Top Netherlands hotels
Red Light District Amsterdam
23 Reviews In the summer this place is heaving with tourists and where there are lots of tourists there are lots of undesirables such as heroin junkies, aggressive beggars, pickpockets and some real ugly looking...
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Dom church and tower Utrecht
1 Review Again a picture of the Domkerk. This church is the biggest in the Netherlands. It was seriously damaged by a hurricane a long time ago and now the tower is no loger linked to the rest of the...
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Coffee Shops Amsterdam
30 Reviews I must say I didn't feel trapped by any coffeeshop I visited, and my goal was to visit as many coffeeshops as I could in two weeks. I got to 33, some of them more than once. I have to say that I...
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Tricks & Scams Amsterdam
20 Reviews I've been to Amsterdam the past week and like every tourist I wanted to bring some tulip bulbs. In Bloemenmarkt (on Singel between Muntplein and Koningsplein) I saw many shops selling big quantities...
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Canal Boat Tours Amsterdam
13 Reviews You can throw things if you want, but I think the canal cruises you get by Centraal station are a disappointment. Especially the ones on closed boats where you sit crammed in with 30 other tourists,...
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Eating and Drinking Amsterdam
26 Reviews These places are everywhere, you can see them all over because they have the same menus and the same signs. Avoid them!!! The food might appear cheap, but really, you get less than what you pay for....
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Main Streets Amsterdam
12 Reviews Perhaps con men is bit harsh, but these people were very annoying. As we stepped off of the train in Amsterdam central, we were bombarded by people trying to 'help' us find a hotel/transportation,...
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Wooden Shoes Amsterdam
11 Reviews I think every tourist to Amsterdam gets trapped in one of these! Very kitschy, but good for a laugh nonetheless. There are a number of these in front of souvenir shops around the city. Get to...
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Souvenirs Amsterdam
9 Reviews I used to work in a souvenir shop on Damrak (the street just off central station) so let me share you a bit on one of the tricks those guys have. In many of these shops there is a display full of...
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Other Museums Amsterdam
23 Reviews Entrance: 15 euros (in 2010) What you get: A lot of Heineken advertising, a childish attraction in which you are a virtual bottle, and three beers along the "experience". As a souvenir you can keep...
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Anne Frank House Amsterdam
11 Reviews Anna Frank House is one of the most famous attractions in Amsterdam and because of this the place is one of the crowded places. Sometimes the line is so big you can see people stand from the house to...
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Diamonds Amsterdam
4 Reviews You will be able to go into so-called diamond factory tours to see the processing of diamonds in Amsterdam. The one I went to was around Van Gogh Museum area. I wouldn't say they are scams, but it...
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Transportation Amsterdam
14 Reviews Beware if you want to travel by bus or trams, the system is a rip off, one has to put the pre paid tkt next to the detector each time your on and off the tram or bus , if you forget once , your tkt is...
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Minted in 2003 to commemorate the 150th birthday anniversary of Vincent van Gogh.To be honest it's not the best designed coin I saw but it is a collector's item. Only 100.000 made.It's silver 925/1000 The alternative is the ordinary 5 euro banknote.You can order this coin (if still available) at www.knm.nl (Royal Dutch Mint)
In the province of Zeeland, the Westerscheldetunnel was opened this month (March 2003)As a consequence, the ferry services across the Westerschelde (Breskens - Vlissingen and Kruiningen - Perkpolder) have been discontinued. I heard rumours on the radio that truck drivers and maybe tourists also ended up in Breskens, not knowing what to do ...;-) Find the entrance to the Westerscheldetunnel!
Anne Frank was one of the Jewish victims of Nazi persecution during the second world war. After Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, increasingly severe anti-Jewish measures began here as well. The Frank family tried to escape by going into hiding. On July 1942, Otto Frank, Edith Frank-Hollander and their daughters Margot and Anne hid in this building on the Prinsengracht. They where later joined by Mr. and Mrs Daan, their sun Peter and Mr. Dussel. The building consists of two parts : a front house and a back anex. Otto Frank's business was located in the front house. The uppermost floors of the back anexe became the hiding place. After more than two years the group was betrayed and deported. Anne and Margot died of typhes in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945, only a few weeks before this concentration camp was liberated. Otto Frank, the only member of the group to survive, returned...
