18 best day trips from Amsterdam: beaches, castles and historic towns
Amsterdam is packed with things to do, but it’s also one of the best bases in Europe for day trips. The Netherlands is small and the trains are quick, so within an hour of leaving Amsterdam Centraal railway station you can be in a medieval town, on the beach or standing under a line of windmills. Whether you’ve got just one free day or a whole week to explore, here are some of the best day trips from Amsterdam.
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Day trips less than 30 minutes from Amsterdam
Want to maximise your sightseeing? These day trips from Amsterdam are all less than half an hour from Amsterdam Centraal station by train.
Haarlem
- Travel time: 15 to 20 minutes by train
- Highlights: Grote Markt, St Bavo’s Church, Frans Hals Museum, Teylers Museum
- Best for: history, art, relaxed city strolls
Haarlem is one of the easiest day trips from Amsterdam. The train from Amsterdam Centraal station takes less than 20 minutes and drops you a 10 minute walk from the main attractions.
The Grote Markt is Haarlem’s main square and is lined with cafés and overlooked by St Bavo’s Church, home to the organ once played by Mozart. The Frans Hals Museum is a highlight for art lovers, while the Teylers Museum mixes science and art in the country’s oldest museum building.
Haarlem is also perfect for a bit of wandering. The old city is packed with hofjes – peaceful courtyards tucked behind houses, which are lovely to stumble across, while the canals and cobbled streets are beautiful at any time of year. I recommend following this excellent walking route which takes in the main sights in Haarlem.
This Amsterdam day trip works well if you’ve only got half a day spare, but it’s also a nice option if you want to take things slowly. Alternatively, you could combine a morning in Haarlem with an afternoon by the beach in Zandvoort, just 11 minutes away by train.
Utrecht
- Travel time: 30 minutes by train
- Highlights: Dom Tower, canals with wharf cellars, Miffy Museum, Railway Museum
- Best for: lively atmosphere, fun museums, canalside cafés
Utrecht is close to Amsterdam, just 30 minutes south of Amsterdam Centraal by train, but has its own distinct character. Like Amsterdam, Utrecht is full of canals, but in Utrecht they sit below street level with wharf cellars that are now cafés and bars.
The Dom Tower dominates the skyline, and climbing it gives views across the Netherlands. Museums in Utrecht range from a museum celebrating Utrecht’s most famous resident Miffy to the family-friendly Railway Museum in a converted station.
As a busy university town, Utrecht has a lively feel and plenty of affordable places to eat. The centre is compact, so you can see a lot in a few hours, but it’s worth a full Amsterdam day trip if you want to add in museums or a canal-side lunch.
Read more: the best things to do in Utrecht
Zandvoort
- Travel time: 30 minutes by train
- Highlights: sandy beach, dunes, beach clubs, surfing
- Best for: seaside break, fresh air, nature walks
If you’re ready for some sea air, hop on the train to Zandvoort, nicknamed Amsterdam beach. In half an hour you’ll swap Amsterdam’s canals for a wide sandy beach with huge skies and beautiful sunsets.
In summer the seafront at Zandvoort is lined with beach clubs, while at quieter times of year it’s ideal for walks to blow the cobwebs away before warming up in a cosy cafe.
Just behind the beach are the Zuid-Kennemerland dunes, a protected reserve with hiking trails and wildlife, while to the north you can visit the peaceful Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. If that sounds too relaxing, Zandvoort is also the home of the Dutch Grand Prix until 2026; there are race days throughout the year.
Day trips 30 minutes to 1 hour from Amsterdam
A little further away, but worth the effort to see more of the Netherlands.
Zaanse Schans
- Travel time: 45 minutes by bus, or 20 minutes by train to Zaandijk station, then a 20 minute walk
- Highlights: windmills, clog workshop, cheese tasting, heritage houses
- Best for: traditional Dutch culture, family-friendly outing
Zaanse Schans is one of the most popular Amsterdam day trips, and it’s easy to see why. Just outside the city, you’ll find a heritage village with a row of historic windmills on the River Zaan, some still working and open to visit. There are also workshops where you can watch wooden clogs being made and try Dutch cheese.
