Flights from Barcelona to Netherlands from 59USD*

Flights to the Netherlands from Barcelona

Vueling flies direct from Barcelona to Amsterdam in around 2 and a half hours. From the airport, the train reaches the city centre in under 20 minutes, and the intercity services covering the rest of the country leave from that same station.

That is why a weekend here goes such a long way. Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden are all less than an hour away by train, so there is no need to pick just one city.

What documents you need to travel to the Netherlands

The Netherlands is part of the European Union and the Schengen Area, so Spanish and other EU citizens only need a valid national ID card or passport, with no visa.

On Schengen flights the Spanish ID card (DNI) has to be the physical card: the digital version is only valid on flights within Spain. Make sure your document is valid for the whole of your stay, and if you hold another nationality, check your situation on the travel documents page before you book.

What to know when you land in the Netherlands

From the airport to the centre. The train leaves from the terminal itself and takes under 20 minutes to Amsterdam Central Station, with very frequent departures throughout the day. It is one of the easiest airport links in Europe, so a private transfer is not worth paying for.

The train for everything else. The Dutch rail network is dense and punctual, and distances are short: Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden are all under an hour from Amsterdam. Staying in one city and visiting the others works out better than changing hotels.

Rain and wind. The weather turns quickly at any time of year, summer included, when temperatures hover around 20°C. Winters are properly cold. A waterproof layer will see you through the whole trip.

Cycling. Bikes here are how the people who live in the country get around every day, with their own lanes and real right of way. If you hire one, assume the rest of the traffic expects you to know the rules.

You pay in euros, plug sockets are types C and F at 230V, and the standard of English is very high across the country.

What to do in the Netherlands

Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum are worth a couple of mornings on their own, and it pays to buy tickets in advance. The Anne Frank House, on the Prinsengracht, has to be booked weeks ahead. Jordaan and De Pijp are neighbourhoods for wandering without a plan, and the Vondelpark is a short walk from Museumplein. The city is easy on foot, but the canals make routes longer than they look on the map, so allow for that when you line up visits.

Rotterdam

Around 40 minutes away by train. Contemporary architecture in a city rebuilt from scratch after the war: Piet Blom’s Cube Houses, the Erasmus Bridge and the Markthal food market. The Port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe, and you can tour it by boat. It is the exact counterpoint to Amsterdam’s canals, and one day is enough to see it.

The Hague

Barely another half hour by train. This is where you will find the Mauritshuis, home to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, the Peace Palace, seat of the International Court of Justice, and the Escher museum in the former royal palace. The Scheveningen district adds a beach 10 minutes from the centre, something hardly anyone associates with the Netherlands.

The tulip fields

The flowers are only out for a few weeks in spring. The fields are around Lisse, home to the Keukenhof gardens, very close to Schiphol airport, so you can see them on the day you arrive or the day you fly home without a detour. Outside those weeks there is nothing to see there, which is worth knowing before you build a trip around them.

Luggage for your flight to the Netherlands

What you can take depends on the fare you choose when booking. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

If you are travelling in autumn or winter, a coat and waterproof shoes take up more room than you expect. Sorting out your luggage when you book avoids surprises at the check-in desk. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.