An amazing and full of secrets country in the North-Western part of Europe - the Netherlands, for the most part located below sea level. The Netherlands (or Holland) is famous for its picturesque corners of the wild, scattered throughout the windmills, bright flowering fields and busy streets of modern cities.
And here is our selection of 13 of the most beautiful places that you must see in the Netherlands.
1
Amsterdam
It will be commonplace, but Amsterdam is an amazing place! Here you will be amazed by the fields of magnificent tulips, narrow canals over the Amstel River and hospitable residents.
The largest and most attractive city in the country delights visitors to the capital of the Netherlands with magnificent historical museums, vibrant nightlife and unique cuisine.
Amsterdam is also called the bicycle capital of the world. Amsterdam leads the world in the number of abandoned bicycles on the streets of the city.
For a better acquaintance with the country, we advise you to visit the Van Gogh Museum, the house of Anne Frank, the Hermitage on Amstel and, of course, the Museum of the city. A trip to the controversial Red Light District (Red Light District), once famous for coffee houses with hemp and neon lighting for brothel windows, can be interesting. Now the gathering places of the creators of contemporary art are concentrated here: tattoo parlors, art coffee houses, art studios.
Amsterdam also has the headquarters of the world's largest companies and corporations, for example, Greenpeace, Philips and ING Groep.
2
De Hoge Veluwe National Park
If you love outdoor recreation, among the wild but picturesque nature, then the Hoge Veluwe National Park is what you need. It occupies 5,400 ha in the province of Gelderland and is the country's largest natural reserve.
Hoge Veluwe can be considered a great example of what can happen when sport, art and culture meet an unruly nature.
The main attractions of the national park include:
- The Kröller-Muller Museum, which houses the largest private collection of Van Gogh paintings;
- Museum Museum (Underground Museum) - one of the best sculptural gardens in the world;
- Hunting Lodge Jachthuis Sint Hubertus.
For convenience, the park provides almost 2,000 free white bikes and an audio guide that guides the tour in different languages. There are only 3 cycling routes, each of which passes through the magnificent corners of the park. The road is paved and equipped with signs and markings.
Did you know that the Netherlands is on the list of the safest countries for tourists to visit?
3
Keukenhof
The main pride of the state is Keukenhof Gardens, which is also called the "Garden of Europe" or the "Royal Park". It is located in the tiny town of Liss, between Amsterdam and The Hague. This park is the second largest natural flower garden in the world after Dubai Miracle Garden. The park is open from the 20th of March until the end of May, except for days coinciding with European holidays. It was at this time that all 32 hectares of the park were filled with bright colors and exciting aromas.
However, in addition to admiring the beauty of nature, tourists can visit various flower exhibitions, fairs and master classes in floristry. Fine light meals and refreshing drinks are available at local cafes and open-air restaurants.
The park is divided into three greenhouses, each of which contains completely different plants.
4
Rotterdam
Amsterdam's main competitor in the fight for tourists is Rotterdam. This is the second city in the country in terms of population.
Here you will see many amazing buildings, such as cubic houses, Rotterdam Covered Market, 185-meter Euromast Tower and others. It was here that in 2010 the largest mosque in Europe was opened. The cultural life of the city unfolds mainly in the midst of the summer tourist season. The highlight of the city is the Zomercarnaval Caribbean-style Summer Carnival.
In the photo: Rotterdam Covered Market.
One of the most dynamic cities in Europe, Rotterdam is made famous by its nightclubs and auto parties. And the port of Rotterdam is one of the ten largest ports in the world.
5
Delft
Typical small Dutch town between Rotterdam and The Hague. Delft is the main center of industrial and technical development in the country. The largest educational institutions and laboratories of the Netherlands are concentrated here.
World famous for its blue and white clay pottery (Delftware), Delft is still the stronghold of the country's crafts.
Many monasteries, chapels, palaces have long been open to tourists. Sightseeing tours are quite cheap and interesting. Every visitor to Delft must see the local city museum, flower parks, and the State Arms Museum.
Delft's charm lies in its relaxed atmosphere in a romantic setting.
6
Maastricht
The administrative center of the province of Limburg, the town of Maastricht is located in the southeastern part of the country, almost on the border with Belgium and Germany. The city owes its name to the Meuse River, flowing through the territories of the Netherlands, France and Belgium.
The city has long been famous for combining old and new art, scientific progress and picturesque nature. Discover the rich culture and history of the country will help visiting the museum of local lore, as well as local libraries. The old town, with its cobbled squares, parks, stylized restaurants and cafes, is a great place to spend a weekend.
