Things to do in South Holland

Embark on a round-trip city cruise of Rotterdam to see one of the world's most innovative ports in the world. See the busy traffic of sea-going and inland ships, listen to informative commentary via an audio guide, and admire the city's impressive skyline as its imposing buildings glide by. Start your boat tour from Willemsplein. Get a unique perspective of the harbor's shipyards, docks, and the hypermodern transshipping of thousands of containers. On the way back, soak in views of the steamship 'Rotterdam', the former cruise flagship of shipping company Holland America Line.

Discover the highlights and heritage of Holland at Madurodam, world famous for its model village, the Netherlands in miniature. The park consists of 338 miniatures as well as flowers in bloom from April until October. Enjoy interactive activities and two playgrounds. Visit Little Amsterdam, have a look at the Parliament Building in The Hague, or see what a real Dutch cheese market looks like. Everything is built to a scale of 1:25 including miniature trains, boats, and cars that move around. Visit the indoor attractions to find out more about Holland’s rich history. Hear about the Dutch’s ability to transform water into land. Experience the waters threatening the Netherlands in the Waterwolf and help the steam engine keep Holland dry.

The Euromast is Rotterdam's icon. At 600-feet high, it’s the highest watchtower in the Netherlands and an essential part of the skyline of the city. Discover amazing stories about the city using our Magnicity app. Take incredible photos and marvel at the unique view of Rotterdam. When the weather allows it you can see up to 18 miles in the distance and at night you can see the stars come to life. Enjoy your visit to Euromast for a brunch, lunch, dinner, high tea, or high wine at 300 feet high in the brasserie. In the coffee corner on the ground floor, you’ll find some the best coffee in Rotterdam. You can also enjoy fresh pastries, a warm panini, or a wrap. Get an adrenaline rush by adding a ticket to the Euroscoop. Enjoy dizzying views of Rotterdam from a rotating elevator 185 meters in the air on the outside of the Euromast.

Indulge the art-lover in you at the Mauritshuis, home to the best of Dutch paintings from the Golden Age. Explore one of the most iconic buildings in the Hague, located next to the Parliament. Look out of its windows for a view of the pond.  Discover the art museum's compact, yet world-renowned collection. See more than 200 masterpieces such as Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring", "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp" by Rembrandt, "The Goldfinch" by Fabritius, and "The Bull" by Potter on permanent display. Appreciate the collection's rich variety, with genre paintings by Jan Steen, landscapes by Jacob van Ruisdael, still lifes by Adriaen Coorte, and portraits by Rubens. Admire the 17th-century monument's historic yet intimate interior, with its silken wall coverings, sparkling chandeliers, and monumental painted ceilings. Stay as long as you wish and visit the museum at your own pace. Allow around 1.5 hours, which is the average visit duration. Visit the restaurant and coffee shop, purchase some souvenirs, or visit the temporary exhibition. The Anniversary year concludes with a very special exhibition: ten paintings from The Frick Collection in New York. This will be a one-time opportunity to view this selection of paintings in Europe, which (with one exception) left the continent more than a hundred years ago and have been in the United States ever since. From 29 September to 15 Januaryne of the greatest masterpieces on view will be Rembrandt’s self-portrait from 1658. The painter immortalised himself many times, but many consider this self-portrait to be one of the very best. The founder of the The Frick Collection was the industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919), who also built the house where the present-day museum is located.

Get to know Delft in the best way possible by exploring its centuries-old system of canals. Find about one of the most important cities in Dutch 17th-century history, and admire its picturesque buildings and canal houses. During your cruise, see many of the city's highlights and hear about their history from an experienced team of captains and guides. Learn about the city's patriotic history, the old town center, Delft Blue, Johannes Vermeer, the East-Indian Trading Company, and much more.