The village can get busy with coach tours, but it’s still an enjoyable way to experience the classic Dutch scenery of windmills, water and wooden houses. If you’re short on time, Zaanse Schans is one of the best day trips from Amsterdam because you can see so much in just a few hours.
The Hague (Den Haag)
- Travel time: 51 minutes by train. Den Haag Centraal is the closest station to the main attractions.
- Highlights: Binnenhof, Mauritshuis, Peace Palace, Scheveningen Beach
- Best for: art, politics and city style, plus seaside fun
The Hague is the centre of Dutch politics and home to international courts, but it’s also a very walkable city with plenty to see for a day trip from Amsterdam. The Binnenhof, home of the Dutch parliament, sits around a peaceful lake with a fountain. Nearby, the elegant Mauritshuis museum displays Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and other masterpieces.
When the sun’s out, take the tram to Scheveningen Beach for a stroll along the pier and a ride on the SkyView ferris wheel. Alternatively, combine a day trip to The Hague with a few hours in nearby Delft.
Delft
- Travel time: 1 hour by train
- Highlights: Markt Square, Royal Delft pottery, Vermeer Centrum
- Best for: traditional town charm, art and design
Delft is known worldwide for its blue-and-white pottery, and you can see how it’s made at Royal Delft. The town itself is equally appealing, with canals, narrow streets and the large Markt Square at its centre.
Delft was the hometown of Vermeer, one of the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age and the creator of Girl with a Pearl Earring. You can visit the Vermeer Centrum which recreates Vermeer’s studio and has four floors dedicated to the Master of Light. You can even pose for your own Vermeer picture!
Delft is worth at least half a day, but it’s easy to combine with nearby Rotterdam to the south and The Hague to the north. When I visited Delft on a day trip, I spent the morning in Delft visiting the Vermeer Centrum and wandering around the beautiful canals, and the afternoon in The Hague seeing Vermeer’s paintings at the Mauritshuis museum.
Keukenhof and Lisse
- Travel time: 40 minutes to 1 hour by bus
- Highlights: Keukenhof Gardens, tulip fields, cycling routes
- Best for: spring flowers, photography
The Keukenhof Gardens are only open for eight weeks each spring, but if you’re visiting Amsterdam between mid-March and mid-May it’s the one day trip you shouldn’t miss. In 2026, Keukenhof will be open from 19 March to 10 May.
The gardens are filled with millions of tulips and other flowers, arranged in colourful displays. Special Keukenhof Express buses run from Amsterdam and Schiphol to the entrance during the season, and there’s a pre-bookable shuttle bus from Amsterdam city centre.
The surrounding countryside near Lisse is covered in tulip fields, which are easy to explore by bike. A spring Amsterdam day trip to Keukenhof is busy but unforgettable. It’s one of the best day trips from Amsterdam if you’re visiting in the spring.
Rotterdam
- Travel time: 50 minutes by train. Trains to Rotterdam Blaak station take a little longer but drop you right in front of the Cube Houses, Old Harbour and Markthal
- Highlights: Erasmus Bridge, Cube Houses, Markthal, harbour tours
- Best for: modern architecture, maritime history, food scene
Rotterdam is a complete contrast to Amsterdam and one of the most interesting cities in Europe if you like modern architecture. After the Second World War it was rebuilt with bold designs from some of Europe’s most exciting architects, from the sloping yellow Cube Houses to the fun Markthal (Market Hall).
As Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam also has a strong maritime feel. You can take a harbour cruise to see it up close, or visit the Maritime Museum. With plenty of international food, a new museum of migration and a buzzing cultural scene, Rotterdam makes an exciting Amsterdam day trip if you’re looking for something very different.
Rotterdam is a little spread out and deserves more than one day to really get to know it, but if you only have a day trip from Amsterdam, you can follow my one day Rotterdam itinerary to make sure you see the key sights.
Gouda
- Travel time: 55 minutes by train
- Highlights: cheese market, St John’s Church, stroopwafels
- Best for: food lovers, market town atmosphere
Gouda is famous for its cheese, and if you visit on a Thursday between April and August you can see the traditional cheese market in the main square. The town also has canals, a historic town hall and St John’s Church with its impressive Gouda Glass stained glass windows.
