Kinderdijk is an UNESCO world heritage sight located in the Netherlands. Yes, my home country which is known for its eternal fight with water. But also, famous for windmills! If you love windmills, this is the place to visit. A total of 19 windmills occupy are situated around the Alblasserwaard polder. The windmills are built in the 18th century and have been maintained to an outstanding quality. No wonder this place is a hot spot for tourists who visit the Netherlands.

 History behind the windmills

Kinderdijk is an UNESCO world heritage sight since 1997, but stories about its existence date back to the 15th century. In the 18th century the windmills were built by two different villages with a goal to better distribute the drain in Alblasserwaard. The 19 windmills are located on a green area, cannot get more typical Dutch! There are different types of windmills located at Kinderdijk:

  • Eight windmills are made by brick, built in 1738. These windmills are almost equal to one another;
  • Eight with reed covered windmills, built in 1740. These windmills are octagonal;
  • Two octagonal windmills, covered with reed but built on a brick foundation dating back to 1740 and 1761;
  • One wipmill, which is fully restored in 2001 after a fire. There used to be another windmill located on the same spot, but this one got burned down in the 16th century during the Dutch-Spanish war.

All the windmills have been fully renovated in 2010, giving it back its original charm.

Visiting Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is easy to reach by car. Be sure to park in the area surrounding the entrance, parking is free there. There is also paid parking at the entrance available.

Once you arrive on the sight you can choose to walk around and experience the windmills from the outside, go on a boat ride or buy a ticket at the entrance to enter some of the windmills who are active as a museum nowadays. We decided to just explore on our own, and there is no entrance fee to enter. It is a perfect walk or bike sight!

Practical information

Opening hours: 9:00 AM until 17:30 PM
Entrance ticket: € 8,- at the register, €7,- online. for adults (€ 5,50 for kids 4-12 years old).
30 minute boat ride: € 5,50 adult, € 3,- for kids.
Average time to spend: 1 to 2 hours.
Official website: kinderdijk.com 
Kinderdijk is close to a lot of big cities. It is 30 minutes drive from Rotterdam, 1 hour drive from Keukenhof, 1 hour and 20 minutes from Amsterdam, 1 hour and 20 minutes from Antwerp and 45 minutes from The Hague / Scheveningen. A perfect visit to combine with another trip!

There is a small boutique which sells souvenirs and hot chocolate milk with typical Dutch snacks (Fries, snacks and grilled sandwiches). For food we recommend  you visit the restaurant Buena Vista, located just around the corner of the entrance. The building has some historical ties with Kinderdijk and food is worth your money!