November 28, 2011

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands,

The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom

of the Netherlands,

The name Amsterdam is derived from Amstelredamme, indicative

of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel. Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century.

Culture

Dutch culture, or the culture of the Netherlands, is varied, reflecting regional differences as well

as the overseas influences gratitude to the merchant and exploring strength of the Dutch and

the invasion of immigrants. The Netherlands and Dutch people have played a significant role for

centuries as an ethnically open-minded and tolerant centre, with the Dutch Golden Age

regarded as the zenith.

The Netherlands is a very secular culture with more than 40% of the population sustains to have no religious faith. The rest of the country is made up of 30% Roman Catholic, 20% protestant and 10% other denominations.

The Netherlands has a rich element of artists in succession through its history as well as the Dutch masters of the 17th century such as Rembrandt and Vermeer and of pathway, the famous painters of the 19th century such as Vincent Van Gogh. These painters to this day are considered to be of immense enormity to the history and development of Art.

Music in the Netherlands has a custom in Folk from the early 19th century significantly influenced by Germany and Belgium. In more stylish era the Netherlands has become synonymous with Eurodance and Trance music producing such bands as 2 Unlimited and the venga boys and spawning DJ’s such as Armin Van Buuren and DJ Tiesto. There is also a large following of Gothic metal music in The Netherlands with bands such as The Gathering, After Forever and Epica all coming out of Holland.

Many visitors to The Netherlands are struck by the unexpected and straight nature of people and sometimes incorrectly interpret it as rudeness. This mannerism takes some time to get used to but is just a way of being surrounded by Dutch people and within the country is actually considered as a optimistic trait.

External displays of wealth involving Dutch community are not common and there is an emphasis within Dutch culture on financial equality that is reflected within earnings and tax structures within the country. When either dinning out or drinking at a bar each person will practically always pay their own part hence the worldwide used expression “going Dutch”.

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Climate

The climate in Holland is temperate and incredibly alike to the United Kingdom with summer

temperatures ranges from 20°c – 25°c in July and August and winter temperatures in December and

January ranging from 0°c to 10°c.

The Netherlands receives a moderately stable pour of rainfall throughout the year with April and May on

standard being the driest months

The Best Time to Visit Amsterdam

Amsterdam has an directly familiar charm all its own, whether you see it under blue skies, through light

rain slightly or still along with the prime crowds of high season.

The best time to visit Amsterdam is at any time you can, but if you're flexible with your plans, here are

some guidelines to follow.

Across the world, most travelers visit Amsterdam between April and September, when the days are

longer and temperatures are milder than during other months.

But, the one thing that's invariable concerning Amsterdam weather is that it's volatile. While there's

never a guarantee of good weather, the Dutch pay no mind and carry on with whatsoever festival or

party they have planned

The Cheapest Time to Visit Amsterdam

Travelers will discover the cheapest prices for Amsterdam flights and accommodations from late

October to early March. The exemption here is the holiday season in December.

Airports

Amsterdam Schipol Airport,

Eindhoven Airport

Groningen Airport

Maastricht Aachen Airport

Rotterdam Airport at Nederland

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Travel to Amsterdam and you must experience the fabulous

things to do & attractions

The Netherlands has various attractions to make your hang about, one of the majority fun and

memorable trips of your existence. From zoos, such as, Dolfinarium Safaripark, Beekse Bergen, Blijdorp,

GaiaPark and the Apenheul, to fun-parks like Madurodam, Neeltje Jans, Duinrell and the world-famous

Efteling. And then there are also limitless water sports amenities, historical squares, lively markets and,

of course, the notorious Red Light District and coffee shops.

Canals of Amsterdam

A stay to Amsterdam is just not possible to complete without take pleasure in the canals. They are a sign of Amsterdam and of enormous cultural and historical value.

Amsterdam Canals Musts

Though every canal is beautiful and unique in itself, there are some unlimited musts

The Golden Bend: the inland waterway from ‘Leidsestraat’ to ‘Vijzelstraat’ has the most beautiful and splendid stretch of canal houses of Amsterdam.

One view, fifteen bridges: the overpass on the corner of ‘Reguliersgracht’ and ‘Herengracht’ has a extraordinary view over fifteen bridges.

Magere Brug: The Magere Brug is one of the most charming bridges of Amsterdam and it is spectacular at it is romantically illuminated

Canal tour: Experience the stunning canals and inland waterway with one of Amsterdam’s numerous canal tours.

Amsterdam canals are cultural inheritance of marvelous widespread value, the city of Amsterdam also does its sheer best to preserve and protect the canals.

