HOLLAND

HOLLAND

The Netherlands is a small country that has been with nature for the land for centuries. It discovered and presented Australia and New Zealand to the world and founded New York. It cordially waves the blades of its windmills to the tourists and wink at them from the canals glittering in the sun, that streaked the lowland. The patchwork tulip fields gleam in the unimaginable shades of velvet. The Medieval castles seem to be whispering their ancient tales. The inner intellectual rejoices following the paths of Van Gogh, Bosch, and Rembrandt. The contrast between modern cities and farming grounds is an incredible source of inspiration.

General Information
Capital Population Language Currency Territory
Amsterdam 17 333 790 Dutch, English, West Frisian Euro 41 543 km²

Geography

The main body of the Netherlands is located in Western Europe. The country borders on Belgium and Germany and is washed by the North Sea. There are three islands in the Caribbean Sea — Sint Eustatius, Bonaire, and Saba — that are called the Caribbean Netherlands. The country also includes autonomic island states Sint Maarten, Aruba, and Curaçao. Collectively, they form the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Amsterdam

Eindhoven

Gouda

Hague

Leiden

Maastricht

Rotterdam

The Netherlands: gingerbread houses, skyscrapers, and technology

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. When someone mentions this city, many people associate it with the Red Light District and coffee shops. Yes, you’ll give that to the capital. However, the festive cupcake titled Amsterdam has other raisins: a cobweb of river canals, gingerbread houses, floating flower markets, Gothic cathedrals, a diversity of museums, and vibrant jumble markets.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second in size city in the Netherlands. It’s also the largest port in Europe and a real refuge for artistic people and everyone who is looking for the freedom of self-expression. Rotterdam was greatly injured during World War II. It was reconstructed almost from scratch. Practically nothing is left from ancient times. Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk is the only reminder. The futuristic building of the market, cubical houses, the enormous Erasmusbrug - Rotterdam seems to be a real city from the future.

Hague

While Amsterdam bemuses tourists, and Rotterdam tempts with liberty, the Hague imposes sentences and govern the country. The International Court of Justice is based here. Moreover, the Parliament sits in sessions here and it’s a residence of the Royal Family. Contemporary skyscrapers, baroque architecture, Art Nouveau, and the gorgeous Binnenhof and Lange Voorhout castles create a marvelous contrast in the Hague. If you are overfilled with the pompous city landscapes, head to the Scheveningen beach. It is widely regarded as the best sea resort in the Netherlands.

Maastricht

While being in the Netherlands, devote one day to Maastricht. The town is located in the south of the country. It borders on Belgium and Germany. A train from Amsterdam leaves every half an hour. Maastricht keeps its history carefully. Here you shall find around 1700 national monuments. In the number of attractions, the town can compete only with the capital. The Basilica of Saint Servatius, Château Neercanne, and Caves of Maastrichtdefinitely deserve tourists’ attention. Besides, Maastricht is a famous shopping center. There are hundreds of boutiques, shops, and trade exhibitions in the central street.

Delft

The Netherlands is especially charming in the upcountry. The tiny and toy-like town of Delft is a leading developer of the latest technologies. It received many architectural attractions from the period of William I, Prince of Orange: the City Hall with red blinds, the Tower of the Nieuwe Kerk, the Prinsenhof, and many others.

Leiden

The oldest castle in the Netherlands is located in Leiden. It’s a homeland of Rembrandt, a famous DJ Armin van Buuren, and the artist Margriet van Breevoort who created the renowned “Homunculus loxodontus”. It’s not shameful to read what’s written on the walls of the houses. Instead of obscene symbols and words, the facades are decorated with poems of great poets.

National Peculiarities

Women constitute only 38% of labor power. Moreover, they frequently don’t work a full-day. Actually, the women started working here not so long ago, in the 1980s. In the Netherlands, people believe that a woman should devote more time to children. Moreover, it’s a beneficial decision for some families from the economic point of view.

The Dutch are open people, but they know when to stop (and you should also). For example, if someone shares with you some excellent news about getting a new job, don’t ask about the salary. It’s considered to be ignorance that can easily deserve a rude reply.

The citizens of the Netherlands know nothing about spontaneous actions. They literally plan everything for days or even weeks in advance. Even if it’s a simple meeting with friends to the pub or to the movies. Everything is caused by the common life system. Thus, making an appointment with the specialist doctor can be dragged out for 4 months. The habit of planning has already deeply entered all spheres of life, including leisure activities.

This country uses a term of “burnout” when the person is desperately tired at work. In this case, he or she can easily take a special vacation. What’s important, it’s absolutely legal and official. In other words, the employee goes to the manager and explains the situation. The manager sends the employee to the doctors responsible for labor hygiene who gives certain recommendations. Following them is an absolute must. The doctor controls your treatment in the medical card. During this vacation, an employee gets his salary. After the recovery, an employee can return to his or her duties. Almost all types of drugs are depenalized in the Netherlands. People who just want to relax can simply go to the nearest coffee shop and legally purchase some cannabis. The coffee shops are regulated by law. People treat smoking cannabis as another kind of cultural leisure.