## Basic information

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## Why go to Netherlands

Enjoy being able to steer a boat without a permit, which you can rent for an entire week. On the first day, you’d rather sail on the lake to get used to it before trying out your talent on the canal.

When we say the Netherlands, we think of boats, clogs, tulips, cheese, coffee shops, windmills and much more. The Netherlands is a picturesque flat country connected by many lakes and canals. This country is full of art, history and nature. There are many beautiful places to relax in picturesque cafes or small shops. Not only the capital, Amsterdam is attractive for visiting the Netherlands, but we can also go to Rotterdam, Keukenhof, Deltawerken or Kinderdijk.

## The capital of the Netherlands

Amsterdam has been the capital of the Netherlands since 1808. Parliament or royal family do not reside in capital city. They are based in The Hague. It is currently a financial and cultural center and the largest city in the Netherlands. Attractions and monuments that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site include the Amsterdam Canals, and the other attraction here is the historic center of Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is often referred to as the "Venice of the North". Although this comparison is quite lagging behind, because here the whole city is built where the water used to be.

The most visited places in Amsterdam include:

- Rijksmuseum - is one of the largest temples in Europe
- Van Gogh Museum
- Anne Frank House
- De Wallen - the oldest and also the most attractive city district
- Vondelpark
- Eye Filmmuseum - a museum of modern art resembling a toad or a spaceship
- DAM - Amsterdam Square
- Amsterdam canals - Grachty

## Flag of the Netherlands

The Dutch flag has three horizontal stripes in red, white and blue. Around 1630, and especially after 1648, when Spain recognized Dutch independence, the orange stripe was originally replaced by a red one for better visibility at sea (but mainly for political reasons) (in 1796 the use of orange was expressly forbidden). During the celebrations concerning the Dutch royal family, a narrow longitudinal orange flag is hung next to the flag. The Dutch flag as the first republican tricolor in the world and as a symbol of freedom. They were a model for the flags of Russia and France.

## Population of the Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the densest populated countries in Europe. Due to this situation, the Netherlands has a large dense network of railways and motorways.

Population composition: At the end of 2009, the Netherlands had a population of 16,515,057 and a density of 397.7 / km2.

According to the Dutch Statistical Office (CBS) of 1 January 2005, 80.9% of Dutch people, 2.4% of Indonesians, 2.4% of Germans, 2.2% of Turks, 2.0% of Surinians, 1.9% Moroccans, 0.8% of the Antillians and 6.0% of other minorities

## Holidays in the Netherlands

Most shops in the Netherlands are closed on Sundays, with the exception of the so-called "koopzondag", which means shopping Sunday and the shops are exceptionally open. Each city has a different shopping Sunday, but usually it's the first or last of the month.

- January 1 New Year
- Easter Good Friday, Easter Monday
- April 30 Queen's Day - Feast of Queen Princess Juliana's mother
- May 5 Liberation Day - Liberation Day is celebrated every year on May 5 at
  a sign of the end of occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.
- May Day of the Assumption
- May / June Whitsuntide
- 25.12. The first holiday of Christmas
- 26.12. The second holiday of Christmas

If April 30 falls on a Sunday, the holiday is celebrated the day before. According to tradition, Queen's Day is celebrated on the birthday of Princess Juliana (mother of the current Queen Beatrix).

On this occasion, many participants wear orange clothing and accessories, which is a symbol of the ruling royal family of Orange-Nassau and celebrate throughout the country in the form of street holidays, such as parades, folk festivals, concerts or carnivals. Flea markets are characteristic during the holiday, during which it is possible to sell unnecessary things without restrictions and income from sales is not subject to taxation. In some cities, the so-called Koninginnenacht (Queen's Night) also takes place on the eve of the holiday.

## Coat of arms of the Netherlands

The coat of arms of the Netherlands was first adopted in 1815 and has been amended twice. The last modifications took place in 1980. The emblem consists mainly of the following parts:

- A shield with a golden lion with a sword in one and a bundle of seven arrows in the other paw.
- The shield is blue, sprinkled with gold shingles
- The motto above the shield means "I will keep" in translation
- Above the shield is a royal crown and the emblem is supported by shields like two golden lions
- The whole emblem is placed on the royal tent under another royal crown.