It’s also the home of stroopwafels, and you can try one fresh from a bakery. An Amsterdam day trip to Gouda combines history with food, and it’s a particularly good choice in the summer if you enjoy markets.
Every December, Gouda hosts Gouda by Candlelight, one of the most atmospheric Christmas events in the Netherlands. On this evening the lights in the historic centre are switched off, and thousands of candles illuminate the Markt and the Gothic town hall.
Leiden
- Travel time: 40 minutes by train
- Highlights: Hortus Botanicus, canals, museums, historic university
- Best for: history, science, quieter alternative to Amsterdam
Leiden is one of the Netherlands’ oldest university towns, with a long history of learning and discovery. The Hortus Botanicus is the country’s oldest botanical garden (it’s where the tulip was introduced to western Europe), and the museums cover everything from dinosaurs to a journey through the human body.
As well as the university, Leiden has several other claims to fame. It was the birthplace of Rembrandt, and it’s also where the Mayflower Pilgrims settled for a time after fleeing persecution in England. A new home for Leiden’s museum about the Pilgrims is due to open in late 2025.
With fewer crowds than Amsterdam and a compact, walkable city centre, Leiden makes a lovely day trip from Amsterdam.
Alkmaar
- Travel time: 35–40 minutes by train
- Highlights: cheese market, old town, St Laurenskerk
- Best for: summer days out, cheese, shorter trips
Alkmaar’s cheese market is held on Fridays from April to September and is the oldest and biggest in the Netherlands. If you miss the cheese market, you can visit the Cheese Museum.
Beyond cheese, the town has narrow streets, pretty canals and peaceful courtyards. Top attractions in Alkmaar include an outpost of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum and the National Beer Museum.
Because it’s compact, Alkmaar works well as a short day trip from Amsterdam. In summer you can also pair it with a visit to the coast, which is just a short bus ride away.
Amersfoort
- Travel time: 40–50 minutes by train
- Highlights: Koppelpoort gate, medieval streets, city walls
- Best for: medieval history, art
The beautiful medieval town of Amersfoort often gets overlooked, but it’s full of character and well worth a visit. The Koppelpoort, a 15th-century city gate, is the main landmark, and inside the walls are cobbled streets and old houses.
Artist Piet Mondrian was born and lived in Amersfoort. You can learn about his life and work at the Mondrian House.
Marken and Volendam
- Travel time: 40 minutes by bus to Marken; from Marken you can take the Volendam Marken Express boat over to Volendam. The bus back to Amsterdam from Volendam takes 30 minutes.
- Highlights: fishing villages, wooden houses, seafood
- Best for: traditional Dutch atmosphere, seaside walks
Marken and Volendam are two fishing villages on the Markermeer part of the lake which divides Amsterdam and North Holland from Flevoland.
Pretty Marken, which sits on a former island out in the middle of the lake, is known for its green wooden houses and narrow cobblestone lanes, while Volendam has a lively harbour lined with seafood stalls and cafés.
In Volendam, don’t miss exploring the picturesque streets of the Doolhof area and make sure you visit the Cheese Factory museum, tasting room and shop. In Marken, you can pick up a souvenir of your Amsterdam trip at the Wooden Shoe Factory and get lost in the village streets and surrounding countryside.
Day trips over an hour from Amsterdam Centraal station
If you’re willing to spend a little more time getting there, these day trips are still very doable from Amsterdam. For some of these trips you may want to consider hiring a car.
Muiden and Muiderslot Castle
- Travel time: just over 1 hour by bus and on foot; there’s a route with more changes but less walking via Weesp
- Highlights: Muiderslot Castle, gardens, harbour
- Best for: castles, family trips, half-day outings
Muiden is just east of Amsterdam and home to Muiderslot, a 13th-century castle with fairytale towers, a moat and beautiful gardens. You can tour the rooms and exhibitions, or just enjoy the views over the water. One of the best times to visit Muiderslot is on one of the event days, when actors are on hand to show you what life was like inside Muiderslot’s walls.
