Holland - So Much More Than Windmills, Tulips and Cheese!
By Jimi St Pierre
There's more to Holland than windmills, tulips, canals and
cheese. The country has many lesser-known attractions such
as North Sea beaches, wild heathland, dense forests...and
even hills and caves. Vast landscapes, where a huge sky
hangs over flat farmland, stretches far into the distance.
Here are 10 aspects of a holiday in Holland to help start
your holiday planning and further research.
Cities: Amsterdam is small enough to explore on foot,
taking time out from must-see attractions such as the Anne
Frank House to wander among the maze of canals and charming
side streets. Other cities such as The Hague, Delft and
Utrecht are also rich in history.
Flowers: The countryside around Amsterdam is a vibrant
patchwork of colourful bulb fields in spring. Visit the
gardens at Keukenhof, near Leiden, for spectacular displays
of tulips, narcissi, hyacinths and other flowers.
Cycling: Saddle up and join the Dutch in their favourite
means of transport. Bikes can be hired throughout the
country. The flat-as-a-pancake countryside and well-marked
bike lanes make cycling in Holland easy and fun.
Water: The Dutch landscape is governed by water, from dams
holding back the North Sea to dykes protecting the
low-lying countryside. Enjoy the scenery with a boat trip
on Amsterdam's canals or a sailing holiday on the giant
Ijsselmeer.
Art: Some of the greatest works by Dutch masters can be
seen at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Mauritshuis in
The Hague. Amsterdam also boasts the Van Gogh Museum and
the home of Rembrandt, while Vermeer lived in Delft.
Shopping: Dutch cities offer plenty of retail therapy, from
large malls and department stores to quirky shops
specialising in everything from toothbrushes to comics.
Typical souvenirs include Delft pottery, Edam cheese, bulbs
and wooden clogs.
Beaches: Enjoy traditional seaside fun at North Sea resorts
such as Scheveningen, with miles of sandy beach. For
somewhere quieter, catch a ferry to the tranquil West
Frisian Islands.
Nightlife: Entertainment in Holland can be as lively or
low-key as you want it to be. Rotterdam has a vibrant club
scene, while Amsterdam offers everything from cosy
canal-side bars and cafes to the more dubious delights of
the Red Light District.
Food and drink: Holland's colonial history means Indonesian
food is as much a part of Dutch cuisine as herrings, cheese
and butter. Dutch beer and gin are best sampled in
traditional pubs known as brown cafes. Touring: Getting
around during your holiday in Holland is easy by road, rail
or cycle path. Explore lesser-known towns and cities such
as Leeuwarden and Dordrecht, visit the royal palace of Het
Loo at Apeldoorn, or head south to Maastricht and the hills
and caves around Valkenburg.
Continuous availability of bargain flights to Holland -
plus rail too - is another good reason to explore this
great country.
No matter whether the bulb fields are in full bloom or an
icy wind is blowing in off the North Sea, it's eerily
beautiful at any time of year.
Holland also has the most picturesque towns and cities
imaginable, with narrow gabled houses standing guard over
pretty canals.
Jimi St. Pierre, in collaboration with travel correspondent Penny Church, writes for the map-based holiday destination
and flight finder Travelwhere. On the Travelwhere website at www.travelwhere.co.uk, you can find cheap
flights to Holland along with a wealth of additional information, including the package holiday brochures of
specialist tour operators to Holland.
back to top
