Day Trip to the Windmills of Kinderdijk
The windmill is an iconic symbol of the Netherlands and at the UNESCO Kinderdijk sight you can see nineteen of them in idyllic Dutch countryside. Only a short trip from Rotterdam, here’s my guide on your trip to the the windmills of Kinderdijk.
Getting There
Kinderdijk is around 10 miles (16km) from Rotterdam and a very easy journey. While you can travel there by bus, there really is no better way to travel in the Netherlands than by water! The Waterbus has an excellent travel guide to Kinderdijk, with timings and routes departing from the jetty by Eurasmusbrug Bridge. You can simply get a direct Waterbus which takes 30 minutes (May to September), or change at Ridderkerk De Schans, which takes around 40 minutes (with a 10 minute change over). It costs only €4 for a one way ticket (plus €1.70 if transferring at Ridderkerk De Schans) – buyable on the Waterbus, cash only.
If you want to go direct, plan ahead as there are 2 hour gaps between departure times – the morning departures from Eurasmusbrug Bridge are 08:35 and 10:35 (though they have extra services in some months). If you change at Ridderkerk De Schans, you can either hop onto the connecting ferry (a 10 minute wait) or check out the lovely little Paviljoen Struis restaurant. They have great views and a varied menu, with excellent breakfast, lunch, and dessert options – the croquettes and cake come highly recommended! Also, do not miss the giant Noah’s Ark docked there (yes, really!) – a google throws up little explanation!
How to see Kinderdijk
First things first: you can see the entire Kinderdijk sight for free – there are no mandatory tickets – which makes it very affordable to visit. You can purchase tickets from €16 (€18.50 on weekends), which will give you access to the windmill museums, boat trip and their audio tour (via app), as well as donate.
As you step off the ferry, you are immediately at Kinderdijk – just veer to the left, passing the gift shop (though pop there later for any kind of Dutch souvenir you can imagine!) and you will reach a junction. Straight ahead on the central strip of land is the visitor centre, which includes a café with great views. Unless you are hungry / in need of coffee, I would recommend starting your walk around by heading to the path on the right hand side. From this path you can start exploring the whole sight and the immediate area is a good place to pick up snacks, with venders selling reasonably priced ice-cream.
As you would expect for the Netherlands, the whole sight is completely flat and accessible by both walking and bike paths. So pick your mode of transport and explore! The sight is very easy to navigate, with essentially two parallel rows of windmills separated by water and a thin strip of land. You can move between the 3 banks by the occasional crossings (you don’t need a boat to do so), and there are map and information boards around.
The Windmills
The reason you are at Kinderdijk is to see its stunning collection 18th century windmills. Built to drain wetlands and stop the flooding of the nearby settlements, the area is simply a stunning sight. Set in the idyllic Dutch countryside, the windmills are bigger than you expect and it’s hard not be a child when your standing in front of one as its giant sails turn!
Given how easy the sight is to navigate, there is no ground breaking tips to offer on seeing the windmills – the best way is the simply wander along the paths, cross its little bridges, and see the sight from all its angles (walking along the parallel banks and the strip of land which sits between them). I would recommend the Kinderdijk Molens as an excellent spot to view the five windmills along the lower end of the Molenkade Overwaard bank (pictured above). Not all the windmills are the same, so its worth seeing as many as you can!
What would you like to see the most? What are your recommendations for Kinderdijk? Let me know in the comments!