SkyView de Pier is the first Ferris wheel constructed over the sea in Europe. It was built at the Pier in Scheveningen and is a great possibility to get to see the city of The Hague from above.  Fly to a height of 50 meters and enjoy the amazing views over the North Sea, the beach and if you're lucky, you might even be able to see Rotterdam. Take advantage of a closed climate-controlled gondola and enjoy the ride with your friends and family.  Savor some freshly baked apple pie or muffin with tea or coffee that you can take with you on the ride.

In a relaxed atmosphere, enjoy a mixture of sightseeing and culinary adventure with this pancake cruise along the waterways of Rotterdam. Feast on freshly baked natural, apple and bacon pancakes and a plethora of garnishes such as cheese, ham, fruits, jams and eggs. How many pancakes can you eat in-75 minutes? You'll find out on this tour.  For the younger guests, there is a large playroom filled with balls in the hold of the boat. Also colouring pictures and colour pencils. Plenty of fun is to be had for people of all ages. As you sail across the Rotterdam waters, you will have a beautiful view over the impressive skyline. From the water you can not miss the famous and bold architecture of Rotterdam’s large buildings!

Take a tour of the city to see the most exceptional and beautiful places in Rotterdam, followed by a thrilling splash — a spectacular dive into the Maas River. Suddenly the bus turns into a seaworthy vessel, sailing down the river with spectacular views of the city skyline.  Board the amphibious bus in the center of Rotterdam and enjoy a 1-hour sightseeing tour that takes you past the city’s highlights. Learn about the history of this port town from your expert guide, or through the multilingual audio commentary available on board.

Enjoy hassle-free and efficient transportation from central Amsterdam to Keukenhof Gardens, and journey by comfortable bus at a time to suit you. Arrive at the world's largest spring garden in just 55 minutes, benefit from fast track entry on arrival, and stay for as long as you please. Buses to Keukenhof Gardens depart daily from the 'This is Holland' experience, opposite Central Station. Simply take the free ferry from Amsterdam Central Station to the opposite side of the IJ, where 'This is Holland' is a mere 3-minute walk away.   Board the bus, and then admire the Dutch landscape en route to Keukenhof Gardens. Watch a video presentation about Dutch history, the colorful landscape and interesting information on why Holland is so famous for its flowers. Upon arrival at Keukenhof Gardens, skip the long lines and explore the floral displays of the spring garden at your own pace. Marvel at up to 7 million bulbs in bloom, and see vibrant flower beds and fragrant floral displays. Enjoy the Keukenhof Gardens at your leisure, and benefit from frequent departures with guaranteed seating on a luxury coach back to Amsterdam between 1 PM and 6:30 PM. Get a free copy of the Amsterdam city map to help you find your way around the city as a bonus.

Royal Delft, established in 1653, is the last remaining original Delft Blue factory from the 17th century in Delft that still hand makes Delft Blue according to a centuries-old tradition. Discover the history, craftsmanship and innovation of this royal company during a visit. The Royal Delft Experience takes you on an inspirational journey through the world of the centuries-old earthenware. Paintbrushes carefully touch the white earthenware, whilst elsewhere clay is poured into handmade moulds. It is here, at Royal Delft, that craftsmen have been creating the iconic Delft Blue for almost 400 years. Admire the collection of antique and modern pieces of Delft Blue earthenware and experience the authentic production process in the factory. In the showroom, the complete collection of hand-painted classic and modern Delftware and souvenirs are displayed and can be purchased. In 2018 Royal Delft celebrated its 365th anniversary. Highlights of the year were the exhibition “Nouveau Blue: vision to realisation” until 30 September and the painting of a Delft Blue tile painting by 365 people during the year. To complete the experience you can join one of the painting workshops and discover the skill needed to be a Royal Delft craftsman (upon reservation). Finally, you can soak up the atmosphere in Brasserie1653 that overlooks the beautiful courtyard garden, whilst having a cup of coffee, High tea, or lunch. There are audio and guided tours available in 8 languages. Royal Delft is easily accessible from Amsterdam, the Hague, and Rotterdam.