Many people that visit the Netherlands rarely wander outside of Amsterdam; however, there is so much more beauty here than just the capital and gorgeous gardens of Keukenhof. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse yourself in a quaint town, add one of these beautiful small towns in the Netherlands to your itinerary.
These charming villages come in all shapes and sizes. With all of these towns under 200,000 people, they are all easy to navigate on foot and get lost in the cobblestone streets and winding alleyways.
I have lived in the Netherlands for over 2 years now and have had the privilege to travel around this small little country. While I’m still exploring, these 8 small towns in the Netherlands have been my favorites so far.
I will continue to update this list as I visit more places around the country. This year we have planned to visit the Wadden Island of Schiermonnikoog and the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in Zeeland. We’ll see if they make the list!
Some of the links on this post are affiliate links. When clicking on the links and booking travel, I receive a small commission with no extra costs for you. Please note, I only recommend brands I actually use and trust. Please see full disclosure here.
You May Also Like: 5 Undiscovered Tulip Fields In The Netherlands That Are Beyond Beautiful
Haarlem
One of my favorite cities on this list is Haarlem. It is no surprise to me why many expats lean towards living here. The city is filled with the cutest alleyways lined with vines and plants giving it a very natural feel.
The Grote Markt (the main square) is surrounded by Gothic and Dutch Renaissance style buildings that will delight you.
It was an extremely foggy day when I visited and while I still appreciated the charm of Haarlem, I am ready to return and see more when the sun is shining.
Distance From Amsterdam: Haarlem is an easy day trip from Amsterdam. Hop on a 20-minute train from Amsterdam Centraal to reach this stunning city!
What to do in Haarlem:
- Take a seat at a cafe in the Grote Markt and take it all in
- Visit the St. Bavo Church
- Have a beer at Jopen Brewery, located in an old church
- Wander the cute vine-filled alleyways between Tuchthuisstraat and Korte Annastraat
- Admire the Adriaan windmill or take a guided tour
Zaandam
To see a truly unique town, head over to Zaandam. You may have seen pictures of this funky hotel and wondered where it was. Zaandam’s center was redeveloped to showcase the Inntel Hotel and highlight the canal area.
Along the canal you will find many cute shops all in the same style, making it the cutest outdoor mall I have ever seen. For a more historic area of Zaandam, walk towards the Monet Atelier.
Although, to see the most adorable historic area nearby, rent bikes or get back on the train and head to Zaanse Schans. It is free to walk or bike around the area and admire the historic homes and windmills, although some buildings will cost money to enter.
Distance from Amsterdam: Zaandam is only a quick 10 minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal making it one of the easiest small towns to visit in the Netherlands.
What to see in Zaandam:
- Stay in the eccentric Inntel Hotel
- Walk along the cute canal and go shopping
- Visit the Monet Atelier and see 25 Monet paintings that were inspired by Zaandam
- Rent bikes and ride through Zaanse Schans or take a guided tour
Delft
Home to the famous blue and white pottery, Delft captures the hearts of visitors in many ways. You will be mesmerized by Delft’s historic streets, lovely canals, and picturesque square.
Delft is small and easy to navigate on foot. For something different, I would recommend renting a boat and seeing the town from the water. Visiting the Delft Museum is also a highlight where you can learn the history of the pretty blue and white pottery and even join a tile painting class.
We have visited Delft a few times and it always feels emptier than it should be. Maybe it’s the time of year we’ve been or people are missing out!
Distance from Amsterdam: Delft is fairly easy to reach from Amsterdam Centraal. The direct train will take you about an hour.
Best things to see in Delft:
- Delft Museum
- Take a traditional tile painting workshop at the Delft Museum
- Take a hundred pictures of the pretty canals
- Visit the Old Church (Oud Kerk) and Market Square
- Rent a boat and see Delft from the water
Gouda
Do you like cheese and dessert? I mean, who doesn’t? While the cheese wasn’t created in Gouda, the siroopwafels (syrup waffles), which eventually became the famous stroopwafels, originated in the cute small town of Gouda. Along with yummy treats, the historic town is also lovely to visit.
The most unique part of Gouda lies in its main square. In most Dutch towns, the squares are empty in the middle and surrounded by shops and restaurants. In Gouda, the amazing Stadhuis sits right in the middle. The gothic style town hall building is stunning and will wow you.
My favorite stop on my visit in 2025 was to ‘t Kaaswinkeltje. This cheese shop is great. You can sample as many different styles and flavors of Gouda cheese that you want without feeling the pressure to ask for a sample.
How far from Amsterdam: Start sampling Dutch cheese in its namesake by traveling only 1 hour on a train from Amsterdam.
Things to do in Gouda:
- Visit the Goudse Waag where they used to weigh cheese and other products
- Attend the traditional cheese market on Thursdays from 10am – 12:30pm
- Sample all the gouda cheese at ‘t Kaaswinkeltje and bring some home
- Learn the secrets of the syrup waffle (siroopwafel), and how they are different from the famous stroopwafel, at Kamphuisen Siroopwafelfabriek
- Walk down the skinniest alley, Looierspoort
Giethoorn
Giethoorn may not be the easiest small town in the Netherlands to visit from Amsterdam, but it sure is special. This pedestrian only town is filled with picturesque canals, adorable thatched roof homes, and cool bridges.
