Kinderdijk

Day Trips in Amsterdam

"Dutchies will tell you that “God made the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands.” Evidence is at this UNESCO World Heritage site where Holland’s largest collection of working windmills testifies to a 1,000-year battle against the sea. As a survival bonus, it also acts as an emergency backup system for flooding. An 18th-century footbridge leads into a primeval landscape punctuated with grazing cows, flying birds, creeping weasels, and crawling amphibians. For a more human perspective, visit two museum windmills providing a glimpse of life in an earlier era.Tour boats offer views of the windmills and surrounding polder landscape. The half-hour Hopper tour operates year-round, except from January to mid-February, allowing passengers to hop on and off at different points. From April to October, the Cruiser makes a loop around the windmills.In spring and summer, it’s possible to reach Kinderdijk by sea. From Amsterdam Central take the train to Rotterdam Central, then Tram 7 to Willemsplein. At Willemskade, board Waterbus line 20 and transfer at Ridderkerk de Schans to the Driehoeksveer ferry. For a landlocked trip, take a train from Amsterdam Central to Rotterdam Central. In Rotterdam, take the metro to Rotterdam-Zuid, then catch bus #154 to Kinderdijk." - MATADOR_NETWORK