Introducing The Netherlands
There aren't many countries with so much land below sea level. There aren't many - if any - countries this flat. There aren't many countries with so much reclaimed land. There aren't many countries this densely populated, and yet so liberal. There aren't many countries with so much water and wind, or so many boats, sails, bikes, birds, dykes, polders, windmills, flowers, fish, bridges, cafés, cheese - and tall people. And there certainly aren't many countries who can claim such a vibrant colour (vivid orange in this case) as their own. Simply put, there is no place like the Netherlands.
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Start with the Dutch cities. Who hasn't heard of Amsterdam, the capital of culture, coffeeshops and canals? Its mesmerising beauty is hard to overestimate, and yet a surfeit of stunning metropoles are only hours, or even minutes, away by train. Haarlem, Groningen City, Rotterdam, Utrecht City, Den Haag, Leiden, Delft, Maastricht - the list seems endless, a mind-boggling concept considering the size of this small nation.
Outside the cities, the Netherlands once again borders on over-achievement. Its bucolic splendour of national parks and sheep-patrolled polders is perfectly complimented by shimmering lakes, sandy coastlines, and a chain of windswept islands. Best of all, it can all be seen from the comfort of a bicycle seat.
As we've already said, there's no place like the Netherlands. But don't take our word for it; come join the Dutch in their gezellig ways - you won't be disappointed.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Discover the charm of Holland by bike and barge
- Go on a Tulip tour for the quintessential Dutch sights
- Beat the queue for the Van Gogh museum
Last updated: Feb 21, 2012
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: No offense to our Celtic-derived citizenry...
by RayCCroc 01 June 2012
>It dates from around 1600 during the Thirty Years' War in the Low Countries (Belgium and the Netherlands). The Dutch fortresses were…
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RE: Is it a crime to cut spaghetti with a knief?
by MTL 31 May 2012
I dunno, what's a knief? assuming you mean 'knife': yes, although i believe it is seen as a misdemeanour in the Netherlands, which is…
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Re: Turkey Itinerary Review (Arrive June 6th - Depart June 23rd) - Please Help
by DavidM1 31 May 2012
Actually I'm beginning to sympathise with eddyndavid, since they live in a country where it's over 2000 miles to the second country down…
Hotels & Hostels
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The Netherlands
Things to do
- All things to do (1,253)
- Activities (125)
- Entertainment (314)
- Restaurants (308)
- Shopping (251)
- Sights (244)
- Tours (11)
Make it happen
Our Top Picks For The Netherlands
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1 Amsterdam
The Dutch capital: an achingly beautiful hedonistic playground, complete with world-class museums and galleries
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2 Haarlem
Pint-sized city with oodles of charm, excellent museums, and historical significance
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3 Hoge Veluwe National Park
Astounding parkland with an art museum of epic proportions smack bang in the middle of it all
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4 Maastricht
Unique Dutch city with a medieval heart, vibrant nightlife and hills
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5 Delft
Delightful town, home to Vermeer and distinctive blue-and-white pottery
Fast Facts about The Netherlands
- Number of windmills
1180
- Religion
Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 5.5%, other 1.5%, not religious 41%
- Inflation
1.7% (2005 average)
- Unemployment rate
6.5% (2005)
- Height of the average male
185.5cm (6ft 1 in)
- Waterways
5046km (navigable for ships over 50 tons)
- Per capita GDP
€26,500
- Number of mobile phones
14.8 million
Our favourite The Netherlands Blogs (beta)
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Me and Chi
Blog: Big City Blog - 20 May 2012
Signs a North American might be assimilating to a European lifestyle:
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Velvet moments: travel photo – antique market in Delft
Blog: velvet escape's blog - 4 April 2012
If you love antique markets, you’ll love the open-air Antique Market in Delft, an historic town situated between The Hague and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Held every Saturday between mid-April and mid-September along the canals of Delft, the Antique Market has hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of antiques (Delft Blue porcelain is popular), jewellery, [...]Velvet moments: travel photo – antique market in Delft is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog
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Vive Les Differences
Blog: Big City Blog - 31 March 2012
The third of a four-part series on being an expatTime for a Change | The Favourites | The Differences | The DownsidesSome differences grow wider as the expat life is prolonged. What seem at first like small cracks and tiny charms become bigger potholes of annoyance; on the other hand, some items that make you scratch your head actually begin to make sense as you assimilate.
