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Travel Guide
This Secret Destination Is Just As Pretty As Amsterdam – Except It Has No Crowds!
27
Dec
Dec
Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations, and rightly so: traversed by canals and packed with historical monuments, it boasts cultural wealth like no other.
If we’re to disregard the (usually) gloomy weather, it would be the perfect city break, were it not for the millions of tourists that flock to its Red Light District and picturesque waterfront every year, all year round.
There is never really a low season for tourism in Amsterdam, so if you hate crowds, it may not be the place for you, but there is a silver lining if you’re still dreaming of a little getaway to the Netherlands.
Meet Dordrecht, Amsterdam’s less-famous sister (but definitely not of the ugly kind):
A Mini Amsterdam Without The Crowds
Far smaller than the sprawling Dam, with a population of around 119,000 people, Dordrecht is a historic port city in South Holland best known for its large historic center, which, like the capital’s, is crisscrossed by navigable canals:
While Amsterdam is crumbling under the pressure of tourism, Dordrecht continues to be virtually unspoiled, with minimal crowding and littering and much of that undeniable medieval charm preserved.
It has an estimated 950 heritage buildings, one of the highest concentrations of historically relevant sights in all of the Netherlands, and though that can seem overwhelming, most are agglutinated in a single, very walkable area.
You can’t see it all on a two to three-day visit, but you can tick off some of the main attractions.
A Big Church With The Heaviest Bell In The Netherlands
Towering above the New Harbor, the Grote Kerk (or Big Church), is the most easily-recognized structure in town, having been built as early as the 13th-century, and playing host to a 21671.44-pound bell, the heaviest in the entire country.
If you can’t get enough of the picture-perfect churches, make sure you pay a visit to the deceptively-named Nieuwkerk (New Church), which is, in fact, the oldest in Dordrecht, dating back to 1175, and the equally beautiful Church of the Augustins.
Other important monuments include the Mint of Holland, built in 1366, where a majority of the coins that circulated in Holland in the Middle Ages were struck, the solitary Kyck over den Dyck windmill (a classic Dutch postcard!), and Groothoofdspoort.
We know that’s a mouthful even for Dutch speakers, so we won’t be the first ones to try and pronounce it ourselves, but all you have to know is that it is the original city gate into Dordrecht, erected back in the 14th century.
The coolest part is that it sits right at the tri-point between three of Europe’s historic rivers, the Meuse, the Merced, and the Rhine, the latter of which runs into Germany.
All around town, there are also well-maintained merchant houses that have barely seen the passing of the centuries, cafe-lined squares meant for socializing, and lively quaysides.
Dordrecht Is Much Cheaper To Visit
Other than being essentially a gateway to times past and having no tourism bans in place, unlike Amsterdam, Dordrecht can be a lot cheaper to visit.
At Pim’s Poffertjes, you can get traditional Dutch pancakes for as cheap as $6.21, and if you’re in need of unwinding (and a refreshing drink) after a whole day of exploring, there are pints of draft beer from $4.15 at the local-favorite De Tijd bar.
Airbnbs have not really become popular in the Netherlands since the infamous 2018 crackdown, but there are plenty of affordable hotels in Dordrecht that cost only a small fraction of what you would pay per night in Amsterdam.
Booking a single room with a private bathroom at the Stayokay Hostel will only set you back by $64 per night, and if you need a little more space and privacy, an Economy Double Room at the Bommelsteijn Lodge costs an acceptable $89.
It probably doesn’t get any cheaper than this in the overtouristed Netherlands, but maybe we’re wrong: there’s still an entire nation of canal cities, tulip fields, and idyllic countryside to discover, with views just as scenic and vibes unmatched.
You better get started, then.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
