Our hero of our visit was Campspace, an app that allows you to pay to camp on people’s property, campgrounds, or farms. This made our four days in the Netherlands budget-friendly. It also enabled us to explore the countryside by staying in place outside the main city centres, which we would never have seen otherwise. We started our journey in Rotterdam, where Harry adjusted to driving on the wrong side of the road and kept a keen eye out for cyclists.

Rotterdam overall wasn’t a must see but if you do find yourself there you must see:

• Market Hall
• Kijk-Kubus
• Voorhaven Delfshaven

The following morning, after an underwhelming first day, we headed to The Hague, a nearby city worth visiting. After a run, we made our way to Thrive Coffee House, a must-visit! The coffee was great, and the vibe was awesome. Then, we headed to the beach!

After discovering my favourite snack, a Börek-style stick with spinach and feta, we had a car picnic and headed to our next farm stay just outside Amsterdam, in Amstel. Camping outside the main city was one of the highlights of Amsterdam, allowing us to experience life in the Netherlands beyond the major cities.

After setting up camp, we trained into the city to begin exploring Amsterdam. Wandering around the streets is half the charm of being there, with the canal houses keeping every direct path enchanting and beautiful. We stopped for food and drinks along the way.

• Fabel Fries
• Cafe Jacob

As I had already visited Amsterdam, we opted to skip the museums during our budget-friendly trip. However, if you’re visiting Amsterdam for the first time, I highly recommend one of the following museums:

• Anne Frank House
• Van Gogh Museum
• Moco Museum
• Rijksmuseum

After camping for the evening, we headed into Amsterdam to stay in a hotel for the night. It was a luxury for us campers, and it even had free parking! We headed in bright and early to make the most of the day. Our first stop was Un.Common Cafe in Helmersbuurt Oost to get our coffee fix. The coffee was 10/10, but I must admit that in Europe, a coffee and a pastry can easily add up to a significant portion of your day’s budget. For two of us, it cost us $30, whereas Lidl pastries are only $2 each, and ice coffees cost $3.

Today’s mission involved exploring the markets, gardens, and parks. We finished the day off with another drink by the canal!

After a couple of warm city days we were starting to crave a “beach” day. Heading to our next farm stay we went to Zwolle to spend the day at Lakeside Cablepark Zwolle. Parked up with our picnic and books we were happy campers getting some much needed sun after the UK!

Finishing the night at our final Campspace stay nearby we were absolutely treated the most beautiful farm. With a cafe and ice cream shop on site this stay absolutely blew us away with beautiful walks, flower gardens and facilities we were in camping heaven. zuiderkrib.nl if you ever want a Netherlands escape with yoga, flower workshops, tiny homes and farm stays.

For our final day in the Netherlands, we headed to Giethoorn, often called the “Venice of the Netherlands.” This charming village is car-free, with boats being the main form of transportation. The walkways and bridges over the canals make it easy to explore this delightful town.

Yours Truly,

Tamsyn