World Heritage Kinderdijk
World Heritage Kinderdijk
World Heritage Kinderdijk
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage site is a unique icon of seven centuries of Dutch water management. All phases of the history of our struggle against water are still visible here. The unique collection of 19 mills in an authentic Dutch landscape is a true eye catcher. With your ticket you'll have access to all visiting locations and tour boats for four hours. The Nederwaard Museum Mill shows how families lived and worked in our mills around 1900. At the Blokweer Museum Mill, you’ll experience what life was like in the fifties of last century. In the Overwaard Museum Mill and the adjacent education barn everything revolves around technology. Watch our multi-screen film in Secondary pumping station 'De Fabriek' and visit the historic Wisboom pumping station from 1868. Get on board of our tour boats and enjoy Kinderdijk from the water. Feel the wind, smell the water and listen to the sound of the windmills. The Kinderdijk World Heritage site is open almost the entire year!
Duration: More than 3 hours
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- Richard WPenn Valley, California878 contributionsBeautiful and still active wind mills--a living history.The physical beauty of this area is amazing and remains as it has for hundreds of years. There are about 17 mills in the area and many currently have families living in them. You can actually tour the interior of a working mill to see the multi-level living quarters amongst the moving and working mill machinery. Almost all parts are made of wood which can be replaced as needed with new parts to keep these magnificent historic buildings preserved. The technology is both simple and magnificent. Thankfully UNESCO has identified this area as a World Heritage Site.Visited November 2022Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 October 2023
- JRSearsGlen Burnie, Maryland548 contributionsImpressive up close and they go faster than you think.Beautiful place to see and step back in time, sort of. The windmills of Kinderdijk where amazing to see up close. And they still use most of them. We were on a Viking Cruise and they are the only way to see the windmills from the water, that I know of. We had a great look at the windmills up close and even took a tour and met the Miller at the windmill. I would recommend come here to walk to take a tour.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 October 2023
- Sunnydaz009Phoenix, Arizona21 contributionsWonderful tour.Stopped at this wonderful UNESCO site as part of a Viking Cruise tour. Mill Guide was a volunteer from the museum. Very knowledgeable about the history of all things water and wind mills here. Took the small barge down the canal to see the an old mill and hear about the other mills. They date 1400-1600s. You can also walk along the flat pathway. Museum volunteers are very knowledgeable. Retired millers provide first hand experiences. A must see to provide insight into historical water management of the Netherlands and life living in and operating the mills. Picked up nice souvenirs in the gift shop.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 March 2024
- JoopAlblasserdam, The Netherlands3 contributionsTop locationIt takes about 3 hours for a visit to the World Heritage Kinderdijk. Bij car and public transport ( bus or ferry) not far from Rotterdam (10 mile). See the old mils (19 together) build in 1740 1738. See how People was living in that time. 1 ticket for the mils, old pumping station, use the boat between the mils and see the movie why the mils are there. If you are by car visit the farmers erea (the Alblasserwaard with old farms from 1600-1800, the meadows) between Kinderdijk, Gorichem and the oldest Dutch city, Dordrecht.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 March 2024
- Ariyya601 contributionsA Must-Visit!This UNESCO World Heritage Site is THE place to see windmills near Amsterdam. It's 19 windmills and beautiful landscape with a central canal is a good example of Dutch engineering and you can take a boat and tour it. There are also windmills that one can enter and see what life was like for Dutch families that lived here, complete with furniture and photos of the family members. There's a gift shop at the main entrance and it has some nice souvenirs. All in all, I'd highly recommend this place. Dress warmly as it's entirely open space so it can be very cold.Visited April 2024Travelled soloWritten 19 April 2024
- JPDM 🇨🇦🍷🍷🍷Austin, Canada55,390 contributionsGet tickets, it is worth itThis is a very nice and relaxing way to spend a good part of the day. I bought our tickets online ahead of time and that was a smart decision as it allowed us to avoid the lines at the ticket office. We arrived by boat and were about to rent bikes right next to the ticket office but instead we walked a bit into the village and got better bikes and cheaper from a rental place attached to a restaurant call the clok. You do not have to buy tickets but we feel that we had good value from the places that we could visit with the tickets.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 May 2024