Flower Festival

Flowers and the Netherlands are broadly connected. Flowers are the possessions that affix blush to the

typically Dutch scenery.

Bulb fields, long contracted ditches and green flooring of grass create a multicolored palette, more than

ever in the provinces of Noord-Holland and Flevoland. Flowers are not only one of the main export

products of the Netherlands; they also attract many tourists from all over the world, year after year.

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Tulips

Holland and tulips are always collectively. The first bulbs arrived in Holland several centuries ago from

Turkey and Iran. They instantly became incredibly admired in Holland and their entrance was the

commencement of a thriving flower industry.

Flower Events

If you wish for to spectator the Dutch love for flowers, there are quite a lot of places you can go:

i. Keukenhof: 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the park Keukenhof. It show’s a

fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises,

lilies and other flowers. Keukenhof is by distant the mainly inspiring international

flower demonstration you would ever see.

ii. Floriade: a world horticultural expo held in a different town every ten years. Enjoy

the most beautiful and outstanding flowers, plants, trees and fruit and vegetables.

However block your calendar, because the next Floriade takes place in Venlo in

2012.

iii. Flower Parade: the majority of amazing flower parade in the world. 50 vast floats

and cars luxuriously adorned with flowers and outward appearance a flower parade

that drives along a 40 kilometer route. This visual feast is visited by thousands of

people.

Source: - http://www.holland.com/ca/Tourism/article/Flowers.htm

Museums in Amsterdam

There are over 50 museums in Amsterdam,

For more info source: - http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/

Monthly Events

http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/whats-on/events

Food and Drink in the Netherlands

Traditional Dutch cuisine is relatively simple and the few dishes described as "typically Dutch"

are rarely also described as "highly structured" or "classy". The main element in a customary

Dutch meal is potatoes, typically accompanied by meat and boiled vegetables. Kosher meals are

very familiar.

The Netherlands now has a worldwide slanting cooking with the ingredients for and restaurants

serving foods originating from Africa, France, Italy, Eastern Europe, America and the Far East. In

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the big cities, some very good Thai food restaurants, as well as good authentic Chinese food in

the Chinese quarters.

Typical Dutch Meals

Dutch breakfast consists of numerous types like i.e. bread, slices of Dutch cheese, butter, jam or

honey, sometimes eggs, sausages or prepared meats. Coffee, tea, chocolate and fruit juice are

drunk at breakfast.

Another customary Dutch breakfast is a uitsmijter, which is named to a considerable meal of

eggs, bread, cheese and/or ham and bacon.

In the cities, working people usually have a rather light lunch and eat more substantial dishes

for dinner. The lunch might consist of sandwiches (broodjes), served in a sandwich bar; or a

koffietafel with a variety of cold cuts, cheese, bread and conserves, a side dish with a cottage

pie, salad or an omelette; or filled pancakes and rural families on the other hand are more likely

to have their main meal at midday, and have an early dinner consisting of bread, cold cuts,

cheese and salad.

Typical Dutch Dishes (Main courses)

a) Erwtensoep is a thick pea soup, full of fresh vegetables, served with smoked sausage,

cubes of bacon, pig's knuckle and bread

b) Groentensoep is a clear consommé with vegetables, meatballs and vermicelli

c) Stamppot is a simple dish consisting of mashed potatoes with different ingredients, such

as carrots (wortel stamppot), kale (boerenkook stamppot) or endive (andijvie

stamppot). It is generally served together with rookworst, a juicy smoked sausage

Cheese in Holland

The Netherlands is renowned for its cheese, Dutch cheese is exported throughout the world

and the most familiar are Edam, Gouda and Leiden cheese. Every region in the country

produces cheese, the most excellent identified cheese markets are in the Towns Edam, Gouda,

Woerden and Alkmaar.

Dutch Drinks

Dutch coffee is generally strong. To order coffee with milk request for koffie verkeerd, this is a

lighter version looks like the “French cafe au lait”

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Dutch tea is generally fairly watery and served without milk. In winter, it is especially common

to have a hot chocolate with whipped cream on top.

Alcoholic Drinks

There are no licensing laws in the Netherlands and drinks can be bought all day. Bars open later

and stay open until the early hours of the morning during weekends.

