Netherlands - Países Bajos

Introduction Netherlands (in Dutch, Nederland) is a country located mainly in the northwest of Europe. It limits the south with Belgium and to the east with Germany, having coasts on the North Sea that separates it from United Kingdom. In addition, it has the island territories of Bonaire, Saba Y St. Eustace in Caribbean. This country, a member of the European Union, is the most relevant part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), to which the Caribbean territories of Aruba, Curacao Y Sint Maarten.

Capital Amsterdam Idiom dutch Surface 41 526 km² Population 16 788 973 (2013) Currency euro Time zone UTC 1 (UTC 2 in summer) Telephone prefix 31

Understand

The Netherlands is located in the north-west of Europe and they limit the north and west with the North Sea, to the south with Belgium and to the east with Germany. The capital is Amsterdam, although the seat of government and parliament is in Hague (Den Haag).

History

The Netherlands, historically the region now known as BeNeLux, was part of the Holy Roman Empire until it was acquired piece by piece by the Burgundians. At the end of the Middle Ages it became a Spanish possession. Some historic city centers and several castles from this Spanish period remain today.

Behind the dutch revolt , led in part by national hero William of Orange, whose goal was to remove Spanish King Philip II from the throne in favor of another monarch, the Netherlands proclaimed its independence as a republic in early 1588, after both the French allies and English rulers were deemed incapable of taking the throne. Independence only became official with the Peace of Münster in 1648. The (first) break with Belgium came when the northern provinces (including Flanders) signed the Union of Utrecht in 1579, while the southern Netherlands, roughly present-day Wallonia, declared their desire to keep Philip II as their monarch. in the Union of 1579. Atrecht. The Netherlands grew to become one of the world's leading economic and maritime powers during the 17th century, which is known as the Dutch Golden Age ( Gouden Eeuw ). During this period, many colonies were founded or conquered, including the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and New Holland (which at its peak stretched along the east coast of the present-day United States, from Rhode Island to the coast Eastern Maryland); the latter was exchanged with the British for Suriname in 1667.

After peacefully transforming into the Republic of Batavia, a sister republic of the French Empire, following the Batavian revolution of 1795, the Netherlands became a kingdom in 1806 when Emperor Napoleon appointed his brother Louis Napoleon as' King of Holland ', which was annexed to France in 1810. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna transformed the Netherlands into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands along with present-day Belgium under King William I, who also won a political union over Luxembourg. In 1830 Belgium separated and formed a separate kingdom. During the liberal revolutions of 1848, a new constitution was adopted and the Netherlands became a constitutional monarchy. The personal union with Luxembourg ended in 1890 when the Salic Law prohibited a female ruler.

Holland remained neutral in World War I, but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation by neighboring Germany in World War II. The Netherlands, a modern and industrialized nation, is a major exporter of agricultural products. In 1944, the Netherlands formed the Benelux union in which they work together economically (and sometimes politically). The country was a founding member of NATO in 1949 and the European Community (EC) in 1957, and participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.

Attitudes

A good number of travelers visit the Netherlands to enjoy its famous tolerant attitude (more or less true, especially for the centers of the larger cities), which includes a relaxed treatment of marijuana use, legal prostitution, the right to euthanasia under strict medical conditions and acceptance. of gays and lesbians, including the right to marry a same-sex partner.

Geography

Holland is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. No matter where you go, you will never be far from civilization. Cities can be crowded, especially in the Randstad area where congestion is a serious problem.

Much of the country is flat and at or below sea level, making it an ideal place to walk in bike . Some individual hills can be found only in Salland, Utrechtse Heuvelrug the Veluwe. South Limburg, the southernmost tip of the country, is the only region characterized by rolling hills. This mountainous nature (combined perhaps with its distinct culture) has earned it a reputation for being almost "foreign", and has made it a popular holiday destination for the Dutch. The rural countryside of the Netherlands is dominated by highly industrialized agriculture and extensive grasslands. It is only because of this industrialization that the Netherlands can be one of the world's largest food exporters while being so densely populated.

Cycling is also a good way to discover picturesque rural landscapes, villages and windmills. While the main cities and attractions are easy to find and navigate, their rural beauty may at first seem a bit more difficult to find amidst the extensive development of the countryside. VVV's excellent network of tourist information offices is very useful for anyone wanting to explore the Dutch provincial areas. They can also provide you with countless cycling and hiking trails, specially designed to take you around the best places in any region.

The geography of the Netherlands is also influenced by the characteristics of the water. The country is lined with rivers, canals and dikes, and the beach is never far away. The western coast has long sandy beaches and dunes, which attract many Dutch and German visitors. Since the 17th century, about 20% of the entire country has been recovered from the sea, lakes, marshes, and swamps. The Frisian lakes define much of the northwestern geography.

Weather

The Netherlands has a temperate climate with cool summers and mild winters. Every month of the year they have rains, with no wet or dry season. The best time to go is from May to September (daily high of 18/19 ° C to 23 ° C), but April and October can also see mild and sunny weather.

