Dutch Countryside Tours

Updated: Oktober 12, 2021

This post covers how to take a tour of the Dutch countryside from Amsterdam. We'll tell you the different options and companies to choose from so you can best decide which tour to take. We recommend visiting the Dutch countryside from mid-March to mid-May, when the weather is nicest and the fields of tulips are in bloom!

 

 


OVERVIEW

Visiting the Dutch countryside is a great way to escape the city and see the beautiful sights, from tulips to the incredible windmills. You can explore on your own, or there are a number of tour options to take. We made a list below to help you decide which Dutch countryside tour is best for you.

We have a list of top-rated half and full-day bus tours, bike toursund tulip tours. We've also listed a company if you want to book a private tour to see the Dutch countryside. These tours leave from Amsterdam. For tours of Amsterdam, click here.


Exploring On Your Own

The best way to explore the Dutch countryside on your own is by bike. Most people visiting Amsterdam don't have cars, so unless you want to go through the hassle of renting one, bike rentals are a great, cheap option. 

There are a number of bike rental companies to choose from. MacBike is the largest bike rental chain in Amsterdam. Central Station has a number of shops, but generally, they are all around. Some shops will rent bikes for as few as 3 hours, though most do day rentals. Prices range around $10 for an all-day rental. 

Another great way to explore the Dutch Countryside is on an organized tour, a few of which we've listed below. 


Half & Full-Day Tours

Zaanse Schans Windmills, Marken and Volendam Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam

This tour offers half and full-day tours of the Dutch countryside departing from Amsterdam. This tour includes:

  • Air-conditioned vehicle taking you between stops.
  • Visit to Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum that recreates a Dutch village with wooden houses and windmills dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. If you're looking for windmills in the Dutch countryside, this is your place. It includes a cheese factory and a place where clogs are made!
  • A trip to the fishing villages of Marken and Volendam.
  • Visit to a Dutch cheese farm.
  • Their extended tours offer guiding in English, Spanish, and German.

Tour Length: 5.5 hours.

Price: Starting at $67/person. Private tours are also available.

To book a tour, click here.


Small Group Zaanse Schans Windmills, Volendam and Old Villages Tour from Amsterdam Including Dutch Schnapps Tasting

This tour is for those who want a more intimate experience and understand what it's really like to live in the Dutch countryside. As you can tell from its name, there will be food samples! This tour includes:

  • Air-conditioned vehicle taking you between stops.
  • A stop at Zaanse Schans.
  • The comfort of a small group tour (8 people max).
  • A cheese tasting.
  • Sampling of Dutch fruit wine.

Tour Length: 5.5 hours.

Price: $78/person

To review the full itinerary and book a tour, click here.


Charm of Holland - All-inclusive Countryside & Windmills Day Trip from Amsterdam

If you're looking for an all-day excursion, this one's for you. This tour includes:

  • Visiting Volendam, Marken, Zaanse Schans, and Edam.
  • Boat ride on Ijsselmeer lake.
  • Visiting a shoemaker in Marken.
  • Tours are offered in English, Spanish and German.
  • Stroopwafel tasting.

Tour Length: 8 hours.

Price: $135/person

To learn more and book a tour, click here.


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Bike Tours

The Dutch are known for biking everywhere, so taking a bike tour is the best way to blend in with the locals! There are a number of bike rental places and tours, but we picked out two we found highly rated.

Mike's Bike Tours & Rentals

This company offers a number of tours, including a Dutch countryside tour. You will see authentic windmills and visit a Dutch farmer at his cheese farm/clog factory. Tours run daily from March 1st - November 11th.

Tour length: About 4 hours and covers a distance of 25 - 30 km (15 - 19 miles).

Price: Adult: $44, Student/Seniors(+65): $40

To learn more and book your tour, click here.


Wheely Dutch Bike Tours

This company offers the "wheel" Dutch experience, with half, full, and multi-day bike tours. Their Pancake Country Tour takes guests through the beautiful Dutch countryside and stops at a local pancake cafe to try Dutch pancakes. They also offer private guided tours.

Tour length: About 4 hours.

Price: $34/person

To learn more and book your tour, click here.


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Tulip Tours

The tulips in the Netherlands bloom from mid-March until mid-May, April being the best month to go visit. However, tulip season officially kicks off before that, in mid-January, with National Tulip Day. There are a number of tour companies doing tours to the famous flower fields, and below we feature two highly rated tours.

Guided Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam to the Keukenhof gardens + Flower Fields

This offers a morning or afternoon trip out to see the tulips. This tour includes:

  • Air-conditioned vehicle taking you between stops.
  • Pick/up and drop/off at select hotels.
  • A guided tour of Keukenhof Gardens, one of the largest spring gardens in the world.
  • You'll see the beautiful tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils.

Tour Length: 5.5 hours.

Price: $67/person.

To learn more about this tour and reserve your spot, click here.


Keukenhof Gardens Half-Day Guided Tour from Amsterdam with Free 1-Hour Cruise

This tour departs from Amsterdam Central Station and is a half-day guided tour of the Keukenhof Gardens and also includes a 1-hour cruise of Amsterdam's beautiful canals. Also included on the tour:

  • Driver/guide and coach bus.
  • Half-day tour of the Keukenhof Gardens (fast-track admission included).

Tour Length: 5.5 hours.

Price: $67/person.

To learn more about this tour and reserve your spot, click here.


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Private Touren

For a completely customizable private tour of the Dutch countryside, check out Tom's Travels. This company is highly rated on multiple platforms and offers guests the power to make their own tour. Sites they offer include:

  • The fishing village of Marken.
  • The cheese town of Edam.
  • Beemster, a World Heritage Site.
  • Visiting a 400-year-old working windmill.

To learn more about their Dutch countryside tours, click here.


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About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: Oktober 12th, 2021
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