Kinderdijk Windmills: Holland’s Heritage
Holland
People often think Holland is the country itself however the name is the Netherlands. Holland refers to the region on the west coast encompassing the cities of Amsterdam, The Hague, and Rotterdam. This region is known for its beautiful rolling hills in the countryside and large cities with canals like Amsterdam.
Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is a small village on the outskirts of Rotterdam. This historical region has been building waterworks, canals, and dams for many hundreds of years. Being a flat country, the Netherlands is also windy, making this the perfect place to build windmills.
Kinderdijk is a proud UNESCO world heritage site. The windmills were built in the 18th century and have kept the water from flooding for hundreds of years. This area has 19 windmills many of which you can walk up to, and a few of which hold museums inside. Tickets are only $25 and include a boat ride that ferries people around the dykes. I recommend you check out the Kinderdijk website where you can buy tickets, find events, and learn a lot of historical information about the mills.
How to get to Kinderdijk Windmills
The Netherlands is known for great public transport. Trains are easy to ride, and you can get a train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam in less than 2 hours. As Kinderdijk is out in the countryside we recommend you take a taxi if you need to get there quickly. You can also take the Waterbus, which drops off directly at the windmills and is a 45-minute ride from Rotterdam. Altogether from central Amsterdam to Kinderdijk’s windmills is about 2:30 hours by public transit. We rented a car for this trip, but we would recommend the Waterbus as a fun way to experience the Dutch countryside if you don’t have a car.
Outside The Windmills
When you arrive at the windmills, you’re met with a large canal and several dykes. The visitor center at the front sells tickets and has all of the information you need. There is a very nice cafe overlooking the canal outside, and occasionally there will be stalls outside selling baked goods and treats. You have the option to walk the entire length of the canal which takes roughly 20 minutes. The weather was perfect so we made our way to the first museum. It was very peaceful to walk between the dykes with nothing but wind, grass, water, and windmills to see.
Inside The Windmills
Nederwaard Museum Mill
First, we arrived at the Nederwaard Museum Mill. This mill was built in 1738, which shocked us due to how well-preserved it was. You may not have realized, but the mills are also homes. They include kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, storage rooms, and more. I never considered what it would be like to live in one, but it seems so quaint and cozy. You can climb inside to see how the inner workings look, and they had several displays showing what life would have been like living in a mill 300 years ago.
Blokweer Museum Mill
At the end of the path, we came across the Blokweer Museum Mill. Built in 1630, this windmill is the oldest in Kinderdijk and has a different design. On the day we visited, it was one of the only windmills actively turning. You can see the scoops pulling up the water as this massive structure effortlessly spins itself. You don’t get a true sense of scale for how imposing the mills are until you’re up close. There is a farmyard with adorable animals that you can hang out with, as well as a little shop with ice cream and other treats for hot summer days.
Kinderdijk Boat Tour
After visiting the windmill it was time to head back. We could have walked because it was so lovely, but we also really wanted to experience the tour boat ride. There is a cruiser boat that leaves from the main pier and does a 30-minute round-trip ride, and a hopper boat that stops at several piers along the way. We got on the hopper boat at the end of the canal and headed back. From the boat, you can get a great view of all of the windmills as they loom over the still water. The boat made the journey back to the visitors center quick and I recommend you both walk and take the boat if you can.
Bakkerij Ons Dagelijks Brood
On our way back to the parking lot, we were getting a bit hungry and wanted a snack. We happened to pass by this bakery and popped in. Immediately the most cheery and friendly lady we’ve ever met greeted us. We wanted a classic Dutch treat to end the day, and she happily recommended a delicious slice of apple pie. The bakery had lots of options, and the pie was also very tasty. But just having the experience of meeting a kind stranger made it worth the visit.
Final thoughts
To be honest, we didn’t plan on visiting the Kinderdijk Windmills. It was only after we realized we had one more free afternoon in Europe that we planned the trip. I’m so glad we did because it turned into a lovely afternoon. The windmills were so beautiful and serene, and it was a calming way to end our trip in Europe. Everyone who worked at the museum was very kind and helpful to us and we had a great visit. If we had to go back we would plan even more time to spend wandering around the quaint town of Kinderdijk, I’m sure there are a lot of lovely spots like this.
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