A small country with a long must-see list for 2023
Planning your 2023 travel list already? Then don’t miss out on what’s happening in the Netherlands this year. There are so many interesting and unique stories to discover — get ready for the Netherlands to surprise you!
Did you know that there are eleven UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Netherlands? They vary greatly in size, age, and beauty, yet each of them tells a remarkable story. These are places that shaped Dutch society and represent both the urge to innovate and an impressive talent for dealing with water.
The Netherlands’s most famous UNESCO World Heritage Site is arguably in the capital, Amsterdam. It’s not just one specific building or monument but a tangled network of picturesque canals, beautiful architecture, and unique history. You guessed it: Amsterdam’s extraordinary and historical Canal Ring District!
World Heritage sites are located only in large cities. Rural locations such as the windmills at Kinderdijk provide visitors with particularly good views of the distinctly Dutch landscape. Another rural location, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of De Beemster, forms a unique polder area that shows how the Dutch have controlled the water and used it to their advantage for centuries. If you’d like to see how the Netherlands manages to live with the waters, then you must check out the Woudagemaal and Schokland – both prime examples of how the Dutch fight against the ever-present liquid.
If you’re looking for blockbuster names during your travels, then Van Gogh and Vermeer should suit your desires.
Vincent van Gogh is one of the most famous painters the Netherlands has ever produced. He will be in the spotlight in 2023, focusing on his early years in the Netherlands, his fondness for the countryside, and his connections to the Brabant and Drenthe provinces. At the Drents Museum, an important Van Gogh exhibition will take place from September 11, 2023, until January 7, 2024. Never before has his Drenthe period been the subject of a major exhibition, and this one will take you through his search for happiness as a person and his success as an artist.
The world-famous Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam will also celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023 with activities and events both in Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands.
Finally, at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the exhibition Vermeer will be open from February 10th to June 4th, 2023. This will be the first exhibition to amass so many of Johannes Vermeer’s paintings in one show. Paintings will come from all over the world, and you’ll have a chance to learn more about the painter and get close to his important works.