## Currency of the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, as in most European countries, you have pay in euros. We can also use payment by card, which is accepted in most stores. However, beware of smaller street shops or markets where we may have a problem with the payment of the card. We can also use the non-cash payment method for tickets by public transport or for transport from / to the airport for intercity trains. When using exchange offices, it is important to avoid smaller exchange offices at tourist locations due to higher fees.

### Prices in the Netherlands

In general, the prices in the Netherlands are the same as in our country.

In restaurants, service is already included in the price. If you leave some extra change, no one will be angry with you here. During business dealings, bargaining is like a national sport for Dutch people, but you don't usually see it too often on the street. You can try it in the markets, especially in popular flea markets.

#### Tickets and prices

If you want to get as far as possible and you do not want to worry about where you can't or can buy, buy the I AMSTERDAM CARD discount card in the capital, thanks to which you will get a discount on various tickets. Similar cards can also be purchased in Rotterdam and The Hague.

Many places can be visited for free. Mainly entrances to museums and other places such as Gassan Diamonds, Coster Diamonds, city guard gallery at Amsterdams Historisch Museu, Stadsarchief - city archive, lunch concerts in Concertgebouw and Hetmuziektheater or evening in Bimhuis, ferry to the northern part of the city, roof terrace NEMO and more.

Most of the monuments and interesting places we plan to visit can be found in the city centers. We can choose the walking option or pay extra for public transport. The best places can be explored in 3-4 hours. If you choose the public transport option, we recommend that you choose the appropriate, time-limited tickets that are most suitable for you.

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And beware! When getting on and off, it is always necessary to mark the ticket until a green color appears on the machine. A one-time fare is usually not worthwhile, so it is better to choose a ticket for 24/48/72 hours.

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A small overview of prices in the Netherlands:

- Taxi for 1 km - 2.50 euro
- Bottle of water 1.5 l - from 0.80 euros
- Bread packaging - from 0.70 euros
- Cheese 500 g in total - from 6 euros
- Benzin 1 l - 1.6 euros
- Oil 1 l - 1.24 euros
- Fast food - around 3.50 euros
- Meals in the restaurant - from 12 euros
- Draft beer - 4 eruo
- A liter of milk - 0.9 euros
- The average price for a ticket for public transport - 2.6 euros
- Middle class wine - 6 eruo
- Cigarettes - 6 euros

### Tips for trips in the Netherlands

We definitely recommend not to miss the cruise between the canals. The ride takes an average of an hour. If you are going on holiday with a group, you can rent a boat yourself or with the captain. Many boats also offer food and drink on board. You can also buy yours at the supermarket and have a picnic on the water. This is a very interesting ride that will provide a completely different view of the city than from the ground. It is also interesting how many ships sail and pass through the individual channels.

Our second tip when visiting Amsterdam is A´dam Lookout. By ferry we get from one bank across the river IJ to the other side of the bank, where the EYE Filmmuseum and A´dam Toren are located. A high-rise building with a panoramic swing on the roof. A great experience is just a ride on the elevator to the 22nd floor, where we have a 360 ° view of the city.

If you want to relax in the Netherlands from Museums, galleries, coffee shops and history, you can go to one of the amusement parks. Efteling is loved by the whole family, Walibi Holland offers roller coasters and an amusement park with an aqua park can be found in Duinrell.

There are many bicycle rentals throughout the Netherlands. There are more bicycles than people. We can also enjoy the Netherlands by cycling through the flat landscape with many bike paths. You can cycle out of the hustle and bustle of the city and head to some of the neighboring places around. For example, you can go from Amsterdam to Haarlem. From Den Hagg or from Rotterdam to Delft. From Utrecht to Castle de Haar.

Another tip for places in the Netherlands is the beach. The North Sea has a pleasant temperature for swimming in summer. Here you will find the beach Noordwijk, which is not one of the warmest. They have a separate beach here, even for those who do not go on holiday without their four-legged pets and pets. Other popular beaches include the beaches of Ameland, Katwijk aan Zee, Marken, Neeltje Jans, Scheveningen and Terschelling.

[More tips for trips.]({{< ref "tipy-na-vylety.en.md" >}})

## Attractions of the Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands (Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in the Netherlands). The Netherlands is
one of the four countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes, among others, overseas
the islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint-Maarten, which can be found in the Caribbean.
Together they are referred to as the Netherlands Antilles. None of the islands uses the Euro as their currency. The Netherlands is one of the few countries to allow light drugs. But a few simple rules must be followed:

- You can carry a maximum of 5 grams of marijuana (grass or hashish) per person.
- Light drugs are allowed from the age of 18. Caffe shops do not sell drugs to people under the age of 18.
- Growing grass at home is illegal
- Hard drugs are prohibited
- The export and import of drugs is prohibited
- The use of light drugs is prohibited in public. Smoking marijuana is allowed in coffee shops or in some restaurants.

