The Netherlands is a country known around the world for its liberal attitudes, its tolerance towards other people, and its impact on European history. Small villages, scenic canals and hard-partying University towns make the Netherlands a perfect mix for travellers.

Explore cheap tours in Amsterdam.

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The Netherlands is situated in Western Europe, bordering Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. To the west the country faces the North Sea and the United Kingdom. Although a small country geographically, covering only 41,526 square kilometres, the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a population of approximately 16,500,000.

The Netherlands is unique in that much of it is below sea level, but has been reclaimed and protected by dikes. Around two thirds of the land is less than one metre above sea level. With such a vast amount of the country being flat, this makes the Netherlands the perfect country for cycling. Only in the extreme south of the country does the landscape differ significantly, in the foothills of the Ardennes Mountains.

Culturally the Netherlands is famous for its tolerant attitudes. Prostitution is decriminalised here for prostitutes registered at a permitted brothel. This can be seen most prominently in areas of the bigger cities, such as the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Sex shops, sex shows, sex museums and drug museums are also popular. The sale, possession, and consumption of small quantities of cannabis, is while technically still illegal, is officially tolerated. You can purchase cannabis in many of the country’s coffee shops, although there are moves to stop foreigners from buying the drug.

City focus: Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, and one of the most visited destinations in Europe. With its stunning architecture, beautiful criss-crossing canals, and famous nightlife, it’s not hard to see why.

The Amsterdam that most visitors experience focuses highly around the city centre, a semi-circle with Centraal Station at its apex. The city centre is broken into four main areas -– The Old Centre, Canal Ring, Jordaan, and Plantage.

The Old Centre is the oldest and most-visited area of Amsterdam. It is known for its traditional architecture, canals, shopping, and many coffee shops. Most of what goes on here evolves around Dam Square, Nieuwmarkt, and the Red Light District. The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is home to the city’s Rembrandt Square, Leiden Square, and some of the city’s prime nightlife spots. Jordaan is a traditional working-class area gone upmarket, with plenty of art galleries, hip boutiques and restaurants, while Plantage is a leafy area with lots of greenery, botanical gardens, and Artis Zoo.

Getting to and from The Netherlands

Most visitors arrive into the Netherlands by plane. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport is a European hub, and the fourth-largest airport in Europe. Travellers can easily fly in from almost any international destination via a range of different airlines, including the Netherlands largest airline KLM.

Other international airports in the Netherlands include Eindhoven Airport, Maastricht Aachen Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, and Groningen Airport Eelde. These smaller airports are mainly serviced by low-cost budget airlines. It is also possible to come into the Netherlands via airports in surrounding countries, such as nearby Duesseldorf International Airport, and Brussels Airport.

There are many international high-speed trains running in and out of Amsterdam Centraal Station everyday. You can often find very cheap prices, provided you book well enough in advance, via the Dutch Railways website NS Hispeed. Eurolines, the budget international coach service, also have a base here in Amsterdam, servicing over 500 European destinations.

Ferries run regularly to the Netherlands across the North Sea from the UK. The most popular routes include Harwich to Hook of Holland, Hull to Rotterdam, and Newcastle to Amsterdam (Ijmuiden).

All EU and EFTA citizens need for travel to the country is an officially approved ID card or passport. They do not need a visa for any length of stay.

Getting around The Netherlands

Bus

There are frequent local bus services throughout the Netherlands, most of which usually connect with the train network, and allow you to reach most small villages easily.

There are four main bus companies in the Netherlands – Connexxion, Veolia, Arriva, and Qbuzz. A few large cities also have their own bus company.

Fast long-distance buses are only available on a small number of routes that aren’t covered by the rail network. These buses have special names that differ by region, such as Q-liner, Brabantliner, and Interliner, and have different tariffs. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht all have night-bus services running within their cities, though only Amsterdam has a service running all night and every night.

Train

There are two main types of trains servicing the country: Intercity trains, and trains which stop at every station. Both types of train cost the same, with the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) operating most routes. Some local lines are operated by Syntus, Arriva, Veolia or Connexxion.

There is a convenient night train service for party-goers and airport traffic, running all night between Rotterdam, Delft, Den Haag, Leiden, Schiphol, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. On Friday and Saturday nights, North – Brabant is also served, going to Dordecht – Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven, Tilburg, and Breda.

Tram: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, and Utrecht all have large city tram networks, which are one of the most popular forms of public transport within the country.

Metro: Both Amsterdam and Rotterdam have a metro network which runs mainly on elevated railways outside the city centres, and underground within the centres.

Car and camper rental

In the Netherlands, a driver always takes responsibility for an accident with a cyclist, no matter the circumstances. You should always take care of cyclists and pedestrians, but even more so in the Netherlands.
Up to 25% off car rental when you pay online with Europcar!

Cycling and hiking

One of the most popular ways to get around the Netherlands is by bike. This is due to the flat landscape, and also due to the infrastructure –- cycle paths, cycle lanes, and sign-posted cycle routes can be found throughout the country.

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• Chill out at a Coffee Shop. You’ll find many Coffee Shops to sample some cannabis in all of the main cities in the Netherlands. In particular the city centre of Amsterdam has many coffee shops to choose from.
• Experience the Red Light District. Whether you are just curious to view the prostitutes in the windows, or you want to go to a sex show, sex shop, or sex museum, Amsterdam’s Red Light District in particular is an experience.
• Visit the Anne Frank Museum. The story of Anne Frank is one that is sobering, and which needs to be heard. The Anne Frank Museum allows you to do this, and view the house that she lived in.
• Marvel at the Rijksmuseum. View some incredible classics, and also some incredible architecture in the building itself.
• Tour the canals in Utrecht. Forget paying the tourist prices in Amsterdam, head to nearby Utrecht and do the canal tour there. It’s much cheaper and just as beautiful.
• Cycle the Dutch countryside. Take advantage of the flat land, hire a bike, and head out into the beautiful Dutch countryside for views of stunning landscape, animals, and windmills!
• Eat some frites. The Dutch love their frites! They’re essentially freshly cooked fries with a dollop of tomato ketchup and mayonnaise! Yum!
• Try on some clogs. Traditionally used (but seldom any more), try on a pair of clogs!
• Visit Vondelpark. The largest city park in Amsterdam and with over 10 million visitors per year, Vondelpark is a great place to people-watch, and hang out in during summer.
• Party with some Heineken. If ever there was an excuse to party, drinking some Heineken Beer at the Heineken Experience is it!

Find cheap tours in Amsterdam.

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This page was written by “Runaway” Jane Meighan. Find her guide to Amsterdam at Jane’s Guide to Amsterdam.