Netherlands Travel Guide
This country of tulips, windmills and bicycles stretches out over a predominantly flat landscape of land reclaimed from the sea. Sophisticated urban centres and sleepy rural towns are contained within the expansive vistas broken here and there by canals, castle walls and dikes. Europe's most densely populated region is located within an area of the Netherlands called the Randstad. This urban hub radiates in a circle from Amsterdam and includes The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, as well as the smaller towns of Haarlem, Leiden and Delft. The metropolitan centres buzz with the activity of seasonal festivals, cultural activities, vibrant art scenes and excellent pubs and restaurants.
The cultural heritage that flavours much of Dutch life can be traced back through time. During the 1600s the Netherlands dominated the world both economically and culturally. The Dutch East India Company established trading links with the East and West Indies bringing back an abundance of merchandise and cultural influences. The Golden Age reached its zenith in the artworks of the Dutch Masters - Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Jan Vermeer. Today, their paintings hang from the walls of the cities' numerous museums and galleries.
Most people travelling to the Netherlands head for the unique experience of its capital city, Amsterdam. The other parts are largely unaffected by tourism, particularly the areas outside the Randstad. The southern parts of the country are transformed by undulating landscapes of shifting sands and heath moors, best experienced within the Hoge Veluwe National Park. Further south, tucked between the German and Belgian borders, lies the historical city of Maastricht.
Since the collapse of Napoleon's empire in 1814, the Netherlands has taken a neutral stance throughout most of the world's conflicts, including the First World War in which it took no part. In spite of this independent stance it still suffered severely in World War II during the Nazi invasion of 1940. Its neutral political position, combined with its tradition of liberalism and tolerance has made the Netherlands the logical choice for the establishment of the International Court of Justice, which is situated in The Hague.
Anne Frank House
Address: Prinsengracht 267 (Westerkerk) Amsterdam
Admission: EUR8.50 (adults), EUR4 (children aged 10 to 17) Open daily from 9am to 7pm (September 15 to March 14); and from 9am to 9pm (15 March to 14 September). Note that the queues can be long, but that tickets can be bought online in advance
Telephone: (020) 556 7105
Van Gogh Museum
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 7 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR14 (adults), children under 17 are free Open daily from 10am to 6pm (until 10pm on Fridays)
Telephone: (020) 570 5200
The Rijksmuseum
Address: Jan Luijkenstraat 1 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR12.50 (adults). Under 18s are free and concessions are available Open daily rom 9am to 6pm (closing at 10pm on Fridays). Closed 1 January
Telephone: (020) 674 7000
Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art
Address: Post CS building, Oosterdokskade 5 (temporary location until end of 2008) Amsterdam
Admission: EUR9 (adults), EUR4.50 (children 7 to16), EUR22.50 (family pass). Other concessions available Open daily from 10am to 6pm. Closed 1 January
Telephone: (020) 573 2911
Rembrandt House
Address: Jodenbreestraat 4 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR9 (adults), EUR2.50 (children 6-15). Other concessions available Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Closed 1 January
Telephone: (020) 5200 400
Amsterdam Historisch Museum
Address: Kalverstraat 92 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR10 (adults), EUR5 (children aged 6 to 16) Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm; Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Closed 1 January, 30 April and 25 December
Telephone: (020) 523 1822
Red Light District (De Wallen)
Address: Amsterdam
Our Dear Lord in the Attic (Museum Amstelkring)
Address: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR7 (adults), EUR1 (children 5-18). Other concessions are available Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm (open from 1pm on Sundays and public holidays). Closed 1 January and 30 April
Telephone: (0)20 624 6604
The Dutch Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum)
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 61 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR7.50 (adults), EUR4 (children 7-15). Other concessions available Open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 5pm; Open Saturday, Sunday, Monday and public holidays from 12pm to 5pm
