Netherlands

Visiting The Netherlands conjures legends – windmills and wooden shoes, dikes and bikes, canals and cheese. Once called Holland (fun fact: many locals still say Holland), this lowland country has inimitable architecture, and ingenious engineering to prevent flooding since 30% of it is below sea level. Nether-land means lowland. What’s wonderful about the “Dutch” nation, not to be confused with Denmark, Belgium, or “Deutsch-land” (aka: Germany), is that much remains unchanged over the centuries. Dutch traditions of farming, fishing, cheese-making, dikes and canals, grand churches and thatched-roof homes, are on display for the curious traveler.

Our best tip: Explore Netherlands by bike, it’s the most bike-friendly country on the planet! Its flat, with designated paved bike paths everywhere, and beautiful countryside and towns. You can reach charming towns every 10-25 miles. 80% of the Dutch regularly bicycle, and you witness that cycling is king here. Even in bustling Amsterdam, bikes have priority over cars and pedestrians! The entire country is the size of Maryland, so you can visit so much, plus bikers can access ferries and trains easily, with Amsterdam as your travel hub, and bike rental location. See more on Self-guided Bike Trips.

Netherland’s countryside still resembles the famous paintings by Van Gogh, Vermeer, and Rembrandt, with long flat fields, flowers, picturesque waterways, and plenty of cows, sheep, and horses. The Netherlands is now 12 provinces, including North and South Holland regions, with Amsterdam as its capital. A surprising network of lakes, rivers, and coastline, even sandy beaches with dunes, make up the diverse Netherlands.

What we love about the Netherlands? (besides the bike-friendly vibe). The Dutch are very efficient, friendly people (though not overtly so, but helpful and pleasant when engaged). 90% of The Dutch speak English well, and willingly, far more friendly than the French for example.

Dutch food is largely local, and fresh without preservatives, additives, etc. The bread is freshly baked, the cheese (Gouda & Edam) is delicious from the cows, sheep and goats you see grazing. The Dutch export potatoes, beets, barley, flowers (tulips of course too), and seafood from their extensive farms, fresh and salt waterways. But the real GNP is petroleum, pharma and tech, which explains why The Netherlands is one of the wealthiest European nations, on par with Switzerland, the #3 economy behind Germany and France in the EU.

Hollands’ flowers are gorgeous – but not just in tulip season (late April to early May). Throughout summer and fall, the cities and countryside are colorful with blossoming hydrangea, roses, iris, and dahlias. Autumn’s sunflowers are phenomenal, like Van Gogh’s 1885 inspiration.

So many Netherlands’ towns and cities have well preserved windmills, grand churches, and welcoming stone courtyard (car-free) plazas. Canals are surrounded by innately clever tall narrow Dutch homes with ornate rococo roofs and shuttered windows. We loved Alkmaar, Volendam, Hoorn, Stavoren, Sneek, and Hindeloopin up in Holland’s north and even further north – The Friesland, and east to Harlingen, Giethoorn, Zwolle. South of Amsterdam, we enjoyed biking to the cheesy places of Gouda, Delft, The Hague, and Leiden.

The Dutch take great pride in their heritage, their tidy homes and gardens, and their storefronts. Even their Royalty is beloved, they respect King Willem and adore beautiful Queen Maxima – whom we enjoyed seeing during September’s annual Prince Day parade in The Hague. Their daughter, Princess of Orange Catarina Amalia, is the heir-apparent to the throne and future Queen of the Netherlands, she has two younger sisters.

Amsterdam is your gateway to exploring The Netherlands, flying into Schiphol and taking an efficient train to the 1889 centerpiece Amsterdam Centraal station. Amsterdam is incredibly walkable or bikeable, your preference – but be warned: the pace of biking amongst locals is brisk and bold. Amsterdam is home to 800,000 people and over 1 million bikes. Fun fact: apparently 25,000 bikes are pulled out of the canals annually!

From Amsterdam, after a day or two visiting the historic city’s highlights, see our top things to do in Amsterdam, rent bikes and go explore on a self-guided bike trip!

You can Rent a Bike from RentaBike.NL – the oldest bike rental of Amsterdam, since 1986, ideally located just off Dam Square, not far from the Train Station. The proprietors Yun and Yan are the best, with a fleet of great bikes (traditional, e-bikes, kids and tandems). You can rent for a day, week or month, and be assured of their guaranteed friendly reliable service. Get the insurance, and use the locks, bike theft is an issue.

Our 12 Day Holland Bike Tour Itinerary – Amsterdam to North Holland, into Friesland, and back, over the Zuiderzee waterways. Visiting unchanged, time-revered towns of Hoorn, Hindeloopin, Sneek, Harlingen, Leeuwarden and Steenwijk, to the cute village of Geithoorn, to Harderwijk, and Amersfoort, and Naarden back to Amsterdam. This tour is about 20-30 miles a day, with phenomenal scenery, nice lodging properties, great sightseeing and dining in each authentic village.

Our 8 Day Holland Cheese Town Bike Tour travels Amsterdam to Gouda, to Delft, The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Edam, and Volendam, back to Amsterdam. This tour is about 20-miles a day, with pastoral scenery, enchanting historic villages, staying in nice lodging properties with international dining, lots of cheese tasting too.

“I don’t need therapy, I just need to go to The Netherlands, and ride a bike.”– anon

Netherlands’ Self-Guided Bike Tours:
Bike Itinerary Amsterdam to Friesland, Hoorn, Giethoorn -12-day cycling tour
Bike Tour Amsterdam to Cheese Towns Gouda, Delft, Hague, Leiden, Alkmaar, Volendam – 8 days cycling