Top 5 road trips to experience in the Netherlands

Beyond the well-known cities of the Netherlands lies a rich tapestry of farmland, fields, villages, and towns interwoven with canals, polders, dykes, and iconic windmills across the flat, low-lying landscape.

These road trips offer a glimpse into the Netherlands’ stunning scenery, ancient traditions, and clever innovations. With modern roads at your disposal, driving allows for spontaneous stops and discoveries. The country’s short distances and vast network of cycling paths mean you can easily switch from car to bike to explore these routes.

Ready to discover the Netherlands? Here are the must-see spots to add to your itinerary.

1. Journey through the bulb fields

Ideal road trip for vibrant photo opportunities Haarlem–Leiden; 64km (40 miles); allocate one day

Plan your trip to traverse this stunning route bursting with color, showcasing the beauty of the Bollenstreek bulb-growing region. Departing from the charming cobblestone streets and gabled architecture of Haarlem, you'll soon find yourself surrounded by vast fields and flower farms. On the northwestern edge of picturesque Lisse, the Keukenhof Gardens display breathtaking floral arrangements, featuring around 7 million blooms in spring.

You can explore Keukenhof’s castle gardens year-round at no charge, and learn about the Netherlands’ national flower at Lisse’s Museum De Zwarte Tulp (Museum of the Black Tulip). Heading west, you'll reach the coastal area of Noordwijk, known for its white-sand dunes inhabited by fallow deer, foxes, speckled green sand lizards, and a symphony of birdlife. A half-hour drive south brings you to historic Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt and home to the Hortus Botanicus Leiden, the oldest botanical gardens in the Netherlands.

Tip for planning: The tulip season lasts from approximately mid-March to mid-May, coinciding with the opening of the Keukenhof Gardens (make sure to book tickets ahead of time). This route is equally beautiful during the dahlia season, which runs from mid-August to mid-October. Check the Bollenstreek’s flower map for blooming flowers and fields you can visit (the map also indicates production fields, which you can admire from the outside).

Interested in biking through the tulip fields? Here’s how to do it

2. The Dutch cheese route

The ultimate road trip for cheese enthusiasts Gouda–Alkmaar; 126km (78 miles); allow one to two days

Savor exquisite Dutch cheese along this route that connects the Netherlands' three historic cheese towns.

Gouda, with its charming canals, has been the heart of the cheese trade in the surrounding valley since the Middle Ages. A recreated cheese market is held weekly in front of the historic waag (weighing house) during spring and summer. If you miss it, delve into Gouda’s cheese history at the interactive Cheese Experience.

Head north past lush pastures and the iconic windmills of traditional village Zaanse Schans, stopping at the former fishing village of Volendam, home to cheese producers on its southern edge. The waterfront is lined with charming, kitschy attractions, including traditional Dutch costume photo ops. Further north, Edam awaits with its cobbled streets, hand-operated drawbridges, and historical warehouses—once bustling with shipyards. Here, you can explore cheese-making techniques and sample local varieties, or catch the lively summer cheese market reenactment.

A scenic half-hour drive northwest leads you to Alkmaar, awarded weighing rights after the town successfully flooded the area to repel Spanish troops in 1573. Alkmaar also hosts a recreated cheese market weekly in spring and summer, where porters present cheeses to white-smocked dealers before they are weighed. Conclude your journey at the Nationaal Biermuseum in the historic De Boom brewery, complete with a tasting room by the canal.

Side trip: For a taste of sheep and goat milk cheeses, head to Kaasboerderij Wezenspyk on the picturesque island of Texel. Just a 40-minute drive north of Alkmaar to Den Helder will get you to the port, where a 20-minute ferry awaits (be sure to prebook during peak summer months).