In spring, temperatures vary greatly. Frosts can occur until early May, but temperatures above 20 ° C are not uncommon. The sun shines for 4 to 7 hours a day on average, increasing throughout the season. Although spring is the driest season (and April is the driest month), always prepare for rain.

In summer, the temperature generally rises above 20 ° C and frequently up to 25 ° C. The colder climate is mainly combined with rain. Temperatures above 30 ° C are not unheard of and occur for a few days most summers. A heat wave usually ends with a storm. The sun shines 7 hours a day on average.

In autumn, the temperatures drop, but in September and October, the temperature is still pleasant between 15 and 19 ° C, sometimes exceeding 25 ° C in September. The rain is abundant and the number of hours of sunshine decreases notably. In November, frosts are more common and daytime temperatures fluctuate around 9 ° C, but daytime frosts and snow are not unheard of. Fall mornings are pretty hazy.

In winter, temperatures are around 0-6 ° C most of the time, although periods of frost occur every winter, usually down to -5 ° C, but frosts of -10 ° C are also common. Precipitation is common , although more often in the form of rain than snow. Any amount of snow generally derails public transportation.

Ice skating

As long as it freezes for more than a day, many Dutch will take their skates out of the closet. The few Dutch who still don't have skates are likely to buy a pair. Soon the entire country was filled with newly created skating areas on small icy canals or, after more severe frosts, on larger water surfaces. It is also common to organize small fields for skating by spraying water on them. Severe winters offer many ice tours, the famous Frisian being Elfstedentocht (eleven city tour or eleven city tour) the most popular event. Unfortunately, there must be heavy frosts for many days for this national celebration to be possible, and the last time it happened was in 1997.

Tourist information

Tourist offices in the Netherlands can be recognized by a blue logo with three VVV characters. This abbreviation means: Vereniging voor Vreemdelingenverkeer . In major cities and tourist spots you will find VVV offices, sometimes run by volunteers. Staff generally speak English, and especially in areas frequently visited by international travelers, printed information in English is also available. The main objective is to inform and advise visitors on the main tourist attractions in the community and the region, help with hotel reservations and inform about museums, opening hours, etc. Event tickets or gift certificates can often be purchased. Informative brochures and simple maps are available free of charge. More advanced maps, books, and souvenirs can be purchased.

Electricity

Electricity and plugs are the same as the Spanish.

Currency

The official currency is Euro, since its introduction on January 1, 1999.

Regions

The Netherlands is administratively divided into 12 provinces.

West
	Utrecht North holland South holland Flevoland This is the heart of Holland with its four largest cities and the typical Dutch countryside, with many monuments of famous water management. Most of the region is commonly called Randstad, in reference to its urbanization.
South
	Zealand North brabant Limburg Divided from the rest by its shared Catholic history with Belgium, carnival celebrations, beer culture, and good food culture.
North
	Groningen Friesland Drenthe The least densely populated area, mostly unexplored by foreigners, but popular with locals. The West Frisian islands are excellent destinations to spend a few days, as are the Frisian lakes.
East
	Gelderland Overijssel Home to the largest national park in the Netherlands, the Hoge Veluwe National Park, as well as the beautiful Hanzesteden, seven medieval towns along the IJssel river with a traditional historical center, such as Zutphen, Zwolle, Doesburg, among others.

The islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius, located in the Caribbean, are since 10 October 2010 special municipalities of the Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles, Curacao, Aruba Y Sint Maarten They are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but have governments independent of the Netherlands.

Cities

The Netherlands has many cities and towns of interest to travelers. Below is a list of the 9 most notable.

• Amsterdam - Capital of the Netherlands with impressive architecture, wonderful canals that run through the city from side to side and great shops for shopping. Every traveler will find something to their liking here, whether they are looking for culture or history, big parties or simply the relaxing charm of an old European city.

• Alkmaar - This city is located 40 km north of Amsterdam, in the region known as 'West Frisia'. It preserves the 17th century pattern of narrow streets and canals, as well as various historic buildings. Surrounding it is a historic rural landscape, with 17th century polders: one of them, De Beemster, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On Fridays between April and October in the main square the cheese market is held, at 10 am a representation begins where they weigh and simulate how the buying and selling of cheeses were carried out before. Of interest also the house of the public peso (Dutch: Waag).

• Delft - Historic city between The Hague and Rotterdam. It is a beautiful and untouched city with traditional architecture, canals, bicycles, and world-famous blue and white ceramics. Famous for being the hometown and where the painter Vermeer lived and developed much of his work. It has the second tallest church tower in the country.

• Eindhoven - This city has grown from a small village in 1232 to one of the largest cities in the Netherlands with more than 210,000 inhabitants in 2010. Much of its growth was due to the companies Philips and DAF Trucks. In 1891, Gerard with his son Gerard Philips founded a small light bulb factory that would become one of the largest electronics companies in the world. Today Eindhoven is a hodgepodge of old industrial factories and modern architecture.

• Groningen - Capital of the province of Groningen. One of the oldest cities in the North of Holland: Groningen was founded around 1100 and has a long history, which can be seen by the old buildings in the center. Groningen won the 'Best Center' award in the 'Large Cities' category in 2006.

