Tips for Indian Travelers to Netherlands
Netherlands is different, it’s flat as a pancake with 50% is below sea level and 20% of the country is reclaimed from the sea. For centuries the natives have fought successfully to keep out the sea and have used windmills powered by the North Sea winds pump out water. This flatness also makes the bicycle their favorite mode of transport. A quarter of all the journeys are made using pedal power and in cities, the proportion is almost a third. Bikes are easy to rent and some come with attachments that can be used to take along kids or goods.
Pub culture is highly developed too, but the Dutch call the pubs' cafes. Most serve food as well as drinks, and in summer, sitting outside in warm sunshine can be a real pleasure.
Amsterdam with its canals and gabled houses is one of Europe’s top attraction for its museums, night-life and creative architecture. One of the best ways to see the city is to take a boat cruise. For tulips, visit the Keukenhof Gardens, amongst the world’s largest growers of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. It’s just 1km west of Lisse.
Rotterdam is Europe’s busiest port and the second largest city with a multi-ethnic population, futuristic architecture and classy restaurants with one of Europe ’s finest museums, the Boijmans van Beuningen in Centre district. Another unusual attraction is next to the gothic Laurenskerk church, where a section of an un-used canal has been turned into a surfing pool with artificially generated 1.5m waves high.
Maastricht has Spanish and Roman ruins (it was ruled by Spain at one time) and has architecture influenced by French and Belgians too. It’s a lively town with little of the traditional Dutch restraint. Steeped in history, every street in this town becomes more than interesting, and the crowds of young university students make it more colorful.
Delft is a small town, good for a day’s excursion. It’s the birthplace of the famous Dutch Painter Johannes Vermeer and Delftware (a blue and white pottery that originated in China). Markt Square in Delft is a pleasant spot for shopping, visiting galleries or just loitering, as it’s just for pedestrians.
Texel Island was originally comprised of two, the Dutch drained the channel separating the two and made it one (old habits die hard). Before the 19th century, this was the stopping point for all ships heading out or returning from Africa, Asia or North America. Texel island has white sand beaches, forests, villages and thousands of sheep. It’s also flat and a favorite of cyclists.
English is widely understood in the Netherlands and most can speak it fluently too. If you book early, you can catch the fabulous summer or fall and get better deals and discounts too. For travel expenses, just carry EbixCash World Money’s Multi-Currency card which is secured by pin/chip technology and 24x7 customer support.