Muiden itself is full of pretty houses and cosy cafes, and there’s a harbour full of little boats. You can take a ferry out to the Pampus fortress, which was part of the UNESCO-listed Dutch Water Defence Lines chain of fortresses, which were built in the 19th century to protect Amsterdam.
Efteling theme park
- Travel time: 2 hours 15 minutes by train and bus, or around 1 hour 20 minutes by car
- Highlights: fairytale forest, thrilling roller coasters, family rides, shows
- Best for: families, theme park fans, a magical day out
Efteling is the Netherlands’ most famous theme park and makes a fun day trip from Amsterdam if you’re travelling with children, or if you just enjoy theme parks yourself.
The park is known for its attractions inspired by European folklore and stories. The Fairy Tale Forest is one of the original areas, with walk-through scenes of classic tales, while newer rides include thrilling roller coasters, water rides and immersive dark rides.
It’s a large park with plenty to fill a whole day, including live shows, so it’s best to arrive early. You can reach Efteling by train to Tilburg or ’s-Hertogenbosch and then a short bus ride, or it’s an easy drive if you have a car.
Kinderdijk
- Travel time: 1 hour 20 minutes by car; between 2 and 2.5 hours by train and waterbus via Rotterdam
- Highlights: 19 windmills, boat tours, UNESCO World Heritage site
- Best for: iconic Dutch scenery, photography, history
Kinderdijk is one of the most famous windmill sites in the Netherlands and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 19 windmills line the waterways, originally built to control water levels in the low-lying land.
You can walk or cycle along the paths for free, or pay to go inside the museum mills and take a boat tour.
Kinderdijk takes longer to reach than most Amsterdam day trips (it’s easier to reach from Rotterdam), but it’s one of the best day trips from Amsterdam if you want that postcard Dutch view. If you just want to see windmills, Zaanse Schans is a closer alternative.
Giethoorn
- Travel time: 2 to 2.5 hours by public transport, 1 hour 25 minutes by car
- Highlights: canals, whisper boats, thatched cottages
- Best for: peaceful scenery, photography, unique village charm
Giethoorn is a beautiful, fairytale village in the northeastern Dutch province of Overijssel, known for its thatched cottages, wooden bridges and gardens. There are no roads in the centre of Giethoorn, and residents and visitors alike get around on foot, by bike and by sailing along the village canals.
Giethoorn takes longer to reach than most of the other Amsterdam day trips on this list, particularly if you’re using public transport, but the peaceful setting makes it worthwhile. If you’re after a day trip from Amsterdam that feels completely different from the busy city, Giethoorn could be a good choice.
Brussels
- Travel time: 2 hours by direct train (Intercity Brussels or Eurostar)
- Highlights: Grand Place, Atomium, Manneken Pis, European Parliament, Belgian beer, chocolate and waffles
- Best for: international travellers, getting to see another capital city, food and drink
Brussels is further than most Amsterdam day trips, but the direct train makes it manageable. From Amsterdam Centraal you can be in Brussels Midi in around two hours, with easy onward connections to the city centre. Once you arrive, head straight for the Grand Place; it’s one of Europe’s most impressive squares, surrounded by ornate guildhalls and the Town Hall.
Other things to do in Brussels include visiting one of my favourite buildings in Europe, the Atomium, which was built for the 1958 World’s Fair, and quirky landmarks like Manneken Pis.
Brussels is also famous for its food, so it’s worth trying Belgian chocolate, waffles or moules-frites during your visit – along with a glass or two of Belgian beer! Because of the distance, this works best as a long day out, but if you’re looking to add another European capital to your trip, Brussels is one of the most rewarding day trips from Amsterdam.
Map of day trips from Amsterdam
It can be hard to picture where each place is, especially if you’re not familiar with Dutch geography. Most of the best day trips from Amsterdam are less than an hour away by train, with a few further options like Giethoorn and Kinderdijk.
Here’s a map showing all 18 destinations in this guide, so you can see at a glance how far they are from Amsterdam and plan your route.
FAQs about day trips from Amsterdam
What are the best day trips from Amsterdam by train?
Many of the best day trips from Amsterdam are easy to do by train. Haarlem, Zandvoort and Utrecht are both under 30 minutes away and work well as half-day trips (although Utrecht in particular deserves at least a day).
