Tourism in the Netherlands is a relatively small sector of the country’s economy, contributing 5.4 to gross domestic product and 9.6 to employment. In 2017, the Netherlands was visited by 17 million foreign tourists, with over 5 million coming from Germany. The country offers a variety of experiences, from grand cities to green spaces, picturesque waterways, and miles of coastline. The Netherlands is known for its beautiful landscapes, rich cultural offerings, and vibrant cities, making it one of Europe’s smallest nations and one of the most visited European destinations.
The Netherlands is a treasure chest of art-filled cities and towns, canals, windmills, and tulip fields, as well as shiny-new sustainable urban areas. Visitors can plan their travel itinerary with a list of top attractions, such as the mediaeval city center of Amersfoort, famous Wall Houses (Muurhuizen), and boat trips along the canals. However, as a holiday destination, the Netherlands is not very interesting culturally and geographically. Instead, visitors can admire groundbreaking architecture in green cities, follow in the footsteps of the Dutch Masters, or unwind in one of the country’s many beautiful nature reserves.
In summary, the Netherlands is a small but significant contributor to the global economy, with its unique landscapes, rich cultural offerings, and vibrant cities making it a popular destination for travelers. However, as a holiday destination, the Netherlands may not be the most interesting due to its cultural and geographical differences.
📹 Visit The Netherlands – What to Know Before You Visit The Netherlands
Filmed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands Copyright Mark Wolters 2018 The Don’ts of The Netherlands …
What are the tourism issues in the Netherlands?
Amsterdam is facing issues with poor tourist behavior, particularly among 18-34-year-old groups visiting for the weekend. Offending behaviour includes public urination, littering, drunkenness, and noise. The lack of awareness of drug laws in the city has led to crime in certain areas. City officials have also expressed concerns about the impact of Red Light District tours, citing overcrowding and disrespectful behavior. The Dutch tourism board has shifted from ‘destination promotion’ to ‘destination management’ to ensure everyone benefits from tourism.
Some anti-social tourist activities are being re-evaluated, but a’soft-touch’ approach is being taken. Mooted bans of Red Light District tours and noisy ‘Beer Bikes’ have not been implemented. Stag and hen groups are being discouraged through online marketing campaigns, which have been reported to increase interest in stag do tours.
What are the major issues in the Netherlands?
As of Spring 2023, the most important issue facing the Netherlands is the environment and climate change, with over a majority of respondents identifying it as one of the two most important issues. Government debt, unemployment, and terrorism are less important concerns. Climate change is a top concern among all generations in the Netherlands, with over two-thirds of respondents in all age groups considering it (very) problematic. Concern is highest among those older than 55 years (78%), but also among those younger than 35 years (67%).
Terrorism is still a significant concern for Dutch, with almost 70% of survey participants expressing a lot or very little concern about it. In contrast, only 29% did not worry at all or very little about terrorism.
Is tourism big in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands, a small economy, contributes 5. 4 to GDP and 9. 6 to employment. In 2017, it attracted 17 million foreign tourists, with over 5 million from Germany. The majority of short-term visitors are from European countries, with the United States, China, and Canada being the major non-European homelands. The Netherlands saw a 13-fold increase in foreign tourists visiting in 2017, with a total of 17, 924, 000, a 13-fold increase from the 15, 829, 000 foreign visitors in 2016. The majority of tourists stay in accommodations within Europe. The United States, China, and Canada are the major non-European homelands of international tourists visiting the Netherlands.
Is the Netherlands good for tourists?
The Netherlands is a charming and fascinating country with beautiful cities and countryside, connected by sustainable infrastructure. However, visitors should be aware of the name “Holland” and not the entire country. Holland refers to two of the country’s 12 provinces: Noord-Holland (North Holland) and Zuid-Holland (South Holland). The rest of the country is not Holland, and the nation as a whole is the Netherlands.
The Randstad, which includes the largest cities in Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and Utrecht, forms the country’s economic engine and is home to almost half of its population. The rest of the country is not Holland, and the Randstad is the conurbation that takes in the Netherlands’ biggest cities.
What are the pros and cons of Netherlands?
The Netherlands offers a favorable work-life balance, a welcoming cultural environment, high-quality educational opportunities, and convenient accessibility. However, it is also recognized for its costly healthcare system, high tax rates, and housing scarcity. The country’s diverse population and high healthcare costs make it a potential destination for those seeking an improved quality of life.
Is Netherlands friendly to foreigners?
Dutch people are known for their direct and open communication style, which may be perceived as rude by others. However, they are actually humble, welcoming, and friendly towards foreigners. They value honesty and expect straightforwardness. If they perceive arrogance or superiority, they may be criticized. The Netherlands has a rich cultural history, with numerous museums, galleries, and events to visit.
Learning Dutch can enhance your experience in the Netherlands. Most Dutch people are proficient in English, German, French, and Spanish, but it is still important to learn Dutch to integrate into society and communicate with colleagues and neighbors.
What is the trend in tourism in the Netherlands?
