The Netherlands is a unique maritime country dotted with numerous canals. It is easy to plunge into history here: ancient cities, fortresses and villages of past centuries are carefully preserved in their original form. Travelers will always find something to see in the Netherlands.
Multifaceted Amsterdam
For many, a journey through the Netherlands begins with the country's capital, the city of bridges and canals, Amsterdam. This surprisingly simple, uninhibited, unconventional and impressive place pleases tourists with its versatility. In Amsterdam, you should pay attention not only to the many museums, but also to individual quarters and squares.
Hikers will not be disappointed: the amazing architecture of the city is conducive to many hours of contemplation. "Falling" houses, the smooth surface of rivers and canals, numerous bridges just ask to be photographed against their background. Amsterdam almost never sleeps. Fans of the nightlife will find many like-minded people at Leinsplein. Cafes, clubs, shops, as well as street dancers, musicians and actors work here until the morning.
A considerable number of legendary museums present tourists with a difficult choice. Behind some walls is the greatest collection of Van Gogh's canvases, behind others - the fully preserved interiors of Rembrandt. In the architectural and historical complex of Amsterdam, you can get acquainted with the history of the development and formation of the city, with the life of residents at different times. And in the three-storey Museum of Erotica (open until 1 am) there is a huge collection of artifacts, souvenirs and images that tells about the intimate interests and preferences of people of different times and cultures.
Amsterdam is the largest city in the Netherlands. The second largest is Rotterdam, the famous European port. It is strikingly different from the capital: here you will see quarters of the most modern, several futuristic buildings. The third famous city is The Hague, the seat of government and royal institutions. It is here that the UN International Court of Justice (Peace Palace) is located.
Unique towns of the Netherlands
Amsterdam is a beautiful and unusual city, but too noisy, filled with tourists from all over the world. A trip to small towns will allow you to see the true face of the country, its historical and natural beauty. They are distinguished by peace, silence and many interesting places.
For example, not far from Amsterdam (about 20 km) is the town of Haarlem, which is considered the capital of the northern part of the country. The main attraction here is the Grote Markt. It is surrounded by a fantastically beautiful ensemble of medieval houses.
On the way from Haarlem, on the outskirts of the town of Lisse, there is the famous "Garden of Europe" - the Keukenhof park. The flower kingdom works only 2-2, 5 months a year - during flowering. The territory of 32 hectares is densely "populated" with a wide variety of garden and park crops. Here you can see unique compositions of lilies, daffodils, hyacinths, sakura, orchids, etc. But the symbol of the Netherlands, the tulip, rules the ball. Of the 7 million flowers planted annually in Keukenhof, this one is represented by an amount of 4.5 million.
Not far from the largest port in Europe, the city of Rotterdam, is the wonderful village of Kinderdijk. It is here that the famous windmill complex of the 18th century is located. These structures were the salvation of residents from the constant flooding and flooding, which was a frequent occurrence for Kinderdijk, located below the water level.
