Rotterdam
Geared predominantly towards children, the collection at this small museum focuses on delivering facts in a fun way. The 'Uitslovers' ('Show-offs')…
Must-see attractions in South Holland
Delft
William of Orange (William the Silent) was assassinated in this former convent in 1584 (the bullet hole in the wall is preserved), becoming the world's…
Leiden
Founded by the University of Leiden in 1590, this is one of Europe's oldest botanical gardens (the oldest was created in Padua, Italy, in 1545). The…
Rotterdam
This national institution has a collection of over five million photographic images, and its upstairs gallery highlights curated selections from this…
South Holland
The massive tower of the 14th- to 15th-century Grote Kerk was originally meant to have reached much higher toward the heavens, but it took on a lean…
Delft
Founded c 1246, the Oude Kerk is a surreal sight: its 75m-high tower, which was erected c 1350, leans nearly 2m from the vertical due to subsidence caused…
Rotterdam
Legendary Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer worked with Amsterdam-based architect Abraham Elzas on the design of this department store, which opened in 1957…
Den Haag
Adjoining the Gemeentemuseum and sharing a building with GEM, Den Haag's excellent photography museum mounts several major exhibitions a year. The ground…
Rotterdam
Commissioned as the Dutch headquarters of Deloitte, the 165m Maastoren was designed by Dam & Partners and was the tallest building in the Netherlands when…
Rotterdam
Much of the Holland-America Line infrastructure in Rotterdam was destroyed during the 1940s bombings, and replaced directly after the war. This terminal…
Rotterdam
Designed by OMA, the 'Carpenter's House' (2009–15) incorporates apartments, shops, restaurants and Museum Rotterdam. Often described as a 'floating cloud'…
Rotterdam
The most used – and quite possibly best loved – building in Rotterdam, Centraal Station was designed by Benthem Crouwel, MVSA and West 8. Built between…
Rotterdam
Designed by Hugh Maaskant and Willem van Tijen in the post-war reconstruction period and completed in 1952, this building has recently been restored and…
Delft
One of the largest historic market squares in Europe, the rectangular Markt was first paved in the late 15th century. It is edged by the town hall, Nieuwe…
Den Haag
The long sandy beach at Scheveningen attracts nine million visitors per year. Though the water and sand are clean, the beach is heavily developed, with…
Rotterdam
On the ground floor of the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, this gallery stages equally impressive contemporary art shows but differs in that it…
Rotterdam
A symbol of the city, this graceful pylon bridge dubbed 'the Swan' was designed by architect Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996. It spans 802m across…
Rotterdam
Linking the Schieblock with the Hofplein and Coolsingel, this elevated wooden pedestrian bridge was designed by local studio Zones Urbaines Sensibels (ZUS…
Rotterdam
A cleverly repurposed old railway viaduct, the 1.9km-long Hofbogen houses boutiques, cafes, ateliers and other creative spaces that have been built under…
Rotterdam
Stadion Feijenoord, known to Feyenoord supporters as De Kuip, is a huge football stadium south of the city centre that can hold over 51,000 fans. During…
Rotterdam
Uit Je Eigen Stad, which translates as 'From Your Own City', is an urban farm on the outskirts of Rotterdam whose goal is to re-educate locals about the…
Rotterdam
This bucolic park sits just outside the city centre and offers a delightfully laidback mixture of shaded forest, sparkling waters and manicured grass. It…
Rotterdam
One of the main proponents of youth culture in Rotterdam, Showroom Mama hosts art exhibitions, performances, events and installations by aspiring…
Rotterdam
A melting pot for local creatives, this space hosts pop-up exhibitions, stores, gigs and get-togethers.
Leiden
Crowned by its huge steeple, this now deconsecrated church is often under restoration – a good thing, as it has been prone to collapse since it was built…
Rotterdam
Designed by HA Maaskant as a landmark and built between 1958 and 1960, the 185m-high Euromast offers unparalleled 360-degree views of Rotterdam from its…
Rotterdam
The Pilgrims prayed for the last time at this church before leaving the Netherlands for America aboard the Speedwell on 1 August 1620. They could barely…
Den Haag
A remnant of the 13th-century city fortifications, the Gevangenpoort functioned as a prison from 1428 to 1825. Guided tours (30 minutes) run hourly on…
South Holland
Once the home of prominent lawyer and art collector Simon van Gijn (1836–1922), this house was built in 1729 but was extensively remodelled in van Gijn's…
Den Haag
Originally the reception and party hall of a 13th-century hunting lodge built by the the Count of Holland, the Knights Hall is the oldest part of the…
Delft
Off the usual tourist radar, this museum is the former studio and home of 19th-century Dutch artist Paul Tetar van Elven, who lived and worked here from…
Den Haag
One of the contemporary wings of the neighbouring Gemeentemuseum, this fine art museum shares a building with the Fotomuseum Den Haag and stages a…
Den Haag
Dating from 1450, the Great Church has a fine pulpit that was constructed in the following century. If you're here outside its limited visitor season …
South Holland
This grand castle across the road from Keukenhof Gardens was built in 1641 by VOC (Dutch East India Company) commander Adriaan Muertenszoon Block and sits…
Leiden
Built on the Hoge Land (High Land) of Leiden, this church was consecrated in 1366 as the collegiate church of St Pancras and was extended in stages…
Leiden American Pilgrim Museum
Leiden
This museum is a fascinating restoration of a one-room house occupied around 1610 by the soon-to-be Pilgrims. The house itself dates from 1365–70 (check…
Rotterdam
A late-1950s office building now housing design studios, the Schieblock is topped by the pioneering DakAkker harvestable roof with its Op Het Dak cafe and…
Rotterdam
Picasso's sandblasted concrete sculpture Sylvette (1970), which he designed with Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar, depicts the great artist's model and muse…
Rotterdam
Rotterdam's City Stories Centre is dedicated to collecting, studying and exhibiting intangible heritage. Changing exhibitions and oral history…
Delft
This long-operating Delftware factory north of the city centre offers free short guided tours in which the production process is explained. These start…