In 2023, Dutch travelers took 15. 5 million leisure trips, accounting for 57 of total trips. Domestic VFR trips increased by 146 compared to the previous year. International departures reached 34. 08 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. GlobalData predicts international departures will grow to 46. 38 million by 2028 at a CAGR of 6. 35. Total outbound expenditure is expected to exceed 2019 levels in 2024, while domestic expenditure already exceeded 2019 levels in 2023. This report provides insights into developments in the Netherlands’ regional and outbound tourism markets, discussing future trends and destination markets.
Why is Netherlands a tourist destination?
The Netherlands, a small European country, is a popular travel destination due to its rich cultural heritage, historical architecture, and modernization. It shares borders with Germany and Belgium and is connected to the sea in the northern and western areas. The country is known for its beautiful canals, cobbled streets, museums like the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum, electric nightlife, and a popular red-light area. Amsterdam, the capital, is known for its beautiful canals, fine cobbled streets, and museums like the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum.
Can we survive in Netherlands with English?
Learning Dutch, the official language of the Netherlands, is crucial for survival in the country. While English is a basic survival skill, it offers numerous advantages. Learning Dutch not only helps in daily life but also allows one to understand Dutch culture. It is the second point on the list for foreigners to survive in the Netherlands as a foreigner. Therefore, it is essential to learn Dutch to fully appreciate the country’s culture.
Where does the Netherlands rank for tourism?
The Netherlands is a popular tourist destination, with an estimated 20 million visitors annually. In 2023, the Netherlands welcomed 3 million visitors, generating $20. 2 billion in revenue. In absolute terms, the Netherlands occupies the 14th position globally, while in 2024 it ranks ninth among large best-performing destinations. The cost of renting a vehicle in the Netherlands and Amsterdam is approximately equivalent.
Is it okay to speak English in Netherlands?
The Dutch people are known for their English language proficiency, with almost 95% of the population speaking it. This makes learning Dutch a breeze, as the Dutch people are eager to learn English. The language barrier is minimal, making life more comfortable for internationals. The Dutch welcome all internationals and encourage interesting conversations with locals. Studying in the Netherlands and at HZ can be found in a special brochure for international students.
The Dutch have a straightforward communication style, speaking openly and without confusion, which can be misinterpreted as impolite. However, this openness is highly valued among the Dutch, as it reflects their genuine nature.
📹 NETHERLANDS TRAVEL TIPS FOR 1ST TIMERS | 30 Must-Knows Before Visiting + What NOT to Do!
Planning to visit the Netherlands for the first time? In this video, I’m sharing all my best Netherlands travel tips for new visitors, from …
Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Amsterdam annddd Amsterdam. Go to the Netherlands and not only to Amsterdam. Amsterdam sucks (compared to a whole lot of other cool city’s in the Netherlands. ) cause it isn’t the real Netherlands you will get to see there. Please go visit the whole country, thank you! We will appreciate it! 🇳🇱❤🇳🇱❤🇳🇱❤🇳🇱❤🇳🇱❤🇳🇱❤🇳🇱
Concerning the note in the description, but not mentioned in the article: credit cards are not always accepted. Small shops, non-international touristy places and even large chain super markets usually don’t accept it or dissuade you from using it. Most payments are done by Maestro debit cards or cash. ATMs work fine with credit cards.
Even though I live in the UK, I’m Dutch. My whole family lives in the Netherlands apart from me, my mum, dad & brother. I go back to the Netherlands every 2 – 3 months ish for the weekend and in the Summer holidays I go for a week – 2 weeks. I love it there, you barely see any trash/litter just lying around and the landscapes are gorgeous. You’ll see trees everywhere even in the popular areas like Amsterdam, Millburg, Rotterdam etc. and if any of you are wondering (which you probably aren’t) I was born in Dordrecht but moved to England when I was 3.
I also have a great suggestion for visiting the Netherlands. I as a dutch live in Hoorn. It‘s an old 17th century city that‘s just a half hour train ride from Amsterdam. Here in Hoorn we have a lot of museums. One I recommend is Museum Stoomtram. It’s a museum about traveling in the Netherlands by train in the 1800’s and 1900’s. You can take a train ride to Medemblik with a steam train. And from Medemblik you can go to Enkhuizen by boat. And from there you can take the train back to Hoorn.
I would love to visit The Netherlands! I only spent 17hrs there due to KLM missed my connecting flight and I loved how people at the airport were very nice and accommodating. I had zero fear going out and talking to people and everyone spoke English. My mood changed from being stressed to being relaxed. Yes, they are very efficient and organized, compared to the country I originally visited – Ukraine.
The warning about steep stairs is no joke. I had previously been working in Amsterdam for some shorter periods, but I still was surprised to find those ladder-like things when I checked in to a quite centrally located small hotel. I was going to work at a translation agency and then doing my own things in the evenings, so I had brought the whole setup – desktop computer, screen (full ancient TV size, LCD’s weren’t yet invented), printer, supplies and of course normal travel stuff for a couple of weeks. Fortunately, I was in a fairly good shape, but never the less, negotiating those stairs to the second floor carrying heavy cases was a bit scary. Another mostly fun thing: The tiny street, perpendicular to a canal, didn’t allow other cars to pass, so I was extra stressed as a fair line of cars formed behind me. Seemed to be a normal thing to experience – some drivers just shut their engines and got out to grab a snack from the adjacent stall. No honking, no swearing, just accepting that such things happen.
