●
• 18°M●
• 21°J●
• 23°J●●
• 23°A●●
• 19°S●●
• 15°O●●
• 10°N●●
• 7°D●●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Europe/Brussels. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 93 of 198 other passports can enter Netherlands without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 105 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of the Schengen Area (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-08-18). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Netherlands travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Netherlands are based around Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Utrecht. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$65–95 for a backpacker and US$160–270 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Netherlands page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +31.

Mobile data: read the eSIM for Europe before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Amsterdam (North Holland · canals & museums): The vibrant capital of canals, world-class museums, markets and lively neighbourhoods like the Jordaan.
• Rotterdam (South Holland · architecture): Europe's largest port with cutting-edge design, a lively food scene and harbour tours.
• Utrecht (Central · historic city): A charming university city with sunken canal wharves and the tall Dom Tower.
• Kinderdijk (South Holland · windmills): A UNESCO-listed cluster of historic windmills in classic Dutch polder scenery.
• Keukenhof & Lisse (Bulb region · spring flowers): Millions of tulips and other bulbs in bloom, open only in spring.
• The Hague & Delft (South Holland · culture): The seat of government with the Mauritshuis museum, the seaside at Scheveningen and nearby historic Delft.
• Giethoorn (Overijssel · water village): A thatched-roof village where canals and footbridges replace roads.
• Texel (Wadden Islands · nature): The largest Wadden island, with dunes, beaches, seal watching and bike trails.

Things to do

• Cruise Amsterdam's canals. Glide past gabled merchant houses and arched bridges on the UNESCO-listed canal ring.
• See Dutch masters. Stand before Rembrandt's Night Watch at the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh's sunflowers nearby.
• Visit the Anne Frank House. Step into the secret annex where Anne Frank wrote her diary – book well ahead.
• Cycle like a local. Rent a bike and ride the country's endless network of dedicated cycle paths through towns and countryside.
• Walk among windmills. Explore the 18th-century windmills of Kinderdijk, built to keep the polders dry.
• See the tulip fields. Wander through Keukenhof's gardens and the striped bulb fields around Lisse in spring.
• Explore modern Rotterdam. Admire bold architecture like the Cube Houses and Markthal in the rebuilt port city.
• Stroll Delft and Utrecht. Enjoy smaller canal towns with blue pottery, old churches and canal-side terraces.

Source: full Netherlands guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Stroopwafel – thin waffles with caramel syrup
• Haring – raw herring served with onions
• Bitterballen – crispy fried meat-ragout balls
• Poffertjes – tiny fluffy pancakes with butter and sugar

Source: RoamSun Netherlands guide

Talk

Twenty basic Dutch phrases with a simple sound guide. Say them slowly; a smile does the rest.

Basic phrases: pronunciation is approximate and the list has not yet been reviewed by a native speaker. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable where that applies. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Money and safety

Currency: Euro (EUR). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 5–10% or round up for good service.

Emergency numbers: 112 police, fire & ambulance.

• The Netherlands uses the euro; contactless and card payments are standard, and some shops are card-only.
• Some supermarkets and smaller shops may not accept foreign credit cards, so carry a debit card or a little cash.
• The Netherlands is very safe, but pickpockets operate around Amsterdam Centraal, trams and busy tourist areas.
• Watch out for bikes – never walk in red-coloured bike lanes and look both ways before crossing.

Source: RoamSun Netherlands facts