• Haarlem - Historic city and capital of the province of North holland (Dutch: Noord-Holland). Haarlem is the center of an area where flowers are grown and an export point for bulbs. The famous garden Keukenhof are in close proximity.

• Hague, (Dutch: 's-Gravenhage or Den Haag) - In this city you can find the residence of the Dutch government, place of residence of the Queen, Legal Capital of the world, International Criminal Court, Palace of Peace (Dutch: Vredespaleis) and some other international institutions. It is also the capital of the province of South holland(Dutch: Zuid-Holland) and it is the third largest city in the country. The Hague offers magnificent architecture, some picturesque such as the medieval government complex of the Binnenhof, some stately, like the mansions in Lange Voorhout, combined with modern architecture. The city's museums are among the best in the country.

• Rotterdam - It was well known for having the largest sea port in the world, but it was dethroned in 2004 by Shanghai. Even so, it is the second largest city in the country. It may seem difficult to get in touch with the heart of Rotterdam; its natural center was sadly bombed by the German army during the second world war before it surrendered. As a result the city has been completely renovated in the last 60 years. The result is a landscape of modern architecture (pencil building (Het potlood), house of cubes (Kubuswoningen), Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug)...

• Utrecht - Capital of the province of Utrecht. Utrecht is a central Dutch city with a long history. With 300,000 inhabitants it is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. Geographic and rail transport center of the country. The history of the city dates back to 47 AD. When the Roman emperor Claudio ordered his general Corbulo to build a defensive line along the Rhine river that was the northern border of the empire. It has the tallest church tower in the Netherlands.

Other destinations

These are some interesting destinations outside the main cities.

1. Efteling - The Dutch equivalent of Disneyland, theme park with fairy tale elements like elves and dwarfs
2. Hoge Veluwe National Park : perhaps the most visited national park, with heaths, sand dunes and forests
3. Keukenhof : Park worldwide famous for its flowers, with more than 800,000 visitors one of the most visited attractions in the country
4. Kinderdijk : these windmills show the typical Dutch landscape in all its splendor
5. Schokland : former island evacuated in 1859, remains a well-preserved ghost town
6. South limburg : green hilly landscapes, picturesque villages, castles and orchards
7. Texel - The largest island suitable for biking, bird watching, walking, swimming and horse riding
8. Zaanse Schans - open-air museum with Dutch windmills and Zaan houses
9. Zaanstreek-Waterland : typical Dutch villages and polders with clogs, wooden houses and windmills

See also the Netherlands section of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What to visit

• Madurodam: Holland in miniature

To get

The Netherlands is a member of the Schengen Agreement.

• There are normally no border controls between the countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and some other countries.
• Usually there are identity checks before boarding international flights or ships. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• Also, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and the treaty implemented.
• See Traveling the Schengen area for more information on how the program works, which countries are members, and what are the requirements for your nationality .

Citizens of the aforementioned countries can work in the Netherlands without obtaining a visa or any other authorization for the period of their 90-day visa-free stay.

All Swiss / non-EEA travelers must register their residence within 3 business days after the entry into the Aliens Police ( Vreemdelingenpolitie ). Hotels will normally handle the registration formalities for their guests.

Applications for long-term residence permits and visas are handled by the IND. Generally speaking, travelers to the Netherlands who do not require a short-stay visa they can obtain a residence permit upon arrival without a long-term visa, but check with the nearest embassy / consulate for information.

There are several ways to enter the Netherlands. From neighboring European countries, it is possible to drive by car or by train; visitors from further afield are likely to use air travel. Visitors to the UK can also travel by boat.

By plane

The Netherlands has the following international airports:

• Amsterdam Schiphol
• Rotterdam - The Hague
• Eindhoven
• Maastricht Aachen
• Groningen Eelde

The Schiphol Airport It is the main airport in the Netherlands, and the base of the flag carrier KLM and its low-cost subsidiary Transavia. It offers connections to many places in the world. The airport train station offers a direct connection to various cities in the Netherlands, such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam Y Hague. Additionally, there are connections with high-speed trains between the airport and Rotterdam, Breda, Brussels Y Paris.

The remaining airports have fewer flights, mainly vacation flights to southern Europe. Schiphol Airport (AMS ^IATA), near Amsterdam, is a European hub and, after London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport, the largest in Europe. It is a point of interest in itself, being 4 meters below mean sea level. It is the main hub of the national airline KLM , which is the oldest airline in the world that has been continuously operating under the same name and is well served by flights from major cities around the world.

Some budget airlines also fly to the Netherlands. Jet2.com, Easyjet, Transavia, and other low-cost airlines serve Schiphol, providing a fairly inexpensive way to travel from city to Amsterdam from elsewhere in Europe. Especially flying to / from the British Isles and Mediterranean countries can be relatively cheap. It is important that you book as early as possible, as prices tend to rise closer to departure.

