Netherlands Budget Travel Guide provides you essential travel tips to visit the Netherlands. Through this website, you can learn to visit and explore the Netherlands on a limited budget. I am also listing out the principal cities and major attractions of the country.
The Netherlands is a small country in northwestern Europe. It covers an area of 41,526 sq km (16,033 sq miles), and has a population of 16.6 million people. The name literally means "low countries". The term Netherlands is most commonly by most languages to refer to this country. However in English it is also often known as Holland, although to be precise the name Holland refers to North Holland and South Holland, two of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands.
In English, the people of the Netherlands are called Dutch. This is not what they call themselves. The term "Dutch" is derived from around the 16th century when all Germanic speakers were collectively called Dutch or Douch, which is interesting, considering nowadays only the Germans call themselves Deutsch.
Between the 16th and the 18th century, the Netherlands grew to become a major seafaring empire, with colonies across the world. The power of the Dutch was checked by the advances of French troops into the Netherlands, causing stadtholder William V of Orange to flee to England on 19 January, 1795. Although the French was eventually defeated and ejected in 1813, the country never fully recovered its former glory, losing many of its colonies to the British. Its size further dwindled with the independence of Belgium in 1830 and the separation of Luxembourg from the Netherlands in 1890, as the Dutch King William III did not have a surviving male heir to succeed as a Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
Despite attempts to remain neutral during World War II, the Netherlands was invaded by Nazi troops on 10 May, 1940. During the Nazi occupation, some 100,000 Dutch Jews were sent to German concentration camps while Dutch workers were conscripted to force labor.
The post-war era was a period of prosperity for the Netherlands. It was one of the founding members of the European Union, NATO, OECD and WTO. It is also host to five international courts, four of which located at The Hague.
Fast Facts about Netherlands
Official Name: Netherlands
Capital: Amsterdam
Population of Netherlands: 16,408,000
Languages: Dutch, Frisian
Currency: Euro
Religions: Roman Catholic (31%), Dutch Reformed (13%), others (15%)
The Netherlands is a member of the Schengen Agreement, meaning nationals from EU and EFTA countries only need to carry an ID to enter it. Others require a passport. Those from Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela do not need a visa if staying for not more than three months in half a year.
By Plane
Schiphol Airport (AMS) in Amsterdam is the main international airport for the Netherlands. It is located just 9 km southwest of Amsterdam. It is the third largest airport in Europe and the 14th busiest by overall passenger volume.
Arriving at Schiphol, you can take high-speed trains to most cities in the Netherlands as well as neighbouring countries. The airport is also served by a number of budget airlines including Jet2 and Easyjet.
The most practical form of transport from city to city in the Netherlands are the trains. The main operator is Nederlandse Spoorwegen
Principal Cities of Netherlands
Major cities arranged by population:
Amsterdam (1,360,000) Biggest city and capital of the Netherland. Also its biggest tourist destination with lots to see and do.
Rotterdam (605,000) The biggest port in Europe and the second biggest city in the Netherlands.
The Hague (486,000) Seat of the government of the Netherlands, home of foreign embassies as well as de facto judicial capital of the United Nations.
Utrecht (300,000) Fourth largest city in the Netherlands, home to both the see of the archbishop of the Old Catholic church as well as location of the offices of the main Protestant church.
Groningen (188,000) University town on the northern part of the Netherlands.
Nijmegen (164,000) The oldest city in the Netherlands founded in AD 5, located near the border with Germany.
Leiden (118,000) City in South Holland, about 20 km from The Hague.
Maastricht (117,500) City in southeastern Netherlands and provincial capital of Limburg.
Delft (96,000) Small town in South Holland.
Tourist Destinations in the Netherlands
Here I list them in alphabetical order:
De Biesbosch National Park One of the biggest national parks in the Netherlands and the last freshwater tide area in Europe.
Efteling The biggest theme park in the Benelux carrying a fairy-tale theme.
Hoge Veluwe National Park A natural terrain of heathlands, sand dunes, woodlands, the result of the last Ice Age.
Keukenhof World-famous flower field.
Kinderdijk Village in the Netherlands with the largest concentration of old windmills in the country.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands
Schokland and Surroundings
Defence Line of Amsterdam
Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Netherlands Antilles
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