The Netherlands Travel Guide

Windmills with Gently Turning Sails

The Dutch say that while God made the Earth, they made Holland. It’s an understandable claim given that about half of the Netherlands has been reclaimed from the sea. Today, almost a quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level and the country is a latticework of canals, rivers and lakes. Nowhere has the landscape been more elegantly tamed than in Amsterdam, the city of canals and bicycles.

Go with the flow in Amsterdam. Yes, cruising the canals is “touristy” but it’s a wonderful way to admire classic Dutch architecture and see at close quarters how these waterways are still very much the arteries of the city. With the lure of some of the world’s great art museums, the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh’s Museum and Anne Frank’s House, it’s no wonder many visitors never leave Amsterdam.

But beyond the city lie quintessential Dutch towns such as Delft, windmills with gently turning sails reflected in still more canals, reminders of the Second World War at Arnhem (the Bridge Too Far) and, of course, tulips. The Keukenhof Gardens at Lisse explode into colour every spring with nearly eight million bulbs of all kinds.

Explore the countryside and villages surrounding IJsselmeer (a lake that was once part of the North Sea) and you will appreciate the incredible work that has gone into protecting the Netherlands from the power of the ocean.

You’ll want to sample the famous Amstel beer and visit the cheese-makers who gave us edam and gouda. No need to worry about a spreading waistline as the Netherlands is perfect for biking and the Dutch are incredibly cycle-friendly!