From Schiphol there are excellent rail connections: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and many other cities have a direct train service. International high-speed trains run to Antwerp, Brussels and Paris. Schiphol train station is underground, below the main airport lobby. The train is the fastest and cheapest way to get around the Netherlands.

Taxis are expensive: legal taxis have blue license plates, others should be avoided. Illegal taxi services are frequently offered outside the airport, but these will charge large sums of money even for short trips. Some hotels in Amsterdam and around the airport have a shuttle bus service.

Other international airports are Eindhoven Airport , Aachen Airport / Maastricht , Rotterdam - The Hague Airport, and the Groningen-Eelde Airport. These smaller airports are served primarily by low-cost airlines. Eindhoven Airport and Maastricht / Aachen Airport are mainly used by Ryanair, while Rotterdam Airport is frequented by Transavia, KLM's low-cost subsidiary for tourists. The CityJet operator makes an expensive commuter trip to London City Airport from Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp. A direct bus connection to either local train stations and then taking the train is the best way to get to Amsterdam or any other city. There is a direct bus service between Eindhoven Airport and Amsterdam Central Station.

It is also possible to reach the Netherlands through airports located in neighboring countries. The most used airports are Düsseldorf International Airport and the Brussels airport . European low-cost airlines such as Ryanair also use Münster-Osnabrück airports (FMO^IATA) and Weeze / Niederrhein (NRN ^IATA), which are located near or right on the border between the Netherlands and Germany. From these two airports there are frequent flights to the main European destinations.

Boat

Ferry services from the Netherlands are limited to the UK. These leave the ports of Hoek van holland, Ijmuiden (27 km from the center of Amsterdam) and Rotterdam bound for Harwich, Newcastle Y Hull respectively. There are three ferry services from the UK:

• Stena Line between Harwich and Hook of Holland. Dutchflyer is a combined ticket that includes the train ride from anywhere on the National Express East Anglia network (including London and Norwich) to Harwich, the ferry and the train ride from Hook of Holland to anywhere on the NS network (the Dutch railway). Rotterdam is also the second largest port in the world and (in theory) a good place to travel by freighter.
• DFDS Seaways between North Shields near Newcastle upon Tyne and IJmuiden on the outskirts of Amsterdam.
• P&O Ferries between Kingston Upon Hull and Rotterdam Europoort.

More information, timetables and ticket prices for the North Sea ferries are available at AFerry.com.

By bus

There are multiple long-haul bus lines with destinations in the Netherlands, mainly operated by Eurolines, Flixbus and Ouibus.

Local

• For a list of buses that cross the border between Germany and the Netherlands, see here.
• For a list of buses that cross the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, see here.
• Besides being a peculiar result of ancient European history, the city of Baarle (formally Baarle-Hertog in Belgium and Baarle-Nassau in the Netherlands) is a possible point of change, as the main bus stop in the city, Sint-Janstraat, It is operated by Flemish (Belgians) and the Dutch.
• The Flemish (Belgian) company De Lijn operates a bus that crosses the border between Turnhout in Belgium and Tilburg in the Netherlands, both terminals on the rail network of the respective country.

Interurban

Until the 2010s, Germany and France had no intercity buses to speak of and consequently few connections were available to the Netherlands. However, German and French laws have changed since then and there are now several lines and operators connecting points in the Netherlands with Germany, France, Belgium or Luxembourg.

Eurolines is the main 'operator' of international coaches to the Netherlands. (In fact, the Eurolines name is a common brand used by different operators.) Services are limited: only some main routes have a daily service, such as from Poland, London, Milan, Brussels and Paris, but this is the cheapest way to travel and you get a discount if you are under 26 years old.

Deutsche bahn operates a London-Antwerp-Eindhoven-Düsseldorf express bus.

Flixbus it serves international routes throughout the Netherlands and neighboring countries, as well as domestic services.

Student Agency is a Czech company that provides services in some parts of the Netherlands.

Due to the Bosnian war in the 1990s, there are bus companies serving the Bosnian diaspora, providing a cheap and clean way to reach the other side of the European continent. The semi tours are they run several times a week from various destinations in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Belgium and the Netherlands, out of season around € 135 for a return ticket.

By train

From the Netherlands, you can travel on international trains to France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. Thalys operate the route Amsterdam - Schiphol Airport - Rotterdam - Antwerp - Brussels - ParisThe Intercity Brussels operates the Amsterdam - Schiphol - Rotterdam - Antwerp - Brussels route. German railways operate the Amsterdam - Frankfurt - Basel route.

Trains (high speed) can be the most comfortable mode of transport between major European cities. While some low-cost airlines can sometimes offer cheaper deals, remember that international high-speed lines connect the city centers, rather than airports that are generally outside the city. While budget airlines are known for their extra fees, especially for luggage, for the most part what you see is what you get for train tickets and the only "luggage limit" is how much you can carry. Except for the Eurostar, you don't need to show up more than 5 minutes before departure on any European high-speed train and they generally offer more legroom and a better environment to turn on your laptop and work or watch a movie while the scenery slides by. last.

