Two Weeks in the Netherlands: Tulips, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht & an Amazing Bike Tour
- tgandco2
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
This is my fifth blog post about our five-week adventure in Norway and the Netherlands. We spent three incredible weeks exploring Norway, and if you'd like to catch up on that part of the journey, you can read my previous posts here:
5 Weeks in Norway and the Netherlands: Northern Lights, Fjords & Tulips
Northern Lights in Tromsø, Norway: Amazing When You See Them, But Weather Changes Everything
Three Weeks in Norway: Fjords, Mountains, Musk Oxen, and Unforgettable Hikes
Three Weeks in Norway: Honest Reviews of Hotels, Restaurants, Tours & Unforgettable Experiences
In this post, I'll provide an overview of our two weeks in the Netherlands—what we did, what we loved, and how we planned everything. I'll also be writing a dedicated post about our bike tour and one final post reviewing the hotels, restaurants, tours, and other services we used throughout the country.
So, here we go.
Chasing Two Bucket-List Experiences
When we started planning this trip, there were two experiences we wanted to build the entire five-week adventure around: seeing the Northern Lights in Norway and seeing the tulips in bloom in the Netherlands.
That made timing critical.
We wanted to be in Tromsø in mid-March, when Northern Lights activity is typically at its peak, and then arrive in the Netherlands during tulip season. The challenge, of course, is that both experiences depend entirely on Mother Nature cooperating.
Fortunately, she did.
We saw the Northern Lights on our final two nights in Tromsø—just in time—and arrived in the Netherlands when the tulips were at their peak. To say we were lucky would be an understatement.
Unlike in Norway, where the country's size and complexity convinced us to work with a travel planner (Sarah from Solo Female Wanderer was fantastic), we felt the Netherlands was compact enough to plan ourselves.
We used Rotterdam and Amsterdam as our primary bases, with one-night stays in Utrecht and Haarlem before and after our bike tour. While the Netherlands offers a very different experience from Norway (few places can compete with Norway's jaw-dropping scenery), we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. In fact, the bike tour ended up being one of the highlights of our entire five-week trip.
Here are some of the highlights—and a few lowlights.
Rotterdam
After flying from Stavanger to Amsterdam, we took the train to Rotterdam, which was surprisingly easy and efficient.
We checked into Hotel Ame. You'll find more details in my upcoming review post, but the short version is that the hotel was a significant disappointment. That said, every long trip has a few misses, and we've learned not to let them overshadow the overall experience.
Our first afternoon was spent exploring the city on a self-guided walking tour. We visited the Nieuwe Delftse Poort, Markthal (which is fantastic), the Cube Houses (interesting but not life-changing), Lijnbaan, the Erasmus Bridge, and Delfshaven.
Dinner was at Pesca, which unfortunately was another slight miss. The food was fine, but the dining process felt more frustrating than enjoyable. More on that in my review post.
The next morning we took the train to Delft to visit the Royal Delft Museum and Factory.
This turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the entire trip.
I originally added it to the itinerary simply because Delftware is something the Netherlands is known for. I assumed we'd spend an hour there and move on.
Not even close.
The museum is fascinating, and the company has done an incredible job adapting a centuries-old business to modern times. One example: they invite street artists from around the world to create pieces using traditional Delft techniques while producing completely unconventional designs.
It was fascinating—and expensive. We left with far more Delft pottery than we planned, but we now have some beautiful pieces at home and zero regrets.
From Delft we continued to The Hague, where we planned to visit the Peace Palace. Unfortunately, the visitor centre was randomly closed, so we wandered the grounds before heading to the Mauritshuis Museum.
Our mission was simple: see Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Mission accomplished.
I'm certainly not an art historian, but seeing such an iconic painting in person was pretty special.
Back in Rotterdam, we finished the day with dinner at Takumi Ramen, which was excellent.
On our final morning in Rotterdam, we took the train to Gouda—the home of all things cheese.
We were fortunate to visit on the day of the traditional cheese market. While the actual auction process now happens online, the event still preserves many of the old customs and traditions. It was fun to watch and gave the town a lively atmosphere.
Gouda is absolutely worth a visit.
Amsterdam
From Gouda we travelled to Amsterdam and checked into our Airbnb. The location was excellent, and the apartment was cozy and comfortable.
That evening we had dinner at Krua Thai before taking what can best be described as a very brief visit to the Red Light District.
Very brief.
Gawking at how other people live has never really been our thing. It's one of the reasons we skipped slum tours while visiting Mumbai. We walked down a couple of streets, satisfied our curiosity, and called it a night.
The next morning began with a 5:30 a.m. bus ride.
Yes, on vacation.
Our destination was Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer to see the world's largest flower auction operation.
Like Gouda, the actual auction is now conducted electronically, but watching the movement and distribution of thousands upon thousands of flowers destined for destinations around the world was fascinating.
After returning to Amsterdam, we toured Rembrandt House. The self-guided audio tour was well done, informative, and just the right length.
That evening we had dinner at A Beautiful Mess.
