Netherlands

The Netherlands, is a lively mix of tradition, in the form of windmills and tulips, and fast paced modern European life. The Dutch are generally an affable race, with a good sense of humour and a keen sense of how to enjoy themselves, whether it be relaxing in the countryside or partying hard in the big cities.

Amsterdam
Capital city of the Netherlands with impressive architecture, lovely canals that criss cross the city (a bit like a spiderweb) and great shopping. There is something for every traveller's taste here, whether you prefer culture and history, serious partying, or just the relaxing charm of an old European city.

Rotterdam
The city was known for having the world's largest harbour, but lost the title in 2004 to Shanghai. Still it is the countries second largest city. It may feel difficult to get in touch with the heart of Rotterdam; its natural center was bombed away during WW2 in 1940, forcing the city to renew itself completely. The result is a lot of modern architecture.

The Hague
Also capital of the province of South Holland and the third largest city of the country. The Hague offers great architecture, some of it picturesque, such as the medieval government complex of the Binnenhof, some grand and stately, like the mansions on Lange Voorhout. The museums in the city rank among the best in the country.

Utrecht
Capital of the province of Utrecht. Utrecht is a central Dutch city with a long history. With 290,000 inhabitants it's the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. The history of the city goes back to 47 AD when the Roman emperor Claudius ordered his general Corbulo to build a defense line along the river Rhine whitch was the northern most border of the empire.

Eindhoven
This city has grown from a little village in 1232 to one of the largest cities in the Netherlands with over 210,000 inhabitants in 2005. Much of its growth is due to Philips and DAF Trucks. In 1891, brothers Gerard and Anton Philips founded a small light bulb factory that would grow into one of the largest electronics firms in the world. Nowadays Eindhoven is a mix of old industrial factories and modern architecture. Its slogan nowadays is 'Leading in Technology' and 'Brainport of the Netherlands'.

Activities and Tours

Hoqe Veluwe National Park
The National Park de Hoge Veluwe (National Park De Hoge Veluwe) is a national park of about 55 square kilometres consisting of heathland, driftsand landscape and woodland in the municipality of Ede in the province of Gelderland, in the Netherlands. The landscape within the park is mostly comprised of moraine created in the ice age. Alternating sand drifts and heathland may have been caused by exploitation of surrounding lands. The park forms one of the largest continuous nature reserves in the Netherlands. Animals in the park include boars, red deer and roe deer.

Keukenhof Gardens
Visit Holland’s most famous gardens! Between 22 March and 20 May 2007, Keukenhof gardens will make the spring come to life in a stunning display of breathtaking beauty. Millions of tulips and other bulb flowers will burst in bloom. A fantastic experience for everyone and a wonderful spectacle to photograph!

Rijksmuseum
With close to one million objects and 1.2 million visitors a year, Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum (State Museum) is the largest museum of art and history in the Netherlands and Amsterdam’s most popular attraction. The Neo Gothic building located on Museumplein square holds the magnificent Dutch national art collection of some 5,000 paintings, 30,000 pieces of applied art and 17,000 historical artifacts.

Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum is a museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, featuring the works of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. It has the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world.

Travel Tip and useful information

Climate
Lots of tourists visit Holland in summer. There is no denying that this is the best time of the year to sit by the canals or take a bike trip through the country. Spring is a good time to visit too, as the bulb flowers are in full bloom in this season. April is the best month for daffodils, May for tulips. The Keukenhof flower exhibition is a wonderful place to visit during spring.

Population
Holland is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has a population of sixteen million and an average of 481 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Transport
Eurolines are the main 'operator' for international buses to the Netherlands. Services are limited: only a few main routes have a daily direct service. The Thalys high speed train which connects the Netherlands with France and Belgium, is a bit expensive, but if you book a return in advance or if you're under 26 or over 60 you can get good deals. It is also faster, normally cheaper and more convenient than flying.

Time Zone
The Netherlands is located in the Central European Timezone. This implies that the time difference with EST is +6 hours and with PST +9 hours.

Currency and credit cards
The official currency is the 'euro'. All major credit cards are accepted widely, but not everywhere. If in doubt, ask in advance. Cash on card services are available from selected American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and VisaCard addresses. These cards are also accepted by all GWK currency exchange outlets and Change Express Offices.

Dress Code
Summers are lovely but along with your shorts and beachwear pack a light weight raincoat the odd shower cannot be ruled out. Winter winds can be cold and you should certainly wrap up well in January and February.

Safety and Security
The Netherlands is generally considered a safe country. However, be alert in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and other large cities that are plagued by pickpockets and bicycle theft (the latter almost being a national sport). In the larger cities, certain areas are unsafe at night. A small number are also unsafe in daylight.