Do you only have three days to visit the Netherlands? No problems! The country is not very large, and public transportation is fast. It is very possible to explore multiple cities in such a short time. You will have enough opportunities to enjoy the history, culture, arts, cuisine, and modern entertainment. Here is a sample of the itinerary for you:
Day 1: Amsterdam
As the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is where you most likely land. Exploring this city first is time-efficient, considering there are so many attractions you can consider visiting, from the famous canal-side housings to museums of classic arts.
a. Dutch Breakfast
Start your day with a tasty breakfast at Gartine, Conservatorium Brasserie, or The Breakfast Club. These are the most popular places for traditional cuisine that opens in the very morning.
b. Canal Exploration
Once your body receives its much-needed calorie intake, you can start your journey by exploring the canals by boat, water taxi, or ferry.
c. History and Art Exploration
Alternatively, you can walk around the historic neighborhood or visit famous museums and galleries in the city, such as the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum.
d. Classic Netherlander Lunch
At lunchtime, explore classic Dutch cuisine in any of these restaurants; Greetje, De Kas, Moeders, Cafe Loetje, and Wilde Zwijnen.
e. Botanical Relaxation
Right after that, move along to Hortus Botanicus, the oldest botanical garden in the world. Enjoy your relaxing afternoon with its collections of more than 6,000 plants, including exotic and rare species.
f. Night Tourism
After sunset, Amsterdam offers plenty of vibrant nightlife to enjoy. Besides all the pubs and restaurants, you can enjoy high-class entertainment by catching a show at Concertgebouw or the Royal Theatre Carré.
Day 2: Rotterdam
This second-largest city in the Netherlands has loads of futuristic architecture and contemporary art, as well as beautiful natural spots to embrace.
a. Breakfast on the Go
Grab a stroopwafel, ontbijtkoek, hagelslag, or uitsmijter with a cup of coffee to start your day. Locals love to have those pastries for breakfast. To be efficient with your time, you can get them as a takeaway to enjoy on your train ride to Rotterdam.
b. Futuristic Architecture
It is time to visit iconic buildings, such as Kijk-Kubus (Cube Houses), Erasmus Bridge, and Museum Boijmans van Beuningen Depot.
c. Shop Til You Drop at Markthal
Another futuristic architecture is the famous Markthal (Market Hall). You can find almost anything in this sustainable building; fresh foods, street foods, unique goods, and artworks.
d. More Netherlander Cuisine on Lunch
If you haven’t got your stomach full by the street foods in the Markthal, you can have lunch at Guliano, The Harvest, Nostra, or Spirit Rotterdam to get more of Netherlands cuisine. Some of the best menus to taste are stamppot, hachee, and rookworst.
e. Have Fun around the Lake
Take a metro or bus to Kralingse Bos and Plas on the east side of the city. This large park has it all; a lake surrounded by a forest, a golf course, a climbing park, and even a beach.
f. Cultural Nightlife Time
Try visiting Melief Bender to enjoy a more traditional and friendly atmosphere. If you are keen on cultural events, Rotown is where you should go at night in Rotterdam.
Day 3: Lisse
You are not spending time in the Netherlands without seeing the tulip fields, and Lisse is the best city for it. The city also offers a tour of a series of gardens and historic buildings.
a. More Dutch Pastry for Breakfast
Have a pastry and coffee to go because you will take a train and bus ride again to Lisse. Try buying the type of Dutch pastry that you haven’t tasted before. It is less than two hours from Rotterdam and less than an hour from Amsterdam.
b. Keukenhof Garden
This garden has the largest tulip garden in the world with more than 800 varieties of tulips in different colors and shapes. There is also an old windmill near the tulip garden. Many other attractions are also available in this vast garden; Oranje Nassau Pavilion displays varieties of orchids, a Mosaic of flowers, a petting zoo, and many more.
c. Historical Exploration
Outside the Keukenhof Garden, there are several historical sites worth visiting, such as the Keukenhof Castle, the LAM Museum, The Flower Bulb Region, Sint Agathakerk, and Hoeve Wassergeest.
Must-Have Item: A Netherlands Mobile Number from MySecondLine
Never lose contact with your friends and family while traveling so you can share all the joy and excitement. However, it can be expensive if you use a mobile number from your home country because of the roaming fees. Of course, you can consider buying a new SIM card in the Netherlands, but there is a much better alternative; MySecondLine.
Installing MySecondLine on your mobile phone allows you to create a virtual mobile number for texting and calling any number in the world. Setting up is effortless and quick. Feel free to pick the country call format for your number, including the Netherlands format. However, any number you pick will still work regardless of where your actual location is.
Calling and texting rates in MySecondLine are incredibly lower than conventional phones. It is possible to have endless conversations on your mobile phone even on international calls without stressing out about the cost.