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Holland Overview

With easy ferry access to Ostende, Zeebrugge and the Hook of Holland, it’s little wonder that so many Eurocampers choose Holland. Not only are the parcs here superbly equipped, they place you within easy reach of all sorts of fascinating cities, from Brussels to Amsterdam, and on the doorstep of the lovely Dutch countryside.

Famously flat, it is given depth and character by the many windmills, dikes, woods and bulb fields that punctuate the landscape. The Dutch have a real passion for cycling too, so you will find many dedicated cycle paths running alongside canals here, as well as through the expansive, open grasslands and heathlands.

The Eurocamp parcs at Wassenaar and Rjinsburg also place you close to Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most exciting and enjoyable cities.

Art lovers will almost certainly want to see the Van Gogh Museum, which explores the development of the artist’s talent throughout his troubled life and contains many major works including his famous Vase with 12 Sunflowers. On a slightly more sombre note, the Anne Frank House is also an essential place to visit, as is the Gassan Diamond Tour, which explores the city’s reputation as a world centre for diamonds.

Our parc at Hilvarenbeek, in contrast, offers access to not just the fabulous Beekse Bergen safari park, but also to Belgium, with both Antwerp and Brussels within an easy drive.

As with everything, the Dutch take a cosmopolitan approach to food, embracing cuisines from around the world, but if you are in the mood for a local speciality, the sweet pancakes they call Poffertjes are very pleasant, especially served with plenty of butter and sugar.

For other European locations available with Eurocamp take a look at our family holidays in Spain and Italian holidays sections for details.

Places to visit - Sightseeing

Camping in Holland offers you all the opportunities you need to discover some of the Netherlands’ and Europe’s most fascinating cities and famous sights. After all, Belgium and Luxembourg are both within easy reach from here.

Amsterdam
One of Europe’s most cultured, and fun cities. Amsterdam is endlessly beautiful, with its 17th century canals and cobbled streets, not to mention a host of must-sees, such as the Anne Frank House and the wonderful Stedelijk Museum.

Rotterdam
It may be Europe’s largest port, but Rotterdam is also known as Holland’s main centre for contemporary art, fashion and design. The Kunsthal and Boijmans Van Beuningen museums are unmissable, as is the Bijenkorf shopping centre.

The Hague
With its wealth of wonderful architecture and fine museums, including the stunning Gemeentemuseum and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, where you can see the original Girl With A Pearl Earring painting, The Hague is simply unmissable.

Utrecht
Known as the cultural treasure trove of Holland, Utrecht’s Museum Quarter features galleries devoted to everything from Aboriginal Art to Miffy the rabbit. The fabulous, 112m tall Dom Tower and vast Kasteel de Haar are also must-sees here.

Maastricht
Holland’s oldest fortified city, Maastricht offers more than 2000 years of history, a wealth of fine museums and art galleries, and attractions including the city’s vast network of underground tunnels and the impressive Fort St. Pieter.

Delft
Endlessly charming and picturesque, the town is home to Royal Delft, where you can learn the secrets of the famous Delft Blue earthenware. It was also the lifelong home of Johannes Vermeer, and the informative Vermeer Centre Exhibition is worth visiting.

Dutch Bulb Fields
Some of Holland’s best-known bulb fields lie along the North Sea coast, between Leiden and Den Helder. While each flower has its own short season, you will find a riot of colour here from the end of March until the middle of May.

Eindhoven
Holland’s fifth largest city, Eindhoven is a beautiful and historic city, yet with a lively and bustling atmosphere. Come here for the great shopping and wealth of bars and restaurants, or simply to visit the Van Abbe Museum of contemporary art.

Belgium
While you are camping in Holland, it is worth noting that the delights of Belgium, including the wonderfully beautiful city of Bruges, are just a short drive away. Brussels, with its cheeky Mannekin Pis and the unique Atomium, is also worth seeing.

Great for younger kids

Beekse Bergen
A massive leisure park covering more than 400 hectares, Beekse Bergen is a theme park, safari park and zoo. With more than 1,000 wild animals to see, not to mention pedaloes and mini golf, it’s a big family favourite.

Sea Life Scheveningen
This fascinating sealife centre enables you to discover everything from shrimps to sharks, seahorses to stingrays, in a naturalistic habitat you can actually walk through, thanks to the huge, underwater tunnel.

Great for older kids

De Efteling Theme Park
One of the biggest theme parks in Europe, De Efteling is divided into four realms, each one offering a different set of rides and rollercoasters, forbidden cities and haunted castles.

Walibi Theme Park
With all the white-knuckle rides you could ever wish for, Walibi certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted. Featuring log flumes, roller coaters and the exciting Aztec, El Condor and Goliath rides, it’s a favourite attraction for older children and teens.

Places to visit - Activities & events

Watersports
There are many lakes in Holland, though the finest for watersports is arguably Loosdrechtse Plassen near Amsterdam. You’ll find sailing and windsurfing schools here, plus the opportunity to swim in the lake.

Cycling
The Dutch love to cycle – and in a country as flat as this, you can understand why. So you will find cycle paths almost everywhere, though the (slightly) hilly area of St Pieter, with its 80km of cycle paths is always a popular choice.

Diving
While there are a number of lake diving centres in Holland, the The Vinkeveense Plassen, or Lakes of Vinkeveen are amongst the most popular, with a large designated diving zone, crystal waters and a number of underwater ‘objects’ to discover.

Nature Walks
There are numerous nature reserves in Holland, including the Wadden Sea to the North, where you are able to discover the life of the sea between tides, and The Hoge Veluwe, which you can discover on foot, or using one of 1,000 free to use bikes.

Unmissable events in Holland

Pinkpop – Every April inLandgraaf
Holland’s biggest open-air festival is also the longest-running pop festival in the world, regularly attracting international acts such as Bruce Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac and The Foo Fighters.

Holland Festival – Every June in Amsterdam
A truly eclectic event, the Holland Festival has been reinventing itself year after year since 1947, with every aesthetic art from opera and dance to theatre and architecture made part of the mix.

North Sea Jazz Festival – Every July in Rotterdam
One of the biggest events in the international jazz calendar, the North Sea Jazz Festival attracts a plethora of big names from all genres, from Jamiroquai to Al Jarreau and BB King to Ella Fitzgerald.

Uitmark – Late August in Amsterdam
Marking the start of the cultural season, this huge festival features more than 2,000 performers at more than 30 venues, with comedy, film, music, dance and theatre all on the menu.

Places to visit - Eating out

The Netherlands may not have the most sophisticated cuisine, but its specialities are always popular with those camping in Holland:

• Pancakes – you will find pancake houses almost everywhere, with savoury pancakes loaded with smoked sausage or cheese, and sweet pancakes with apples and sugar amongst the most popular choices on the menu.
• Patat Frites – the Dutch love chips, and these crisp, golden fries, served with mayonnaise or piccalilli are amongst the best you will ever taste.
• Poffertjes – tiny sugared pancakes, often sold by street vendors. Very popular and totally delicious.
• Jenever – originally sold as medicine by a Dutch chemist, this Dutch gin offers a wonderful taste of the juniper berries from which it takes its name.

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