Tulips, clogs, windmills, canals, cheese and the very liberal city of Amsterdam, scratch a little behind the stereotypes of the Netherlands, and you'll find a country resplendent with tulips, remarkably flat (great for cycling!), a rich artistic heritage which still thrives today since the legacies of the great Dutch Masters, a thriving and contemporary cafe culture, and a great nightlife. There's some remarkable museums to be found, not least those looking back at the Netherlands' turbulent recent past during Nazi Occupation, most notably the late Anne Frank's House, the Airbourne Museum which commemorates the Battle of Arnhem, and Amsterdam's Dutch Resistance Museum.
Cheese Markets
Famous for its Dutch cheese, head to a cheese market to sample the famous wares and maybe buy some. Waagplein, in Alkmaar, boasts the best reputation, where every Friday from mid-April to mid-September you'll find thousands of cheese wheels lined up in rows by the central weighing house, taste-tested and then brought to market by traditionally dressed guildsmen. The famous town of Edam also holds a cheese market on Wednesdays during summer
Amsterdam
The Netherlands' capital is emblematic of its liberal nature, its striking canal system, and typical gabled architecture, harking back to the city's glory days as a trade centre. The Rijksmuseum recalls the legacies of the Dutch masters, and Anne Frank's house is a poignant reminder of recent tragic history. The city's cafe culture takes on a different spin in Amsterdam, and it's renowned for its hedonism, particularly in the infamous Red Light District
Haarlem
The magnificent Gothic cathedral, Grote Kerk, the paintings of the Dutch 17th-century master, Frans Hals, the preserved historic centre, the nearby beach resort of Zandvoort all make for a serene and charming Dutch experience - just a short train ride away from the bustling capital of Amsterdam. Haarlem (the namesake of a borough in New York) offers a quintessentially Dutch experience
Keukenhof
Between the end of March and mid-May, the bulb fields around Keukenhof erupt into a splendour of colour, while the famous Keukenhof Gardens makes for a spectacular outing, as visitors stroll along 9 miles of footpaths admiring over 4.5 million tulips
Our Top Holidays in the Netherlands
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