Full Day Private Minivan Tour in South Holland

De Porceleyne Fles (factory and museum)

This is the last 17th -century still existing Delft Blue earthenware factory. The building is located in the south of the city center of Delft. Here you can see the art of hand-painting blue and white earthenware. Through a tour you get to know the different techniques, which were used throughout the centuries. You can also paint a pottery tile of 13 by 13 centimeters. The De Porceleyne Fles also houses a Delft Blue museum and a souvenir store.

Delft Canals

Originally, the Delft canals were used as a defense system for the city. But now they are used for recreation and transportation. Through the canals you can walk around the city. The various interconnected roads along the canals, feature beautiful trees and typical Dutch architecture. Especially beautiful is Hippoltusbuurt street, located west of the Markt, with its cafes and picturesque bridges. The Voldersgracht street north of the Markt is also worth a look. Here the water is as high as the thresholds of the houses. If you want to see Delft from a different angle, a canal cruise on the Delft canals is a good plan. There are several organizations in Delft that offer tours on the water. The tours all take about an hour. A guide will tell you about the history of Delft, the canals and the historic buildings along the canals.

Leidse Burcht

You have to climb a few stairs, but then you have something! The Burcht in Leiden offers breathtaking views of the city. It is one of the most prominent monuments of Leiden. Once at the top, you walk along the ring wall and see how the Rhine flows together in the center of the city. In addition, you’ll have a great view of the Pieterskerk and the Hooglandse Kerk and other special buildings. The castle itself is also worth a visit: it is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in the Netherlands. In fact, this monument is older than Leiden itself and dates from around 1150.

Gouda Cheese Market

Gouda cheeses are sold worldwide. In Gouda, they are sold every Thursday morning at the Markt (number 3 on this list); a great spectacle. The weekly Gouda Cheese Market is something everyone can attend. Farmers and traders gather here to negotiate over cheeses. Huge quantities of cheeses are sold this way. The cheeses are displayed in the middle of the square: different shades of yellow and orange together, all with the typical smell of cheese. At the cheese market you can not only smell cheese, you can also taste the many different flavors. Would you like to know more about the history of Gouda cheese and how it is made? Then visit the Gouda Cheese Museum in the Gouda Waag (number 10 on this list) and/or Kaasboerderij Jongenhoeve (number 5 on this list).

The Pier

The pier is the landmark and the heart of Scheveningen. Here you can do all kinds of things like shopping and eating but also do something active and exciting like ziplining, bungee jumping from 60 meters high or take surfing lessons. A round in the Ferris wheel that offers you a magnificent view is of course also part of the package.

The Binnenhof and Ridderzaal

In the center of The Hague you will find the Binnenhof, the political heart of the Netherlands. You can enter the Binnenhof freely from the beautiful ‘Buitenhof’ and through ‘Plein’. You can walk between the famous places of which the Torentje, the Ridderzaal and the House of Representatives are the most important and best known.

The Torentje is beautifully situated at Het Binnenhof and is the workplace of the prime minister of the Netherlands.

The King of the Netherlands reads the speech from the throne in the Ridderzaal

In the Lower Chamber, the most important political decisions are made and debates are held. It is situated on the beautiful Hofvijver, which can also be easily seen from the Binnenhof.

You can visit both the Knights’ Hall and the Lower House during a guided tour. Unfortunately the Torentje is not open to the public

Chinatown

Also in The Hague you can discover the Chinese neighborhood. But make no mistake! Originally this neighborhood was known as the Hague Jewish Neighborhood but after World War II the neighborhood became vacant again.

Starting in the 1970s, the neighborhood was revitalized and a lot of Chinese moved in. They literally and figuratively breathed life back into the neighborhood. When you walk through this neighborhood, you will of course find many Chinese restaurants and shops. But also the Chinese gates – built with original building materials, attract many visitors, and rightly so!

Madurodam

After a cultural tour of The Hague, it is time for relaxation. Madurodam is the Netherlands in miniature. Not only children but also adults are hard to get out of here. Who among the whole family can lift their own weight in cheese, control port traffic or generate wind power? The newest attraction is ‘The Flying Dutchman’ where you discover everything about the pioneers of the Netherlands.

Madurodam is the perfect combination of an amusement park, historical heritage and beautiful nature. There are over 5,500 miniature trees and 55,000 flowers that bloom throughout the season. Since its opening in 1952, it has been one of the most visited amusement parks in the Netherlands. An ideal outing for young and old!

Erasmus Bridge

From the center of Rotterdam you can walk over the Erasmus bridge to Rotterdam South, but even if you have nothing to do here, the Erasmus bridge alone is worth a visit. After all, the Erasmus bridge is one of the icons of Rotterdam. The bridge is also known as ‘the Swan’ because of its shape, and for many Rotterdammers the bridge is the pride of the city. You don’t necessarily have to walk across it, because from a distance the bridge is perhaps even more beautiful.

Euromast

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For a view of the city , a visit to the Euromast is actually pretty much mandatory. The tower is 185 meters high and on all floors you have a 360 degree view over Rotterdam and its surroundings.

You can stop at a height of 100 meters and enjoy the restaurant, but you can also choose to go to the top because here the view is of course the most spectacular. This can be done by means of the glass Euroscoop elevator, in which you have a constant view of the city. From the top of the Euromast you can see very far in good weather, so see if you can find Antwerp in the distance.

Market Hall

The Market Hall is a very recently opened icon where you should go just for the giant painting on the ceiling. Of course, you come here mainly for theshops, stalls and restaurants where you can taste and buy all kinds of different food products. There are not only vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish available, but also sweets, ice cream, herbs, spices, and worldly delights. Treat yourself with a snack, because you will undoubtedly get hungry upon entering because of the delicious smells that come your way.

Once inside, you will be overwhelmed not only by the delicious food but also by the colorfulness of the wall coverings. The Market Hall is not for nothing called the Sixtine Chapel of Rotterdam. On the wall you can see beautiful scenes with flowers, insects, fruit, fish, etc.. And the enormous artwork ‘The Horn of Plenty’ by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. In total, no less than 4000 blocks decorate the hall!