A Holland tour? Why not! After our tours through Germany, Israel, Iceland, and even Albania, it was now time to travel through the Netherlands. We’re quite taken with Holland. To be honest, in our minds, there was always only “Amsterdam”; nothing else, really.

However, what we saw on our Holland road trip taught us otherwise. The Netherlands is so diverse, varied, and beautiful – there’s so much to discover. But before we take you on our exciting journey, we’ll tell you a little something.

• Our secret Holland Challenge
• Overnight stay in the cool “Wikklehouse”
• Visiting De Biesbosch National Park
• Short trip to Scheveningen
• Arrival in Harlingen/Friesland
• Off to the “Afsluitdijk” in Friesland
• The enchanting fishing village of Volendam
• The beautiful city of Utrecht
• The cool city of Haarlem
• A short visit to Amsterdam
• Conclusion of the Holland tour
• Information about the Holland tour

Our secret Holland Challenge

Do you still remember our secret mission in the Netherlands? At the beginning of April, NBTC Holland Marketing contacted us and asked if we wanted to take part in their Holland Challenge. At first, we were completely confused, but then we browsed through the files they sent us. At first, we thought, “Oh dear, we’re bound to have to do some embarrassing tasks, or something?” The more we delved into the agency’s concept, the cooler we found the whole project. In fact, we found it so cool that we simply agreed.

A creative and cool collaboration

But the decisive factor wasn’t just the cool trip and the secret tasks on site; there was another incentive. We were told that we could win a small trip if we successfully completed our missions. That was incentive enough for us! And so we set off for Holland, primarily to bring home a great prize for our loyal readers. “Finally, a creative, exciting collaboration. I’m so excited!”

A few weeks passed, and many emails were exchanged. The Holland Challenge was about raising awareness of the “Waterways of Holland.” Various bloggers traveled around the country, each in a different region. Everyone had to complete a number of tasks on site. No one knew in advance what these tasks would be. So, all we knew was when the plane to Amsterdam would take off, where the accommodation would be, and when we had to be at the agreed meeting point for the first challenge. Super exciting, right?

Overnight stay in the cool “Wikklehouse”

At the beginning of August, we flew to Amsterdam and set off for South Holland in a rental car. Our first night and challenge awaited us in De Biesbosch National Park. We stayed overnight in a beautiful “Wikkelhouse” near the park. The Stay Okay team gave us a very friendly welcome. The facility offers rooms, campsites, and two really cool cabins.

This cabin was built from recycled cardboard and is located in the middle of nature. We were a bit unlucky with the weather that first evening; it rained and rained. But it didn’t bother us; it only made the atmosphere in the forest even more cozy. In the morning, you could smell the fresh morning dew and stroll with your bare feet through the cool, wet grass. We would have loved to stay a few more nights! The accommodation is truly beautiful and invites you to unwind and relax. You can book the accommodation here: Stay Okay Dordrecht.

Visiting De Biesbosch National Park

On the first morning of our Holland tour, the day started for us at 6 a.m. We had to be at the entrance to the national park by 7 a.m. and wait for our “contact person.” From the accommodation, we strolled through the forest until we could see the entrance sign in the distance. Here we were handed our secret envelope and learned our first challenge.

We have to admit that we hadn’t had much to do with “birds” before. However, our challenge required us to spot and photograph certain animals in the park. That might not sound particularly exciting, but it was incredibly fun. We saw enormous blue herons, cormorants, beaver lodges, kingfishers, and sea eagles. We didn’t even know that herons and cormorants were so big!? At times, we felt like we were on an expedition across the Amazon—well, almost. We quietly and carefully sailed through the vast swampland by boat, stopping frequently to take a few pictures.

Mastering our first challenge

The national park is one of the few freshwater tidal areas in the world. It’s a great place to hike, bike, or rent a canoe and paddle through the small waterways. It’s also a labyrinth, with numerous rivers and streams crisscrossing the entire area. Without our boat guide, we would have been lost and would still be wandering around somewhere in De Biesbosch National Park today.

We were able to complete all the tasks and photograph the various animals. It wasn’t always easy, as we didn’t have a zoom lens with us. In the end, however, we managed to get quite good results with the fixed focal length. Fortunately, the rain stopped, as at first we were sitting in the boat with our rain capes like two wet poodles. Fortunately, the sun came out just in time for the challenge. At the end, we proudly saved our photos and videos as evidence on our hard drive and moved on to the second challenge.

Short Trip to Scheveningen

But stop! Not so fast! It was still early in the morning, so we decided to make a detour to Scheveningen first. Since we had to head up north to Friesland anyway, the detour was by no means a detour for us. Somehow, we’re always drawn to the sea. This is probably why we went to Scheveningen. And so, during our Holland tour, we visited the Dutch North Sea for the first time.

As soon as we arrived, we could smell and feel the fresh sea breeze. We unwinded on the kilometer-long beach and relaxed in a lovely café right on the beach. There are numerous cool beach bars here—it was obviously difficult for us to even choose one. In the end, we simply stayed at the Bora Bora Beach Bar.