- foodieXi'an, China218 contributionsWorth to visitWorth to visit such a beautiful world unesco heritage site , beautiful place to bring family and enjoy weekend although it open 7 days a week , there is a beautiful cafe Kinderdijk cafe loved this place having great view , and great coffee ! People are so friendly and hospitable Thanks for the coffee !!!Visited May 2024Travelled on businessWritten 12 May 2024
- MarpleTravellerMarple, United Kingdom1,481 contributionsA lovely UNESCO World Heritage SiteKinderdijk which is a UNESCO world heritage site is a testament to the engineering feats which shaped the development of the area. There are 16 windmills on the site, but one is a museum windmill demonstrating the life of the miller and his family. There are other water management systems on site as well so that you can gain an understanding of how the water has been managed through time.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 22 May 2024
- ivilituAberdeen, United Kingdom24 contributionsAmazing and a must visit in NetherlandsAmazing place, worth the visit and the ticket price. Loved having the chance to visit two windmills inside, the boat trip was very nice, and we also loved walking through these beautiful surroundings. We all loved it. Also enjoyed a nice lunch at nice bakery just 5 minutes walking from the site.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 31 May 2024
- benton2569Willington, Connecticut732 contributionsQuintessential HollandWhen you think of Holland, you think of windmills. In Kinderdijk, there are 16 or so windmills in a relatively close proximity. There are easy walking / bike paths to many windmills and scenic viewing points. One windmill is a working museum where you can go inside to see how people lived. Yes, families actually lived in windmills. It's quite interesting. If you are a bird perso, you will marvel at the variety of birds and water fowl (nerd check: I was amazed). We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. Being of Dutch descent, I felt a special connection. As though I was stepping back in time.Visited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 June 2024
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4.5
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Emma W
Auckland, New Zealand759 contributions
Apr 2019
I was unsure about taking the time to travel to Kinderdijk from Rotterdam but the trip was worth it. Entry to Kinderdijk is free to walk around. You can pay for additional activities like bikes, boat tours and windmill tours.
The setting of canals and windmills is really beautiful. There is a small cafe on site and there is an interactive museum which is really good for families. Overall is was a lovely, relaxing day trip.
There was no direct ferry to Kinderdijk at the time we visited. We got a ferry from Erasmusbrug to Ridderkerk, De Schaans. We were then directed towards a smaller ferry which took us across to Kinderdijk Molenkade. We could pay with cash on board.
The setting of canals and windmills is really beautiful. There is a small cafe on site and there is an interactive museum which is really good for families. Overall is was a lovely, relaxing day trip.
There was no direct ferry to Kinderdijk at the time we visited. We got a ferry from Erasmusbrug to Ridderkerk, De Schaans. We were then directed towards a smaller ferry which took us across to Kinderdijk Molenkade. We could pay with cash on board.
Written 23 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
khq7187YF
Leicester, UK31 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
The area is undoubtedly beautiful. However, visiting as part of a pre-booked and paid coach trip, I was refused entry to the museum because our tour guide had a single ticket covering our entire group (at least two full coaches visiting from a locally docked cruise ship). Despite explaining I was from a particular group, I was refused entry to the museum area by a lady in a booth who looked at me like I had a contagious disease and hadn't a clue how to deal with the situation. She did nothing to help. I explained I just wanted to take some photos, not actually go inside but she wouldn't even allow that! Further frustration as we had not been advised that the entire site does NOT accept cash for payment so I could not even purchase a much needed drink! It seems ridiculous that such a huge tourist attraction refuses cash as this is what many visitors to the Netherlands carry when going on holiday. They must be losing a fortune in revenue on refreshments and gifts. My experience here has put me off ever visiting again.