I visited the Netherlands way back in 1999 and I knew that I wanted to go back with my family some day. If all goes well that dream will come true in June! I am super excited to show this awesome country to my kids and for them to interact with the incredibly friendly Dutch people. Your article brings back so many fantastic memories! Thank you very much.
The mayonaise of the Netherlands are most of the times different than from other countrys like Germany, but I like the mayonaise. The things that you call small pancakes are called poffertjes. They don’t totally taste like pancakes, but I like them more actually :). The water in the Netherlands is one of the most clean in the world so it definitly is okay to drink from a tab. You indeed need to watch out in Amsterdam for people on bikes because there are a lot and a lot tourists don’t always know where and how to ride them. In the Netherlands almost everyone has a bike. It is a very efficient way to travel here. With almost everything that you said I agree so this is really a good article for people who come visit :). 👍👍
Beautiful cities such as Maastricht, Deventer, Goes, Nijmegen, Groningen, Delft, Leiden, Middelburg and Den Bosch Picturesque villages like Appingedam, Valkenburg aan de Geul, Hattem, Vesting Bourtange, Bronkhorst, Thorn, De Rijp, Naarden-Vesting, Giethoorn, Elburg, Orvelte, Wijk bij Duurstede, Doesburg, Heusden, Hoorn, Sneek, Zutphen and Veere
Just because we speak English very well doesn’t mean we like to speak English all the time. It’s very much appreciated if you know some words in Dutch. Whenever I go to a big city in the Netherlands, it’s very common that someone in a restaurant starts speaking English and not gonna lie it’s kinda annoying to speak English in your own country, where the language isn’t English. article is nice tho 🙂
I travel (pre-Coronavirus) frequently to Europe, and Amsterdam is my favorite city there. Dutch people are awesome and very easy to talk to as an American. The city has a magical charm that extends beyond the weed industry and red light district. It always feels like a home away from home. I can’t wait to go back.
We live in Amersfoort! It’s a city I highly recommend visiting, as it was touted as the European city of the year! It’s a cosy fortified city near Utrecht, which is less crowded compared to The Hague, Amsterdam and Utrecht. Not to mention, bike-friendlier than the cities as mentioned above. As it’s located in the heart of The Netherlands, you can book accommodations in Amersfoort and take day trips to tourist destinations. You can also visit the Hanseatic cities of East Holland like Deventer, Zwolle or Kampen. It will only take a 40-minute train ride from Amersfoort to these Eastern Dutch cities. If you bike through the neighbouring villages of Amersfoort, you’ll experience the scenery of the typical Dutch countryside.
Yeah… you won’t find the authentic Dutch cuisine at restaurants, apart from the pancakes. Restaurants usually serve fries + some sort of meat, but that’s not something we eat at home. The traditional Dutch dinner consists of boiled or mashed potatoes, meat (a meat ball/ pork chop/…), gravy and a type of vegetable (cauliflower/ red cabbage/…). Sometimes the potatoes and vegetables are mashed together, this is called “stamppot”. There are hardly any restaurants serving this. When you’re lucky enough to find a microwave in your hotel room, you could try the microwavealbe meals from the grocery store (and have “vla” as a desert off course).
A great thing to see in the Netherlands are the parts of the old waterlinies. For centuries the core Dutch territory was protected by lot’s of fortresses. Aided by literally FLOODING THE COUNTRY! Interested in the best defense of a country up untill the invention of the aeroplane? Well there’s lots of different museums! From Muiderslot and the Nederlands vesting museum from Naardenvesting in the north, to the Waterlinie museum from Fort bij vechten around Utrecht, to Slot Loevestein in the south. I’ve got great childhood and adulthood memories visiting all these places! (The Waterlinies are great. Up until the second world war with the major use of airplanes it was THE best defense possible! Sieging a city or fort was nigh impossible, because you’d be vulnerable to the other fortresses. That is if you’d even get their due to all the landscape being covered in water to deep to comfortably wade through, yet to shallow to use boats for. Not even mentioning that you wouldn’t know where the roads would end and the ditch would start. The problems of which are hopefully already clear to you.These inundations were very effective indeed.)
No tipping so service is a little slow. Yes, Red is Dead. Only cross the red bike paths and do it looking in both directions. IF you rent a bike I would suggest DO NOT STOP in a bike lane. Pull over out of a bike lane to stop. I did a tour of the Netherlands via a canal boat. Sleeping on it and have some really good meals on it. Every day we stopped at a different town. Sometimes a chartered bus would meet us to bring us somewhere like the flower auction, to a museum or to the Keukenhof Gardens.