Cheapest tickets often sell out early and reservations are generally possible 3-6 months in advance, depending on rail, ticket type, and booking channel. Bookings can be made through NS International (Dutch Railways) or their German and Belgian counterparts. NS International also sells combo tickets for their trains and Eurostar to get you to and from London.

From France, Belgium and Great Britain

The high speed train Thalys , which connects the Netherlands with France and Belgium, is a bit pricey, but if you book a return in advance or are under 26 or over 60, you can get good deals. It's also faster, typically cheaper, and more convenient than flying. Direct trains depart from Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport and Rotterdam.

Maastricht can also be reached by Thalys at Liège , Aachen . Change at Liège-Guillemins to the direct train to Maastricht - for more information.

Intercity Brussels , a service using normal intercity transport, operates between Amsterdam and Brussels. Tickets are priced lower than Thalys, while discounts are available during the weekend when traveling to (and from) Belgium.

There are local trains from Roosendaal to Antwerp and from Maastricht to Liège. A light rail service from Maastricht to Hasselt is under construction and will start operating in a few years.

London's St Pancras station is connected to the Netherlands by high-speed Eurostar trains. Two of the St Pancras trains go directly to Amsterdam Centraal with stops in Brussels Midi. It is also possible to reserve seats on a Eurostar train for travel between Brussels and Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Otherwise, make a transfer via Brussels. Due in part to border control limitations and security concerns, Eurostar is still unable to offer direct trains from Amsterdam to London, requiring a stop and change of trains in Brussels. However, it is possible to book Eurostar tickets from Amsterdam to Brussels.

From Germany, Switzerland, Denmark ...

The high speed train Inter-City Express (ICE) It goes from Basel through Frankfurt to Amsterdam, passing through Cologne, Düsseldorf, Arnhem and Utrecht.

Intercity trains run from Berlin and Hannover via Osnabrück to Amsterdam and Hengelo, Deventer, Apeldoorn, Amersfoort and Hilversum.

Sleeper trains used to be plentiful, but have been phased out of service over the past decades and now (2017) none of them serve the Netherlands anymore. However, ÖBB Nightjet still serves Düsseldorf, which is close to the Dutch border and can be reached by various trains, including ICEs from the Netherlands. NS also sells tickets for those trips. Deutsche Bahn sells tickets for all regional trains in and through Germany and all ICE, IC and EC, as well as a few others.

There are also several regional trains to and from Germany:

• Between Groningen and Leer there are trains every hour.
• Hay trenes entre Enschede y Münster cada hora, también entre Enschede y Dortmund cada hora.
• Los trenes circulan cada hora entre Venlo y Hamm , a través de Mönchengladbach y Düsseldorf.
• Los trenes salen cada hora entre Heerlen y Aquisgrán y más allá de Eschweiler / Stolberg (Rheinland) .
• Hay 24 trenes al día que unen Hengelo y Bad Bentheim entre las 06:09 y las 22:09.

Travel

By car

Las carreteras son muy buenas, especialmente las autopistas. Los límites de velocidad genéricos alcanzan los 120 kms/h por autopista. No hay peajes en todo el país.

En las ciudades la circulación es complicada debido al gran número de ciclistas, los cuales en general tienen prioridad.

Hay gran cantidad de parquímetros en casi todas las ciudades, algunos muy caros (de 2 a 8 € la hora) Según la zona pueden tener diferentes tarifas, horarios y límites de tiempo estacionado, pudiendo ser diferentes de calle en calle. La mayoría de los centros de las ciudades son peatonales o semipeatonales. Una alternativa son los Park & Ride, aparcamientos en las afueras de las ciudades que permiten el acceso a la ciudad mediante transporte público. Regularmente cuentan con tarifas combinadas.

In taxi

El taxi en Holanda es caro, y en ocasiones puede ser muy difícil encontrar taxis circulando por la calle ya que son un poco escasos. Se diferencian por tener la matrícula azul.

Los Países Bajos tienen buenas carreteras a Bélgica y Alemania, y conexiones de ferry a Gran Bretaña . El país tiene una red de autopistas y autopistas densa, muy bien cuidada y moderna. Sin embargo, la cantidad de tráfico hace que la mayoría de las carreteras principales sufran una congestión grave. Las fronteras están abiertas según los términos del Acuerdo de Schengen. Si bien los automóviles pueden detenerse en la frontera para controles aleatorios, esto rara vez sucede. Hay servicios de ferry desde el Reino Unido. Dado que el Reino Unido no forma parte de la zona Schengen, se aplican controles fronterizos completos.

Tren lanzadera para coches (Túnel del Canal)

Desde el Reino Unido también se puede llegar a los Países Bajos con el tren lanzadera del Túnel del Canal entre Folkestone y Calais, desde donde se conduce a través de Francia y Bélgica. Desde la terminal de Calais, se puede llegar a la mayoría de los Países Bajos por la Autoroute A 16 hacia Dunkerque ( Dunkerque ). Una vez en Bélgica, continúe en dirección a Brujas ( Witches ), Gante (Gante) y Amberes (Amberes). Cerca de Amberes, Rotterdam está señalizado (a través del túnel de peaje Liefkenshoek) al igual que Breda (para Utrecht y el este) y Eindhoven (para el sureste). Consulte eurotunnel.com para obtener más información.

