The Best Hotels The Netherlands
Landscapes and Villages
Giethoorn - Hanseatic Towns - Friesland
Admire old sailing boats on the lakes of Friesland, cruise through the canals in Giethoorn, visit the Hanseatic towns of Zwolle and Kampen or the old fishing villages Harlingen and Hindeloopen. And when the tide is low, spot seals and rare birds by walking across the Wadden Sea, a really unique ecosystem.
Giethoorn
Popular with tourists and called little Venice because the traditional farms are built on small peat islands that are surrounded by canals and connected with countless wooden bridges.
The countryside around Giethoorn is part of the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, a swampy landscape of reed-lands, canals and lakes. You can enjoy cycling, walking and watching special birds. It is also very nice to hire a boat and sail through this picturesque landscape.
1,5 hour by train from Amsterdam to Steenwijk, then 20 minutes by bus to Giethoorn
Bedsteads (Bedstee)
Until the 20th century bedsteads were used in farms. A bedstead is a sleeping place in a closet, closed with doors or a curtain. This way you didn’t need a separate bedroom.
B&B Tulden Farmhouse - Giethoorn
Beulakerweg 65, 8355 AC Giethoorn
Minimum stay 2 nights ( from 190 Euro). Bed and breakfast in a farm from 1890, quietly located in the countryside just outside the centre of Giethoorn. With comfortable rooms and a fully equipped appartement, an extensive breakfast and caring hosts. There is a garden, a terrace and you can rent a whisper boat.
Hotel B&B d'Olde Smidse - Giethoorn
157 Beulakerweg, 8355 AG Giethoorn
100 Euro. Nice hotel with views of the canal and passing boats. Comfortable rooms with private bathroom, also a family room. With terrace, garden and restaurant. Nearby you van rent boats to explore Giethoorn or the beautiful area of the Weerribben National Park. There are bikes for rent and there is a bus stop with a connection to the train station and nearby villages.
Hanseatic Towns Zwolle - Hattem - Kampen
In the 13th century, rich trading towns that lay on the IJssel River in the east of the Netherlands made a trade covenant called the Hanseatic League. Even today you experience the rich trading history of these cities, such as medieval city gates, merchant houses and canals. Hanseatic cities with their old city centers that are definitely worth a visit include Deventer, Hattem, Kampen, Zutphen and Zwolle.
Zwolle and Hattem
Zwolle is one of the larger Hanseatic cities and a good starting point for exploring the area. Old streets, cozy boutiques, art galleries and the famous Peperbus Tower from the 14th century characterize the center of this city. With a cruise boat you can sail through the canals of the city, including the famous star shaped canal.
6 km South of Zwolle lies the Hanseatic city of Hattem with historic center and merchant houses. Here is also the Anton Pieck Museum, who is known for his beautiful drawings and fairy tale books and as the designer of the Efteling theme park. In the Dutch Bakery Museum (Kerkhofstraat 13) you can learn everything about baking bread and on Saturday there are workshops for children.
De Pelsertoren - Zwolle
Pletterstraat 8 De Pelsertoren, 8011 VG Zwolle
110 Euro. Bed and breakfast along the canal in the city center in a medieval defense tower built in 1475. In the 4 luxury suites the old details of the city wall have been preserved. From the roof terrace you have a beautiful view over the center of Zwolle.
Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Ter Borch Zwolle
Stationsweg 9, 8011 CZ Zwolle
180 Euros. Luxurious hotel in a 19th century police station, just outside the old city center. Classically chic decorated bright rooms, including suites. There are also rooms in a newer annex. With garden, terrace, restaurant and fitness facilities.
B&B De Leeuw - Zwolle
Almelosekanaal 177, 8012 BX Zwolle
(Minimum stay of 2 nights: 170 Euros). Nice spacious houseboat, quietly located, a 15 minutes walk to the old center of Zwolle. All facilities are there for a comfortable stay, a well-equipped kitchen and a bathroom. With terrace and a good breakfast.
Kampen
Hanseatic town, west of Zwolle. With an historic center and many old monuments such as the city gates, the Church of St. Nicholas and a replica of a medieval merchant ship. In museum The Elephant you can see how cigars are made and view the longest cigar in the world.
’t Geheim van de Molenaer - Kampen
IJsseldijk 94, 8261 LM Kampen
90 euros. Bed and breakfast beautifully situated along the IJssel river and next to a traditional mill. There are two rooms and there is also a dike house for rent. With a garden, terrace and a small beach near the river. Within walking distance of the sights in the center.
De Stadsboerderij - Kampen
Groenestraat 148, 8261 VL Kampen
From 95 euros. Bed and breakfast in two monumental building with all the sights of picturesque Kampen within walking distance. Nostalgically furnished spacious rooms, there are also apartments with kitchenette and a terrace and there is a sauna. Very friendly owners and a nice breakfast.
Friesland
Lakes, Old towns and Beautiful Views
The northernmost province of the Netherlands, Friesland, is characterized by lakes, fishing villages and medieval towns. Friesland has its own language. It is also the departure point for the Wadden Islands (ferries depart from Harlingen and Holwerd). Friesland is also known for its 'Elfstedentocht' (a long skating trip on natural ice through 11 towns). Certainly worth a visit are Sneek, and the old harbor towns of Hindeloopen and Harlingen with beautiful old houses and picturesque streets.
