Traveling to The Netherlands

For most people, a trip to The Netherlands (aka Holland which is actually the name of a region not the country) is really just a stop over in Amsterdam when backpacking at some point in your 20s. Despite Amsterdam being the only city that many people can identify as being Dutch, The Netherlands is actually a very scenic country with loads to do. If you are interested in seeing sights other than the Red Light District and Pot Brownies I have some fabulous recommendations. (Don't worry Amsterdam is included too). Because I lived in The Hague for several months I will divide this into two posts, one on various day trips that you can take and one on The Hague itself....

Amsterdam: While it may be the most recognizable city in The Netherlands it certainly is not the most Dutch. Hoards of drunken tourists walk streets filled with McDonalds, Burger King, and a variety of Argentinian and Mexican restaurants. (Why Mexican restaurants are so easy to find in The Netherlands compared to the rest of Europe is beyond me but if anyone knows why I am dying to know).

Despite numerous trips to Amsterdam I have only ever had two good meals. The first is in China Town near the main train station at a Thai place called 'The little Thai Prince'. It is located at 33-A Zeedijk street and literally almost every person I have taken says it is the best Thai food they have ever had (the exception was my boyfriend when he had the misfortune of eating during boat week- what I took to be Amsterdam's version of fleet week and to be avoided at all costs). The other decent meal I had was in the restaurant of the Eden Amsterdam American Hotel (right by Leidseplein). Here you can get classic Dutch dishes such as chicken satay, croquettes, and bitterballen. http://www.edenamsterdamamericanhotel.com/en/restaurant.aspx

Also Leidsplein itself is a great area to sit at for a drink (although slightly overpriced as is everything in Amsterdam compared to elsewhere).

As for sights, taking a boat ride along the canal is a great way to see the city. You can either do it with one of the standard tourist boat operators or if you are feeling particularly adventurous it is not that difficult to hire one of your own. The tourist boats go from near the museums and near Leidsplein.

Amsterdam also has a plethora of fantastic museums to go to including the Anne Frank house (buy tickets in advance as the line can be absolutely insane), the van Gogh museum (lines can be long but move quickly) and the Rijksmuseum which houses the famous painting 'The Night Watch'. All are worth seeing but please be aware that the Van gogh museum normally does not have Stary Night (that is at the MOMA). There are various other museums in Amsterdam for those looking to do more than the most famous but these certainly are the big ones.

Other sites worth seeing include the beautiful Vondelpark, the three big canals (easily seen strolling down Leidsestraat) and the floating flower market. Of course there is also the red light district (be very careful not to point your camera in a direction that could imply you are taking a photo of one of the girls).


Red light district.


If you arrive early and move quickly, Amsterdam can easily be done in a day but you certainly never need more than two (unless you want to sleep all day and party all night). Because of the speed with which you can see the city (and the ease with which you can move around the entire country) it is wise to have multiple places to visit on your itinerary.

Gouda is a great little city (and obviously where the cheese comes from) which even has cheese wheels floating in the canals. It is a very very small little town so a morning is all that is really necessary.

Delft is also an absolutely adorable Dutch city which is well worth half a day as well (and very near Gouda so it is easy to combine the two). It is possible to climb the church in Delf (Nieuwe Kerk) but note that the stair case accommodates people going both up and down, is very steep, very narrow, and two giant Americans simply cannot pass at the same time). My friends and I actually had an amazing afternoon on a boat in Delf. Using Canal Hopper (http://www.canalhopperdelft.com/) we secured a boat for super cheap, it came with a driver and we were allowed to bring our own food and drink on (you can also have them cater for you). It was a fantastic way to see the city. There are also plenty of restaurants that allow you to sit on barges in the canal as well. All in all a great afternoon out in the city. Also my friend claims that the best poffertjes (small pancakes) are in Delft and a must as well. The place is called Ijssalon Van Bokhoven and it is on Boterburg.


The poffertjes.

Rotterdam: This Dutch city is unlike most others you will come across, famed for its architecture it is pretty nifty but not nearly as cute as the other towns (because it is not a sleepy little town it also has much better night life). Scope out the bridges that stretch across the river, the cube houses, and the giant market while here.

Leiden : is another city not very far from The Hague. It has a university frequented by many scholars of international law and is a pretty fantastic place in general. The best time to go to Leiden is for Leiden day (everyone wears red, celebrates getting rid of the Spanish, go on rides, and get drunk) this usually happens in late September and is a very festive time to go!

Also, while not a town Zaanse Schans is a great place to see a bunch of dutch windmills on the river (I was obsessed with taking photos of windmills). It is more reachable from Amsterdam so if you are splitting your time between staying in The Hague and Amsterdam while traveling around I would recommend including this while based in Amsterdam. It has loads of little reenactment shops you can pay to go into, or if you prefer you can just stroll around without paying. Cafe's on the other side of the river allow you to eat with a fantastic view!


Last but not least, the famed dutch tulips. The most famous place to see these tulips would be the Keukenhof Gardens: http://www.keukenhof.nl/

The best time to go would be April if you want to see the tulips (you really should) and it is worth a whole day if not at least half of one. If you are not renting a car it is a bit tricky to get there (you take a bus from a bus stand outside the airport, making it equally accessible from both The Hague and Amsterdam). Please know that the gardens are not open all year round, so if you want to go please check the website before planning your trip!