House of travel Northern, Central & Eastern Europe Brochure 2017 | Page 12

Experience
Netherlands
T he
Fast Facts
Country Name: The Netherlands
Population: 16.9 Million
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: Euro
Time Zone: 10 hours behind New Zealand
(except during daylight saving)
Electricity: Current is 230V, 50HZ
Plug is a 2 point round-pin adaptor
Festivals and Events 2017
8
21 Jan National Tulip Day, Amsterdam
27 Apr Kings Day, Amsterdam
Apr/May Keukenhof Tulip Festival,
Amsterdam
Jun The Hague Festivals, Hague
03-05 Jun Pinkpop, Maastricht
09-18 Jun Terschelling, Oreol
Aug Grachtenfestival Amsterdam
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. 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!