Many people get confused when visiting The Netherlands, or planning a trip to The Netherlands, because so many people call it Holland. Technically, this is incorrect, because there are actually twelve provinces in The Netherlands, and North and South Holland are merely two of them. The country itself is most well-known for their passion for social freedom, and fierce liberal tolerance towards things that are frowned upon in most other countries, making it very popular for young people, as a place to go to where they can get away with more than they would be able to in their home countries.

Despite popular belief, there are more things to do in the Netherlands than visit Amsterdam’s many coffeeshops. For nature lovers, and those who enjoy hiking, and seeing the sights on foot, there are over a dozen different nature preserves and parks distributed throughout the provinces in The Netherlands. A few of which are Nationaal Park Lauwersmeer, in Groningen, Friesland, Nationaal Park De Hoge Veluwe, in Gelderland, Nationaal Park De Biesbosch, which covers areas in both North Brabant and South Holland, Grenspark De Zoom - Kalmthoutse Heide, which covers areas in North Brabant, and Belgium as well. Other popular activities include bicycling to see the sights, fishing, camping, and more.

Dutch cuisine, and that most commonly found throughout the Netherlands can be both palatable to anyone who enjoys hot, traditional delicacies, and food for the soul, or people with a more adventurous taste. The Netherlands are famous for their variety of native cheeses, such as Goudse, Edammer, Leidse, and Leyden, which are flavoured with herbs, like cloves, cumin, caraway, and nettle. Tea and coffee are popular all day, every day, amongst all warm drinks, such as hot chocolate, or “Kwast” which is hot water, serve with lemon juice. Breads in the Netherlands, such as Rye, and others, are made from yeast, which makes them soft, and airy. Dinners in the Netherlands are very meat and potatoes based; beef stews, and seasoned meats, roasted and served with vegetables are popular, as well as liverwurst and meatloaf.

When traveling through the cities in the Netherlands, if it’s the nightlife, restaurants, and urban culture that travelers are interested in seeing during their visit, hotels and hostels are available for tourists for them to take lodging in, as well as guesthouses. If nature, hiking, and outdoor activities are the main focus of the trips being made, it’s a good idea to search for camp sites, or farmhouse lodgings. Getting around in the Netherlands, when going from one province to another is mostly done by rail, but while traveling through the cities in the Netherlands, it’s a good idea to either go on foot, or by bicycle. If you’re good at finding parking spaces, riding a motorcycle, or scooter is another great idea for urban travel. The best times to visit the Netherlands are the later spring months, such as April through June, or July, or the early autumn, however, visiting in colder months can be cheaper, although the whole point is; it’s colder, as well as rainy.

Amsterdam is the most diverse city in the world with 177 different nationalities. It is the capital city of the Netherlands and is known for its liberal cafes, canals, and red-light district, among other things. Before it was a populated city, Amsterdam was mostly comprised of marshes and grasslands. Surrounded by water and rampant with canals, it is now what you might call a floating city. Amsterdam’s climate is a moderate temperate one. In the winter the temperatures rarely drop below freezing and the summers are warm though rarely what one would refer to as hot. There is not really a bad time to visit this city as the weather is so mild throughout the year. The most beautiful weather is generally in the months of July and August.

In Amsterdam, things like bicycling and public transportation are more practical and economical and are widely encouraged. Public transports include buses, trams, ferries, taxis, water taxis, water buses, and canal cruises. Getting around this city is certainly no feat. Once in the city there are accommodations for every budget type ranging from five star hotels to youth hostels.

While in Amsterdam, there are plenty of tourist attractions to visit. Nestled in the middle of the red-light district, for example, is the Oude Kerk-a lovely old church with cute homes at its sides. It is a beautiful contrast and the church’s bell tower was a useful landmark to the men sailing the seas. The house where Anne Frank hid away and wrote her famous diary also stands in Amsterdam, now a museum housing the very book itself. You may also want to check out the Van Gogh Museum and the Rembrandt House Museum.

The Dutch cuisine is a simple and nutritional one consisting of a lot of vegetables and some meats, fruits, breads, and cheeses. They are also big on stews and pancakes. Amsterdam has many restaurants of all different types, most centered in the main part of the city.