The Netherlands is a wonderful place to visit. Often referred to as Holland, it is rich in history and culture. It’s evident from the second you arrive in this wonderful country. If you enjoy walking streets and finding yourself surrounded by buildings that played a major role in the success of the Dutch golden age, then Amsterdam would be a good place to visit. As you explore the canal lined streets, you’ll see tall, skinny houses that all used to be warehouses for the vast amount of trade that passed through the city during this golden age. Now converted into high end housing and commercial units, the history and grandeur hasn’t been lost. There are even some that have been preserved and turned into museums, so that you can see what houses back then looked like. Many famous people had homes in Amsterdam, and those have been preserved also. Some of the famous names that have museums dedicated to them include Rembrandt and Anne Frank. There are endless amounts of sights and attractions in this beautiful city, you won’t be disappointed.
The Hague is also filled with a lot of history, but its feel is more international than Amsterdam, due to the fact that the international courts are located here, along with all the embassies and multinational companies such as Shell oil. The city is also more continental than others in the Netherlands, due to its wide avenues and streets, more so than the rest of the country. Its 18th century mansions are quite different from the tall houses that line the streets of Amsterdam. The Hague also has 11km of coastline, which Amsterdam cannot compete with. There are still plenty of museums here and a lot to see, you’ll soon find that the history, although maybe somewhat different than Amsterdam, is still evident while you explore this wealthy Dutch city.
» Read more: Holland – Country of History, Culture and Fun!