These are the most welcoming Dutch cities for 2026
By Simone Jacobs
The cities in the Netherlands that travellers find most welcoming have been revealed in Booking.com’s 2026 Traveller Review Awards. Zeeland and North Holland are the Dutch provinces where most of the best travel cities are located, while Overijssel has been named the most hospitable region.
Overijssel among world’s most welcoming travel destinations
Based on more than 370 million reviews, Booking.com has compiled a list of the most welcoming regions and cities in the world, recognising “exceptional hospitality and service”. This year, Overijssel was named among the most welcoming regions in the world.
“Because you don't just stay overnight here; you come home,” writes Booking.com. “From charming cities to lush green nature reserves, travellers appreciate the personal attention and service of local accommodations and hosts who go the extra mile to make their stay special.”
Other global regions that are considered the most hospitable include Hidalgo in Mexico, Saxony in Germany, Epirus in Greece and Idaho in the United States.
Middleburg most welcoming Dutch city
When looking at the Netherlands alone, cities in Zeeland and North Holland dominate the top 10. Middelburg takes the number one spot as the most welcoming city, followed by Den Burg and De Cocksdorp.
As the capital of Zeeland, Middelburg has an abundance of historic buildings to explore and the hospitality sector in the city is on top of its game too, with a selection of award-winning accommodations.
In all, here are the most hospitable cities in the Netherlands:
- Middelburg (Zeeland)
- Den Burg (Texel, North Holland)
- De Cocksdorp (Texel, North Holland)
- Maastricht (Limburg)
- Noordwijkerhout (South Holland)
- Leeuwarden (Friesland)
- Noordwijk (South Holland)
- Westkapelle (Zeeland)
- Schoorl (North Holland)
- Renesse (Zeeland)
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more