This was one of the best meals of our entire trip.
Not only was the food outstanding, but the organization also supports newcomers and refugees building new lives in the Netherlands. If you're visiting Amsterdam, put this restaurant on your list.
The following day was dedicated to museums: the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.
Teresa and I aren't huge museum people, but we've learned two tricks that make museums much more enjoyable.
First, take a guided tour whenever possible.
Second, know when to leave.
Once museum fatigue sets in, our enjoyment drops dramatically.
The tours at both museums were excellent, but Van Gogh was the standout and one of our favourite museum experiences anywhere.
The next day was even more sobering, with visits to the Anne Frank House and the National Holocaust Museum.
Both are exceptionally well done and absolutely worth seeing.
One piece of advice: book Anne Frank House tickets as early as possible. I was online at 4:00 a.m. local time when tickets were released for our date. A few days later, everything was sold out.
We watched numerous disappointed visitors arrive without tickets and get turned away.
Also, book the introductory orientation session. It's excellent.
Dinner that evening was at Tomo Sushi, another outstanding meal.
Windmills, Boats, and One Exceptional Dinner
The next day we picked up a rental car for a trip to Giethoorn.
Along the way, we stopped at Zaanse Schans.
If you're from the Toronto area, think of it as the Dutch version of Black Creek Pioneer Village—historic, interesting, heavily touristy, and packed with tour buses.
The windmills, however, are spectacular.
We then stopped in Urk, a charming fishing town that we enjoyed much more than expected.
Finally, we arrived in Giethoorn.
It's undeniably beautiful, but I wouldn't recommend dedicating an entire day to it. A few hours is probably enough for most visitors.
We rented an electric boat and spent time cruising through the canals and nearby lake, which was great fun.
The highlight, though, was dinner at 'T Achterhuus.
In an era where even expensive restaurants seem determined to rush diners out the door, this place embraces the idea that dining should be an experience.
You enjoy a cocktail before the menu arrives. You chat with your server. You take in the view.
The food arrives at a comfortable pace.
Imagine that.
It was one of the best dining experiences of our entire trip.
A Final Day in Amsterdam
Our final full day in Amsterdam was spent wandering the city.
We visited the Bloemenmarkt (mostly tourist souvenirs), Damrak, Dam Square, the Royal
Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, Begijnhof, and the Nine Streets district.
Begijnhof was one of our favourite discoveries, and the Nine Streets are perfect for wandering without any particular destination.
Dinner was at Moeders, an authentic Dutch restaurant with excellent food and service.
Reserve ahead.
Trust me.
You are not walking in.
That evening we took a canal cruise with Those Dam Boat Guys.
Teresa and I aren't generally cruise people, but this was fantastic.
The guides are funny, slightly irreverent, and refreshingly different from many traditional sightseeing tours. You can bring your own drinks and snacks, and seeing Amsterdam from the canals gives you a completely different perspective on the city.
We're very glad we did it.
Utrecht
The next morning we checked out and headed to Utrecht.
After dropping our bags at the beautiful Mother Goose Hotel, we visited Dom Church and the adjacent Pandhof garden before climbing the Dom Tower.
The tour provided fascinating historical context, the climb offered a decent workout, and the views from the top were spectacular.
Definitely worth doing.
That evening we had dinner at Miyagi and Jones, a Japanese fusion restaurant.
Teresa and I have a rule: sometimes it's best not to try to recreate a perfect experience.
For example, after dining at Nobu in Malibu, we've agreed we're never visiting another Nobu because we're convinced it can't possibly be as good. Similarly, after having incredible roasted reindeer at Dovrefjell Lodge, we've decided not to order it anywhere else.
Miyagi and Jones reminded us of Mr. Miyagi in Australia, which we loved.
Unfortunately, it wasn't quite the same.
Oh well. Live and learn.
The Bike Tour Highlight
The next morning we travelled to Haarlem, where our self-guided bike tour began.
I'll write a dedicated post about the tour, but a few quick highlights:
Holland Bike Tours was outstanding from start to finish. This second-generation family business knows exactly how to create memorable cycling experiences.
Their RideGPS app was simple to use and provided turn-by-turn navigation along with recommendations for attractions and stops.
Cycling through the Netherlands during tulip season was unforgettable. Fields of colour stretched in every direction.
The company handled everything—hotels, luggage transfers, route planning, recommendations, and logistics.
The bikes were excellent.
The Netherlands is remarkably bike-friendly. The terrain is flat, and much of the route follows dedicated cycling paths separated from vehicle traffic.
The bike tour ultimately became our favourite part of visiting the Netherlands.
Final Thoughts
That concludes a quick overview of our two weeks in the Netherlands.
While Norway delivered dramatic mountains, fjords, and Northern Lights, the Netherlands offered charming cities, incredible cycling, world-class museums, beautiful tulip fields, and some truly memorable meals.
The two countries couldn't be more different, which is exactly what made combining them into one trip such a great experience.
I'll be publishing two more Netherlands posts soon:
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out at thethirdperiod.ca@gmail.com.
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