"Gezellig" is a typical Dutch word to describe a situation.The meaning: "gezellig" in a place means: cosy, snug, homey...In reference to a person it means:pleasant, sociable, entertaining.-So far so good.Imagine using the word cosy about 10 times a day...Q: let's have dinner togetherA: yes, gezellig!Q: do you like it here?A: yes, gezellig!Q: do you like this guy?A: yes, he's a gezellige manQ: how was the partyA: gezellig!Proverb:Gezelligheid kent geen tijd(if it's pleasant then time is no issue)-- You can just use and abuse the word "gezellig" for any situation or person.--See photo. It's a sign outside a pub restaurant. It says:LunchDinnerCofee and cake GEZELLIG borrelen (cosy drinking!)- Just don't use it if you don't feel like it. "Gezellig" is rather bourgeois, middle-class, yet it is used extremely often by all Dutch people from all backgrounds.We often laugh about it ourselves...
We're down-to-earth, tolerant, always looking for consensus, generally not agressive and certainly not highly emotional.That's what you should know when talking to us Dutchies.On the other hand we may seem disinterested, asking a lot of questions may come across as impertinent or impolite.Always trying to see both sides of the matter might lead to nothing.You're supposed to have an opinion on anything but not too strong or you'll be cut down for being arrogant. The Dutch have a sense of self-righteousness and political correctness which can be tedious. Our proverbial tolerance is a great thing. But it might just border on disinterest. If something doesn't affect you, you can condone it - maybe you call that tolerance too! Try it out and see if you come to the same conclusions!Check out http://www.zinloosgeweld.nl/10.lng/default.asp (in English)An organisation against senseless violence...
Dutch people usually eat at about 5.30- 6 pm.It is good practice to leave around that time as it isn't very usual to be invited to dinner. Restaurant kitchens mostly close at 9 or 10 pm so if you make a reservation, don't be much later than 8 pm.
--Cultures have different attitudes towards time.A Dutch saying isTijd = Tijd (time = time)andMan van de klok = man of the clock, a punctual person (if said of someone, it is a compliment)Meaning you are expected to be punctual and on time.- --You are expected to be on time in The Netherlands. Business and private appointments alike.Except for parties where arrival 30 min. to an hour after the announced time is usual.But if you expect friends at 8, then expect them to be there at said time!- -Cancel or change appointments well in advance if you want to be liked.
Go to the toilet in a Dutch home and you''ll often find a birthday calendar stuck on the door. Which always makes me wonder: if it is stuck on the door, the women will read it. If it is stuck above the toilet, the men can read it. Toilets in NL will usually be clean. So there's nothing stopping you sitting there and taking ample time to study the birthday calendar at length. You'll find nieces and nephews, wedding anniversaries and deaths.I always check if they have a birthday on my birthday and if I am, in fact, even on their calendar! Come back from the toilet an announce that month's birthdays to your hosts! After all, why wouldn't you have been studying their family and friends if they hang up that info in such a public place.Also announce your own birthday if it's missing from the calendar and be suitably "insulted" if in fact it was ignored :-)))
So you have a spontaneous idea to have a nice evening out or dinner with your Dutch friends. Don't be surprised if you can't make an appointment because nobody's got their diary at hand. Appointments without diaries are not made. Don't be surprised if your "spontaneous" idea can't be followed up in a few days. It'll often take a month to get everyone together. Nothing left for you to do but organise the event if you want to spend time with your friends.It seems that short-notice appointments can only be made with close friends. errr..... I don't have an alternative. Let me check my diary! :-)))
The national colour ORANGE is really used by the Dutch to symbolise unity and nationality.Originally, stadhouder William the Silent, who was of the German Nassau family, at one time became Prince of Orange (that southern French town which used to be a principality). Since then the name Orange evolved to be the national colour.Football games and Queen's Day... the Dutch go mad and paint their faces orange, wear orange clothes and decorate everything orange. Just go along and get yourself some orange attributes too! You don't like orange? Best stay well out of the way! LOL!
Seven Bridges Hotel Amsterdam
4 Reviews and 488 Opinions We almost stayed here. Looked like a charming hotel, although we didn’t see the rooms. It’s in a...
The Manhattan Hotel Rotterdam Rotterdam
6 Reviews and 138 Opinions Right opposite Rotterdam Centraal train station on Weena, is the imposing 5 star Westin hotel. It...
Novotel Maastricht Maastricht
4 Reviews and 178 Opinions It's great to see and witness that the hotel has a heated outdoor swimming pool, which you can use...
Reviews and photos of Netherlands attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Netherlands sightseeing.
Q: A couple of years since I've been back. Nothing stays the same. So, is the old strippenkaart system finally over? I can read...
A: chippenkaartenmarken ;-)
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