Telephone: 020 620 2535
The Royal Palace (Koninklijk Paleis)
Address: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 147, Dam Square Amsterdam
Admission: EUR7.50 (adults), EUR6.50 (children) Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 5pm. Guided tours can be booked by calling (020) 624 8698
Telephone: (0)20 620 4060
Maastricht
Address: Maastricht is located 133 miles (215km) from Amsterdam Amsterdam
Telephone: +31 (0)43 325 2121
International Court of Justice
Address: Carnegieplein 2 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR5 (adults) and EUR3 (children) Guided tours operate from Monday to Friday, at 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm
Telephone: (0)70 302 4242
Waterland Neeltje Jans
Address: Eiland Neeltje Jans, Faelweg 5 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR16 (adults), concessions available Open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm (winter), and daily from 10am to 5.30pm (summer)
Telephone: (0)111 655 655
Royal Delftware Factory
Address: Rotterdamseweg 196, Delft Delft
Admission: EUR6.50 (adults), Children under 12 free Open daily from 9am to 5pm (25 March to 1 November), and Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5 pm (2 November to 24 March). Closed between Christmas and New Years' Day
Telephone: +31 (0)15 251 2030
National Maritime Museum
Address: Kattenburgerplein 1 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR6 Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Open on Mondays from mid-June to mid-September. Closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Queen's day (30 April)
Telephone: +31 (0)20 5232 222
Heineken Experience
Address: Stadhouderskade 78 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR16 Open daily from 11am to 7pm
Telephone: +31 (0)20 523 9222
Amsterdam Coffeeshops
Address: Amsterdam
Artis Zoo
Address: Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR18.95 (adults); EUR15.50 (children); EUR17.50 (senior 65+). Concessions are available. Ticket also provides admission to Planetarium, Geological Museum, Aquarium and Zoological Museum 1 April to 31 October: Open daily from 9am to 6pm; 1 November to 31 March: Open daily from 9am to 5pm
Telephone: (0)20 523 3400
Eftling
Address: Amsterdam
Admission: EUR29 (general admission); Children under 4 free. Concessions are available. Open daily between 1 April and 1 November from 10am to 6pm
Telephone: (0)41 628 8111
Madurodam
Address: George Maduroplein 1, The Hague Amsterdam
Admission: EUR14.50 (Adults), EUR10.50 (Children). Concessions are available Open daily. 4 July to 31 August from 9am to 11pm; 1 September to 31 December from 9am to 6pm; 1 January to 3 July from 9am to 8pm.
Telephone: (0)70 416 2400
Kinderkookkafé
Address: Vondelpark 6b, Kattenlaantje Amsterdam
Admission: EUR10 (cooking class); EUR5 (adult tea-party guests); EUR10 (adult dinner-party guests)
Telephone: (0)20 625 3257
TunFun
Address: Mr. Visserplein 7 Amsterdam
Admission: EUR10 (children); Adults and children under 1 year old are admitted free of charge. Open daily from 10am to 6pm. Closed 30 April and 1 January.
Telephone: (0)20 528 6054
Kinderdijk Windmills
Address: Rotterdam
Amsterdam Canal Tour
Address: Amsterdam
Hoge Veluwe National Park
Address: Amsterdam
Admission: EUR8 (adults), children under 5 are free Opening hours vary from month to month, but are generally from 9am to 8pm
Concertgebouw
Address: Amsterdam
Vondelpark
Address: Koninginneweg 34-36 Amsterdam
Haarlem
Address: Amsterdam
Blauw aan de Wal
Address: Oude Zijds, Achterburgwal 99 Amsterdam
Food Type: French
Odeon
Address: Singel 460, Rembrandtplein Amsterdam
Food Type: Modern Eclectic
D' Vijff Vlieghen
Address: Spuistraat 294-302 (opposite the Amsterdam Historical Museum) Amsterdam
Food Type: Local
Café de Jaren
Address: Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22 Amsterdam
Food Type: Gastropubs
Dynasty
Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 30 Amsterdam
Food Type: Oriental
Pasta E Basta
Address: Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 8 Amsterdam
Food Type: Italian
Rose's Cantina
Address: Reguliersdwarsstraat 38-40 Amsterdam
Food Type: Spanish
De Silveren Spiegel
Address: Kattengat 4-6 Amsterdam
Food Type: Local
De Witte Uyl
Address: Frans Halsstraat 26 Amsterdam
Food Type: Modern Eclectic
Café Luxembourg
Address: Spuistraat 24 Amsterdam
Food Type: Gastropubs
Greetje
Address: Peperstraat 23-25 Amsterdam
Food Type: Local
Pannenkoekenhuis Upstairs
Address: Grimburgwal 2, Medieval Centre Amsterdam
Food Type: Local




