Holland

The Netherlands, commonly but erroneously called Holland, is a European country bordering Germany, Belgium and France. To be precise, Holland represents only one region of the state, the most populated, which is divided into two provinces Noord Holland and Zuid Holland.

With more than 16 million inhabitants, the Netherlands is a densely populated country. Amsterdam, the capital, is just one of the many interesting cities in the area. Once a major naval power, this small nation boasts a rich cultural heritage and is famous for its painters, windmills, tulips and cheese.

It is a modern European country that has retained its strongly international character and is known for its liberal mentality. A founding member of the EU and NATO, the seat of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the Netherlands is at the centre of international cooperation.

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, administratively divided into 12 provinces. These are very diverse and have many cultural and linguistic differences. They can be divided into four regions: West Netherlands, East Netherlands, North Netherlands and South Netherlands.

The small size, the welcoming attitude towards travellers and the various places of interest make the Netherlands a unique destination and at the same time very easy to explore.

Cities of the Netherlands

The big cities of the Netherlands are characterised by their own particularities. If Amsterdam is famous for its canals, museums and libertine attitudes, The Hague contrasts by being a city of justice par excellence as well as a royal residence and seat of government.

Delft with its blue and white ceramics is world famous, while Leiden, Nijmegen and Groningen are university centres with a prestigious history, frequented by young foreign students.

Maastricht represents all the style of the South Holland region. While Rotterdam is a modern city with a vibrant contemporary art scene, Utrecht is famous for its old town and antiques.

Parks and nature

Among the most interesting destinations outside the big cities is the Eftelingm theme park, a famous park dedicated to fairy tale elements such as elves and dwarves. The Hoge Veluwe National Park is the country’s largest national park with heaths, sand dunes and forests.

The Keukenhof Park, with its 800,000 visitors a year, is famous for its flower fields, especially tulips.

Villages and hinterland

Kinderdijk is the place to see windmills, the classic Dutch picture-postcard landscape. Other typical villages can be found in the provinces of Waterland and Zaan; in the latter there is the village of Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum of windmills.

Some travellers visit the Netherlands because of its notoriously tolerant attitude: prostitution is decriminalised, as long as it is practised in a brothel with duly registered female workers. This phenomenon is especially developed in Amsterdam, where there is a real red light district. In more rural areas, by contrast, prostitution is almost non-existent.

Added to this is the legalisation of cannabis. The sale, possession and consumption of small amounts of cannabis is officially tolerated, although coffee shops are increasingly restricted. The same atmosphere of tolerance explains the great Dutch openness towards homosexuality; here, gay marriage is legalised.

Getting around in the Netherlands

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is an airport with direct connections to many European cities, but there are also many flights to other airports in the Netherlands, such as Eindhoven and Rotterdam.

International high-speed trains connect the Netherlands to Berlin and Paris, which can be good transit points to organise travel by train.

Once in the Netherlands, getting around by public transport will not be a problem, as the transport system is very well organised: practically every area of the country can be reached by public transport.

The public transport system consists of a railway network that acts as a backbone, parallel to a network of local and regional buses.

With the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket you have unlimited travel, both day and night, on buses, trams, trains and metros in the entire Amsterdam region.

The Netherlands by bike

Given the entirely flat terrain, getting around by bicycle is ideal for both large centres and small villages. With 22,000 kilometres of cycle paths, there are many routes suitable for both adults and children.