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Nieuwpoort: visit the beautiful fortified little city. You can make a nice walk in this monumental city.
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Windmills of Kinderdijk: look how beautifully they stand there, in the most northwesterly corner of the Alblasserwaard. They are world famous, the windmills of Kinderdijk. Once their task was to pump the surplus water out of the polders, now they have a place on the World Heritage list and people come from all corners of the world to see them.
The 19 windmills stand in a neat row along the reservoirs into which the surplus water is collected before being discharged into the river via sluices. There is a 'visiting mill', still furnished in the original manner, which is open to the public from April to September inclusive.
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Schoonhoven: (has a famous school for gold and silver smiths) this is also a monumental city where you can:
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do a workshop at the silversmith
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make a cultural walk through the historic center of Schoonhoven, including coffee and special Schoonhovense fonteynkoek (cake) and a dinner in 4 different restaurants (each course in another restaurant).
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Gouda: here you can:
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do a workshop ceramic decoration
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do a workshop making candles at Arts & Crafts
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make various city walks, possibly in combination with a workshop, lunch or dinner
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ride through Gouda by autoped
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relax on the Reeuwijkse lake - rent a silent boat www.vvvgouda.nl
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De Vestingdriehoek: You can visit 3 provinces, enjoy 600 years of history and sail on 3 rivers. The mediaeval castle Loevestein, the old fishermenstown Woudrichem, fortress Vuren and fortified city Gorinchem are connected by ferries (for pedestrians and bicycles), very nice!
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National Park De Biesbosch: The Biesbosch, a unique freshwater tidal area on the border of the provinces Zuid-Holland and Brabant. It is a large wetland area where the tides, wind and water had full freedom. In the course of a few centuries, the Biesbosch as we now know it originated.
You can still sail through narrow creeks, walk through rough willow beds, watch the overwintering birds, play golf, be deliciously lazy and have a picnic.
Canoes and rowing boats can be hired too.
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Royal Leerdam Crystal: Leerdam, has been a centre for the glass and wood industries since the 18th century. The first glassblowers came from Germany and established the basis for the present-day glass industry of the 'Royal Leerdam' glass factory.
In the National Glass museum in Leerdam, you can see the work of glass artists from various countries. How the ancient craft of glassblowing is practised can be seen in the Glascentrum Leerdam from April to end October. International glassblowers are at work here daily (except Mondays) with a blowpipe, liquid glass and a red-hot furnace. www.royalleerdamcrystal.com
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The Waterbus: take pleasant trips on the water by public transport. A modern waterbus travels between Dordrecht, Zwijndrecht, Papendrecht and Sliedrecht. On the route Rotterdam-Dordrecht the Fast Ferry ensures a rapid link-up, stopping on the way at Ridderkerk and Alblasserdam. Cycles are carried free of charge.
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Bicycling: the flat polder landscape is ideal for cycling. Apart from special cycle paths, there are numerous small country roads to take you from village to town or wherever you want to go. Everything is only a short distance away, and you can make really splendid day trips on a bike. For convenience, take the sign-posted cycle routes like the Molenroute [windmill route], the Ooievaarsroute [stork route] and the Giessen-Merwederoute in the Alblasserwaard and the Vijfheerenlandenroute in the area between Leerdam and Vianen.
