- Amsterdam is the capital, but the province is full of day trips
- Alkmaar's cheese market runs on Friday mornings in season
- Zaanse Schans windmills are under 30 minutes from Amsterdam
- Texel is reached by a short ferry from Den Helder
- Airports
- Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
- Best time to go
- April-May for tulips; June-September for beaches
- Type
- Province
North Holland is the province that wraps around Amsterdam, stretching north between the North Sea and the IJsselmeer. It holds many of the images people associate with the Netherlands: windmills, cheese markets, wooden houses, tulip fields and long sandy beaches backed by dunes.
Most UK visitors arrive in Amsterdam, and almost everything else in the province can be done as a day trip from there. For the city itself, see our Amsterdam guide, and for the wider country our Netherlands guide.
Why go to North Holland
- Haarlem: a handsome historic city just 15 minutes from Amsterdam, with excellent museums.
- Zaanse Schans: a cluster of working windmills and green wooden houses on the River Zaan, under half an hour from Amsterdam.
- Alkmaar: famous for its traditional cheese market on Friday mornings in the warmer months.
- Volendam and Marken: former fishing villages on the old Zuiderzee, with traditional costume and wooden houses.
- Hoorn and Enkhuizen: Golden Age ports. Enkhuizen is home to the Zuiderzee Museum, an open-air museum of historic buildings.
- Edam: a small, quiet cheese town with canals and a summer cheese market.
- The coast: wide beaches at Zandvoort, Bergen aan Zee and Egmond aan Zee, with cycle paths through the dunes.
- Texel: the largest Wadden island, with beaches, nature reserves and sheep, a short ferry ride from Den Helder.
Where to stay
| Area | Why stay there |
|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Best transport links, but hotels are expensive |
| Haarlem | Historic, calmer and well connected |
| Coast (Zandvoort, Bergen, Egmond) | Beach holidays and dune cycling |
| West Friesland (Hoorn, Enkhuizen) | Historic harbours and the IJsselmeer |
| Texel | Island escapes for nature and beaches |
Getting there
By air: Amsterdam Schiphol has flights from many UK airports, taking around an hour from London. Trains link the airport to most of the province.
By train: Eurostar runs direct from London to Amsterdam in about four hours.
By ferry: DFDS sails overnight from Newcastle to IJmuiden, on the North Holland coast, about 30 minutes from Amsterdam.
Trains and buses cover most towns, and the flat landscape is perfect for cycling. North Holland borders Utrecht province, South Holland and, across the Afsluitdijk, Friesland. Flevoland lies across the water to the east.
Best time to visit
April and early May bring the tulip fields into flower, particularly in the north of the province. June to September is best for beaches, cycling and the cheese markets. Autumn and winter are quieter and suit city breaks in Amsterdam and Haarlem.
The Amsterdam and region travel tickets sold by local transport operators can make day trips to Zaanse Schans, Volendam and Haarlem cheaper and easier. Check current options before you go.
Top attractions in North Holland
MuseumAnne Frank House
The canal house where Anne Frank hid for two years and wrote her diary, now a moving museum on the Prinsengracht.
MuseumRijksmuseum
The Netherlands' national museum, home to Rembrandt's The Night Watch, Vermeer's The Milkmaid and 800 years of Dutch…
North Holland on the map
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Amsterdam in North Holland?
Haarlem and Zaanse Schans are the easiest. For cheese, Alkmaar on a Friday morning in season is a classic.
Where can you see windmills near Amsterdam?
Zaanse Schans is the closest and best known, with several working windmills.
Does North Holland have good beaches?
Yes. The North Sea coast has long sandy beaches, including Zandvoort, Bergen aan Zee and Egmond aan Zee, plus Texel.
When is the Alkmaar cheese market?
It is usually held on Friday mornings from around late March or April to September. Check the official dates before travelling.
Written by
Anna Beach, family & practical travel editor
Anna knows which beach has shade at 3pm and which car hire excess is a rip-off. She covers sun, islands, family trips and practical travel tips.
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