Netherlands Escapes
The Netherlands is located in Northwestern Europe. The country shares a border with Germany in the East and Belgium in the South. The West and North are the Dutch coast and are delimited by the North Sea. The euro is the official currency. Amsterdam, the capital, is home to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the house where Jewish diarist Anne Frank hid during WWII.
Although considered a small country, there’s many places worth a visit in the Netherlands. In this article I’ve laid out some of the best places for you. Hopefully it will give you some inspiration on where to go in the Netherlands.
A visit to our capital city should definitely be on your list, but don’t forget that there’s so much more to discover. Don’t worry about traveling around, we’ve got a great public transportation network that allows easy access to all places you’d like to go. Another option would be to rent a car or book a tour that includes transportation. If you’re planning to travel around a lot and cover much ground.
The Netherlands today has dispelled all images of it being an archaic land of clogs and windmills, with its string of exciting cities, including the cosmopolitan capital, Amsterdam – one of Europe’s great cities. Elsewhere, Arnhem, Eindhoven, The Hague, Utrecht and the especially buzzing Rotterdam all boast their own charms. Away from the cities, the idyllic land of windmills and tulips does still exist in the bucolic splendor of the countryside, as do a number of coastal towns and resorts, many with fine beaches and similarly interesting heritages to The Netherlands’ bigger historical cities.
AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands is one of Europe’s great destinations, as popular with tourists as it is with businesspeople. Amsterdam’s lifeblood is water, which courses through the city in a concentric network of canals and waterways spanned by more than 1000 bridges. One of the city’s cultural Meccas is the Rijksmuseum, a voluminous art gallery that is home to the works of many of the country’s artistic luminaries, as well as numerous European masters. The highlight for many visitors is Dutch master Rembrandt’s epic Night Watch, though the list of the gallery’s treasures is almost endless. Amsterdam is justifiably famous for its nightlife with few other European cities managing to quite satisfy every conceivable taste in the same way as The Netherlands’ capital. There are numerous possible excursions and day trips available from Amsterdam with an efficient national rail network that links the surrounding towns and cities to the metropolis. Alkmaar, where there is a famous cheese market at Waagplein, open every Friday from mid-April to mid-September, is a popular day trip.
ROTTERDAM
Rotterdam is a city of many faces: a tough port city, a trendy nightlife city, a sophisticated shopping city, and a hip artistic city. Above all, Rotterdam is the architecture city of Holland that stimulates innovation. Its skyline is always changing. There are many things to do amid Rotterdam’s skyscrapers. You can go on a shopping spree, enjoy some excellent food, and visit a range of museums and attractions in and around the city centre. You can explore this city by visiting The Cube Houses, market hall, Water Bus, The Maeslantkering storm surge barrier, Rotterdam Zoo, Blijdorp and the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
THE HAGUE
The Hague is one of the most extraordinary cities in Holland. Not just because it is our government city, but also because of its many monuments, historic districts and its location near the beautiful North Sea coastline. The Hague is also known as ‘the Royal City by the Sea’ and is called ‘the residence city’. Top things to see in The Hague are, Madurodam, Drievliet, Mauritshuis, Escher in the Palace, Kijkduin, Het Binnenhof , Fashion shopping, Panorama Mesdag etc
UTRECHT
Utrecht is the lively, beating heart of Holland. It was built around the Dom tower, which you can see from any point in the city, so there is no way you can get lost in the attractive, car-free city centre. Utrecht boasts beautiful canals with extraordinary wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water. As well as the Dom tower, Utrecht boasts hundreds of other monuments that each contribute to the special atmosphere in this centuries-old university town. Don’t miss to visit, Cafés and terraces, The Miffy Museum, Markets in Utrecht, Utrecht castle tour , Canals of Utrecht , Railway Museum and Dom Tower
FRIESLAND
The province of Friesland in the northwest of the country has its own language and its own distinct culture. A large part of the marshlands along the North Sea coast have been reclaimed from the sea. Friesian cattle are among the most famous inhabitants of the area. The Friesian lake-district in the southern part of the state centers on the town of Sneek, and is a good place for watersports, particularly yachting.
PROVINCES
The Netherlands has twelve provinces: Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Zeeland, Noord-Brabant, Utrecht, Flevoland, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland and Limburg. A Dutch province fulfils responsibilities of regional importance and is the connection between the national government and the local municipalities.
- Utrecht – Rietveld Schröder House – A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this small one-family house, with its flexible interior spatial arrangement, and visual and formal qualities, was a manifesto of the ideals of the De Stijl group of artists and architects in the Netherlands in the 1920s, and has since been considered one of the icons of the Modern Movement in architecture.
- Historical and Cultural – Start your trip in Amsterdam and finish in Paris crossing the beautiful Kingdom of Belgium. It breathes history but is also brimming with culture and modern city life, day & night! The perfect itinerary for amateurs of history & culture but also for lovers of regional gastronomy.
- Dutch Old Masters – The Dutch Golden Age encompasses most of the second half of the 17th century, after the Dutch won their Independence from Spain (1648). During this time, Dutch explorers charted new territory and settled abroad. Trade by the Dutch East-India Company thrived, and war heroes from the naval battles became national heroes.
- Amsterdam – shop ’til you drop – The picturesque Negen Straatjes (Nine Street) intersect the city center’s main canals are doted with great restaurants, cafés, art galleries, jewelers and boutiques. With an exceptional array of styles, trends and prices, this area is truly a shopper’s paradise.
- Benelux – Food Hall – Indoor food markets and food hall concepts are expanding through the Benelux. Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Ghent and Antwerp offer now the possibility to wander around in a large loft-like space or newly renovated old building and discover the very best local culinary has to offer.
- Private Canal Cruise – Few cities blend history with modern urban flair like Amsterdam. And one thing you definitely need to do when visiting the city is to take a private canal cruise and see Amsterdam from the water to discover this floating city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history of Amsterdam is intimately connected with water.
- Dutch Cheese Carriers – In the Middle Ages, it was common practice to establish a guild for every professional group, the cheese carriers established theirs in 1593! Every Friday morning in spring & summer, the Alkmaar cheesemarket is held on the Waagplein.
- Unusual Hotel Room – Amsterdam has several great 5* and some gorgeous boutique hotels, but what about something special for your next stay in town?! Why don’t you sleep up high in a crane, or with a view on the canals from a bridge house or in a 1744 hidden chapel in complete Rococo style?
- Wadden Island – An island in the north of the Netherlands In the northernmost point of the Netherlands, you can find the Wadden Islands. You really do not have to go that far to enjoy unspoiled nature, fresh seafood and adventure. You can find all of this on one of the most beautiful Wadden Islands “Schiermonnikoog”.
- Flower Experience – Spring is a fantastic season to travel in the Benelux. It will cheer you right up after winter! When the tulip bulbs are blooming in the Netherlands, this may well be the most colorful region in the world. In Belgium, flowers is a big thing too especially at the Hallerbos and its magnificent purple carpet of bluebells.
- Dam Toren over The Edge – The outdoor skydeck on the 21st floor roof of the A’DAM Toren in Amsterdam offers a spectacular view over the city. A great spot for a drink at sunset and since a couple of weeks, you can even swing back and forth over the edge of the tower.