about the bike lane: if there’s no spot for pedestrians, walk on the left side of the road (which usually is a bikelane) so you can see traffic approach (and step out of the way in time). This also goes for bikelane only roads as they’re usually 2 way. (we drive on the right) and as you mentioned april/may as best time, we still get tourists fully dressed in everything orange they could find on april 30th due to travel agents not updating their brochures.. it used to be queensday on april 30th, but now that we have a king we celebrate king’s day on april 27th. (unless the 27th is on a sunday, then it’s the 26th)
if you visit The Netherlands, I would stay in Utrecht. It’s the center of our country. Nothing is far away. And within two hours you are in every city. I would visit Alkmaar, Groningen, Giethoorn, Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nijmegen and Gouda. Maybe go to Kinderdijk, Keukenhof, Volendam or Orvelte if you want to visit small city’s with they’re specialtys. Cause The Netherlands has a lot to offer. I’m proud I live here. I’ve seen a lot of my own country, and I don’t regret any part of it
Hi Wolter, thanks for posting your amazing articles. Its very informative, useful and very helpful for solo travellers like myself. I enjoy perusal your articles as you provide a lot of detailed information also the different photos of various cities of Europe. Keep doing the great job you always do. God bless you and your family. Greetings from Portugal.
I came to Amsterdam in August for a university term abroad. I’ve been out of Amsterdam maybe once or twice, but I think transport is expensive and this town has pretty much all I need. I come from Norway, so food is very cheap for me. Because I have cerebral palsy I don’t bike or cook, but trams to the middle of town are usually reasonable. Even prerolled joints come at a perfectly good price at my local coffee shop, and I’ve got access to food from several continents in a few minutes walk. As a full-time student with limited money, I have neither had the time nor desire to leave town, and I really want to come back after I’m done studying in Norway. My main struggle is using cash because a lot of places don’t take visa debit cards.
One thing I found shocking about Amsterdam was how many people were hassling me at night to try and sell me drugs or other “services”. This isn’t that late either only around midnight or so. Other than that I have a good impression of Amsterdam I just wish I had more than a few days there to explore and try out the food.
Amsterdam is very expensive, I like that you are promoting other city’s as well. The Netherlands isn’t just Amsterdam ;). One thing I have to say, is that you use a lot of the same facts in other articles as well. I get that, it’s hard to come up with new things and you do a good job at finding the right ones. I would like to see some more diverse things that don’t show up in every article of the Nederlands, like the bike lanes. I think you can do that, you and Joslyn are very creative! Anyways, keep it up! I love your articles and your humor :).
ATMs 1999 and In 2000 There Were 2 In Amsterdam…. Honestly and A Long Walk From Central Station… Great Nice People.. Always Ready To Give Directions.. Or Tell History… Stairs.. I Thought I Was Tripping When I Saw Stairs In The Hotel Scheirman, Now The A- Train Hotel Across From Central Station… Stayed At the Hotel Die Port Van Cleve..Too Great Hotel
Hey Mark, now that you are around, you really should go to Belgium. Small country that have really a lot to offer! But unfortunately a lot of tourist just skip it between France and the Netherlands. And if you go there, you should go to the north (dutch speaking part), it is really pretty but dont forget to go to the south part (french speaking either)! Also somewhere that is quite often forgotten by tourists! (If you decide to stop there, you can contact me and I will advise you some great places to go to all around)
9:00 Recently had some Dutch friends to stay with me from Harmelen, NL for The British GP (Moto GP at Silverstone 25th August) and decided to do a UK – British traditional Sunday Roast for them (on Saturday evening) Irish Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings, Brussel Sprouts, crispy Roast King Edward Potatoes, cauliflower cheese etc, and Honey Glazed Roast Parsnips (pastinaak) – they said they had never had Parsnips before, and polished them off with gusto. They were good though. They were also amazed at the weather as they had heard England was cold and windy and it was pushing 90° F most days. (The hottest August Bank Holiday weekend on record) I said it’s like this het grootste deel van de zomer, met slechts af en toe regen (most of the summer, with only occasional rain) they assured me that they would be back. Been to Holland many times and prefer the Valkenburg Region where there are at least some Hills
GEKOLONISEERD Edit: sorry.. I don’t know but I had to😂, it’s a great article btw! And about the drugs.. a lot of tourists do it for some reason.. when I’m in Amsterdam (What has been like 3 times, and I live in the Netherlands..) I only really see stoned tourists or something like that.. also, I personally think that people shouldn’t just go to Amsterdam or any very popular city because you will most certainly drown in tourists and idk.. I live in for example, a small village where we have lots of space. There are many villages like mine but most people just think this is like a vacation village where you literally can just go everywhere… that’s kind of annoying because I have had a lot of times that people just walk on our property and literally almost walk in our garden because it’s next to the woods that we and our neighbors OWN.. but that’s a different story… let’s go back to the fun parts about the Netherlands… as I said.. I think it’s fun to experience being in a small village and also in the city. Oh and also! The little pancakes are called ‘poffertjes’ they’re really tasty with butter and powdered sugar on them.. oh and the pancakes here in the Netherlands are very thin and flat I guess you could say, we also make them with stuff inside it like apple, vegetables or meat or something, idk we just stuff everything inside it and it tastes good😂😂. I live in the Netherlands (born here and never left) and I honestly haven’t seen everything.. also.
