Visiting The Dutch Countryside
Travelblog about The Netherlands | Exploring The Netherlands beyond the crowds
17 Things to do in The Netherlands in April
Are you visiting The Netherlands in April? Great choice! This travel blog shows you the things you need to do in The Netherlands in April. Of course, The Netherlands is famous for its blooming flower fields in April. But, there’s also more to the country than that. Whether you’re looking for fun things to do in The Netherlands in April or want some insider information about the famous spring garden Keukenhof in The Netherlands – I’ve got your back!
April is such a good time to visit The Netherlands. A lot of people wonder if it’s worth going to Amsterdam in April and such – but The Netherlands is truly worth visiting in April. There’s a reason it’s a popular time to visit. And the best part? You can decide whether you want to visit crowded areas or not – as only a small region of The Netherlands gets visited a lot in April. I truly love the month of April in The Netherlands.
It’s when our country suddenly gets rapidly thrown into spring. Everything starts blooming, the country becomes alive and people are a lot happier with every ray of sunshine they see. From the blooming daffodil, crocus and hyacinth fields in The Netherlands to blooming yellow rapeseed to the blossoming fruit trees to the world-famous tulip fields. The Netherlands is in bloom.
Whether you want to travel in spring to see the tulips in The Netherlands, or simply want to enjoy one of the other many things to do in The Netherlands in April – this article will show you everything you need to know.
Weather during April in The Netherlands
April is actually a great time to visit The Netherlands, but you do have to know some important things. In the mornings, end of the afternoon and evening it is still very chilly. There’s always wind in The Netherlands, which means that while the average temperature in April in The Netherlands is 9.8 degrees Celsius – it usually feels colder than that. It also can get warm at around noon until roughly 15:00, before it rapidly cools down again.
So if you’re going to travel to The Netherlands in April, I would recommend you wear layers. This makes it easy to take off or put on when you’re getting warm or cold. Wind and waterproof shoes and coats are also extremely useful.
It’s mostly dry in The Netherlands – just often gloomy, which is why people think it always rains in The Netherlands – even though it’s dry roughly 92 per cent of the time. April is the least rainy month in The Netherlands. But, of course, when it rains – it’ll soak you. So, April is not rainy in The Netherlands.
Keep on reading to see the top things to do in The Netherlands in April below.
Things to do in The Netherlands in April
Ready, set, go! April is here and it’s time to get the most out of it. Don’t worry, you’ve got me as your helping hand. There’s no need to think about what you have to do in The Netherlands in April – you only need to read this blog and you’re set. While a lot of people think that spring in the Holland region is only filled with tulips, I am here to change that thought. Yes, they’re here – but also beyond the most famous parts and there’s more to do in April in The Netherlands.
But – of course, seeing the tulip fields is the most famous thing in The Netherlands in April. So, I’ll also help you with that.
1. Enjoy a visit to the Dutch cheese markets
Dutch cheeses are famous for a reason – and these tasty (often) yellow cheeses were sold at traditional Dutch cheese markets. Most of the markets that exist today are a reenactment of how it happened in the past. There’s only one real traditional cheese market left, which is the one in the town of Woerden. But, it doesn’t matter which cheese market in The Netherlands you visit. I find all of them great for a visit and you’ll learn a lot at all locations.
Blog about cheese markets
2. Dream away at the sight of the tulip fields
The Netherlands is famous for these endless tulip fields – and rightly so. Even after being born, raised and still living in The Netherlands’ largest tulip region (hint: it’s not anywhere near the Keukenhof flower garden), I still love the sight of them.
Most of The Netherlands is home to at least a few tulip fields. Most can be found in the Noord- Holland province, then in Flevoland, Zuid- Holland (home to the Keukenhof), Drenthe, Groningen and Zeeland. There are even some fields found in Friesland, Noord- Brabant and a few in Gelderland and Overijssel. Whether you want to see flower fields with tourists (Keukenhof surroundings) or mostly without (the rest of the country), the stunning blooming fields are waiting for you.
P.S. You are NOT allowed to walk inside flower fields. Not only is it private property, but you will damage a lot of bulbs by spreading fungi, insects and bacteria from field to field. Respect the farmer’s hard work and stay out of the fields. The ‘walking paths’ between the rows are also NOT for tourists: they’re there for the machines and employees.
Tulips bloom from roughly mid- April until the beginning of the first week of May . The exact dates can – and will – differ every year. It all depends on our winter weather, the number of sun hours, etc. In general, the best time to see tulip fields is the last week of April.
If you want to see tulip fields without tourists – but with a local (it’s me!) – then you can join my bike tulip tours in the North Holland province. It’s not often visited by tourists , despite having the most flower fields in the entire country. My bike tours to see tulip fields start on the 10th of April and last until the 5th of May this year.
