Must-see attractions in South Holland

  • Van Nelle Fabriek

    Rotterdam

    Designed and built between 1925 and 1931, this modernist World Heritage–listed factory northwest of the city centre is an icon of 20th-century industrial…

  • Mauritshuis Museum near Binnenhof Palace in Hague, Netherlands; Shutterstock ID 200624861; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; Project no. or GL code: 56530; Network activity no. or Cost Centre: Online-Design; Product or Project: 65050/7529/Josh Vogel/LP.com Destination Galleries

    Mauritshuis

    Den Haag

    Offering a wonderful introduction to Dutch and Flemish art, this splendid museum is set in a 17th-century mansion built for wealthy sugar trader Johan…

  • The famous stained glass windows of Sint Janskerk ( saint John Church )of Gouda abound in political symbolism, reproducing figures and events of the time, and use biblical events to refer to the conflict between Spanish Catholics and Dutch Protestants that led to the Dutch Uprising of 1572.

    Sint Janskerk

    South Holland

    Impressive for both its size and its magnificent stained-glass windows, Sint Janskerk had chequered beginnings: previous incarnations of the building…

  • The Museum Boijmans van Beuningen has a collection masterpieces of painting and statuary arts, Museumpark, Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, South-Holland, Nederland, the Netherlands, Europe

    Museum Boijmans van Beuningen

    Rotterdam

    The roll-call of artists represented in the collection of Rotterdam's pre-eminent fine-arts museum is stellar and spans multiple periods and movements:…

  • Escher in Het Paleis

    Den Haag

    Once home to members of the Dutch royal family, the 18th-century Lange Voorhout Palace now houses a collection of the work of Dutch graphic artist MC…

  • Kinderdijk

    South Holland

    One of the Dutch sites on Unesco's World Heritage List, this stretch of the Alblasserwaard polder encompasses two canals, 19 traditional windmills, a…

  • Huis Sonneveld

    Rotterdam

    When company director Albertus Sonneveld decided to commission an architect to design a contemporary home for his family, the obvious choice was Leendert…

  • Museum Rotterdam '40-'45 NU

    Rotterdam

    Good things often come in small packages, and so it is with this small but excellent museum sheltered under a bridge on the Coolhaven. An eight-minute…

  • Rijksmuseum van Oudheden

    Leiden

    Home to the Rijksmuseum's collection of Greek, Etruscan, Roman and Egyptian artefacts, this museum is best known for its Egyptian halls, which include the…

  • Keukenhof Gardens

    South Holland

    The 32-hectare Keukenhof is the world’s largest bulb-flower garden, with over seven million bulbs and a total of 800 varieties of tulips. It attracts…

  • Museum De Lakenhal

    Leiden

    Leiden's foremost museum reopened in 2019 following a three-year renovation. Its 1640-built premises (a former cloth warehouse) again displays its…

  • Museum Volkenkunde

    Leiden

    Cultural achievements by civilisations worldwide are showcased at this splendid museum, which has a collection of more than 300,000 artefacts from across…

  • Nieuwe Kerk

    Delft

    Construction of Delft's Nieuwe Kerk began in 1381; it was finally completed in 1655. The church has been the final resting place of almost every member of…

  • Vermeer Centrum Delft

    Delft

    Johannes Vermeer was born in Delft in 1632 and lived here until his death in 1675, aged only 43. Although none of his works remain in Delft, this centre…

  • Rijksmuseum Boerhaave

    Leiden

    Named in honour of physician, botanist, chemist and University of Leiden teacher Herman Boerhaave (1668–1738), this impressive museum of science and…

  • Markthal

    Rotterdam

    One of the city's signature buildings, this extraordinary inverted-U-shaped market hall was designed by local architecture firm MVRDV and opened for…

  • Panorama Mesdag

    Den Haag

    Home to the Panorama (1881), an immense, 14m-high, 360-degree painting of the sea, dunes and fishing village of Scheveningen, this museum is one of Den…

  • Vredespaleis

    Den Haag

    Home to the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration and International Court of Justice, the Peace Palace is housed in a grand 1913 building donated by…

  • Inner Court and Knight's Hall The Hague

    Binnenhof

    Den Haag

    Home to both houses of the Dutch government, this complex of buildings next to the Hofvijver is arranged around a central courtyard that was once used for…

  • Signpost at Deliplein.