Written 5 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Johnny19039
Dusseldorf, Germany2,355 contributions
Jun 2020
This sight has only recently become fully accessible again after a long lockdown. You can only visit it if you have booked your tickets online. And unfortunately a software error occurred during the booking, so that the tickets were issued for the wrong date. A respective e-mail was not answered until I was already on the site. Fortunately I had called before to clarify the matter by phone and the friendly assistant told me that I could come without problems with the incorrect ticket. This problem will definitely not exist in the future, as now the problem is known and it will be solved.
The windmills are definitely worth seeing and they are partly reachable by a shuttle boat service, but the boats only leave about every 30 minutes. Since they had left twice in front of our eyes, we decided not to use them, so that we could only see two mills from the inside.
The area is also publicly accessible without a ticket. Only when using the boats, viewing the interior of the mills and the multimedia show, the tickets are scanned.
You can get detailed information on the well designed website.
It should be emphasized that all staff on the site were very nice and friendly. In any case, we can recommend a visit to the mills.
The windmills are definitely worth seeing and they are partly reachable by a shuttle boat service, but the boats only leave about every 30 minutes. Since they had left twice in front of our eyes, we decided not to use them, so that we could only see two mills from the inside.
The area is also publicly accessible without a ticket. Only when using the boats, viewing the interior of the mills and the multimedia show, the tickets are scanned.
You can get detailed information on the well designed website.
It should be emphasized that all staff on the site were very nice and friendly. In any case, we can recommend a visit to the mills.
Written 4 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex Potes
Buenaventura, Colombia316 contributions
Sept 2019 • Couples
The best option you can do if you are in Rotterdam or Near over there . In that moment we were in Rotterdam visiting its surroundings till we realized we were near Kinderdijk windmill , we’ve ridden all the way there around 2 hours pedaling but all worth it .
You will enjoy passing for all countrysides that are in the way .
The pain will be forgotten as soon as you get there hehehe!
You will enjoy passing for all countrysides that are in the way .
The pain will be forgotten as soon as you get there hehehe!
Written 1 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stalo
Nicosia, Cyprus59 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
A beautiful area lined with ild windmills and canals
From Rotterdam Erasmus Bridge we got the water bus to Kinderdjik. A very pleasant boat ride on the Maas river you get see cargo ships, cruise ships along speed boats and sailboats, beautiful houses with gardens on the water. You can take your bike on the boat for free. You can also rent a bike on Kinderdjik for 4€/hour which I recommend, otherwise it is a long walk...
Di not go on a hot day! Shade is nowhere to be found and it can get very unpleasant! There is one restaurant and a gift shop
From Rotterdam Erasmus Bridge we got the water bus to Kinderdjik. A very pleasant boat ride on the Maas river you get see cargo ships, cruise ships along speed boats and sailboats, beautiful houses with gardens on the water. You can take your bike on the boat for free. You can also rent a bike on Kinderdjik for 4€/hour which I recommend, otherwise it is a long walk...
Di not go on a hot day! Shade is nowhere to be found and it can get very unpleasant! There is one restaurant and a gift shop
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathy398
Northlake, TX106 contributions
Aug 2019
This was so educational to actually see what water wizards the Dutch people were and still are. I learned that the stopped positions of the windmills had special communication to other windmill operators. We went inside a working windmill to see how how the resident family actually lived and worked. Walking among the various windmills and canals was truly breathtaking.
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
beegal
Iowa City, IA171 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We read conflicting information on their website for getting there from Rotterdam, got different information again from the tourist information office, and then different info again once we got there about returning to Rotterdam. Even arriving at the end of the day, as windmill museum and cafe were closing, it was very crowded with Viking Tour groups. Very tall grasses made viewing a little difficult even after some of the grasses had been mowed.