Only 7 people can join every day, bike rental is included and we start daily at 10:00 in the morning at the train station of Schagen (it has direct trains from Amsterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Alkmaar and Zaandam – also Maastricht, but only during rush hour!). It’s the region that is home to some of the closest tulip fields to Amsterdam. In my – humble – opinion, this is one of the things you have to do in The Netherlands in April. It’s definitely an experience that takes you off the beaten path and into the countryside.
You can read more about the tulip bike tours and read reviews here.
Update Dutch tulip fields in The Netherlands 7th of April: Tulip season 2024 is an early and -at the same time – a long one (depending on the region). It looks like it lasts from around the 7th of April until the first few days of May in my region of Noord- Holland. A lot of fields are already blooming (most are not in full bloom just yet)-, but there are also many fields that aren’t just yet. The fields will be cut off earlier in the Lisse surroundings (Keukenhof) as they always bloom earlier there.
Tulip fields in 2024 are both early (due to warm weather and winter) and a tad later (due to later planting times because of rainfall) in my region of Noord- Holland. So, I recommend you to visit whenever you can. Join me on a hidden tulip fields bike tour here! (from the 10th of April until the 5th of May).
If you prefer to read more about where the tulip fields in The Netherlands are located, then head to the linked page – there you can find blogs about all the best tulip fields in The Netherlands in all regions , as well as tulip fields near Amsterdam and blogs about flower fields in Groningen, Zeeland, Flevoland, Drenthe and the entire Holland region. These articles can also help you create a flower route for The Netherlands.
3. Join the celebration of King’s Day
King’s Day: The day when Dutch people celebrate the birthday of our King (Willem!) and the country turns into a sea of orange, a big festival and a large flea market. We celebrate King’s Day on the 27th of April – don’t get it confused with Queen’s Day – which was held on the 30th of April (but not anymore as Beatrix abdicated).
We had a lot of tourists come to The Netherlands for years on the 30th of April – even though we didn’t celebrate anything on that date anymore. Don’t join them. It’s a hilarious sight – but less hilarious if you’re them.
So, we celebrate King’s Day on the 27th of April. Wear orange, eat an ‘oranje tompouce’ from your local bakery (not from the supermarket – I really don’t like those), get some alcohol (the day before!), enjoy street parties, celebrate on boats and head to festivals. I’m sure you’re going to enjoy immersing in Dutch culture.
4. Be in awe at the fruit flower blossoms in the Betuwe
Spring in The Netherlands doesn’t just mean tulips. No. The entire country is blooming. Wildflowers are blooming, flower fields, fruit trees and more. And the fruit trees cannot be missed when you’re visiting The Netherlands in April. There are several areas in The Netherlands where you can see the blooming fruit trees, but I’m going to talk about the Betuwe region here.
The Betuwe region in The Netherlands is nicknamed the ‘fruit garden of The Netherlands’ and is home to hundreds of thousands of apple, pear, plum and cherry trees. And they will all be blooming during spring.
The Betuwe is the most famous and the most known part stretches from Culemborg to Gorinchem to Opheusden. Whether you want to go for a walk or a bike ride – it’s a stunning area to discover. The most picturesque area starts at the Appeldijk, which is a small water barrier that follows the Linge river.
This is the most famous part, but don’t miss the other beautiful areas in the region that will see much fewer tourists but are still entirely worth a visit. Think of heading to Bommelerwaard (stretches from Rossum to Ammerzoden to Zaltbommel to Aalst) or Land van Maas en Waal (stretches from Batenburg to Heerewaarden to Beneden- Leeuwen).
In The Netherlands, the blossoms of the fruit trees will bloom from approximately the end of March until the middle of May. But – as with anything that grows with the help of nature – it depends on the amount of sun, rain, temperatures, our winter, etc. If it suddenly gets very warm during the blossoming time, the fruit blossoms in The Netherlands will bloom for a shorter period – and so on.
Estimated fruit tree blossoming time in The Netherlands
- Plum trees (white pinkish blossoms): End of March until the middle of April
- Cherry trees (white pinkish blossoms): End of March until the middle of April
- Pear trees (white blossoms): April
- Apple trees (pinkish blossoms): End of April until the middle of May
5. Bring a pre- season visit to the Dutch islands
Maybe you were thinking of heading to Corsica or Corfu during spring, but I’m here to tell you that the Dutch islands are also a fantastic option. While 100% perfect weather is not guaranteed, you will most definitely have a great time. Plus, I doubt you will see any blooming tulip fields on Corsica or Corfu – but you will find that on one of the islands in The Netherlands: Texel.
But beyond Texel, the islands in the Wadden Sea are great to visit for nature, island life, and relaxation, as well as an adventure here and there (think of mudflat walking, for instance). We have five inhabited Wadden Islands in The Netherlands: Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog (also nicknamed TVTAS).
