Enjoy our new travel to The Netherlands! Do you have any idea which are the first eight symbols that represent this amazing country? Join us to find out great tips, useful for your next trip to Holland!
1.TULIPS
The Netherlands is famous for its large and colorful fields of tulips and for this reason, it is called, “the land of tulips and windmills”. Dutch people love flowers, especially tulips. And this fact can be noticed at every street corner, where colorful flowers are carefully hanged or in their courtyards or gardens, particularly cared for.
The Netherlands ranks in the first place, worldwide, as the largest tulips exporter.
The tulip is a traditional symbol of the country, therefore, Dutch people celebrate, annually in January, National Tulip Day.The event takes place in Dam Square in Amsterdam and symbolizes the beginning of the tulip season. Visitors are allowed to pick up tulips for free, in a specially designed garden, in the middle of the square.
The largest garden of flowers from Europe is KEUKENHOF GARDEN, which lies in Lisse (a town that is only 39 km away from Amsterdam). Keukenhof Garden has various assortments of flowers (over 800 varieties), especially tulips, and it is open every year, starting March until May.
I strongly recommend you to visit Keukenhof Garden, at least once, in a lifetime. You will live such a unique and colorful experience, by visiting the large tulip fields and the gardens, designed in such a distinguished manner. Merely, take a look at the underneath photos, and you will convince yourself if a Keukenhof experience worth it or not!
2. WINDMILLS
The windmills are a traditional symbol of the Netherlands. You could find out breathtaking landscapes, with windmills across the country, a symbol that contributes to its beauty.
You will just have the impression that you landed in a fairyland. The most famous areas where you can walk among the age-old windmills are Kinderdijk (Unesco World Heritage), Zaanse Schans, Haarlem (Molen de Adriaan), etc.
3. CANALS
The Netherlands attracts millions of tourists every year, due to its historical and graceful canals of Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft, Amersfoort, Leeuwarden, Groningen.
If you like discovering Dutch history and society, don’t hesitate to take a boat cruise, along canals!
4. WOODEN SHOES OR CLOGS
Clogs or “klompen” are wooden shoes that Dutch people have been wearing since medieval times. Nowadays, the tourists can find a wide range of wooden clogs, that they usually buy as souvenirs.
5. CHEESE
The Netherlands is famous for its delicious cheese.You can taste and buy a multitude of types of cheese, directly from the cheese markets or the specialized cheese stores.
The most famous assortment of cheese is Gouda cheese that originates from Gouda town and represents the most produced type of cheese in the Netherlands.
You can enjoy a unique experience, and you can take a visit tour in a creamery and discover how the Dutch people produce different types of cheese.
The most famous markets where you can taste and buy your favorite cheese are Alkmaar Cheese Market, Volendam Cheese Market, Gouda Cheese Market, Woerden Cheese Market, etc.
6. STROOPWAFEL
Stroopwafel is the original Dutch sweet very popular in the Netherlands and that you can find nowadays worldwide. It consists of two layers of baked dough with caramel syrup.
You can find everywhere in the country, these delicious sweets, for example, in Amsterdam, one of the most known bakeries are Original Stroopwafels, Van Wonderen Stroopwafels, Lanskroon or other sweet spots at Albert Cuyp Market, the largest daily market in Amsterdam.
7. DUTCH ART (Rembrandt, Van Gogh)
The Netherlands is also famous worldwide for its artists, such as Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Piet Mondriaan. If you want to admire the incredible masterpieces of those famous artists, I advise you to make a visit tour at the Rijks Museum. The Rijks Museum represents the national heritage site and is located in Amsterdam. There you will discover more aspects of Dutch history and art. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to admire the Night Watch, one of the most famous Rembrandt paintings. Another art museum, located next to the Rijks Museum is the Van Gogh Museum, a tourist site dedicated to Van Gogh’s artworks.
8. DELFT BLUE POTTERY
Delft Blue is the famous worldwide blue and white hand-painted earthenware, produced in Delft city. Delft is a city located 68 km away from Amsterdam, and you can get easily there through a one-hour train trip. Delft is a beautiful city with a medieval old square and beautiful architecture. Plan a tour to Delft at one of Delft’s blue factories and enjoy a unique experience at a workshop. You can buy beautiful ceramics souvenirs such as vases, plates, pots, ceramics jewelry, etc.
4TRAVEL MEMORIES 