Arrival in Harlingen/Friesland

In the early evening, we reached Harlingen in Friesland. Everything comes together here: sea, sea air, harbor, boats, canals, beautiful warehouses, and freshly caught fish. As always, we didn’t know much and waited at the agreed-upon location for our next “contact person.” Our accommodation was, once again, a real gem. This time we stayed overnight on a former rescue ship.

The ship “Lilla Marras” has saved dozens of sailors from certain death since 1995. Today, it is out of service, but not retired. This English beauty of the Watson Class now serves as an exceptional accommodation. We explored the boat, discovering countless wonderful details. Whether it was the portholes, a mahogany bathtub in the bedroom, or the charming little terrace – we felt completely at home and would have loved to set sail immediately. (You can book a night on the boat here: Lilla Marras).

Cozy town with flair

In the evening, we strolled through the charming streets of the small town, enchanted by its charm. The atmospheric center with its historic warehouses is truly worth seeing. The port of Harlingen is also the only seaport in Friesland.

Ferries regularly depart from here to Vlieland and Terschelling. The annual Harlinger Visserijdagen (Harlingen Fishing Day) is said to be a truly exciting event. The entire harbor briefly comes alive. Visitors can enjoy the day with music, water sports, delicious food, and fantastic markets.

At some point, we reached the sea. Is anyone still surprised? We simply have to go to the sea. The wind was blowing quite strongly, so much so that our hats were blown off our heads a few times. It was quite uncomfortable, even though it didn’t look like it. The sun was slowly setting, and the sky was turning a beautiful yellow-orange-blue.

In the cozy “Strandpaviljoen ‘t Zilt*,” we ordered a delicious dinner and enjoyed the view over the sea. Afterwards, we returned to the city center, made ourselves comfortable on our boat, and looked forward to the second challenge the next morning.

Off to the “Afsluitdijk” in Friesland

Early in the morning, we were surprised with a delicious breakfast basket waiting at the front door. It contained rolls, spreads, sweet treats, coffee, orange juice, and fruit. Surely this is the way to wake up? We feasted and enjoyed the first rays of sunshine on our skin. Afterwards, we said goodbye to our pretty boat and set off for the Afsluitdijk.

From Harlingen, the navigation system took us over the Afsluitdijk. This separates the often stormy North Sea from the calm Ijsselmeer and connects North Holland with Friesland. The trip over the dike itself is a small highlight. Water to the left and right, in front of you only the motorway, a bike path, and a sidewalk. About a quarter of the way along the route, you pass a viewing tower, from where you have a beautiful view and can take a short break.

Mastering the Second Challenge

Our destination was the Afsluitdijk information center in Kornwerderzand. A very kind young woman and her young son were already waiting for us there. Before we received our second envelope for the next challenge, we learned some really interesting things about the construction of the Afsluitdijk. The dike is over 32 kilometers long and was built between 1927 and 1933. Unfortunately, the dike also separated the most important natural areas – the Wadden Sea and the Zuiderzee.

The fish stocks from the IJsselmeer were essentially trapped and could no longer reach the other side (and vice versa). Therefore, the goal was to restore the ecological connection between the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. For this purpose, a kind of fish migration river was built, through which migratory fish could swim back and forth between the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer. Migratory fish require not only freshwater but also saltwater for their life cycle.

After an exciting tour through the dike, we received our envelope for the second challenge. First, we had to find a well-known monument on the dike. With a photo of it, we returned to the information center and had to find some cool props to recreate the motif in our photo. Did we complete our challenge? Check out our video.

The enchanting fishing village of Volendam

On our way back from Friesland towards Amsterdam, we happened to pass the small fishing village of Volendam. We looked at our clock and nodded. We still had a little time before we had to return the rental car. So we parked the car in a side street and headed straight into the center of the small town. There was a lot going on here; this place must be something special.

The weather was once again at its best; we enjoyed the sunshine and strolled through the small streets. What a beautiful town! The colorful house facades, doors, and entrances alone made us rave again and again. Such a cute little house here? That would be it! Volendam showed us a completely different side of the Netherlands. And this was exactly the side we loved so much. Beautiful little sailing ships moored at the harbor, and on the promenade, fresh waffles with ice cream and fruit were available to eat right away.

Detour to the Cheese Factory

During our tour of Volendam, we discovered the Cheese Factory Voldendam with its accompanying cheese shop. Of course, we couldn’t resist buying it. We still have cheese from it in our fridge today – and it tastes so incredibly delicious.

This city somehow has a very authentic Dutch character. Women in traditional costumes, flowers everywhere, cheese, and the smell of fresh waffles. And be sure to try one of these waffles! Divine! Heavenly! We’ve never eaten better waffles.

The beautiful city of Utrecht

It was time to move on and drove to the airport in Amsterdam. Here we had to return the rental car and continue our journey by train. Our exciting Holland Challenge was now over, but we stayed in the country for a few more days.