Cycling

La bicicleta es probablemente el mejor medio de transporte dentro de las ciudades y pueblos. En las ciudades medianas donde no hay transporte público y el coche no se puede aparcar en el centro es casi la única opción además de caminar.

En el caso de utilizar la bicicleta de noche es obligatorio llevar iluminación delantera y trasera.En algunas ciudades se pueden alquilar bicicletas (alrededor de 10 € por día).

El robo de las bicicletas es bastante común en las grandes ciudades por lo que no hay que olvidar asegurarlas bien al aparcarlas. Suelen contar con un candado de tipo herradura en la rueda trasera, que la gente acompaña con una cadena para, a ser posible, asegurarla al mobiliario urbano.

Si se va a permanecer un cierto tiempo se pueden comprar bicicletas de segunda mano por unos 100 € o menos. También es posible contratar un abono a «OV Fiets» que permite alquilar bicicletas en gran número de estaciones de tren y metro del país por 3.85 € por 24 horas.

Walking

Muchos centros de ciudades holandesas son peatonales, y todos son accesibles a pié. Hay que tener precaución con el gran número de ciclistas, pero en pasos de peatones y en aceras el ciclista ha de dejar pasar al peatón.

Boat

Antes del desarrollo del ferrocarril, el barco era el medio preferido de transporte en Holanda. Hoy en día sigue siendo posible realizar cruceros fluviales.

En transporte público

El transporte público en Holanda le permite llegar a casi cualquier sitio. Suele contar con abundantes frecuencias y buenas conexiones. Se pueden consultar los horarios de todas las rutas en 9292.nl.

Todo el transporte público en el país acepta la tarjeta sin contacto «OV Chipkaart». Es una tarjeta con chip RFID, en la que se carga saldo. Al validarla al inicio y fin del viaje se paga una tarifa basada en la distancia recorrida. La tarjeta anónima cuesta € 7,50, requiere como mínimo €20 de saldo y solo permite viajar a una persona a la vez.

El «Holland travel ticket» es un billete que permite viajes ilimitados en todo el transporte público de Holanda durante un día por €41 en su versión off-peak (desde las 9:00 de la mañana en días de diario). También es posible comprar billetes para los diferentes medios de transporte en zonas específicas.

By train

Los trenes cuentan en general con una frecuencia mínima de dos trenes por hora, aunque en algunas conexiones hay muchos más. Los horarios se encuentran en la web de los ferrocarriles Holandeses, ns.nl.

Aparte de la ya mencionada OV-chipkaart, se pueden comprar billetes en las máquinas autoventa (suplemento de €1) o en la web. Si cuenta con pasar mucho tiempo en Holanda, quizás le convenga un abono, disponibles desde € 50 anuales que ofrecen 40% de descuento en los viajes iniciados fuera de hora punta (06:30-09:00 y 16:00-18:30).

También existen promociones regulares que permiten viajes a tarifas promocionales, que se publican en treinreiziger.nl.

By subway

Amsterdam Y Róterdam cuentan con redes de metro propias, que están integradas en las redes municipales de transporte público. También aceptan el pago mediante OV Chipkaart. Son una forma rápida para recorrer las dos ciudades.

La línea E del metro de Róterdam llega hasta La Haya.

En tranvía o bus

El transporte urbano, que consiste de (trole)buses o tranvías, ofrece conexiones principalmente entre el centro de ciudad, la estación y los alrededores. Circulan tranvías en las redes de transporte público de Amsterdam, Róterdam, La Haya Y Utrecht, in Arnhem circulan trolebuses y en todo el país circulan buses urbanos y suburbanos.

Cada área de concesión de transporte público acepta la OV Chipkaart como método de pago, pero cuentan con tarifas propias, por ejemplo billetes de un día.

By ferry

Existen ciertos ferries que están integrados en el sistema de transporte público.

En Ámsterdam hay frecuentes ferries gratuitos, día y noche, que cruzan el río IJ desde la parte trasera de la estación.

El Waterbus, de pago, en Róterdam cruza el río Maas, y conecta Róterdam con Dordrecht.

Talk

La lengua es el neerlandés, también hay una minoría de habla frisona en la provincia de Frisia, pero en general suelen hablar también holandés. La inmensa mayoría de la población es capaz de hablar y entenderse en inglés y otros idiomas como el francés con acento belga o el alemán.

El idioma nacional en los Países Bajos es el Dutch (Nederlands). Es un idioma encantador y cadencioso marcado por g s glotales que tiemblan flemas (no en el sur) y sch s (también se encuentran, por ejemplo, en árabe). El holandés, especialmente en forma escrita, es parcialmente inteligible para alguien que sepa otros idiomas germánicos (especialmente alemán y afrikáans), y es posible que pueda llevarse bien al menos parcialmente en estos idiomas si lo habla lentamente.