There are two ways to experience Giethoorn, by foot and by boat. The canals in town are lined with walking and biking trails making exploring easy. However, to get the best experience and to see the nearby lake, a boat is the way to go.
Giethoorn is a very special place, but it is good to know that at peak season, April-August, this tiny village can get quite crowded. You will find traffic jams in the canals.
Best to go during the shoulder season, March or September. I went in November and it wasn’t crowded at all, but the plants weren’t green either!
Distance from Amsterdam: To get to Giethoorn from Amsterdam Centraal using public transportation it will take you about 2 to 2.5 hours. There’s no direct route to the village, so you will need to take two trains and a bus.
Renting a car and driving is the easiest way to reach Giethoorn and will take you about an hour and a half. Park in one of the free parking lots surrounding the town.
Things to do in Giethoorn:
- Take a Giethoorn boat tour or rent a small boat and navigate the town on your own
- Wander the paths along the canal
- Go to the pottery shop, Pottery Rhoda
- Grab a snack or drink by the water
- Learn about the town’s history at Museum Giethoorn
Bourtange
For an off-the-beaten path destination, Bourtange is worth a stop. This star-shaped fortress sits on the border of Germany and the Netherlands and was built to control the main road to Germany during the Dutch Revolt against Spain. After many years used as a defense, it was eventually restored, and is now one of the most preserved star forts in Europe.
The town in the center of the fort is so cute, and it is fun to explore the cobblestone streets on foot. You can also climb the outer walls and get a nice view of the town from above. In addition, you will find canons, a windmill and many museums and shops scattered around the town.
We have taken guests that visit us to Bourtange on multiple occasions. If you like history it is an amazing small town in the Netherlands to visit. My kids especially loved running along the star-shaped walls and pretending to shoot the cannons!
Distance from Amsterdam: While Bourtange is a little harder to get to from Amsterdam, it is worth the trek up north. It is possible to get to Bourtange on public transportation, but it’s not easy. I would combine a trip to Bourtange with a visit to Groningen which can be reached in a little over 2 hours by train.
Distance from Groningen: From Groningen, I would still rent a car for the day, as it is the easiest way to get to Bourtange. There is a large, free parking lot at the entrance to the fort. It will take a little under an hour to arrive.
Best things to see in Bourtange:
- Tour the windmill
- Walk the outer walls
- Have a drink in the square
- Wander the cobblestone streets
- Visit a museum or two and learn about Bourtange’s history
- During the Christmas season there’s a beautiful Christmas Market
You May Also Like: 11 Magical Ways To Celebrate Christmas In Groningen
Amersfoort
Another one of my favorite small towns in the Netherlands is Amersfoort. This adorable city is probably most well known for its preserved gate, De Koppelpoort, seen above. It is a unique city gate that combines a land gate and a water gate all in one.
Once you enter the city gate, there’s no lack of cute streets to explore and sights to see. The opposite water gate, Waterpoort De Monnikendam, is also impressive and has a delicious restaurant inside.
The artist, Piet Mondriaan, was from Amersfoort and you can tour his house. In addition, you can get panoramic views from the clock tour and see historic homes built from the first city walls.
After our visit, I just remember thinking that we never ran into any street that was unpleasant to look at in the center. Many of these small towns in the Netherlands are good for one visit, but Amersfoort is one I would return to.
Distance from Amsterdam: Amersfoort is easy to get to from Amsterdam, taking only 35 minutes by direct train.
Things to do in Amersfoort:
- Walk through the Koppelpoort
- Make a reservation for dinner at the Monnikendam Gate
- Climb the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren, clock tower, for impressive views of Amersfoort from above
- Walk Muurhuizen street where the buildings were constructed with parts of the original wall
- Visit the Mondriaanhuis
Leiden
Leiden is another very cute town in the Netherlands that is compact and has some of the most adorable canals. Upon exiting the train station and walking towards town, you are greeted by a large classic windmill that is also a museum.
The cute streets and canals are my favorite part of Rembrandt’s hometown. See the city from these idyllic canals by renting a boat or taking a boat tour. Another unique part of Leiden is that it has these adorable floating patio boats. Grabbing a coffee or lunch on one is a must!
On our visit, it started raining right when we got off the train. To escape the weather we ducked into the cutest cafe, Paco Ciao. You walk through a wardrobe to enter the restaurant, which was unique, and the food was very good!
Distance from Amsterdam: Leiden is also a really easy train ride from Amsterdam. It will take about 40 minutes to arrive on a direct train.
Things to see in Leiden:
- Take a Leiden boat tour or navigate the canals on a private boat
- Tour the Molen de Valk windmill
- Climb the hill of the old fort, De Burcht Leiden
- Visit Museum de Lakenhal to see paintings by Rembrandt
My Top 2 Choices Of Small Towns In The Netherlands To Visit
While on a vacation to Holland, a visit to a few small towns should be on everyone’s itinerary to experience something authentic. These 8 beautiful towns in the Netherlands are all fantastic options to consider with my top picks being Haarlem and Amersfoort.
