Things to do in Zwolle

No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Netherlands

Giethoorn

Giethoorn is a village where canals replace roads. Known for its crisscrossing waterways and lush greenery, it is often called the "Venice of the North." The village's name originates from early residents who unearthed a large number of goat horns while digging for peat. In Dutch, "Geytenhoren" means "goat horn," which was later simplified to Giethoorn. The lake district where the village is located is a legacy of centuries of peat extraction, with the trenches formed by digging gradually developing into the current network of canals. A major scenic view in the village is the reed-thatched farmhouses built along the river. These houses, with their reed-covered roofs and well-tended gardens, are scattered along both banks of the canal and connected by numerous small wooden bridges. Taking a boat through the canals is the best way to experience the village. As you glide through the tranquil waterways, you can enjoy views of the thatched-roof houses and pastoral scenery from the water. In addition to the waterways, you can also take a leisurely bike ride along the forest paths to experience the village's pastoral charm from a different perspective.

Pathe Zwolle

Dino Land Zwolle

Museum de Fundatie

Dutch Bakery Museum Hattem

Theater De Spiegel

Park De Wezenlanden

2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum is located on Museumplein in Amsterdam and is a national art museum centered on Van Gogh's works, holding more than 200 of his oil paintings, hundreds of drawings, and a large number of letters exchanged between him and his brother Theo, a collection that ranks among the foremost of its kind worldwide. The origin of this collection is itself a story: after Van Gogh's death in 1890, the paintings were kept by his brother Theo; Theo passed away shortly afterward, and his widow, Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, devoted her life to organizing and exhibiting these works, which had received little attention during Van Gogh's lifetime, ultimately bringing them together into this museum. The permanent exhibition lays out a clear viewing route in chronological order of creation: from the dark-toned "The Potato Eaters" of the Nuenen period in the Netherlands, to the numerous self-portraits of the Paris period, then to "The Yellow House," "The Bedroom," and "Sunflowers" of the Arles period, and finally to "Almond Blossom" and "Wheatfield with Crows" created in the last stage of his life in Saint-Rémy and Auvers-sur-Oise, making Van Gogh's creative trajectory over a brief ten years clear at a glance. In addition to his own works, the museum also displays paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists such as Monet, Gauguin, and Rodin, many of which were personally collected by Van Gogh and Theo at the time; in Gauguin's "The Painter of Sunflowers," the protagonist is none other than Van Gogh, the painter of sunflowers. The building itself is also worth a closer look: the main building was designed by the Dutch De Stijl architect Rietveld and opened in 1973, with exhibition galleries unfolding layer by layer around an open atrium; the oval wing designed by the Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa was completed in 1999 and is dedicated to large-scale temporary exhibitions; and the all-glass entrance building opened in 2015 connects the old and new wings into one. The museum is consistently popular, with dense crowds during peak hours, so if you plan to take a close look at the permanent collection, it is recommended to allow ample visiting time.

Bowling & Zo

PEC Zwolle