Skip Amsterdam! These 5 Alternative Dutch Cities Have Prettier Canals & Less Crowds

Share The Article

Picturesque canals running along slender, muted-toned buildings, winding bike lanes, and stroopwafels straight from the market: for the casual traveler, that’s Amsterdam summarized, but what if I told you the same thing applies to (pretty much) every other Dutch city?

Unlike countries such as France, Italy or Spain, where you get more variation, contrast, and architectural diversity from region to region, the Netherlands are pretty… monocultural.

That’s not to say there are minor regional varieties hither and thither, but overall, the running theme is low-rise buildings arranged evenly along navigable waterways. Add to that the odd picturesque mill, and the occasional, cannabis-infested no-go zone, and you get your average Dutch hub.

The thing is, people keep going to Amsterdam for that quintessential Dutch experience when they can get it for much cheaper, and quite literally anywhere else. Also, let’s be real for a sec: as much as I love the Netherlands, can you even tell these cities apart without checking the signposts?

Here are 5 Amsterdam look-alikes with smaller crowds, and if I may add, arguably-prettier canals:

Ameesfort

A small city that feels remarkably real still, not overrun with tourists, Ameesfort packs well-preserved medieval monuments, charming coffeeshops, and overlooked museums in a walkable, canal-traversed medieval center.

It’s also the home of what’s perhaps the Netherland’s coolest city gate, the Koppelport, which served both for land and water defense, and as you stroll along the Muurhuizen, a cobbled street running parallel to the old walls, it’s almost like you’ve traveled back in time to the Middle Ages.

Don’t miss out on Our Lady’s Tower, in the heart of the Old Town, is one of the tallest medieval churches in the country, and if you love art, the Mondriaan House is both the birthplace of, and a museum dedicated to Piet Mondriaan, a key figure in the De Stijl movement.

You know, the abstract colorful blocks broken up by vertical and horizontal lines. You’ve probably seen a few replicas hanging in your psychologist’s low-light office.

Groningen

Middle finger up to Amsterdam, Groningen’s the proper exciting student city, with a strong sense of northerly independence, a surprisingly great nightlife for its size, and a creative vibe that’s truly hard to beat.

This is still the overly-liberal Netherlands, so rein in the expectations, but in a way, it’s a bit like the ‘dam before it started catering to people who think drinking matcha and caring for every global cause but their own national affairs is a personality.

You can still get down and dirty at a riotous, bar-packed Oude Kijk in ’t Jatstraat, the centre of action, and while Simplon, OOST, and Paradigm are the big names around, The End Karaoke is where the real unfiltered fun’s at.

Down a few pints of Grolsch, what I like to call liquid courage, grab the mic, and cry your heart out.

Oh, of course, maybe you’re here for the sightseeing. What if I told you Oosterhaven (the main canal lined with Dutch townhouses) is just Insta-perfect at golden hour, or that you can marvel at Martinitoren, a striking 15th century church tower, from pretty much any point along the waterfront?

Kampen

A proper hidden gem on the banks of the scenic IJssel River, Kampen is laid-back, sliced with canals, and dotted with those unmistakably Dutch warehouses and stepped gables, except here, you won’t be elbowing your way past hoards of Chinese tourists.

Its medieval center is storybook material, with the usual cobble-paved streets, timber-framed houses, and monumental city gates, and most points of interest are within a short 5–⁠10 minute walk from each other. No need to rent a bike and dodge trams like crazy.

Right on the riverbank, Koornmarktspoort is a massive city gate, and your ‘I’ve been to Kampen’ selfie spot. Not far from there, chances are you’ll notice the soaring Bovenkerk, a Gothic church housing an impressive display of stained glass.

If you’re asking me, however, there’s nowhere better to soak up Kampen’s relaxed atmosphere than people-watching at De Stadsherberg Kampen‘s canalside terrace as you savor your tomato soup, maybe followed by some slibtong (a fried thin fish), and downing a whole jug of beer while you’re at it.

Peak Dutch behavior.

Volendam

Right, I probably wasn’t completely fair on the Netherlands earlier by stating every Dutch city is effectively the same. While there is some truth to that, as far as city-building goes, there’s the odd few exception that stands out. One of those is Volendam:

The quintessential fishing village frozen in time, it simply oozes Dutch character, and I’m not even talking about the wooden docks, waterfront cafés with views onto canals, and the typical Northern Mannerist houses.

Don’t be surprised if you find locals still wearing their signature ‘Volendam hats’ on festival days—like King’s Day—or if the 70-year old oma behind the bakery counter doesn’t speak perfect English like your average Dutch person.

Volendam is the Netherlands before the international crowds turned up. It’s still touristy, sure, but visitors are mainly fellow Dutch, and the small-village feel keeps things chill and cosy. And whatever you do, don’t forget to try the smoked eel from one of the many fish stalls around the harbor!

Leiden

A mini Amsterdam of sorts, Leiden has the canals, picturesque bridges, and skinny waterside houses, but none of the capital’s tourist hordes and hectic vibe. In short, it’s where I go when I want an AMS-like atmosphere, minus the added chaos.

It’s home to the oldest university in all of the Netherlands: Leiden University was founded as early as 1575, and similarly to Oxford in England, or Coimbra in Portugal, the historic Rapenburg district has that student-town energy, on top of centuries of a scholarly aura.

Burcht van leiden is Leiden’s impressive medieval fortress, built even earlier in the 11th-century, and what’s special about it is the fact that it is one of a handful of castles in the Netherlands to actually sit on a hilltop.

This is still the Netherlands, mind you, so it’s more like a mound, but the city views atop the fortress, with the winding canals and Pieterskerk, the Gothic church tower that dominates the skyline, is still downright gorgeous.

At the end of the day, the best way to explore Leiden is simply by wandering! That’s how you find the hidden courtyards and cobbled alleys, and the backstreets off the main path full of medieval charm.

This Is The Easiest Way To Explore The Netherlands This Spring

If you plan on traveling around the Netherlands and using public transport, consider getting a Holland Travel Ticket for a day or two.

It allows you to travel all over the national territory from only €54 | $64 off-peak for the day. With a Holland Travel Ticket, you can board an unlimited number of trains, buses, ferries, and even trams, metros, and other municipal lines across the Netherlands during its validity.

Exceptions do apply, but these mostly concern high-speed international lines, like the Eurostar from Amsterdam to Brussels (Belgium), or Amsterdam to Cologne (Germany), so make sure you check the coverage of your ticket before boarding the next train out.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.