Not all stairs in the Netherlands are as steep as straight-up cliffs. Yeah, in the thin canal-side houses in Amsterdam and in the very old neighborhoods of cities like Haarlem (300 yrs older than Amsterdam) you may find very steep stairs. But most others aren’t that bad. And there’s almost always a handrail. If you tightly hold on to the handrail and don’t make too sudden moves, your odds of plummeting to your death are significantly less than 99% 🙂 Interesting to note: Mark is talking from some location in Amsterdam, but many of the sights shown in the clip are actually situated in Haarlem. It’s nice to see my old stomping ground, 25 years after having moved away from there. 🙂
Number 1 tip for traveling too the Netherlands. DON’T GO TOO AMSTERDAM. Seriously there are so much more beautiful city’s around here that have the exact same looks and feels without all the drunk and high tourists and beggars trying too scam you and stuff. Tourism in amsterdam is out off control and prices are way higher then is the rest of the country.
This is more than 2 years old, and have only just caught up after perusal all your vids chronologically. Other things to try in The Netherlands? Zoute Haring? Gehaktbal Met Mosterd? Andijvie Stampot Met Worst? Bitterballen? Hutspot? Vlees Kroket? Dubbelzoute Drop? Poffertjes Met Poederzuiker? Muisjes Op Beschuit? Looked for adventure myself and moved to The Netherlands from the U.K. 30 yrs ago. Would love to bump into you guys when in A’dam next! Great articles BTW !!
2:15 the funny thing is people love to complain about the train network. Things can get a little annoying when you’re in a hurry to get to work during rush hour. And yes, biking is easy – when the weather cooperates. With regard to places to stay: look up on “vakantiehuisjes”. Those are small houses on a sort of camp ground. Oh, you might also want to look into how dutch people eat sandwiches. Bread (imho) is much better than in the usa and you will be amazed at what people will put on slices of fresh (untoasted) bread such as chocalate sprinkles.
1. The netherlands doesnt have county’s but provinces (not a big mistake but technically not true.) 2. I think in the Netherlands hotels dont help you a lot with bags and stuff unless you pay a lot for it. If however you are in need of help and you ask for it most hotels will help you. 3. a useful tip is to not actually stay in amsterdam but one of the smaller cities around it, you can basically get to the center of amsterdam in 15 minutes by train, which would probably be longer than if you would get a cheap hotel on the edge of amsterdam, and have to walk or bike to the center everytime. my biggest tip, would be: pretend not to be a tourist, there is a big local distaste against tourism, as the amount of it has increased a lot recently. Dont use selfie sticks, dont shout on the street, and dont take hours on the bridges over the canals taking pictures. I do not personally have a problem with it, but it is annoying for people living there who just want to get to their jobs but have to wait for people.
Great article. And I totally agree with the staying off the bike paths and steep stairs. When I first got there I was walking on the bike path and this guy on a bike tapped my shoulder pretty hard as he zipped past and pointed aggressively to the pedestrian path. I thought, yikes! He’s probably had to do that a million times. In my defence I was pretty out of it from travelling. And yes, the stairs. I was on the 4th floor if one of the hotels without a lift (which is most if them) and I was almost praying I didn’t fall backwards with my backpack & suitcase, hah.
What a good article with some nice tips! I’m Dutch and I would give the same tips as you did; good job! When you visit the Netherlands; please leave Amsterdam because there is so much more to see here. Explore The Hague, Rotterdam or Maastricht by bike is a fine way to see the city and nearby countryside! 🙂
The thing about cycling in the Netherlands is: YOU NEED TO KNOW THE RULES. Just like there are rules for driving a car, there are rules for riding a bike. There are even cycling lessons in school, with a cycling exam. It’s not like you need a license (at least with regular bikes), but you do need to know the rules. Things like how to indicate, how to overtake, which side on the road your supposed to cycle (usually right side, but sometimes roads can be weird), etc. etc.. And no, you’re probably not going to be as good as a Dutch person on a bike. We’ve been using bikes ever since we started walking (Loopfietsen, walk-bikes. Really useful to help a child learn to walk AND cycle), and we cycle every day. Oh, and last but certainly not least. Don’t hate on cyclists! In the Netherlands EVERYONE cycles. Hate on wielrenners (Wheel runners), those are the lycro-covered arseholes (literally, since those old farts love to stick it in your face) who are super obnoxious and annoying. Those are the guys who care about airo. Those are the guys who you’re probably thinking about when you hate on cyclists. And they are super annoying to mainly cyclists. I could write an entire paragraph about why, but that’d take to long. So if you absolutely have to voice your hatred about cyclists, use the word wielrenners (or make it clear you are talking about them). If you do that the chance people will think less of you will be lowered slightly (only slightly though). If you’re having trouble with any of this, get a Dutch friend to guide you or something.
Hallo, hoe gaat het met iedereen? I have passion to learn Dutch and join in with the Dutch people. I am planning to visit Nederlands regularly to explore the cultural and the beautiful peaceful parts of Nederlands and try out cycling while on short holidays including the Dutch food. I hear very positive feedback that people are very friendly and honest. So I am just introducing myself to the Dutch community to say hoi and love to you all.
every article you watch about netherlands is mostly in or about amsterdam. this causes often enough people to think that amsterdam IS the netherlands. (if they have the IQ of a sardine) as soon as you go either north, east, or south you’ll find so much more then just the old tiny steep staired houses. sea, fields, nature areas, mills and so much more. but i mainly watched to see if the information was correct. witch “in general” is.
