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Planet In1 Destination Europe - The Netherlands

The Netherlands or Holland is located in Western Europe and bordered by the North Sea, Belgium and Germany. The countryside is mostly flat coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders) with some low hills in the southeast.

Amsterdam is the capital while The Hague is the seat of government. Most people thinking of Netherlands, think Edam cheese, tulips, windmills, canals, clogs, dykes and bikes and of course easily available drugs, but this little country has a lot more to offer. As English is a second language in all schools, everyone speaks the language well.

Dutch painters such as Hieronymous Bosch, Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Jan Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondrian and the modern Maurits Escher can be seen in the many art galleries in the cities.

The Netherlands has some 300 castles, with quite a number of these, country estates and ruins open to the public, along with their beautiful 17 th century French and Italian-inspired gardens.

Amsterdam is a cosmopolitan city which feels like a little town. It is easy to get around either on foot, bicycle or tram. The 17 th and 18 th century buildings are tall and narrow and furniture can often be seen being hoisted up the outside of a house because the stairs are too narrow to take a bed. The canals, with colourful houseboats and barges, are tree lined and bicycles can be seen everywhere. Beer is the popular drink, often drunk as a chaser to Dutch gin (genever). With the sizeable Indonesian, Chinese, Italian and Turkish population, various types of food is on offer in the many restaurants throughout the city. Coffee shops can sell soft drugs without being prosecuted, providing they observe strict rules.

Amsterdam's night life swings, whether you want to gamble in the casino or visit clubs, discos or more erotic venues, this is definitely the 'in' place. The Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra is a new orchestra consisting of seventy young, professional first-rate musicians based in the elegant Goederenbeurszaal in the Beurs van Berlage.

No trip to the city would be complete without a visit to the diamond factories in downtown Amsterdam, just off Dam Square. Here you will see diamond cutters and polishers at work and discover how diamonds are formed and mined. 37 museums and galleries (from art to Delftware to spectacles.. yes, eyeglasses!) open their doors for your edification and delight.

Rotterdam, located on the Maas River, is the world's number one port. A swinging, young city with excellent shopping facilities, restaurants and cafes, Rotterdam is a town where trends are born. Hundreds of cultures from all over the world have amalgamated here. The Entrepot District in Kop van Zuid is a trendy spot. Rotterdam also offers great facilities for skating buffs and has a huge climbing wall for those brave enough to try their hand at climbing. The city has an abundance of museums, exhibitions and festivals and a host of tours in the city and on the water to view the massive harbour with boats from every corner of the globe.

The Hague, known as 'the largest village of Europe' is a great place for a holiday. The Hague is home to dozens of different cultures, which together form a colourful society. It o ffers more Indonesian restaurants and tokos (Indonesian shops) than any other town in The Netherlands, due to its past links with Indonesia. The Peace Palace is a gift from the American Andrew Carnegie to the city of The Hague and The International Court of Justice sits here. The city boasts many prestigious art galleries, stately mansions and palatial embassies. With its many musical and cultural events it is a pleasure to visit. any time of the year. With their wide beaches, seaside towns like Scheveningen and Kijkduin are well worth a visit.

Utrecht is a friendly city offering great shopping, pleasant sidewalk cafes and all the ingredients for great clubbing. The city's ultimate symbol is the beautiful Dom Tower. Markets offer everything from fresh fish, fruit and flowers to stamps and second-hand goods. The New Dutch Waterlinie was a strip of land which, when flooded, was a defense line. The main part of this defense line lies in the province of Utrecht and around the city of Utrecht. After World War II the fortresses lost their military purpose. In the following years, magnificent areas of scenic beauty developed around the fortresses. These are still here to enjoy today.

Maastricht is the country's oldest city and is located at the bottom end of the thin finger of land which juts down between Belgium and Germany. The history of this lively city stretches back to 50 BC with the Romans. Fortification walls still partly surround the city, and there are10km of tunnels to be explored on the city's western outskirts. The cuisine is multicultural and the largest carnival festival takes place here every year.

Madurodam, the world-famous miniature city, lies behind two typically Dutch dykes. It has the world's largest miniature railway and windmills turn and boats sail the canals. All those famous Dutch features have been rebuilt down to the tiniest detail on a scale of 1:25.

Delft is one of the best-preserved towns in the Netherlands and birthplace of 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Vermeer. Known as the city of the princes, Delft has an intricate selection of canals, cobbled streets and charming pedestrian bridges and is world-famous for its distinctive blue pottery.

The name of the old Zuiderzee has ceased to exist for many years. The dozens of old towns and villages in the present Ijsselmeer form The Golden Circle. The cultural-historical museums in this area introduce the visitor to poetry, photography and 'the Zuyder Zee Ballad'.

Holland has more bicycles than people and with 17,000 km of cycling routes, so what better way to discover the country than by bike. With such flat terrain, the country is ideal for walking and hundreds of routes have been mapped out for walkers showing the most beautiful scenery and historical cities. The springtime, around mid-April, is best to see the bulb fields in bloom and what a sight to behold! Field after field of red, yellow and purple blossoms. Details of the Flower Bulb Route can be got from Tourist Information Offices.

Inline skating, especially in the eastern Achteroek region, is popular as the roads are quiet with smooth surfaces and the landscape is varied. Many skating routes have been mapped out and signposted.

Windsurfing and kite surfing can best be enjoyed on the island of Terschelling, where the north side of the island has a 30 km long beach. Catamaran sailing, surf canoeing, banana boat riding are available in the seaside resorts such as Scheveningen, Zandvoort, Renesse, Noordwijk, Katwijk and the Wadden Islands.

The former fishing villages are excellent departure points for a spot of offshore fishing in the North Sea with cutters taking anglers to the best fishing areas.