Sin embargo, la tradición comercial holandesa y la actitud internacional han dejado a este pequeño país con una fuerte tradición de multilingüismo. La mayoría de la población adulta es capaz de hablar inglés relativamente bien y la mayoría de los jóvenes lo hablan con fluidez, por lo que no debería tener problemas para sobrevivir. Aunque se habla menos que el inglés, muchos hablan alemán básico , especialmente los de la tercera edad y los de las regiones cercanas a la frontera alemana, y es una asignatura obligatoria en la escuela secundaria durante dos años, aunque la fluidez del alemán entre los más jóvenes suele ser inferior al inglés . Algunos también hablan francés y español , pero el dominio es poco común y, por lo general, está en un nivel mucho más bajo que el inglés e incluso el alemán.

Además del holandés, se hablan varios idiomas y dialectos regionales. En las provincias orientales de Groningen, Overijssel, Drenthe y Gelderland, la gente habla una variedad local de bajo sajón (incluidos los grunnegs y tweants). En la provincia sureña de Limburgo, la mayoría habla limburgués, un idioma regional único en Europa debido a su uso del tono y la longitud del tono para distinguir palabras. El frisón es el único idioma oficial además del holandés, pero solo es común en la provincia de Frisia . Es el idioma continental vivo más cercano al inglés.

Los programas de televisión y las películas extranjeras casi siempre se muestran en su idioma original con subtítulos. Solo los programas para niños están doblados al holandés.

To buy

Existen infinidad de tiendas de souvenirs donde poder comprar regalos típicos, especialmente en Amsterdam.

En cualquier parte del país se pueden comprar bulbos de tulipán, los cuales se plantan durante los meses de noviembre y diciembre.

Los sex-shops abundan, en especial en Amsterdam, donde se exponen en sus amplios escaparates todo tipo de artículos.

Money

Euro exchange rates Al 9 de febrero de 2021: US $ 1 ≈ € 0,83 Reino Unido £ 1 ≈ € 1,14 Australiano $ 1 ≈ € 0,64 Canadiense $ 1 ≈ € 0,65 Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available on XE.com

Holanda usa el euro , like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol of the euro is € and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the penny.

All the notes and coins of this common currency are legal tender in all countries, except that in some of them the small denomination coins (one and two cents) are eliminated. Banknotes look the same in all countries, while coins have a common standard design on the reverse, expressing value, and a country-specific national design on the obverse. The obverse is also used for different commemorative coin designs. El diseño del anverso no afecta el uso de la moneda.Zuecos en una tienda en AmsterdamLos billetes de 100 € y especialmente de 200 y 500 € se utilizan muy raramente, y algunos comerciantes no los aceptan debido a preocupaciones sobre delitos financieros. Normalmente, los establecimientos tendrán una pegatina o un cartel de tamaño A4 cerca de la entrada o de la caja registradora que indique qué billetes no se aceptan. Casi todos los cajeros automáticos solo dispensarán denominaciones de hasta 50 €.

En muchas tiendas, especialmente en los supermercados, es común que el cajero automático redondee el total hacia arriba o hacia abajo a los 5 céntimos de euro más cercanos. No se sorprenda, esto está permitido por ley (la tienda debe tener legalmente una etiqueta que le informe sobre esto, sin embargo, esto rara vez se hace en la práctica). La diferencia aparecerá en el recibo como "Afronding" . Debido a esto, no recibe monedas de 1 y 2 céntimos de euro como cambio, pero estas monedas siguen siendo de curso legal.

Tarjetas de crédito y débito

La aceptación de VISA y MasterCard y en menor medida de American Express ha crecido y ahora está bastante extendida hasta el punto de que algunos establecimientos ya no aceptan efectivo. En los destinos turísticos, generalmente encontrará tarjetas de crédito ampliamente aceptadas. Aún así, es posible que algunos establecimientos solo acepten tarjetas de débito Maestro y / o V-Pay o incluso solo efectivo.

A menudo, las tiendas muestran un cartel que dice " Pinnen, ja graag ", que significa libremente "tarjetas de débito aceptadas con gusto" (la palabra holandesa pinnen significa pagar con tarjeta de débito). Sin embargo, dado que la mayoría de las tarjetas bancarias holandesas están en el esquema Maestro (algunas usan V-pay), esto podría significar que solo se aceptan Maestro y V-Pay (y no se aceptan VISA o MasterCard de débito ). Es posible que desee preguntar con anticipación o verificar los íconos que generalmente se muestran en la entrada.

Las tarjetas de débito y crédito también son la única forma de pagar los billetes de autobús o tranvía a bordo (consulte #Moverse ). Por razones de seguridad, el uso de tarjetas de crédito en los Países Bajos a menudo requiere un código PIN.

Los pagos sin contacto están ganando una rápida popularidad, con el 56% de todos los pagos con tarjeta en diciembre de 2018 sin contacto. A partir del 1 de enero de 2020, todas las terminales de pago de los Países Bajos deberían ofrecer pagos sin contacto.