One thing is to note when you’re going out with Dutch friends (especially if you’re used to rounds!) is that typically everyone pay’s for themselves. Sometimes someone will pay for somebody else, but the person who has paid will usually send that person a “tikkie” later. This “tikkie” is just a payment request, that’s normal, no biggy. It’s also usually a lot less formally organized then a round. Usually in my experience, who pays what is usually decided on the fly or shortly before. The key thing at the end is that in most cases everyone will have paid for their OWN things. Just the typical efficiency and stinginess from the people of the country which invented capitalism.
You also might want to look both ways when you walk on the highway, freeway, or the roads which have 2 metaal bars running along them… Those have big metal boxes running on them… They will kil you. They are called cars, busses trains trams and metros. If you are walking on the footpath like a sidewalk or pavement you are fine.. I know it sounds condescending, but it is really obvious, we like to assign special places for specific modes of transportation…. It is the blunt practical efficiency…
If you come to noord Brabant and people come off rude and with a foul mouth ( idk if I spelled that right) don’t worry it’s just culture. By the way I know it might be quite a drive from Amsterdam to the Efteling but don’t go to the Netherlands without going to the Efteling. Its a very nice themapark wich really sticks with its theme and every ride or attraction has like a tale (sprookje) and music and a lot of people are really into it’s theme
Agreed re not staying right in downtown Amsterdam, but going right out of the city might not be necessary to find reasonable accommodations. There are a few hotels near Overamstel metro station that can be very reasonable – a Leonardo Hotel (right next to it) and the Best Western Postillion (5 minute walk) I stayed at the Best Western Postillion and was VERY impressed with it. Brand new and very stylish hotel. Not to mention it was only 75 Euros per night all in (in February 2020). Pretty well anything in the city centre was double that. Not to mention the room was very spacious for Amsterdam. It did not take long to get into the city centre from there. Just make sure that you time the Metro accordingly.
About the people saying that people are complaining about trains in the comment section, i do have to say that i am an italian girl (fairly petite and short,i am also underage.) That has a dutch boyfriend and this summer it was my first time going solo to the airport from Venice to Amsterdam to spend my summer with him. Turns out my KLM flight was cancelled last minute because of a kerozine problem in schipol. I was panicking. But then my boyfriend told me ‘just follow the dutch people,they will complain until the company will rebook a flight the next day’ and it was true. All my italian comrades had left,and i began to follow what the dutch speaking people were gonna do (lovely people,by the way. Made friends with an old couple) and i got a free 4-star hotel room for the night and a free rebooked flight the next day. Everybody that was left was dutch except for me. But i managed to get to Amsterdam safely where my boyfriend was waiting for me thankfully. I am going to come back to Amsterdam in a month now and i am so glad because it is a lovely country and i will live there when I’m done with my degree.
These are the fines you can expect if you are a bad tourist. Not adhering to quarantaine after arrival in the Netherlands: 444 euro Drinking alcohol outside in the street: 104 euro Being noisy: 104 euro Sleeping in car: 249 euro Littering: 104 euro Cycling on sidewalk or in pedestrian street: 104 euro Using bicycle bell without need: 79 euro Having a phone in hand while cycling: 104 euro Not wearing face mask in public transport or inside shops etc: 104 euro
the thing about the stairs, they might be quite steep but when you do have heavy luggage please don’t be afraid to ask a hotel clerk or people around to help you. if you explain why it might be hard for you to get the luggage up by yourself, they will always help. credit cards are also hardly accepted in small towns, they may be accepted in amsterdam mostly but where I live we absolutely do not accept credit cards (live near ‘s hertogenbosch ).
curious that you talked about homeless and beggars in the streets there. we found the opposite – that AMS had the least of these compared to other cities. Brussels was the worst for us. very much agreed about the bikes / bike lanes… really need to pay attention to what is going on around you. we stayed in a flat in one of the old houses on the Keizersgracht last time we were there… and yes, narrow stairs and ours curved around in a spiral. very difficult for carrying luggage. the flat also had the smallest bathroom with shower I have ever seen! agreed – just walking around, people perusal, soaking in the atmosphere is all you really need to do. we always get a multi-day tram pass as well as it makes it so quick and easy to jump from one part of the city to another or to get back to your accommodation at the end of a long day!