B&B Klaar - Joure
Het Zand 2, 8501 BB Joure
65 Euro. Bed and breakfast in the centre of Joure, located between the Frisian lakes. Rooms with seating area, private bathroom and there is a garden. Very hospitable owner and a good breakfast. In the Joure museum, where the Douwe Egberts factory once stood, you can learn everything about coffee.
Two Hours and 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam to Heerenveen, 12 minutes by bus to Joure
Cecilia - Catharina B&B
Meenscharweg 5, 8501 ZG Joure
80 Euro. Bed and breakfast in a dairy farm, a few kilometers above Joure. Comfortable rooms with private entrance and terrace. Very helpful owners and delicious breakfast (fresh cow milk! ). There are bicycles for rent.
Two Hours and 15 minutes by train from Amsterdam to Heerenveen, 12 minutes by bus to Joure
Bed & Breakfast Easy to Sleep
Langestreek 1 A, 8531 HV Lemmer
90 Euro. Bed and breakfast with private entrance, living room and nice terrace. Located near the waterfront and the harbor and the IJsselmeer beach.
Lemmer is known for its marina and old lock complex, also many people visit this area to do water sports.
Sneek
The town of Sneek is known for its sailing competitions and water sports, like the 'Sneek Week', a major water sports event. Sneek also has beautiful canals and the 17th century Waterpoort. From Sneek you can visit many surrounding villages.
Hotel Stadsherberg Sneek
Lemmerweg 8, 8607 BZ Sneek
95 euros. Small family hotel in a monumental building with a cozy restaurant, bar, garden and terrace. Spacious classically furnished rooms with private bathroom. Near the historic Waterpoort of Sneek and within a few minutes' walk you are in the center of Sneek. You can rent bicycles and boats.
Stadslogement Westersingel - Sneek
Westersingel 34, 8601 EN Sneek
95 euros. Bed and breakfast with 2 rooms and 3 apartments in a monumental building from 1870 along a canal in the center of Sneek. With rooms on the ground floor overlooking the courtyard garden and a large 4 persons studio on the first floor. Everything decorated with great care. Breakfast is served in a different building. A 10 minutes walk from the train station.
Bolsward
Hotel Het Weeshuis - Bolsward
Kerkstraat 51-53, 8701 HR Bolsward
From 100 Euro’s. Nice hotel in a former orphanage with 14 spacious and comfortable rooms with private bathroom and sitting area, also rooms with private terrace and 4 persons/family rooms. In a picturesque quiet street near the center. With restaurant, beautiful garden and terrace. 10 km from Sneek.
Hindeloopen
This small beautiful town at the IJsselmeer was a rich trading city in the 17th and 18th century. Because of its large fleet, Hindeloopen was an important center of the international shipping trade. You can still see the richness of the past in the facades of the houses, traditional costumes and hand-painted furniture. You can have a nice walk through the small streets and over the wooden bridges and along the beach. There is a skating museum and a museum about Hindeloopen and its history. From the village you have a beautiful view of the water and the surrounding landscape.
Harlingen
Authentic old harbor town with canals and warehouses. Near the Wadden Sea and with a ferry to Terschelling.
Take the train from Amsterdam to Leeuwarden, then the bus to Harlingen.
Other nice places in the area:
Franeker, Sneek, Bolsward
Hanseatic Towns - Lakes - Fishing Villages - 7 to 10 days
Zwolle / Kampen - Giethoorn - Friesland - Hindeloopen - Wadden Islands
Travel to the Hanseatic Towns of Zwolle or Kampen, stay a couple of nights and explore the medieval city centers. Continue to Giethoorn, the ‘Venice of The Netherlands’, stay overnight and cruise the canals and the reed-lands. Travel further north to Frieslands many lakes and pittoreske medieval towns.
Start your trip through Friesland in Joure ( 1 hour from Giethoorn ), stay the night and visit the cute villages situated along the Frisian lakes, like Balk and Lemmer. It is nice to cycle this route. Continue to the water sports town of Sneek and then to Hindeloopen, where it seems as if time has stood still. Then travel via Leeuwarden to Harlingen or Bolsward for a ferry to the Wadden Islands. Or enjoy the unique experience of walking from the mainland across the mudflats to the Wadden Islands.
From Giethoorn you can also travel east into the province of Drenthe to the village of Dwingeloo and its beautiful landscape of heather, sandy plains and forests. It takes 50 minutes by bus from Giethoorn to Dwingeloo.
Amsterdam to Zwolle or Kampen - 1 to 1,5 hours by train
Zwolle or Kampen to Giethoorn - 1 to 1,5 hours by train and bus
From Giethoorn to Joure - 1 hour by bus and train
Joure to Sneek - 30 minutes by train
Sneek to Hindelopen - 20 minutes by train
Hindelopen to Harlingen - 1 hour and 20 minutes via Leeuwarden
