Netherlands Travel Guide
Information
So What is it Really Like?
The Netherlands is a fantastic place to visit either short or long term. It is a lively modern country but it has a heritage that it is rightly proud of and has worked hard to maintain. The character of the people is cultured and tolerant, welcoming and friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.
The people have an international outlook, many speak near perfect English. The landscape is flat and fertile. The land itself is criss-crossed with the canals and dykes that keep the wild North Sea at bay. It is a country that offers a wide choice to its visitors, from the Tulip fields to its lofty 17th century merchant's town houses, from its splendid Museums to its raunchy nightlife. 'Something for everyone' is a ghastly and overused cliché but in the case of the Netherlands, it is true.
When visiting The Netherlands one city tends to dominate the itineraries, however there are other places of importance.
Places To See That Aren't Amsterdam...
Harlaam
Just 15 minutes away from Amsterdam lies this dignified place that is a contrast to the hurly burly of its more rumbustious neighbour. The atmosphere is civilised and artistic. Worth a visit are the Frans Hals Museum - based around the Almshouse where the artist worked and died - and the Teylers Museum. The former contains works of art from 17th Century Golden Age of Dutch painting up to the modern day. The Teylers Museum is a place of curiosities, a strange blend of art and science. It holds skeletons, fossils, Michealangelo sketches and assorted scientific instruments.
Rotterdam
Vast and important seaport that sits at the North Sea end of the Maas and Rhine rivers. Largely rebuilt after the way this large city has remained at the forefront of sea transport ever since. It is a concrete place which has the effect of being somewhat sterile. It does however have the Boymans-Van Beuningen Museum, the old area of Delfshaven and Oudehaven. The latter is the city's oldest harbour but one that has been redeveloped with an array of bars and cafes. It is a port town so be careful.
The Hague
Right on the coast lies this, the administrative heart of the country. It claims, based on several criteria to be the capital city. It is home to the Dutch royal family, the seat of government and base of most of its ministries. The Hague is where the foreign Embassies are and the International Court of Justice. The combined effect of all this power and the accompanying affluence combine to make The Hague brisk, business like and a little dull. It can also be expensive. Amongst its redeeming features are the collection of Dutch Masters at the Mauritshius and the more modern work found at the Gemeentenmuseum. Also worth a look is the grisly Gevangenpoort, a display in a former prison of torture and execution implements a guillotine and the old cells.
Delft
Best to visit this charming city in the winter when the hordes of tourists have departed. Famed for its 'delightful blue and white pottery ware' there is much more to it than that. Delft was where Jan Vermeer was born and died. There is also the 17th Century street of Koornmarket, a network of old canals and the gothic Oude Kirk.
And...
Other towns that may be worth looking at include Arnhem, Nijmegan, Limburg, Zeeland, Breda, Maastrict and Groningen.
However, for many there is only one place to head for in the Netherlands...Amsterdam
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