The Netherlands was not originally meant to be my first country on this gap year, but once the route came together, it made sense to begin there. What followed was a short but memorable six-day stretch through the country, moving between canals, windmills, smaller towns, and modern cityscapes. It ended up being a strong start to the larger journey ahead.
Amsterdam was the natural first stop, and it made for a great entry point into the trip. Even with the usual travel fatigue and some initial confusion around public transport due to work around Centraal Station, the city still settled in quickly once I got my bearings. After getting groceries and resetting from the long flight, the real start came the next day with a proper walk through Amsterdam and a local beer at Brouwerij ’t IJ, where I also saw my first windmill of the trip.
Starting in Amsterdam
Amsterdam worked well as a first stop because it eased me into the Netherlands without needing much explanation. The canals, walkability, and city rhythm made it easy to settle into even after a rough arrival. Once the travel fatigue wore off, it felt like the right place to begin.
That first full day gave me a good sense of the city without trying to overdo it. I kept it simple, walked around, got a feel for the canals and neighborhoods, and ended the evening with a local brew. It was not about squeezing everything in. It was about letting the trip actually begin.
Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans
The next big stretch took me north to Giethoorn, which felt like stepping into something far more storybook than I had expected. Getting there meant a couple of trains and a bus, but once I arrived, the effort felt worth it. Parts of the town are accessible only by boat, and that alone gave the place a different feel from anywhere else on the route.
From there, the day turned into a race against time as I tried to make it to Zaanse Schans before sunset. Traffic and connections made it tighter than I wanted, but thankfully I got there in time to catch the windmills in the evening light. That ended up being one of the strongest visual moments of the trip and one of the clearest reminders of why I wanted to see the Netherlands beyond just Amsterdam.
Utrecht and Kinderdijk
The next stop was Utrecht, which felt like a smaller, more understated city stop along the route. The weather did not do me any favors that day. Cold rain and strong wind made the experience less comfortable than I had hoped, but I still made the most of it and got into the city rather than wasting the day completely.
From Utrecht, I made my way to Kinderdijk, and that shift in scenery made the effort worth it. If Zaanse Schans felt iconic, Kinderdijk felt broader and more striking. The windmills there carried a stronger sense of space and atmosphere, and getting there despite the weather ended up being one of those travel efforts that pays off precisely because it was not easy.
Rotterdam, Schiedam, and Wrapping Up
From Kinderdijk, I continued on to Rotterdam, where I stayed in the well-known Cube House. Rotterdam did not have the same historic charm as some of the earlier stops, but that was also part of what made it interesting. It felt more modern, more rebuilt, and more shaped by architecture and design than by old-world atmosphere.
Even so, it still worked well as part of the route. I made my way out to Schiedam to see more windmills, went aboard the S.S. Rotterdam, and grabbed a drink at Fenix Food Factory before eventually moving on toward Belgium. In the end, what I liked most about this stretch through the Netherlands was how varied it felt in such a short amount of time. Amsterdam gave me canals and energy, Giethoorn gave me something close to a fairytale, Zaanse Schans and Kinderdijk gave me windmills in two very different settings, and Rotterdam added a more modern close to the route.
For only six days, it was a strong and memorable introduction to the Netherlands.
From Rotterdam, the route continued onward into Belgium.