1. Dutch beer (bier), which is a light gassy beer, served chilled, generally in small glasses

There are various beers, dark to white beer with some being brewed

2. In winter, alcoholic bitters are quite popular and every town has its own version:

Beerenburg in Amsterdam, Schrobbelear in Tilburg. Bitters are obtained by distilling

various herbs, spices and seeds in wine brandy

3. Jenever, the local spirit made with juniper berries and sometimes called Dutch gin, is

normally taken straight and chilled as a chaser with a glass of beer, but it is sometimes

Source: - http://southholland.angloinfo.com/countries/holland/food.asp

Facts & Figures

Surface area: 41,528 km² (18.41% water)

Total population: over 16.5 million

Population density: 488 people per km2

Capital city: Amsterdam (inhabitants: 747,000 in 2010)

Government: The Hague

Official languages: Dutch, Frisian (only spoken in Friesland)

Type of government: Constitutional monarchy - parliamentary democracy

Religion: 27% Roman Catholic, 17% Protestant, 6% Muslim, 1% Hindu, 1% Buddhist

Currency: Euro

National holidays: Queen’s Day (30 April) Liberation Day (5 May)

Average temperature in July: 17.4 °C

Average temperature in January: 2.8 °C

People: With over 16.5 million people and a inhabitants density of 488 people per km2, the

Netherlands is the most densely populated country of the European Union.

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Language: The official language is Dutch. The population of the province of Friesland has a

option between Dutch and Frisian, people often speak besides Standard Dutch. Many Dutch

people also speak German and English.

Landscape: Water utters the Dutch scenery. Three huge European rivers reach the ocean via

the Netherlands. 26% of the Netherlands is under sea level. The Dutch built a water structure

consisting of dykes, polders and weirs. However, the Netherlands proposes additional

difference than the familiar green, flat polder landscape with black and white cows.

Economy: The Netherlands is identified as a politically constant country with a sound financial

policy. The Netherlands is one of the mainly unwrap economies in the world and is one of the

world’s top 5 biggest exporters.

Three quarters of the professional population work in the service sector, one quarter in the

industrial sector and only 4 percent in agriculture.

Games: The most popular games in the Netherlands are football, hockey, tennis, cycling, golf,

volleyball, korfball, handball, swimming and ice-skating. Dutch football and speed skating

particularly enjoy widely.

Orange is related to the Dutch Royal Family and represents the national identity of the

Netherland that’s why they wear it during sports and events.

National anthem: The Dutch National anthem is ‘Het Wilhelmus’, which consists of 15 stanzas

about Prince William of Nassau.

Social habits: The Dutch are innovative, open minded and sensible. They are also rather

straight, truthful and open in their communication with others. The Dutch are known for their

liberal attitudes towards topics such as abortion, and (soft) drug use.

Source: - http://www.expatax.nl/factsandfigures.php

Travel Visa

Who requires a visa?

In the Netherlands, the rules and regulations for visitors from abroad are contained in the

Aliens Law. For an overview of all regulations applicable, click here and carefully read the

information.

The following section contains general information only.

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Whether a prospective visitor requires a visa depends on his nationality and how long he

intends to stay in the Netherlands. Nationals of many countries require a visa for an

uninterrupted stay of up to three months.

It can take a minimum of a few days up to a maximum of two months to process a visa

application, depending on whether further investigation is necessary in the Netherlands. In

exceptional cases, an investigation will take longer than two months. You should therefore

apply for a visa as soon as possible to avoid the disappointment of having to postpone your

visit.

Dutch Embassy Source: http://www.learn4good.com/travel/netherlands_embassies.htm

Source: - http://www.learn4good.com/travel/netherlands_visa.htm

Frequently traveled origin and destination points Inbound and

out bound travelers for Amsterdam.

USA Boston, Chicago ,Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Portland - Oregon, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington Canada Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, Ontario, Vancouver

Central America, Aruba, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Netherlands Antilles

America - South Brazil Rio & Brasilia, Ecuador Quito, Lima Peru, Surinam, Santiago Chile,

Europe Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,

Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Turkey, Ukraine, United

Kingdom

Africa Cairo Egypt, Cape Town & Johannesburg South Africa, Nigeria Kenya

Asia

Bahrain, China (Shanghai, Guangzhou,) Hong Kong, India (Delhi Hyderabad Mumbai), Indonesia

(Denpasar, Bali), Japan (Tokyo, Narita), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Oman, Philippines, Singapore, South

Korea (Seoul), Thailand, United Arab Emirates

Australia

(Sydney, Melbourne) New Zealand (Auckland)

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Online Travel Search trends & stats for “to or from Amsterdam” and most searched flights for Amsterdam.

Data from online searches source over the past 12 months.

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Amsterdam Travel Stats

Yearly % Volume