Written 25 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jenni I
Columbia, SC4 contributions
Oct 2022
This was an authentic and laid back way to learn the history of Holland and why windmills were so important. The modest entrance fee gave us access to a great introduction movie about the site, the pump house, an overview about bird life, boat rides along the canal, and access to two windmills restored with the artifacts from families who once lived there. Very worthwhile! The trail along the windmills was also easy and enjoyable to walk on.
We used the Kinderdijk app's audio tour. Really informative and engaging, though the app crashed a few times. Just restarted it and all was fine. Before you go, download the app and the tour you want (long or short) when you have good wifi.
Loved this place for its quiet and lack of gimmicky tours. One of our favorite stops on our trip!
We took the train from Amsterdam Centraal to Rotterdam and then two buses to Kinderdijk. Apple/Google Maps laid it all out and following the directions was very doable. Made the trip there in 2.5 hours and back in about 2 hours.
Went back to Rotterdam on the Waterbus...another (fun) option for getting there and back. Both the bus and Waterbus stops are in front of the Kinderdijk visitor center.
We used the Kinderdijk app's audio tour. Really informative and engaging, though the app crashed a few times. Just restarted it and all was fine. Before you go, download the app and the tour you want (long or short) when you have good wifi.
Loved this place for its quiet and lack of gimmicky tours. One of our favorite stops on our trip!
We took the train from Amsterdam Centraal to Rotterdam and then two buses to Kinderdijk. Apple/Google Maps laid it all out and following the directions was very doable. Made the trip there in 2.5 hours and back in about 2 hours.
Went back to Rotterdam on the Waterbus...another (fun) option for getting there and back. Both the bus and Waterbus stops are in front of the Kinderdijk visitor center.
Written 1 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
judiths262
Grays Thurrock, UK51 contributions
May 2024 • Family
The world heritage site is amazing and well worth a visit. We came by water bus 21 from Rotterdam which was very reasonably priced and stops right outside the entrance to Kinderdijk.
We did not realise before that the site is completely open and free entrance to simply walk around or bike around. So the ticket you purchase gets you entry into the two museum windmills, boat trips and another exhibition (possibly other things).
However our big complaint is that we did not even manage to get into any of the museums. We came on a day where at least three river cruise boats were docked outside. These groups took *absolute* priority over any ordinary guests. For example just as our party of four turned up at one of the museum windmills a cruise group also turned up a few seconds later, they waved them through and made us wait!! We found the staff incredibly rude (there were event mutterings about us being British) and when our tickets weren’t working on the barriers they refused to help us. We stood waiting for the boats and when one came they said we’d have to wait as that was a boat for groups only and so the visit went on in this spirit throughout the day as the whole place was more concerned by their guests from the riverboats. There was not enough signs about the place to keep you orientated to where you were or what was nearby to see if you walked further on and no leaflets with maps on offer either. Shame our day was like this as it is a beautiful place.
We did not realise before that the site is completely open and free entrance to simply walk around or bike around. So the ticket you purchase gets you entry into the two museum windmills, boat trips and another exhibition (possibly other things).
However our big complaint is that we did not even manage to get into any of the museums. We came on a day where at least three river cruise boats were docked outside. These groups took *absolute* priority over any ordinary guests. For example just as our party of four turned up at one of the museum windmills a cruise group also turned up a few seconds later, they waved them through and made us wait!! We found the staff incredibly rude (there were event mutterings about us being British) and when our tickets weren’t working on the barriers they refused to help us. We stood waiting for the boats and when one came they said we’d have to wait as that was a boat for groups only and so the visit went on in this spirit throughout the day as the whole place was more concerned by their guests from the riverboats. There was not enough signs about the place to keep you orientated to where you were or what was nearby to see if you walked further on and no leaflets with maps on offer either. Shame our day was like this as it is a beautiful place.
Written 27 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marelte
Bucharest, Romania87 contributions
Apr 2022
We reached the place by car and we paig 7,5 euro/car for parking, which includes the shuttle service to the spot, or a bycicle to ride from the parking to Kinderdijk.