## Important contacts

**Where to call in case of emergency in the Netherlands?**

Rescue service, fire brigade, police: 112

The **country code for the Netherlands is +31**

**Contacts at the Embassy of England in the Netherlands:**

**Address:**

```txt
Lange Voorhout 10
2514 ED The Hague
Netherlands
```

Phone: +31 (0)70 4270 427

Email: ukinnl@fcdo.gov.uk

Further contacts can be found at www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-the-hague

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The weather is suitable for travel all year round

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In the Netherlands, as in most European countries, you pay in Euros

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- Amsterdam Shiphol Airport (AMS)
- Eindhoven Airport (EIN)
- Rotterdam Airport (RTM)
- Maasticht Airport (MST)
- Groningen Airport (GRQ)

### List of airports in Amsterdam

There is one international airport in Amsterdam, Shiphol Airport.

#### How to get from the airport

By train: the fastest and cheapest way to get to the city is by train. The fare costs less than € 5 one way. The station is located directly below the arrival hall of the airport. At least five trains run per hour between 6 am and 4 pm, and one per hour at night. By regular train, you can get to Central Station from the airport in about 20 minutes. But watch out for your luggage. Keep your eyes on it.

By bus: Conexxion Shiphol Hotel Shuttle bus runs between the airport and more than 100 hotels. A one-way ticket is around € 17 and runs almost every hour from 6 am to 9 pm. All tickets can be purchased in the arrival hall at the airport or from the driver. Of course, tickets are always a bit more expensive if you buy from the driver. Interliner buses run directly to the center. Lines No. 197 and 370, night lines No. 97 and 358. Bus line 300 runs along the route of Amsterdam's Zuidtangenta, so it takes us to the south of the city.

Taxi: a taxi ride to the center costs between 35 - 40 €. Driving time waiting is 20 minutes. Information on tel .: 020 653 10 00.

#### Airport services

Wifi is unlimited at the airport and free of charge.

Public showers, which can be found in the Mercur Hotel or opposite the KLM lounge. The shower costs from 17-20 €.

The luggage room is located in the arrival hall between parts 1 and 2. The airport is well marked and all needs can be found according to the indicators. We will pay for luggage storage from 6-12 € per day depending on the size of the luggage.

Amsterdam Airport also offers one of the most beautiful observation decks that we can visit at any time. The terrace is located in the public area and is free of charge. So we can visit it more than once.

#### Customs regulations

When traveling within the EU, we can import and export goods intended for personal use.

Limits are set for passengers over 17 years of age:

- 800 cigarettes
- 10l distillates
- 90l of wine

Souvenirs are not subject to duty up to a total value of € 430.

Airports

Due to the presence of the sea, there is higher humidity. The Netherlands is not a sought-after area for summer holidays by the sea on the beach. Although there are beaches on the open sea, the water is colder. In the winter months, the air temperature does not fall below freezing. Each season is suitable for a visit to the Netherlands.

## Weather in Amsterdam

The climate in Amsterdam is almost the same as in the whole of the Netherlands. It is not for nothing that the Netherlands is called the Land of Windmills. The weather is very changeable here and the wind blows here almost all year round.

{{< guide-forecast7 code="52d374d90/amsterdam" >}}

## When to fly to Holland

The best time to fly to the Netherlands is April to September. The winter months can also be a good time when we can also meet with a very pleasant time. It is worth flying to the Netherlands almost every day of the year.

### Cheapest flights to Amsterdam

The graph describes the minimum prices of tickets found to Amsterdam and their development by weeks. Additional data on the graph show average day and night temperatures and total precipitation, if data are available. Click on the individual columns in the graph to get more detailed [current data from the search engine](/).

{{% FutureFlightPriceChart
  destination="AMS"
%}}

So you can see which date is best for your trip to Amsterdam due to the weather development in the destination and given the current ticket price.

The following chart shows the lowest prices of flights to Amsterdam in the context of the weather. Click on the individual columns in the graph to get a more detailed current [data from the search engine](/).

{{% FutureFlightPriceChart
  destination="AMS"
%}}

Guide to Holland

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