Among the huge number of Maastrint temples and chapels, St. Servation Cathedral and the Basilica of the Virgin Mary stand out especially. All these buildings practically did not change their appearance for many hundreds of years of their existence.
7
Kinderdijk Windmills
In the province of South Holland, about 15 kilometers east of Rotterdam, there is a small village of Kinderdijk. It is easily accessible by car, train or bus. And even in the midst of the tourist season, excursion groups are delivered here by boat.
There are many places that highlight the unique features of the Netherlands. Among them are beautiful Dutch landscapes with old windmills. The 19 mills of the village of Kinderdijk are protected by UNESCO and are very popular to visit in this area.
These mills were designed and constructed back in 1740 to prevent flooding, and have been preserved to this day. Nowadays, thousands of tourists come here every year to enjoy this special rural landscape and learn a lot of interesting things about the brilliant Dutch water management.
8
Harlem
20 kilometers west of Amsterdam on the banks of the Sparne River, is the city of Haarlem - the capital of North Holland, where there is the largest concentration of museums in the country.
The central market square of Grote Markt (Grote Markt) delights the Town Hall, the meat rows, souvenir shops and the huge church of St. Bavon. Many cathedrals of different religions, public libraries, museums and parks will surely appeal to all lovers of history and culture.
9
Hague
The third largest city in the Netherlands is located in the west of the country off the coast of the North Sea.
Behind the scenes, The Hague is called the “Judicial Place”, because it is here that the UN International Court of Justice, the international criminal and arbitration courts are located.
This place attracts with its outstanding architecture, beautiful squares and museums of fine art, incredible modern skyscrapers, golden beaches and hundreds of shops and shopping areas for shopping.
The main tourist attractions of The Hague:
- Miniature Park Madurodam;
- Prison Exit Museum (Gevangenpoort);
- Chic beach resort of Scheveningen.
TheBiggest strongly advises visiting the Royal Mauritshuis Art Gallery and the famous and impressive Binnenhof complex of government buildings.
10
Alkmaar cheese market
Held every year at Woegplein Square in Alkmaar, this cheese market is one of the main venues and events of the Netherlands. Due to its long history, which dates back to 1593, the market has become an important part of Dutch culture.
Typically, the Alkmaar cheese market season begins on the first Friday of April and lasts until the first Friday of September. Fares and demonstrations are available from 10:00 to 12:30.
Combining the charm of medieval decorations and tastings of world-class Dutch cheese, as well as sellers in traditional costumes, an excursion here will look like an amazing trip through the entire Dutch culture.
11
Efteling Theme Park
This place in the small town of Katsgöfel in the southern part of the country is considered one of the most visited in the Netherlands. Efteling, founded in 1952, is the oldest and largest theme park in the world. It is larger than the famous Disneyland almost twice!
In the photo: Efteling Park. Photo by: Irina Chimina / wikipedia.org.
The park is divided into five different zones. Each with its own theme and has many attractions to entertain the whole family. Here you will find everything from wide open green areas to concert and theater venues.
There are 6 roller coasters and more than 40 other attractions. Children are entertained by animators in the images of their favorite cartoon characters and local legends.
12
New Dutch water line
The Dutch have always been known for their fierce struggle with the country's greatest enemy - sea water. Great help in this matter was the New Dutch Water Line - a colossal fortification of 135 kilometers in length.
The breathtaking scenery here is full of delightful villages, beautiful lakes and rivers, museums and castles. Stone forts - towers made of solid masonry, are still firmly and reliably standing guard over the country.
There are no centralized excursions here, but the place is not closed for hiking and cycling.
13
Waddenzee Nature Reserve (Wadden Sea)
The Wadden Sea is the most specific and important reserve, which is located on the border of the Netherlands and Germany. Millions of birds, many different types of fish exist well here, and on the shores colonies of seals are conveniently located. According to biologists, at some points the number of migratory birds in the Wadden Sea amounts to 20 million.
Image taken based on a photograph by Uberprutser.
Since 2009, the park has been included in the list of unique sites protected by UNESCO. Here, natural processes occur without human intervention.
Located in the province of Groningen, on the Dutch coast, this area is the only natural habitat of many endemic living creatures. It covers an area of almost 2,500 km².
Residents of nearby villages organize popular walks in shallow water for tourists. Some Dutch people consider such walks to be a separate sport.
Finally
So we got acquainted with the main attractions that you definitely should see in the Netherlands. As you can see, this is a wonderful country with amazing places, captivating culture, interesting traditions, beautiful architecture and rich history. What are your favorite places in the Netherlands? We are waiting for your comments.