The Netherlands Travel Stories

Aug 20, 2020 • 4 min read

With fabulously pancake-flat, scenic landscapes beckoning along every last dyke and canal, two-wheeling in The Netherlands is a great way to explore.

Jun 7, 2019 • 5 min read

Rotterdam wins all the plaudits for its innovative drinking and dining scene, but the adjacent city of Schiedam is in a league of its own when it comes to…

May 29, 2019 • 4 min read

Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District is a carnival of vice, with skimpily-clad commercial sex workers in brothel windows, raucous bars, haze-filled …

May 15, 2019 • 6 min read

Den Haag serves up an enticing blend of cultural expressions from the past and present, in an environment that bustles and relaxes in equal measure…

May 14, 2019 • 5 min read

When it comes to a night out in the Netherlands, Groningen nightlife has no equal. The northern city doesn’t do closing time, meaning revellers leaving…

Mar 15, 2019 • 6 min read

From the ultimate Rembrandt exhibition to ground-breaking vegan restaurants, with sustainable sightseeing and limited-edition craft beers thrown in for…

Jul 10, 2018 • 5 min read

Fittingly, for the birthplace of mathematical improbablist M. C. Escher, the Friesland capital of Leeuwarden has installed some thought-provoking and…

Mar 14, 2018 • 4 min read

Big blazing skies, slivers of secluded white sand and little more noise than the faint melody of bird song, the Frisian Islands offer everything you could…

Aug 22, 2016 • 6 min read

Rising along the vast Nieuwe Maas (a tributary of the Rhine), Rotterdam started life as a medieval fishing village. Its importance skyrocketed in the 17th…

Aug 16, 2016 • 5 min read

Den Haag (The Hague) is synonymous with high-profile legal entities (notably the UN's International Court of Justice), embassies and mansions. Yet this…

Jul 15, 2016 • 7 min read

The Dutch port city of Rotterdam is an open-air gallery of modern and contemporary art, set against a backdrop of some of the most adventurous…

May 31, 2016 • 6 min read

The Hague is often thought of as a buttoned-down town of government institutions, embassies and international law courts, but it has its fancy-free side,…

Jul 3, 2015 • 3 min read

One of the Netherlands' oldest cities, Utrecht is often overlooked by visitors to the country who make a beeline for the likes of Amsterdam and Delft…

Mar 18, 2015 • 3 min read

While rainbow-carpeted flower fields and bright bunches of tulips may be the definitive symbol of the Netherlands, Amsterdam itself is better known for…

Dec 5, 2014 • 5 min read

Amsterdam's canal-ribboned cityscape, quirky Dutch design, innovative architecture, and inherent practicality and sense of humour give rise to some…

Nov 21, 2014 • 5 min read

The Dutch capital is a watery wonderland. Amsterdam's Unesco World Heritage-listed Canal Ring was built during the Golden Age after the seafaring port…

Jul 4, 2014 • 6 min read

Rotterdam is your typical second city. While second cities might often be disregarded in favour of just checking out their popular counterparts (Amsterdam…

Aug 20, 2012 • 3 min read

Bucolic canals, charming bridges and laid-back atmosphere: there's so many reasons to love the 'Dam.  So how to get the most out of your visit?

Mar 23, 2011 • 4 min read

Wander into one of Amsterdam's legendary brown cafes and you’ll discover that these atmospheric spots, which strike a curiously enchanting balance between…

Mar 21, 2011 • 4 min read

Summertime in Amsterdam – if you’re blessed with the requisite dose of Dutch sun – makes for the perfect combination of canals, coffee, cocktails, and a…

Mar 10, 2011 • 2 min read

Amsterdam is not just marijuana and museums. Explore the Dutch capital’s streets and waterways with this helpful guide and you’ll not only avoid the…

Jan 12, 2010 • 2 min read

It’s too early to call it even a sneak preview, but my hard hat tour of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam was nothing less than thrilling.