Delft, Leiden and The Hague are all around an hour by train, while Rotterdam is only 40 minutes. Even towns like Alkmaar, Gouda, Amersfoort, Marken and Volkendam can be reached in under an hour.
What is the most popular day trip from Amsterdam?
Zaanse Schans is one of the most popular Amsterdam day trips thanks to its traditional windmills and wooden houses. Haarlem is another favourite because it’s so easy to get to and has a mix of history, art and canals.
In spring, Keukenhof Gardens near Lisse is one of the best day trips from Amsterdam and draws visitors from around the world.
Can you visit the tulip fields as a day trip from Amsterdam?
Yes, in spring the tulip fields around Lisse and Keukenhof Gardens are easy to reach on a day trip from Amsterdam. The gardens are open from mid-March to mid-May (19 March to 10 May in 2026) and can be reached in about an hour by bus or train via Schiphol.
What are the best seaside day trips from Amsterdam?
Zandvoort is the easiest beach to reach from Amsterdam, with trains from Amsterdam Centraal taking about 30 minutes. Bloemendaal aan Zee is nearby and popular with surfers, while a little further up the coast at IJmuiden you can try blokarting.
For a mix of city and seaside, The Hague’s Scheveningen Beach is around 50 minutes by train plus a short tram ride.
What is the best day trip from Amsterdam for history?
Delft, Leiden and Haarlem are all historic cities with museums and churches. Amersfoort is another good choice, with its medieval Koppelpoort gate and old city walls. For castles, Muiderslot in Muiden is close to Amsterdam and easy to reach.
If you’re more interested in how ordinary people used to live, then Zaanse Schans is an open air, open access heritage village with small cottages and traditional workshops.
What is the easiest Amsterdam day trip?
The quickest day trips from Amsterdam are Haarlem (15 to 20 minutes by train), Utrecht (about 30 minutes) and Zandvoort (30 minutes by train). All three give you a good change of scene without much travel.
What is the best Amsterdam trip for a rainy day?
If the weather is bad, then I recommend visiting Utrecht. The train station is within a few minutes’ walk from the city centre, and there are loads of fun museums close together, plus interesting shopping and cosy cafes.
What are the most exciting Amsterdam day trips?
If you’re looking for thrills, then head to the seaside at Zandvoort or the Efteling theme park.
At Zandvoort, 30 minutes from Amsterdam by train, you can book a driving experience at the Dutch F1 circuit, go horse riding on the beach or learn to surf.
The Efteling theme park has six roller coasters, plus dark rides, river rapids and a pirate ship. You can get there from Amsterdam in just over 2 hours by public transport.
For milder excitement, there’s a ferris wheel and seaside fun at Scheveningen Beach near The Hague.
Summary
Amsterdam can easily fill a few days, but it’s well worth using the easy trains and buses to see more while you’re there. With so many places close by, you don’t have to travel far to get a very different experience.
In less than an hour you can be in front of a romantic castle, at the seaside or standing under a row of windmills. Some places, like Haarlem or Zaanse Schans, work even if you only have half a day. Others, like the Efteling theme park or Kinderdijk, are better if you’ve got time for a longer trip.
If you’re planning a weekend in Amsterdam, try to fit in at least one day trip; it gives you a completely different view of the country. My personal favourite day trips from Amsterdam are Utrecht for an easy option with some really inventive museums, and Zandvoort if you want fresh air and space, but whichever you choose you’ll see a side of the Netherlands that most visitors miss.
Read more about Amsterdam:
Is the I amsterdam city card worth it? Complete 2025 guide with prices and value
15 of the best museums in Amsterdam
Visiting NEMO, Amsterdam’s brilliantly hands-on science museum
How to see the Amsterdam Light Festival: Boat cruise, walking tour or app
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About Helen
Hi! I’m Helen, and I’ve visited Amsterdam and the Netherlands multiple times. I really love Amsterdam but I always tell people not to sleep on the rest of the Netherlands as there’s so much else to see! You can see my other posts from the Netherlands here.
I live near Manchester, UK and work full time, so I’m all about making the most of my annual leave with day trips, weekend getaways and short breaks.
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