– Netherlands TRAVEL GUIDE –
Country: Netherlands
National capital: Amsterdam
Population: 16,509,303 people
Area: 41,526 square kilometers
Currency: euro
Language: Dutch, Frisian
The symbol of the Netherlands, are windmills, cheese and flowers – mainly tulips, which play a significant role in the country’s economy. Many tourists agree that there is nothing more beautiful, despite the impressive architecture of the old cities, than the landscape of Keukenhof Park, which houses the world’s largest collection of bulb flowers – including 6 million tulips. The Netherlands, because of its location, is also a country of canals and bike paths. There are more than 1,200 bridges in Amsterdam alone, and every resident of the Netherlands owns a bicycle. There are twice bikes than cars.
-Netherlands travel guide –
Liberal, partying and a little naughty, Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most interesting and diverse capitals. On the one hand it charms with its network of tangled canals, gingerbread-like townhouses and interesting museums, while on the other it tempts with smoky cafes, lively nightclubs and the mysterious red-light district. Among the city’s biggest attractions are: Amsterdam’s Royal Palace, De Wallen – Amsterdam’s famous red-light district, Amsterdam’s oldest church Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum and Amsterdam’s most visited museum – the Anne Frank Museum.
Den Haag jest miastem rządowym. Tu mieści się parlament i tu też stale mieszka król Wilhelm-Aleksander. Warto zobaczyć symetryczny fronton gmachu Binnenhof, najstarszego kompleksu zabudowań w mieście, będącego od wieków właśnie siedzibą parlamentu. Haga, mimo swojej historii, jest miastem nowoczesnej architektury. Haga to także wielkie parki i położony nieopodal bardzo atrakcyjny nadmorski kurort Scheveningen.
Alkmaar is another town in the country that is on the list of the most charming places in the Netherlands to visit. The old town tempts tourists with its historic Sint-Laurenskerk church, as well as a traditional cheese market where… you can’t buy cheese. The town also has a beer museum, a museum of Dutch cheese and a museum of… the Beatels because it was in Alkmaar that John Lennon’s first guitar was made. The famous market is one of several original markets, operating every Friday during the tourist season on Waagplein Square.
The small town located just a few minutes from Amsterdam is ideal for those who can’t stand the crowds. Haarlem, sometimes referred to as „little Amsterdam,” is less frequented by tourists, so prices are already much better here. In the city, located on the banks of the Spaarne River, there is also something to see. There are numerous museums, it is worth seeing the famous market or Grote Markt and the Grote Kerk church located there, the town hall and the Frans Hals art museum. Tourists are also attracted by the Jopen restaurant-brewery occupying the interior of the former church.
The Netherlands is associated with windmills. If you’ve ever seen pictures of Dutch windmills, it was probably the windmills in Kinderdijk. This village, located about 15 kilometers drive from Rotterdam, is one of the country’s most iconic places.
Flowers are blooming all over the Netherlands since early spring: crocuses, narcissi, hyacinths and, of course, tulips. Every flower lover should see the famous Keukenhof, home to the world’s largest collection of bulb flowers, including 6 million tulips. Also worth a visit are the world’s largest flower auctions, which highlight how this tiny country supplies the world with flowers.
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