And, as the high season of the islands hasn’t started in spring just yet – except for the spring holidays! – they’re great spring destinations in The Netherlands. Plus, found in a Unesco World Heritage site the Wadden Sea. It’s a tidal system that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
6. Admire a Dutch flower parade
While in general the flower parades in The Netherlands are found in summer, there is one in spring that sort of starts the entire season. The one flower parade that happens in spring is the one in the bulb region and called Bloemencorso Bollenstreek. This is one of the best things to do in The Netherlands in April. These parades are filled with tons of decorated floats that will leave you in awe. Add music and a great atmosphere to the mix and you’ll have a great day out.
The flower parade in the dune and bulb region will take place on the 20th of April 2024 . The flower parade leaves Noordwijk on the 20th of April at roughly 9:13, then goes to Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, Hillegom, Bennebroek, Heemstede and arrives in the centre of Haarlem between 21:30 and 22:00. The next day, the floats will be stalled in the city centre of Haarlem for you to admire.
Find the full timetable at the official flower parade bulb region website here (this is the only official website!)
7. See cherry blossoms in The Netherlands
Japan is worldwide famous for its cherry blossoms, but we have quite a few cherry blossom trees in The Netherlands too. One of the most famous places to see blooming cherry blossoms in The Netherlands is Kersenbloesem Park in the Amsterdamse Bos in Amstelveen. As this location is very well known, it’s also always busy – even when you’re there early in the morning. But, it’s truly beautiful.
If you prefer to see the blooming cherry blossom trees in The Netherlands without many people, then I’d recommend you to visit the modern city of Almere. One of the things to do in Almere in Spring is visit the cherry blossom trees at Siennastraat, Zwavelgeelstraat, Terracottastraat and Sepiastraat.
8. Witness a sea of yellow flowers at a Dutch fort
The Netherlands is filled with century-old fortresses, due to them being a part of our historic Dutch water lines that defended the most wealthy and important parts of the current The Netherlands from the enemy. These forts are great to visit year-round, but one fort in particular is the most beautiful to visit when you travel to The Netherlands in April. And, visiting this location needs to be on your things to do in The Netherlands in April list.
Head to Fort Werk aan de Groeneweg, which is found at the Eiland van Schalkwijk near the town of Schalkwijk. This fort is part of the New Dutch Waterline and was built during the mobilisation of the First World War. During spring the fruit trees bloom first and then the yellow rapeseed will start to bloom. This creates a truly magical experience. Think of visiting from roughly the middle of April until the beginning/ middle of May (the exact time, as always, depends on Mother Nature).
9. Spend a day inside Dutch greenhouses
Have you ever been curious to see what happens inside these amazing greenhouses in The Netherlands? During Kom in de Kas – or come in the greenhouse – you can visit participating greenhouses for free. It takes place every year during the first weekend of April (this year the 6th and 7th of April 2024). It’s such a great event to see what exactly happens in these modern greenhouses, how things grow, the constant innovation, etc. You can find the participating horticulturists in The Netherlands at ‘locaties’.
10. Join the 1st of April celebration
While the first of April is often called April Fools Day, this is not the case in the historic city of Brielle. There are probably still plenty of jokes during this day, but not for the obvious reason you’d think it is. Every year on the 1st of April, the city of Brielle celebrates the defeat of the Spanish occupiers by the Water Beggars on the 1st of April 1572. I know – it’s a long time ago. But Brielle was the first official city to be liberated from the Spanish – making it very important for the creation of an independent The Netherlands. And the city celebrates this every year – rightfully so.
The entire historic town is decorated, think of old laundry, fishing nets and so on. Hundreds of volunteers are dressed in the old Water Beggars and Spanish costumes. But, the main event is the reenactment of when the Water Beggars take over the city of Brielle, imprison the Spanish and take care of the rest. Then it’s time for everyone to celebrate the event in the town centre: there are cool markets and the bars are taking care of the rest.
What to do in the town of Brielle
11. Get the most out of someone else’s museumcard
If you know someone who has a Dutch ‘museumkaart’ or museum card, but you don’t have one yourself, then this is for you. From the 30th of March until the 5th of April 2024, you can use someone else’s museum card to visit museums. During this week the Dutch museums don’t have to check whether the museum card belongs to the person carrying it. And this way, you can visit museums in The Netherlands for free.
- 1 person can enter with one card: the cardholder cannot visit with someone else. It’s either the new visitor or the cardholder, not both.
- You need to show the actual museum card: so no copy of a photo of the card.
- You can also use the museum card of a child as an adult – and the child can use one of an adult – but only during this week.
12. See amazing films at Gorinchem Film Festival
Besides the fact that Gorinchem was voted the most beautiful fortified city in The Netherlands, it is also the home of Gorinchem Film Festival. The Netherlands is filled with film festivals – and they often have the best locations. Enjoy the best movies from inside – and outside – The Netherlands during Gorinchem Film Festival .