For not missing anything, you should take the 18,5 euros/person ticket which includes the visit of the two museum mills, the pumping station and the tour, or hop on-hop off boat.
Even if most of the personnel are volunteers, everything is well organized and the visit worth every penny, being part of the Dutch history!
For not missing anything, you should take the 18,5 euros/person ticket which includes the visit of the two museum mills, the pumping station and the tour, or hop on-hop off boat.
Even if most of the personnel are volunteers, everything is well organized and the visit worth every penny, being part of the Dutch history!
Written 29 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, some people said the gift shop staff not letting people to use the toilet there, then where can we go to toilet in the World Heritage Kinderdijk? is there free toilet to use? thanks.
Written 29 January 2024
You can use the gift shop toilet, you just have to pay for it. If you buy a coffee at the cafe by the gift shop, you get a free toilet visit (scan the bar code and the barrier will open)
Written 29 February 2024
Is this still a good place to visit in Winter and ride bikes along the river or is it too cold?
Written 25 October 2023
Hi im sorry i havent tried going there in winter. Best to inquire the local tourist office . You wont also enjoy biking coz paths will be icy or muddy . Been there only in Autumn , Spring and Summer but never on a Winter season.
Written 26 October 2023
Hi,
I’m thinking of visiting Kinderdijk in February 2023.
Do you think I should book in advance or is it okay to buy my ticket on the day?
Thank you 😊
Written 2 February 2023
The Viking River cruises stop there (so you may have to maneuver those groups) but the public was also able to enter. Could buy day of-very informative site.
Written 18 February 2023
If taking a Viking Cruise, where would one go, after disembarking, to find a bicycle rental shop. We only want to ride around for an hour or two.
Written 15 February 2021
Léa T
Düsseldorf, Germany
Bonjour !
Combien de temps de marche prévoir ?
Merci d´avance !
Written 17 September 2020
En 3 heures max vous pouvez faire un bon tour du site.
Written 17 September 2020
I would like to go to a wooden shoe factory. I will be on Viking cruise and have the Windmill tour already booked in Kinderdijk. Are there any wooden shoe factories close by the ship?
Written 20 February 2020
I don't believe that you will have time to find one. I know that there are about three additional optional tours in Kinderdijk. We were on the regular tour of the windmills and it the ship was docked away from the town of Kinderdijk. I would call the US Customer Service for Viking and ask them, they would know for sure.
Written 27 February 2020
I am planning to visit the windmill in November and aware that there’s no water bus service. Just wondering what is the best way to go there from Rotterdam?
Written 15 November 2019
We were on a Viking River Cruise when we visited. However you might consider taking a train to the closest station and taking an Uber. I understand there may be bus service also.
Written 16 November 2019
We are planning on taking the windmill excursion with Viking. This should end after lunch. Is there anything else to do in the afternoon?
Written 9 November 2019
Yes - return to the boat for lunch and enjoy the excursion through the Netherlands!
Written 22 November 2019
how far is the walk from the water bus to the mills? We ae seniors and cannot ride a bike.
Written 10 October 2019
Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage
Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
Dear Susie,
When travelling by Waterbus as an individual visitor, you have to cross the dyke before entering the area. After approximately 5 minutes you will see the Visitor Center on your left side (tickets for entrance and boat can be purchased here or online and the catering and souvenir shop are located here). After that it takes approxiamtely 15 minutes to get to Museummill Nederwaard and another 15 minutes to walk to Museummill Blokweer. The walk back to the Waterbus takes about 35 minutes.
When the walking distance is too far I would recommend to purchase boat tickets for our 30 minute boat ride with the Friso boat, a lovely boat ride!
Hope to have informed you well and wish you a nice visit. Please feel free to contact us via e-mail or phone when having more questions. We are happy to help!
Kind regards,
Sales Department
World Heritage Kinderdijk
Written 11 October 2019
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