    Deliplein

    Rotterdam

    Once home to the largest red-light district in Europe, Katendrecht is now one of Rotterdam’s culinary hotspots. The Deliplein is a small plaza right…

  • De Kuip, front view

    De Kuip

    Rotterdam

    Stadion Feijenoord, known to Feyenoord supporters as De Kuip, is a huge football stadium south of the city centre that can hold over 51,000 fans. During…

  • Restaurant and terrace

    Uit Je Eigen Stad

    Rotterdam

    Uit Je Eigen Stad, which translates as 'From Your Own City', is an urban farm on the outskirts of Rotterdam whose goal is to re-educate locals about the…

  • Lake view, Kralingse Bos and Plas

    Kralingse Bos & Plas

    Rotterdam

    This bucolic park sits just outside the city centre and offers a delightfully laidback mixture of shaded forest, sparkling waters and manicured grass. It…

  • Showroom Mama

    Showroom Mama

    Rotterdam

    One of the main proponents of youth culture in Rotterdam, Showroom Mama hosts art exhibitions, performances, events and installations by aspiring…

  • Toko 51, facade

    Toko 51

    Rotterdam

    A melting pot for local creatives, this space hosts pop-up exhibitions, stores, gigs and get-togethers.

  • National Jenevermuseum Schiedam

    Rotterdam

    Housed in an 18th-century distillery, this museum is dedicated to the industry that Schiedam is best known for: production of the traditional Dutch gin…

  • Kunstmuseum Den Haag

    Den Haag

    Known predominantly for its De Stijl exhibit, this museum is housed in an unusual art deco building designed by HP Berlage. It opened in 1935. The De…

  • Het Nieuwe Instituut

    Rotterdam

    This design-driven cultural hub houses the Netherlands Architecture Institute, e-culture institute Virtueel Platform and the Netherlands Institute for…

  • Maritiem Museum Rotterdam

    Rotterdam

    Children adore this museum overlooking Leuvehaven, whose permanent exhibits are emphatically kid-focused. The best of these is the 'Offshore Experience',…

  • Kunsthal

    Rotterdam

    This dynamic cultural institution in Rotterdam's main museum enclave is known for its constantly changing and inevitably thought-provoking exhibition…

  • Slot Loevestein

    South Holland

    Located near the tiny, beautiful little walled town of Woudrichem, this evocative 14th-century keep has functioned as a prison, residence and toll castle;…

  • Pieterskerk

    Leiden

    Crowned by its huge steeple, this now deconsecrated church is often under restoration – a good thing, as it has been prone to collapse since it was built…

  • Korenmolen de Walvisch

    Rotterdam

    One of the highest windmills in the world, the 'Mill of the Whale' dates from 1794 and was rebuilt in 1996 after a fire. Built to grind malt for the gin…

  • Euromast

    Rotterdam

    Designed by HA Maaskant as a landmark and built between 1958 and 1960, the 185m-high Euromast offers unparalleled 360-degree views of Rotterdam from its…

  • Overblaak Development

    Rotterdam

    Designed by Amsterdam-based architect Piet Blom and built between 1978 and 1984, this mind-bending development facing the Markthal is marked by its pencil…

  • Royal Delft

    Delft

    Pottery fans will love visiting Royal Delft, the town's most famous earthenware factory, which has been handcrafting its blue-and-white-painted porcelain…

  • Lijnbaan

    Rotterdam

    Commissioned to design 65 shops in Rotterdam's central business district in the 1950s, architects Jo Van den Broek and Jaap Bakema came up with the…

  • Museum Rotterdam

    Rotterdam

    The attractive Timmerhuis building designed by Rotterdam-based Rem Koolhaas is a classy location for this museum profiling the city's past, present and…

  • Museum Gouda

    South Holland

    Housed in a medieval hospital building, the town's major museum has a collection of artefacts and artworks related to Gouda and surrounding areas. There's…

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