13. Head to the best Dutch flower gardens
There are many spring gardens in The Netherlands. The most famous flower garden in The Netherlands is the Keukenhof , found in Lisse. This is the world’s largest flower garden and is very popular. If you want to visit the Keukenhof, then please note that this is a flower garden and park – the flower fields are found outside the park. I recommend you to either visit in the early morning or late afternoon – that’s when the tour buses and most crowds aren’t there.
Another great flower garden in the Holland region is the Poldertuin in Anna Paulowna, which is essentially a smaller version of the Keukenhof, but free and very little visited in comparison. The Poldertuin is also found in the region where you can find most flower fields in The Netherlands , so it’s a great little stop while seeing these fields.
Another incredible historic flower garden is Hortus Bulborum in the town of Limmen. This historic flower garden is the only garden in the world where you can find this range of historic spring bulbs. There are over 4500 different species of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses and more. They have flower bulbs that are hardly commercially grown anymore and the oldest ones date back to the 16th century (including 16th-century tulip bulbs from tulip mania times!). I personally find that very cool and that’s why I think visiting these gardens is one of the things you should do in The Netherlands in April.
14. Go hiking in The Netherlands
While The Netherlands isn’t famous for its nature and hikes, I think it’s a shame. Yes, I know – there are no mountains in The Netherlands. But we still have plenty of great hikes, including those following a rather mountainous (for Dutchies) route. Think of endless dune regions, the hilly surroundings of Nijmegen, Sallandse Heuvelrug, south of Limburg and so on. Even the areas that are very flat are worth seeing on foot. So if you’re not a confident hiker just yet, then the walking trails in The Netherlands are also great for you. If, however, you’re already a good hiker, then you might just like these long-distance walking paths .
15. Enjoy beautiful Dutch nature
Nature is everywhere – even though a lot of it is organised in The Netherlands, there are still many incredible places all over the country. Head to one of the many amazing estates or go mudflat hiking at the Wadden Sea. Or perhaps you want to visit one of the river tidal forests? Or explore some of the largest sand drifts in Europe. Or the widest sandy beach in all of Europe. Or visit the bustling flood plains. Whatever place you want to visit, there’s so much more nature in The Netherlands to visit than you probably think.
16. Visit the ‘Bloemendagen’
The Bloemendagen in the towns of Anna Paulowna and Breezand are a highlight every spring in The Netherlands. Not only are Breezand and Anna Paulowna found in the largest tulip region in The Netherlands , but from the 20th until the 24th of April 2024, the towns are filled with flowers. And not just any flowers: stunning flower mosaics. This yearly events brings all the spring vibes to the yard. This flower mosaic festival in The Netherlands is one you cannot miss and the mosaics are standing in the gardens of the people that made them. The event is free to visit – but donations are always welcome and help the organisation continue year after year.
17. See the ‘koeiendans’
The ‘koeiendans’ translates to cows dance – and you might think that it sounds weird. But, truthfully it’s anything but weird. Our Dutch cows are in the stables during winter for several reasons, such as they destroy the grass with their hooves to the rain, there’s not enough grass growing, etc. However, there comes a time when the cows are allowed to go outside again – and they love it.
When the cows in The Netherlands go outside again they jump, run, roll and play all over the place. And that is what we call the ‘koeiendans’ or cows dance. It’s a beautiful sight to see them so happy to be outside again and you can actually witness it at many different farms. The exact date depends on the farm: their land needs to be relatively dry, plus there needs to be enough grass for the cows.
Where to see the cows dance in The Netherlands
- Hoeve Ravenstein in Baarn
- Kaasboerderij Schep in Bergambacht
- Erf-1 (usually held at Erf-32) in Kampen
- Rundveemuseum in Aartswoud
- Elsbroekerwei in Hillegom
- Winsumer Zuivel in Winsum
HELP OTHERS DISCOVER THESE BEAUTIFUL PLACES! PIN THIS TO YOUR TRAVEL PINTEREST BOARDS!
Other The Netherlands travel blogs and guides you’ll love
All my tulip fields guides
Things to do in The Netherlands in Spring
Spring in The Netherlands
Things to do in The Netherlands in May
Things to do in The Netherlands in June
Things to do in The Netherlands this weekend
Summer in The Netherlands
I hope you now know that when you’re visiting The Netherlands in April, that there are many things to do – also beyond the blooming flower fields. Don’t forget to share this ‘things to do in The Netherlands in April’ blog with your friends and family that might find it useful.
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This is one of the best things to do in The Netherlands in April. These parades are filled with tons of decorated floats that will leave you in awe. Add music and a great atmosphere to the mix and you'll have a great day out. The flower parade in the dune and bulb region will take place on the 20th of April 2024. The flower parade leaves ...