Netherlands

Windmills, tulips and more! Netherlands is a country full of history, art, museums & gorgeous natural scenery.

Netherlands

Capital City: Amsterdam

Netherlands Key Facts

  • Flag

    Netherlands Map

  • Size

    41, 543 km²
    134th largest

  • Population

    16, 856, 620

  • Netherlands Location

    Western Europe

  • Travel Insurance

    For Netherlands travel insurance, select Europe Region

  • International Calling Codes

    31

  • Cities

    Amsterdam
    The Hague
    Utrecht
    Rotterdam

  • Language

    Dutch

  • Religions

    51.3% Irreligious
    24.6% Roman Catholicism
    14.8% Protestantism
    5.8% Islam

  • Currency

    Euro

    Get current exchange rates from

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  • Driving

    In the Netherlands they drive on the right side of the road

Tourism website: 

netherlands-tourism.com

When is the best time to visit?

Due to the temperate climate you can visit the Netherlands all year round, however the best time is definitely from April until the end of November. July and August are the peak holiday season, hence best avoided. 

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Transport Information

Airports (24 domestic, 5 international), highways, ports and harbours, boats, buses, train, metro, tram.

World Heritage Sites

  1. Defense Line of Amsterdam, the only example of fortification based on the principle of controlling water built between 1883 and 1920
  2. Droogmarkerij de Beenster (Beemster Polder), an example of reclaimed land dating back to the 17th century
  3. Historic Area of Wilemstad, Inner City and Harbor, Curaçao, an important trading settlement and harbor established by the Dutch in 1634
  4. Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station), which is the largest steam-pumping station ever built and it remains operational today
  5. Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout, a great illustration of all the technologies used in the drainage of land
  6. Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House), which is widely considered to be an icon of the Modern Movement in architecture built in 1924
  7. Schokland and Surroundings, a site that bears witness to the people's fight against the water
  8. Seventeenth-Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht, which was the model of a new port city built at the end of the 16th century
  9. Van Nellefabriek, a stunning example of 1920s industrial architecture
  10. Wadden Sea, the largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats in the world, shared between Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands
  • Average Annual Temperature

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    10 degrees

  • Average Annual Rainfall

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    753 mm

Climate Information

 The Netherlands enjoy four distinct seasons per year, with summer (June until September) temperatures hovering around 15-25 degrees and winter (December until March) temperatures around 0 to 5 degrees. It is noteworthy that temperatures can be up to 10 degrees lower along the coast than they are inland. Rain is common all year round, with summer and autumn months seeing a bit more rain. 

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Official Holidays

  • January 1 - New Year's Day
  • March | April - Easter Day
  • March | April - Easter Monday
  • April 27 - King's Birthday
  • May 5 - Liberation Day
  • May 14 - Ascension Day
  • May 24 - Whit Sunday
  • May 25 - Whit Monday
  • December 25 - Christmas Day
  • December 26 - Second Day of Christmas
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Why Visit Netherlands?

The Netherlands is a compact and easily reached destination in Europe, making it popular for quick getaways and weekend trips. With a rich cultural history, lax drug laws, and a very active party scene, the Netherlands is a popular destination.

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Things To Do In the Netherlands

  • Walk around the center of Amsterdam.
  • Visit the van Gogh museum.
  • Take a canal tour, visit Rotterdam.
  • See the windmills at Kinderdijk.
  • Visit the judicial capital of the world - The Hague.
  • Party in Amsterdam.
  • See the world famous tulips.
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Travel Tips For the Netherlands

The Dutch are a famous nation of cyclists and the humble bicycle is a great way of getting around Amsterdam. 

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Netherland's Food

The Dutch certainly did not invent haute cuisine, but Dutch food is nonetheless hearty and overall quite enjoyable. There are also many specialties in the Netherlands that are not only fun to try, but also great presents to bring home, such as Dutch peanut butter, which is quite a bit different from the US version, and Chocolate sprinkles, which are had on toast for breakfast! A favorite bar snack is called bitterball, which is a ball of ragout that is breaded and fried, and is quite enjoyable to have along with a beer. On a rainy day, make sure to have a bowl of pea soup which is usually served with a smoked sausage and is wonderfully warming. For the sweet tooth there are different varieties of pancakes, from stroopwafel, which are thin pancakes with syrup in between, or pannenkoeken, which come in a variety of flavors. In fact, head to a Pannenkoekenhuizen (pancake house) and try them with savory ingredients first and then sweet!