Plan your visit to the Netherlands with our seasonal guide

3. The Hanseatic League route

Ideal road trip for fans of medieval architecture and history Doesburg–Elburg; 138km (86 miles); plan for one to two days

The echoes of Hanseatic history can be felt in the medieval streets along the IJssel River in the eastern Netherlands. Long before Amsterdam and Rotterdam became prominent cities, these nine interconnected towns formed a powerful alliance of northern European merchant guilds, dominating trade from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

Start your journey in the fortified town of Doesburg, renowned for its mustard production dating back to 1457 (mustard soup is a local delicacy) and home to the Stadsbierhuys de Waag, the oldest public house in the Netherlands, established in 1478. Travel through apple orchards and strawberry fields to Zutphen, known as Torenstad, or “town of towers,” and then on to Deventer, where you'll find the impressive Gothic hall-church built between 1450 and 1525. Continue to Hattem and then to Zwolle, encircled by a star-shaped canal and historic city walls. Pass through cornfields and dairy pastures to reach Hasselt, eventually arriving at Kampen, with its collection of medieval gates, houses, and towers along the IJssel.

Conclude your trip in Elburg, featuring a quaint, square-shaped historic center. This fortified former fishing town was once situated on the shores of the Wadden Sea until the early 20th century construction of the Afsluitdijk, the Netherlands’ longest dike at 32km (20 miles), created the freshwater IJsselmeer lake. Across the lake's southern end lies Flevoland, the newest province, reclaimed during the 1950s and '60s.

4. Following Van Gogh’s Footsteps

Ideal road trip for art enthusiasts Zundert–Hoge Veluwe National Park; 195km (121 miles); plan for one to two days

After experiencing the incredible collection of Vincent Van Gogh’s art at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, take a rewarding journey to explore the artist’s early life and creations through the charming and lesser-known countryside.

Begin in Zundert, where Vincent was born on March 30, 1853, and spent his formative years. His father served as a vicar at the local red-brick Dutch Reformed church—look for the bronze statue of Vincent and his brother Theo in front. Zundert is also famous for hosting the world’s largest flower parade on the first Sunday in September. A 20-minute drive north leads you to Etten-Leur, where Vincent had his first studio; the Van Gogh Church here showcases his artistic beginnings and features a copy of the 1881 document that officially registered him as an artist.

As you approach the rural northeastern outskirts of Eindhoven, surrounded by fields of maize, sugar beets, and potatoes, you’ll come across the quaint village of Nuenen. This is where Vincent seriously began his artistic journey. His works often feature the Opwetten Watermill (now a restaurant) and the De Roosdonck windmill, which was built in 1884 and still operates today. Nuenen’s Van Gogh Roosegaarde cycle path sparkles at night, reminiscent of his famous starry skies.

Flower and fruit farms, along with lush nature reserves, border Arnhem, leading to the highlight of this trip. Nestled within the expansive Hoge Veluwe National Park, the Kröller-Müller Museum houses an outstanding collection of Van Gogh’s art, second only to his namesake museum in Amsterdam, all set against a backdrop of sculpture-filled gardens.

5. The Eleven Cities Tour in Friesland (Elfstedentocht)

Ultimate road trip for exploring hidden gems Leeuwarden–Leeuwarden; 225km (140 miles); allow two days

The Elfstedentocht ice-skating tour, established in 1909, is a longstanding Frisian tradition that weaves through frozen canals, rivers, and lakes, making it the largest natural ice skating event in the world. This legendary tour can only occur when the ice is thick enough—a rarity in today’s warming climate. The last event took place in 1997, but hope springs eternal each winter. This driving loop follows the route through all 11 historic cities of Friesland.

Starting from Leeuwarden, rich in Roman history and lined with herringbone brick streets, you’ll journey through lush polder landscapes dotted with black-and-white Holstein-Friesian cattle, arriving at Sneek, known for its charming 17th-century defensive gate, the Waterpoort. Continue on to IJlst, then to the fortified city of Sloten. Next, visit the breezy town of Stavoren by the IJsselmeer lake, followed by Hindeloupen with its narrow lanes and quaint wooden bridges. Move on to Workum and Bolsward, then head towards Harlingen on the Wadden Sea. Complete your loop by passing fields of wheat, potatoes, and flax, finally reaching Franeker and Dokkum before returning to Leeuwarden.

Detour: Access the crescent-shaped chain of Frisian Islands from Harlingen via ferry, traversing the UNESCO World Heritage-listed intertidal mudflats of the Wadden Sea.