Traveling by train is no problem at all in the Netherlands, as public transport is excellent. At the airport, we bought two tickets to Utrecht at the ticket counter (€7 to €8 each). After about 30 minutes, we arrived in the student city.

Even within the first few meters, we realized that this city was exactly our thing. Not too big, not too small. The many canals and the water make the city seem so incredibly cozy and lively. Life takes place outside in the alleys and streets – we particularly liked that. Utrecht is the fourth-largest city in the Netherlands and also one of the oldest cities in the country. It’s home to the best university in the entire country! Cool, right?

The picturesque, historic city has a very special flair. We simply let the days drift, discovering new, wonderful places time and time again. Utrecht has a huge café scene and great shops for shopping and strolling. Find out about Utrecht’s highlights, tips, and must-sees here. For us, Utrecht is definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the entire country.

The cool city of Haarlem

After a few wonderful days in Utrecht, we continued on to Haarlem. The journey by express train went smoothly again. The journey took only 45 minutes and cost around €10 per person (one change in Amsterdam). Some of our readers wrote to us saying we absolutely had to go to Haarlem. No sooner said than done! We booked a beautiful loft room on Airbnb right in the center.

Haarlem is a small, cozy town. During our stay, we didn’t notice any tourist crowds; everything was totally relaxed and quiet. In the beautiful old town, you’ll find lovely alleys with that typical Dutch flair, as well as numerous unique boutiques and shops. There are also some really great cafés and restaurants here.

With a tandem bike under our butts, we set off in the afternoon to the seaside in Bloemendaal. The sun was shining, the sky was a vibrant blue, and we were really in the mood for the beach and the water. After about 30 minutes, we arrived at the North Sea, relaxed in the cool Woodstock Bar, and simply enjoyed the day to the fullest. Ah, isn’t it beautiful here in the Netherlands?

A quick visit to Amsterdam

Our little tour of Holland was slowly coming to an end. We took the train back to Amsterdam (a 15-minute ride). The weather wasn’t quite on our side that day; it kept raining. Nevertheless, we still had a few hours before our flight and wanted to stroll through the streets of Amsterdam. Armed with umbrellas, we set off. Along the way, we met up with a friend who was also in town. Together, we explored some cool corners of the city.

Amsterdam has countless canals, millions of flowers, bicycles, and breathtaking houseboats. It’s always fun to wander through the streets with a camera. You have to stop at least every 5 meters because you’ve discovered another great motif. Often it’s just insignificant little details, but they say so much.

This time we took a look at the so-called 9 Straatjes, a kind of shopping mile in Amsterdam. All 9 alleys/streets are different and exciting. Here you’ll find the most original shops, cozy pubs, and cafés. Learn everything about the top highlights in Amsterdam here.

Conclusion of the Holland Tour

Our Holland tour showed us that there is much more to it than just Amsterdam. We would even say that there are more beautiful places in the country. It is diverse, exciting, incredibly colorful, vibrant, and beautiful to look at.

Anyone looking for Dutch charm should travel outside of Amsterdam. We will be back soon and visit the many other beautiful places. Our list is still quite long, so we will certainly return more than once.

Information about the Holland Tour

Our Accommodations

All the accommodations during our Holland tour were varied and more different than ever. We slept in a cardboard hut, on an old lifeboat, and in a beautiful loft. In the following section, we list all the accommodations on our tour:

• Wikklehouse Dordrecht*
• Rescue ship Lilla Marras in Harlingen*
• Our Airbnb apartment in Utrecht*
• Suites & Apartments Mya in Haarlem*

We like to book our accommodations on Airbnb. Here, you can find some truly unique rooms, houses, and apartments. With one exception, we’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Airbnb over the past three years and can highly recommend the service. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one using our invitation link. This will currently give you a €25 discount on your first booking.

Traveling by train

As mentioned above, public transport in the Netherlands is extremely well developed. Whether by bus or train, you can get anywhere easily. You can purchase your train ticket at the ticket counter. IC trains run on most routes; from Amsterdam to Haarlem, for example, it’s only 15 minutes, and to Utrecht, just under 30.

If you’re staying longer and traveling frequently by train, it’s worth purchasing an OV-chipkaart. You can get this at the ticket machine or at the service counter. You pay a one-time fee of €7.50 for the card (for buses, trams, subways, ferries, and trains). Before traveling by train, you must top up the card with at least €20. Before each train journey, you hold your card against the OV-chipkaart reader to check in, and then to check out upon arrival at your destination. It’s super convenient, in any case.

Traveling by car

Driving is also no problem at all on your trip around Holland. The distances are never too great, and the road network is well-developed. Another really cool feature is that there are only two toll roads in the entire country. These include the Westerschelde Tunnel and the Dordtse Kil. Otherwise, driving on the highways is completely free. Yay!

Of course, you should also fill up far away from the highways. It’s usually much cheaper there. On the highway, you can drive between 100 and 130 km/h. On country roads, a maximum of 80 km/h, and in built-up areas, between 30 and 50 km/h.