The Netherlands Travel Safety and Warnings

  • The Netherlands is considered safe country for travellers.
  • In larger cities, keep and eye on your belongings and beware of petty crimes.
  • Ensure you have travel insurance for the Netherlands.
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About the Netherlands

Bordered by Germany, France and Belgium are the Netherlands. While the Netherlands rank only 134th in terms of size, the country is full of history, art, museums and gorgeous nature scenes. You will also find some of the best nightlife in Europe which attracts travellers from all corners of the earth. Get your passport ready, ensure you have adequate travel insurance for the Netherlands, and visit the country of tulips and windmills.

Amsterdam is the capital city and a must see destination for any traveller. There is so much to see here that most visitors simply do not have enough time to take it all in. A great way to get an overview of the city is to do a canal tour. The Dutch are famous for their mastery of water, and their impressive canals of Amsterdam are but one sign of that. The canals run throughout the entire city and a canal cruise offers you a chance to see many beautiful buildings along the water’s edge. The city center itself goes back to medieval times, and it is a wonderful place to stroll around, take in the architecture, and perhaps visit one of Amsterdam's famous coffee shops.

Bridge over canal in amsterdam

Amsterdam has quite the unique range of museums and you will find a museum for almost any interest ranging from art to pornography. There are three museums no one should miss when they are in Amsterdam though. The first, and probably one of the most famous museums in the world, is the Van Gogh Museum, which contains the largest collection of his paintings and drawings in the world, and it really is spectacular. As there is artwork from his early years, you can truly follow his progression and understand the birth of his unique style. The second must see museum is the Rijksmuseum, where you will find paintings from other Dutch masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer as well as a good selection of Asian art. Finally, the last museum is deeply tied to Europe's past: the Anne Frank House. This is the house where she hid and where her diary would later be discovered. While maybe not the most impressive site visually, anyone who has read her diary will get goose bumps coming here.

Amsterdam has cultural events year-round and it is well worth checking out what is on when you are in town. The Tulip festival in early May is world famous for its stunning displays, and draws quite a crowd.  There is also the Amsterdam Dance Festival in October, Amsterdam Fashion Week in July, and the gay pride parade in August as well. In short, there is always something to do or see when you are in Amsterdam. Ensure you have Netherlands travel insurance sorted before heading to any big dance festivals.

tulip festival in Hollard

Not far from Amsterdam is the city of The Hague, which is home to the International Criminal Court and widely seen as the judicial capital of the world. It is a nice stop to put in on your way to Rotterdam, a hip young city that has an amazing cultural offering and also very good nightlife. The wide scale of destruction of WWII meant that the city had to be rebuilt, and you can see a range of new architectural designs that are just stunning, ranging from classical to modern to who knows what is going on!

There are a lot of museums to choose from, the most important being the Museum Boikmans Van Beunigen, which houses a large collection of art including works by Dali, Brueghel, and Magritte. For more modern art and installations, head to the Kunsthal, which offers a massive space for artists to play with and experiment.

While you can still visit some windmills in Rotterdam, the Windmills of Kinderdijk are a much better place to see them in action. When you come to this area you will see an on-going battle with water, and here you get to discover the techniques of land reclamation and the use of windmills in this process. Another great excursion from Rotterdam is to the famous Delta Works, which are the world's only defensive structure that use water as a weapon. While it may not sound impressive, it is amazing when you see it!

Old windmill with tulips

The Netherlands are very safe for travellers, though make sure to pay attention to your belongings in bigger cities so you don't fall victim to purse-snatchers or petty crime. As with travel anywhere, ensure you have appropriate travel insurance for the Kingdom of the Netherlands before starting your trip. While there are many great ways of getting around the country, the most picturesque is probably by bicycle. You can easily rent them in Amsterdam for just a quick trip or consider taking one for a week - just make sure you have a good lock on it!

For more information on the Netherlands Tourism Website.

 

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