One of the things Holland is famous for is it's past with water and the beautiful windmills. A trip to my country is not complete if you haven't seen at least one of them with your own eyes. One of the best places to go is Kinderdijk, where you can visit the beautiful windmills near Amsterdam. In this blog I will show you why you have to put a visit to Kinderdijk on your bucketlist!
Where can you find Kinderdijk?
Kinderdijk is a small town near the river Lek in the Province of Zuid-Holland. Just outside of the small town you will find 19 windmills and a big pumphouse. Together they are used to control the waterlevels in this area. If it wasn't for the mills all of the area would be under water.
The windmills near Amsterdam at Kinderdijk and the surrounding nature are under UNESCO World Herritage protection which started at the year of 1997. Besides visiting the mills the waters in the area are full of birdlife, making it the perfect spot to see a lot of Dutch bird-species.
If you click on the photo's you can see them in a bigger size!
The best time to visit the windmills near Amsterdam
If you ask me the best time to visit the windmills near Amsterdam is during the colder months of late Fall, Winter and early Spring. If you go there on a sunny day you will have the place practically to yourself and the soft light is amazing to make beautiful pictures.
A lot of people visit Holland during late Spring and Summer. At that time of year you have the best chance to enjoy nice, warm weather but it can be busy at a lot of places. Would you like it a little more quiet, visit early in the day or late in the afternoon.
When the mills are turning......
If you want to see how a windmill works you can pay a visit during the Summer months . Every Saturday of July and August all of the 19 windmills of Kinderdijk will be in full operation. (If the wind is to strong or not strong enough they won't operate!). On other times it will depend on the weather and the presence of a miller. Most of the times you will find a mill that is working.
Walking, bycicle riding or taking a boat
There are many ways to see the area around the windmills near Amsterdam. I took my bycicle and rode around for a few hours, it's the perfect way to explore everything at your own pace. It is also possible to walk around. All of the windmills near Amsterdam at Kinderdijk are within a few Miles distance and can bee seen in a few hours. If walking is to much for you, or you like to be on a boat, you can take the hop on- hop off boat that stops at many places.
Good to know about visiting the windmills near Amsterdam.
- Visiting the windmills near Amsterdam at Kinderdijk is free of charge.
- If you want to learn more about the mills and how they work you can buy a ticket to visit 2 mills and the pumphouse.
- Tickets can be bought online and at the entrance booth.
- Both mills are open on different times, so be sure to check the site of Kinderdijk for all the details.
- At the beginning of the area there is a big shop with a lot of nice products for tourist.
- You can park your car close to the entrance or come by public bus. You can even get there by special canalboat from Dordrecht and Rotterdam!
- If you are interested in special activities, check the site! It is the best way to learn all you need to know about your visit to the mills near Amsterdam!
- Another amazing place for seeing windmills near Amsterdam and beautiful wooden houses is Zaanse Schans. (Never been there myself though)