Car Rental Amsterdam - Exploring Amsterdam

Driving in Amsterdam simply isn’t practical. It’s like a small town in places, criss-crossed with canals and contorted around the Amstel river the Ij waterway. However, the Netherlands is a small country and it’s very feasible to make day trips to the nearby cities, and towns.

You don’t have to venture very far to find the dykes and windmills in the countryside near Amsterdam. In fact the country is small enough to take a lightening day tour of some of its key attractions.

The Hague is the seat of the Royalty and government, including stately mansions, palatial embassies and prestigious art galleries. Rotterdam is the world’s busiest port, very much The Netherlands’ modern, working class city, with unusual architecture and a vibrant atmosphere. Haarlem is also close by and displays all the grandeur of Amsterdam without the tourist fuss.

Delft is a tiny, over visited, but quaint town famous for its pottery. The Keukenhof, south of Haarlem, is the world's largest garden. It attracts a staggering 800,000 people during its eight-week season each year. Volendam and Marken are two picturesque fishing villages along the coast of the IJsselmeer, formerly called the Zuiderzee. If you’re trying to keep the kids happy head for Madurodam, the world’s largest miniature world. Excursions run daily from Amsterdam and other centres.

Unlikely that it sounds, there’s a nice beach at Scheveningen (less than an hour from Amsterdam), with a promenade and seaside feel that attracts the locals. If you’re brave you can join them in the North sea!