Is the Netherlands on your radar? A trip to this small, but fascinating country is a must. “Quaint” is a word you will use over and over again while here.
We lived in the Netherlands for a little over two years, and while we were there, we really strove to learn all about the country. The first thing we learned is to get out of Amsterdam. Yes, there are plenty of great things to do there, but there is also so much more to the country than “special” coffee shops and canals.
Dutch Language
It is extremely easy to travel anywhere in the Netherlands. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, speaks English. Even if they tell you they tell you they don’t, they do. The TV has many English shows, and the kids start learning at the beginning of their schooling.
One thing you need to know about Dutch, the language, is that since the Netherlands is such a small country, they need lots of small things to fit into their tiny houses. Because of this, when they talk about something, they use a “je” ending to denote smallness. So a huisje is a small house, a hondje is a little dog, and most importantly, a biertje is a small beer. And boy, is it small. It is only .25 liters. A large bier would be .33 liters, so watch out when ordering beers.
Getting Around the Netherlands
The Dutch have a fantastic public transportation system that is relatively inexpensive. You can travel by train and bus all over the nation, and it’s also easy to drive. I would definitely recommend renting a car and visiting some of the smaller villages that aren’t in any tourist guide.
One of the best ways to get around is to rent a bike; the Dutch love bikes! According to the International Bicycle Fund, and I, as a witness, can attest that the Netherlands is the country that leads the world in using bikes as transportation.
It is also the “first country to establish an official national bicycle policy; currently, almost 19,000 kilometers of paths and lanes exclusively for bicycles.” Maybe it’s because there are only a few hills, and the bike paths make it very safe, I don’t know. No matter what, you’ve got to love biking in the Netherlands.(Note: Watch out for bikes when you are driving, especially in roundabouts!)
Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands
We’ve already mentioned Amsterdam, but do we need to? If you are planning a trip to the Netherlands, you certainly are going to hit the capital city. There are tons to do there, so plan for at least two days!
The Dutch Tulip Region – Bollenstreek
You certainly cannot go to the Netherlands and not see tulips. Many people believe that the tulip originated here, but that’s a myth. It actually came as a gift from the ambassador to Turkey in 1565.
Tulip Time in the Netherlands is one of the best times to go, and you are not going to believe everything to do and see. I guarantee there are things to do that you’ve never even heard of, but you will want to do them again and again. Check out our Dutch Flower Series articles here:
- Tulip Time – An overview of the entire season
- The Bollenstreek – Exploring the Bulb Region
- The Famous Flower Parge – the Bloemencorso
- Behind the Scenes – The Making of the Flower Floats
- The Flower Mosaics
- De Zwarte Tulp Museum – Black Tulip
- Mooiste File – The Prettiest Traffic Jam
Kinderdijk
One of the most iconic places to visit is the windmill town of Kinderdijk. A Unesco World Heritage Site, it is well worth the jaunt out there. It is very picturesque, and you can see the mills at work.
Hoge Veluwe National Park
One of my favorite places I visited while I was there was the Hoge Veluwe National Park. When you enter, you park your car and pick up one of the many white bikes available. You can take these from one location to another or on various paths.
There are a couple of museums in the park. One is a nature museum with displays of the local flora and fauna. It’s perfect for the kids. Another is the Kroller Muller Museum, an art gallery which houses a number of painters as well a sizeable Van Gogh exhibit. You can easily bring a picnic and spend the entire day exploring the park.
Giethoorn
You’ve probably seen photos of this small town in the north, Giethoorn, that has canals throughout, which the locals use as their main road. Let me tell you, it’s just as quaint as you thought it would be, and it would be a shame if it weren’t on your Netherlands itinerary.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong when building an itinerary for the Netherlands. The country may be small in size, but it boy is packed full of sensational cities, towns, parks, and sights. It’s high time you start planning your trip.
Veel plezier en Nederland!
Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.