Everything You Need To Know When Visiting The Netherlands
The Netherlands is all about color, classical art, the history of human civilization, and Dutch culture. Visiting the Netherlands is brimming with iconic tourist attractions. The cheese markets in Alkmaar, Gouda, and Edamto are a reminder of the country’s thriving cheese trade.
When you talk about visiting Netherlands, many travelers only consider Amsterdam, and many of these tourists do not explore beyond the Old Center’s tourist attractions. However, this tiny nation has much more to offer and cultural intricacies that are useful to comprehend. Before embarking on a vacation to the lowlands, there are a few things to consider.
Places to Visit in the Netherlands
It is possible to visit cosmopolitan cities such as Amsterdam and Utrecht. Visit famous museums such as the Van Gogh and Anne Frank houses. You can enjoy distinctive attractions such as antique windmills, canal belts, and Keukenhof, the world’s most extensive flower garden. Discover the bulb fields, cheese markets, wooden shoes, Amsterdam canals, Old Master masterpieces, Delft Blue ceramics, ingenious water management, and countless bicycles.
Cafes
It is only usual to enter a pub and order a coffee or tea in the Netherlands. To experience authentic Dutch coffee culture, you should visit a café. It is typical to see an order of beverages ranging from beer to cola to tea in a café. In a cafe bar, however, your coffee options are limited to coffee with a side of milk, black coffee, a latte, or a cappuccino. In the Netherlands, a cup of coffee will neither be drip coffee nor more than four to six ounces. It is because coffee is prepared similarly to an espresso shot. Like espresso, the beans are ground and pressed freshly, except that coffee beans are utilized, and a more extended “shot” is extracted. Because they are small and fresh, the average Dutch citizen consumes three of these every day. The Dutch incorporate a little biscuit as an extra treat with their hot beverages. Remember that the café is not worth your time if it does not serve cookies on the side!
Accommodation
Typically, only the newest and most prominent hotels have elevators. A hotel with more than 20 rooms is already considered substantial by Dutch standards. Typically, wireless Internet is included in the fee. The Netherlands’ largest hospitality chain is Van der Valk. Small hotels, apartments, guesthouses, and ancient structures turned into hotels are available along the canal for those seeking lodging.
Safety Of Visiting Netherlands
The Netherlands is a highly secure nation. The crime rate is shallow compared to countries in southern Europe, and the law is carefully enforced. It is ranked sixteenth among the world’s safest nations. Occasionally, pickpocketing can be a problem in urban areas or during crowded events. Many reasons contribute to the Netherlands’ low crime rate, including permissive drug laws, a focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, and an electronic ankle monitoring system allowing people to return to work.
Weather
The climate in the Netherlands is moderately marine.The region features mild winters and cool summers. Precipitation, such as rain, often occurs throughout the year; hence there is no dry season. Additionally, the climate is chilly, overcast, and humid throughout the year. The weather is consistent across the country; however, the interior is slightly continental. The coasts are breezy and cool. The average yearly temperatures range from 5°C (41°F) to 14.4°C (57.9°F).
Cost of Travel in the Netherlands
A 7-day trip to the Netherlands costs an average of $1,035 for a solo traveler. It costs $1,560 for a couple and $2,190 for a family of four. Typically, the cheapest period to take a holiday in the Netherlands is between the middle and end of September.
Language
The Dutch now enjoys the distinction of speaking the most acceptable English as a second language in Europe, surpassing the Swedes and the Danes. Don’t hesitate to ask for directions, or advice, or engage in conversation in English. Nearly all residents, especially in Amsterdam, speak some English and are eager to demonstrate their proficiency. Learning a few essential phrases, such as Dankjewel and Goedemorgen, is never bad and will help you break the ice with natives. Additionally, you may realize that you already know more than you think because Dutch has a significant amount of English-derived vocabulary.
Food
For breakfast, the Dutch typically consume buttered bread covered with various items, such as ham, cheese, or jam, and store-bought cereal served with milk. The national dishes of the Netherlands are stamppot boerenkool, Hutspot, erwtensoep, and brown bean soup or bruine bonensoep. Furthermore, even though nasi and bami are Indonesian and Chinese dishes, the Dutch consider them as their own food.
Transportation For Visiting Netherlands
The OV-ChipKaart is the Netherlands’ public transport ticket system and is valid on all trains, trams, buses, and metros. You can purchase a single-use card or an anonymous card, depending on how frequently you want to use public transportation. Use the card readers to check-in and out of your trip, and top up as necessary. The railway is by far the most common mode of public transportation for long-distance travel in the Netherlands.
Currency
Like the rest of Europe, the Netherlands utilizes the euro as its currency. The euro became the official currency of the Netherlands in 2002, although electronic transactions and traveler’s checks used the currency for the first time in 1999.
