Visit the windmills of Kinderdijk is one of the most famous things in the Netherlands.
Because it's such a unique place, Kinderdijk is a must-see if you're in the Netherlands.
It's no surprise that its 19 emblematic windmills are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Today, I'm going to tell you all about it in this article.
Moulins de Kinderdijk: article summary
What to see and do in Kinderdijk
The 19 windmills at Kinderdijk all have the same objective: to keep the land dry. The entire area lies below sea level, and the windmills make sure the water level is perfect in both wet and dry weather.
There are walking and cycling trails throughout Kinderdijk that will take you past the windmills. These footpaths and cycleways are open to the public. Admission is entirely free.
If you'd like to find out more about the history of Kinderdijk and the windmills, I recommend buying a ticket that gives you access to two windmill museums, the Wisboom pumping station, audio tours and boat trips to Kinderdijk.
Visit the museum's two windmills in Kinderdijk
In the museum's two windmills, you can learn how windmills work and discover what life was like in one of them.
At the Wisboom pumping station, you'll discover the history of Kinderdijk and water management in the Netherlands. Thanks to the audio tours on the Kinderdijk app, you'll learn more about the region, wildlife, regional history and, of course, windmills.
A boat trip to discover the mills
A boat trip is a great way to see the windmills from a different angle. There are two types of boat trip: the Hopper and the Cruiser.
The Hopper is a kind of multi-stop tour, taking you to the museum's windmills. The Hopper runs all year round. The Cruiser is a tour 30-minute round trip which takes you a little further along the water, past all the Overwaard windmills. The Cruiser is out of service between November and March.
There's a gift store and café in the Visitor Center. It's a great place to buy souvenirs and have a drink (and a snack). Especially when the weather's nice, having a drink in the the café's outdoor seating area while admiring the windmills is perfect.
How much do tickets to the windmills in Kinderdijk cost?
Tickets depend on when you visit. On weekdays, tickets cost 16 € per person. At weekends, you must 18.50 per person to visit the site.
You must purchase your tickets in advance on the Kinderdijk website and reserve a time slot.
Admire the sunset at Kinderdijk
There are few things more beautiful than seeing the windmills of Kinderdijk in the evening at sunset. If you have time to visit Kinderdijk at sunset, I recommend it.
At this time of day, there's hardly anyone around, which makes it even better. The best time of year to watch the sunset is late spring or early summer, when the sun sets late and the colors are more spectacular.
Be aware that if you visit Kinderdijk only in the evening, you won't be able to see the windmill museums, the pumping station or take a boat trip.
If you want to do it all, consider visiting Kinderdijk in the late afternoon and staying for sunset. Another option is to stay a few nights in the area. If you visit Kinderdijk in the evening, know that people live in windmills, and take care not to disturb them.
How to get to Kinderdijk
You can get to the site in several different ways. The Kinderdijk windmills can be reached by public transport.
By public transport
Kinderdijk is easily accessible by waterbus (ferry) since Rotterdam and Dordrecht.
From Rotterdam (Erasmus Bridge), there's a direct waterbus to Kinderdijk. on line 21.
From Rotterdam and Dordrecht, take waterbus line 20 and change at the Schans stop in Ridderkerk for the Driehoeksveer ferry.
The trip from Rotterdam or Dordrecht to Kinderdijk by waterbus takes about two hours. about 30 to 40 minutes.
How to get there by bus
The R-NET 489 line departs from Rotterdam Kralingse Zoom and stops at Kinderdijk Molenkade. The journey takes 40 minutes.
If you're traveling from Amsterdam, you can take the Intercity Direct (high-speed train) of the Amsterdam Central Station to Rotterdam Central Station, departing four times an hour. The complete journey from Amsterdam to Kinderdijk will take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Staying in Kinderdijk and cycling in the area
I recommend staying in the Kinderdijk and Alblasserdam area. Staying in the area will allow you to discover more of the Dutch countryside.
The area is perfect for cycling and I recommend that you visit Kinderdijk by bike. There are also several bike paths in the region, varying in length from 40 to 60 km.
There are bicycle paths all over the Netherlands. You can rent bikes at Café De Klok in Kinderdijk and at the Alblasserdam Tourist Office.
Seeing the windmills of Kinderdijk is a wonderful thing to do, and I recommend you do it at least once during your trip to the Netherlands. You'll be able to discover sumptuous, atypical residences and enjoy a magnificent and romantic sunset over the windmills.
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