Netherlands - overview
The Netherlands is a country partly reclaimed
from the waters of the North Sea, and around
half of it lies at or below sea level. Land
reclamation has been the central theme of
its history, the result being a country of
beautiful and unique images ? flat, fertile
landscapes dotted with windmills and church
spires; fields of brightly coloured tulips,
ornately gabled terraces beside peaceful
canals; and mile upon mile of grassy dunes,
backing onto stretches of unspoiled sandy
beaches. Accompanied by these images, the
Netherlands is one of the most developed
countries in the world and combines liberal
attitudes with an extremely orderly society.
The low lying areas are very fertile, and
it is in these areas you will see the beautiful
fields of Tulips, and the cliched images
of Windmills. A confident mix of old and
new, Amsterdam, the capital city, features
beautiful 17th- and 18th-century buildings
and boasts some world-class museums, most
notably the Van Gogh Museum, where visitors
can marvel at the work of one the Netherlands’
most famous sons, and the Rijksmuseum, home
to some of the world’s finest artworks,
including those by famous Dutch artist Rembrandt.
Take a trip to the Anne Frank House, the
house where young Anne Frank provided her
own unique account of Amsterdam’s occupation
by the Nazis during World War II. Nightlife
in Amsterdam is as mixed as the city itself,
with something for everyone’s tastes available.
A trip to Amsterdam would not be complete
without renting a bicycle (Holland has more
bicycles than residents), or cruising down
the canals by boat.
The Hague is the administrative and governmental
seat of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Rotterdam
is one of the few thoroughly modern cities
in the Netherlands. It is located at the
heart of a maze of rivers and is one of Europe’s
most important ports, there is something
for everyone in this buzzing city. The town
of Delft is also famous for its distinctive
blue and white pottery. |