Being Dutch myself I came across your website rounding up some article’s about Holland (as I call it) from an American (USA) perspective. I will send the link to your website so she can prepare for her visit but we won’t be spending much time in Amsterdam. I’m no drug user but I was a police officer in Amsterdam long time ago and the drugs in Holland are stronger probably than people are used to in their home countries. Also never buy on the street! We have the coffeeshop for the softer legal stuff and they really can give good advice. They will not sell hard drugs but they might know a safe address to purchase it. Often bars have a ‘house dealer’ who has good quality (probably strong) and is therefore ‘allowed’ to ‘deal’ in that bar. If the beggars are aggressive they are usually in a group and from some eastern country. Don’t ever give. Probably the best word to learn in Dutch is NEE. That means NO. So if they want to sell you drugs on the street or are begging just say NEE in a convincing way. For the rest just use English although al lot of the Dutch people do appreciate it if you can say ‘Dank je wel’ (Thank you). In Holland you pay for a plastic carry bag in the shops and even in take away restaurants. We don’t like all that plastic because of the environment and we like to keep the streets clean. Along the sidewalks are usually enough bins and we don’t like people throwing trash on the street. We do tip in bars and restaurants if the service and food was good but NOT between 10% and 20% like in the USA.
Great article, thanks. I’m off to Amsterdam next week for 6 days, my third time in two years so I guess I’ve fallen in love! I’ve only been there the week before Christmas so far, do the beggars take off somewhere else for the holidays because I never noticed them once? Heh heh. I guess they’ll be there with the warmer weather. I really love Haarlem, too, and hope the crowds at Keukenhof won’t be too bad on the Friday before they close on the 13th!
He’s describing the Netherlands pretty decent. Ironically though, the Dutch on the surface seem to be very proud on their history. If you ask them they tell you about Willem of Orange, the revolution against Spain and that he eventually got shot down by Baltasar Gerards. Other then that and the VOC slave trade they can’t mention you. Only the older generation will tell you once asked that the revolution was actually religious, as the Spanish king wanted to bring the Spanish Inquisition to the Netherlands to purge it from the protestants. Almost nobody would tell you that it was the bankruptcy of Spain that ultimately decided the revolution. During the revolution opinions the Dutch were divided and not necessarily pro-revolution. It was when Spain stopped paying the wages of the Spanish soldiers and they went around attacking and looting villages and cities at random as payment that the entire Dutch population turned against Spain. It is a strange country however. Despite it born as a republic, we got a monarchy after disaster year 1672, where the biggest Dutch hero Michiel de Ruyter was send to an impossible mission by the King… seems like a Dutch royalty tradition of killing off Dutch hero’s as another royalty executed Olde-Barneveld but anyway, The monarchy as well as parlement are situated in Den Haag, but the capital is Amsterdam. Which is strange but even stranger is that even though Amsterdam is the capital of the nation Haarlem is the capital of the county where Amsterdam is located.
I really like your articles talking about our country. But a word of advice for people coming to Amsterdam. Like Mark said if you want to travel around Amsterdam easily you should take a bike, however if you’ve never rode a bike in your life before, or you can’t ride a bike then just don’t. Dutch people and especially us living in Amsterdam are kind off fed up with tourists riding bikes and not knowing the traffic rules or not knowing how to ride a bike and brake when needed. If you’re really stubborn and you still want to ride a bike, then keep on the right side of the road and keep looking around you for other traffic. For pedestrians visiting the city center of Amsterdam, ALWAYS look both ways before crossing the streets. Don’t just walk off random curbs because most likely you’re stepping onto a bikelane and you will get run over by a bike. And taxi’s are also dangerous drivers, so again.. LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE CROSSING STREETS. For people who want to use drugs in Amsterdam, there is a place where you can get your drugs tested. It’s a place called Jellinek. ( jellinek.nl ) Also the weed in Amsterdam is stronger than in other countries. Like with most things moderation is key. You won’t see a lot of high Dutch people but mostly tourists getting high on the streets. And have fun in The Netherlands!! And we don’t really care if you say Holland, I say Holland as well because it’s shorter.
You do great info articles. I am just a little bit surprised about your comments on beggars. I live in the middle of Amsterdam on one of the major canals in the midst of millions of tourists but I hardly meet any beggars. But I am Dutch, maybe the beggars recognize tourists and therefore approach them. Do I don’t say that you’re wrong but I can’t confirm it. Please continue making these nice articles.
I’ve never been to the Netherlands, but my country has a maritime border with it – it’s on the other side of the North Sea. But I do know that even if I were to speak to a local in Dutch first, they’d probably switch to English pretty quickly. They could probably tell from my height (5’10” – I’m 20) that I’m not Dutch! In fact, many Dutch people don’t even see why anyone would want to learn Dutch. They’ve always been multilingual due to their long history of trading around the world, and learn both English and German in school. But I guess it would make it a bit less obvious that you’re a tourist…
Had a friend who went to Amsterdam and tried their strongest weed. Said it was pretty mild and not very strong at all. He comes back to the US (California) finds a nug that’s been left out for maybe a month, sparks it up. He said that nug put him on his ass way more than a whole day of smoking in Amsterdam.
As a foreigner who was in Holland, Dutch society is a close society! You don’t feel welcome and they are so not open to you as a persoon, till they know there is profit to make, then maaaybe you’ll see smile on their faces! I heard from people who live there, there is allot of discrimination against foreigners in every level of life, from neighbors till the work qualities! It’s expensive country and there is not much to see to enjoy and having fun! Just red light district and coffeshops! If I was you, I was thinking twice before deciding to travel there! Good luck!
