AUTUMN & THE FESTIVE SEASON IN HOLLAND

Travel Tips | 3 Comments

Autumn-winter in Holland can be magical, Germany isn’t the only renowned European destination for a good Christmas market, Holland has some of the most festive Christmas markets, street shows and autumn attractions. Before the festive period, why not take in the scenes of the coast, enjoy a bonfire by the beach, shopping in the big cities, the windmills on a beautiful autumn backdrop and of course Dutch food from warm-hearty apple pies to famous cheese. Our Autumn-tips can be enjoyed whether visiting locals or on a Dutch autumn holiday!

Enjoy autumn in the Netherlands, sail direct with Stena Line to the Hook of Holland, fares starting from £59 per person with a car or £38.50 for foot passenger.  Make the most of our dutchflyer rail and sail tickets from £39 one-way, including Harwich-Hook of Holland crossing and onwards rail travel to any Dutch station! So many ways to sail direct to Holland this autumn, make the most of local attractions and save!

Autumn in the cities

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Holland has some fantastic cities that are simply magical during the falling-leaves season. A great way to spend an autumns day in the city is to take a tour (along the canals for a full city tour, by bike or segway for the active explorers). Enjoy a hot chocolate at a bar along the canals then an evening out, Holland is a nightlife hub, with yop rated bars restuarants, shows and evening attractions ranging from cities like Rotterdam to Utrecht. There’s a lot of shows, architecture, museum and street art to see.

We recommend the famous Van Gogh and Anne Frank museums as well as some of the little less known spots but equally worth visiting such as Ijsselmeer, The Hague castle and Maastricht.

The Hague in Autumn

There are also a few hidden special places to visit if in need of escaping the tourist hotspot. Discover places like Pampus, a man-made island, this little gem is great to visit for some wonderful pictures as well as cool events. The Hague is a fascinating city and is spectacular once the lights go on suring autumn-winter, it also hosts some of Hollands most beautiful fireworks display.

Another hidden treasure is the hidden gardens of Holland, if you visit Amsterdam and would like to see something different, check out the Zon’s Hofje.

Giethoorn, a city with no cars! This lovely town is like a postcard in the making, green and in autumn a beautiful golden-auburn leafy backdrop with beautiful Dutch houses and cottages and floral displays. You can enjoy walking around with true locals, authentic Dutch food and culture.

The great thing about Holland in autumn is that there are great indoor activities to do for the colder, wetter days like a trip the the museum, touring castles and exhibitions.

Mills to see

For those wanting to see famous outdoor landmarks and attractions, you can’t go to Holland without seeing a windmill or two! Schiedam is close to the Hook of Holland port and is home to the world’s largest windmills! The windmill De Nieuwe Palmboom or The New Palm Tree is also a museum, see the cool artifacts, images and more as well as visiting the local town.

Zaanse Schans is perfectly located if planning to travel to Amsterdam and fancy a daytrip out of the city. There are also several other attractions around the small town to visit such as, clog making, cheese tasting, handmade clocks and museums. Zaanse Schans can also be explored on a boat tour; see the windmill by the waterway of de Zaan.

Winter fun

When it gets really chilling, there’s a lot of fun activities to do for children and adults! In Holland ice-skating is a big autumn-winter pastime, everyone gets involved then enjoys a hot drink and a delicious meal or Dutch pastry to help get warm again. Pumpkin carving, famers markets and harvest fun is also a guge dutch tradition during autumn. For nature lovers, there’s nothing more beautiful than some of Hollands parks and gardens when the leaves are falling on a crisp dry autumns day, take a stroll while enjoying a koffie verkeerd and once the sun has set, while in Holland try the local gin and of course the famous Dutch beers like, Heineken and Amstel.

Start your autumn-break, with a hotel-at-sea stay onboard our superferries, enjoy our ships to Holland facilities from ultra-comfy cabins, restaurants to the bars to help you kick off your autumn trip on the right foot discover what’s onboard. Once you arrive in Holland you can set-off on a Dutch adventure.