The thing is if you want to try real Dutch food you need to ask a Dutch person to cook for you. Almost all the real Dutch food you can only have when someone makes it, because we don’t think it is special enough to go to an restaurant to eat it. So if you have Dutch friends ask them to make “Stampot”
I feel like calling it Holland instead of the Netherlands is not a big deal, when someone asks me where I’m from I always say Holland instead of the Netherlands for brevity’s sake. Of course, I’m speaking as someone who’s actually from Noord Holland, so someone from the other provinces may have another opinion, but that’s just my take.
This fascinates me, i have never been targeted by an (aggressive) beggar. But i am local so probably thats the reason. Also i have never ever felt unsafe in Amsterdam. Friends of mine tell me that the Amsterdam Zuid-Oost area is sketchy but that’s far away from downtown amsterdam so you can easily that area.
Great information! We are just back from a first trip to The Netherlands and loved it! I wish we had seen your article before we left. We learned many of your tips first-hand😂 We stepped into bike lanes, almost walked into coffeeshop looking for a latte, showed up at a grocery store without cash, missed getting tickets to Anne Frank and Corie ten Boom, went too late to see tulips 😀 All of which we count as traveling adventures which we will bring back with us on our next trip to The Netherlands next year. And, we will be perusal your vids for anywhere else we go, for sure! Thanks!
Just a small correction about taking pictures in the red light district. It’s not only frowned upon, but you could get in serious trouble if you photograph the working girls in the windows. You can take pictures of the surroundings like bridges or the old Church, but when pimps see that you’re aiming for the girls, they won’t hesitate to confront you aggressively.
I didn’t know the difference between the Netherlands and Holland I definitely want to explore both I’ve mainly wanted to visit Amsterdam for the Ann Frank Museum it’s been a dream of mines since I was middle school nice to know english is spoken widely I love that makes traveling so much smoother I think hopefully I can visit when I visit Belgium next year.
What a great travel and city website! I just watched your Paris article and looking for more now, as I’m currently on an “EU excursion” and really enjoying your sensible and down to earth tips and suggestions! Out of so many travel websites on YouTube, they are so homogenized and you really stand out with the quality and no-nonsense! Thanks and keep it up! Lik’d and Sub’d fer sure!
Where are the cheapest places in Amsterdam to buy souvenirs like magnets or keychains or any other small souvenirs like small or tiny wooden shoes or windmills statues? Are there any souvenirs for 1 Euro like keychains? Are postcards cheap there? We will be staying in a hotel near the Central Station. Thanks for your assistance. Also, where can you get change for the penny machines? When we went to Rome last year, it was hard to get change and they made you buy something. One vendor yelled at us for trying to buy items separately to get more change. We are hoping Amsterdam will not be like that.
Great article, really enjoyed perusal it. And you mentioned having to pay for public bathrooms while men can urinate for free. There is an actual reason for that, because of drunk men (and a lot of tourists) that have to pee while out at night and think it is a good idea to pee in the canals only for them to fall in and drown. So as a solution there are free urinals (at night more come out of the ground) (it you want to know more this is actually a great article about it youtube.com/watch?v=qTMBlOyNlqc&si=mPgMjigew2AhHZfO)
Febo’s are not that common ; It s a brand,I understand what you mean, it’s a specific kind of Snackbar (Dutch word, doesn’t have an correct English translation, It’s not exactly a Cafeteria). You went to much to the Holland”s or the bigger cities in the Province of Utrecht, In for example Friesland, you will not find a lot of them. Next the Netherlands are Cultural as different as Italy, because of our History. Next The Netherlands does not only exists with Tulipfields of Polders we Have hills too. Google on Heuvelland Zuid-Limburg of Veluwe and you will know where I talk about. Next Landscape wise it’s very different . We have National parks too. Regional differences are also in the 12 Provinces it self. In Overijssel, Twente for example is very different from Northwest-Overijssel, next even in smaller regions itself it can be very diverse! My Town Kampen, is about an hour away from Amsterdam by train and in Overijssel, but very very very different from Amsterdam, except they are both old Ports.
“I have visited the Netherlands six times” I thought: Not one of those again 🤦♂. But after seeing the article, I must admit quite good tips. especially about not standing in the tulip fields. Some(a lot) of tourists seem to think there wild flowers, or beeing planted for public entertainment or something. And that one about the seaguls. I wouldn’t have thought about it. To us it comes natural to avoid them I guess.
Great article – thank you! I’m planning to go to Amsterdam for the first time during the last week of August. It was wild to see that they have automats there! Long before you were born we had a chain in New York City called Horn & Hardart’s. It was great and I was so sad to hear that the last one closed in 1991. I wish they’d bring that back. Here’s short article about it: youtube.com/watch?v=Jx1E-kDpVQ0
I’m sorry to say that but you talk too fast. It looks like there are other comments saying the same. But nothing an anxiolytic can’t fix. In fact, we Dutch are objective and practical, which for some people sounds like “to be direct”. I prefer to call it sincerity. And besides, I’ve lost count of how many times you repeat the word “super”. After all, there are other words that can be used such as “very good” or “extremely”. Here’s the tip. I look forward for your next improved articles…Tot ziens.