Hay cajeros automáticos disponibles, en su mayoría cerca de áreas comerciales y de vida nocturna. Incluso los pueblos suelen tener uno o más cajeros automáticos cerca del supermercado local. Las máquinas de los tres bancos más grandes de los Países Bajos se cambiarán de nombre a Geldmaat . Consulte el mapa para conocer las ubicaciones de los cajeros automáticos.

Tips

La ley holandesa requiere que todos los cargos por servicio e impuestos estén incluidos en los precios que publican los hoteles, bares y restaurantes. Por lo tanto, no es necesario dar propina , pero siempre se aprecia como recompensa por un buen servicio y es cada vez más común. Especialmente en las zonas turísticas y los grandes hoteles, no es infrecuente aumentar las propinas. Muchos clientes holandeses dejarán 1 € o 2 €, también en bares y cenas sencillas, salvo que el servicio sea deficiente. Para un buen servicio en un restaurante, siéntase libre de dejar lo que considere apropiado. Una propina del 5 al 10% en la factura de un restaurante se considera una recompensa generosa por un buen servicio.

Shopping

La mayoría de las tiendas abren a las 09:00 o las 10:00 y suelen cerrar alrededor de las 18:00. Los supermercados y las tiendas de bricolaje suelen tener horarios de apertura más amplios, que abren alrededor de las 08:30 y cierran solo a las 20:00 o 22:00. Tradicionalmente, la mayoría de las tiendas cierran los domingos o solo abren algunos domingos al año (conocido como "koopzondagen"). Los cambios legislativos han permitido a los municipios tomar sus propias decisiones sobre el número de koopzondagen, o domingos en los que se permite abrir las tiendas. Como resultado, la mayoría de las tiendas en los centros de las grandes ciudades (Ámsterdam, Rotterdam, La Haya, Utrecht, Maastricht, etc.) ahora abren todos los domingos., normalmente de 12:00 a 17:00 o 18:00. Un número cada vez mayor de ciudades más pequeñas, y especialmente aquellas en las que el turismo es un factor económico importante, sigue esta tendencia. Desafortunadamente, la situación varía según la ubicación. La mayoría de las ciudades más pequeñas permiten que al menos un supermercado esté abierto todos los domingos, la mayoría abre varios domingos al año y algunas abren todos los domingos. Algunas tiendas más pequeñas cierran los lunes por la mañana o incluso cierran un día más a la semana.

Holanda es un buen lugar para comprar flores. . Los bulbos de flores son los más adecuados para llevar a casa y se pueden comprar en tiendas para turistas, centros de jardinería y tiendas de bricolaje durante todo el año. Tenga en cuenta que los bulbos y sus tiempos de siembra dependen de las estaciones, y los bulbos de tulipán generalmente no están disponibles desde fines del invierno hasta fines del verano. Las flores frescas se pueden comprar en floristerías o envasarlas en la mayoría de los supermercados. Aunque no es un problema sacar bulbos y flores fuera del país, es posible que tenga restricciones severas para traerlos de regreso a su propio país.

El país también es famoso por sus zapatos de madera (zuecos). Hoy en día casi nadie, excepto algunos agricultores del campo y algunos pescadores en Volendam y Urk, los usa. Usar zapatos de madera en público fuera del campo te hará ganar algunas miradas extrañas por parte de los lugareños. Si se los prueba, los famosos "zapatos de madera" son sorprendentemente cómodos y muy útiles en cualquier entorno rural. Piense en ellos como calzado todo terreno; fácil de poner para pasear por el jardín, el campo o por un camino de tierra. Si vive en un área rural en su casa, considere llevar un par de estos si puede. Evite las tiendas para turistas kitsch en Schiphol y el Damrak de Amsterdam, y en su lugar busque un vendedor habitual que generalmente se puede encontrar en ciudades y pueblos en áreas rurales. tiene muchas tiendas que venden zapatos de madera, a menudo adornados con los colores brillantes de la bandera de Frisia.

Costs

Los Países Bajos generalmente se consideran caros (a menos que venga de Escandinavia). El alojamiento y la cena son más caros que en los países vecinos, pero los viajes en tren, los museos y las atracciones tienden a ser más baratos. Los precios al por menor de ropa, regalos, etc. son similares a los de la mayor parte de Europa Occidental; la electrónica de consumo es un poco más cara. La gasolina, el tabaco y el alcohol son relativamente caros debido a los impuestos especiales. Los paquetes de cigarrillos estándar solo contienen 19 cigarrillos.

To eat

Países Bajos no destaca precisamente por una gastronomía típica. Sí existen buenos restaurantes, pero no existe una cocina típicamente holandesa y la mayoría ofrecen comida internacional en su menú. En los restaurantes los camareros se suelen tomar su tiempo en servir los platos, cosa que en ocasiones llega desesperar un poco, aunque por lo general esta larga espera suele merecer la pena. Los postres suelen estar bastante elaborados.

En los Países Bajos normalmente se sigue el siguiente horario de comidas:

• Desayuno por la mañana.
• Almuerzo ligero a mediodía; los holandeses suelen comer un sándwich.
• Cena al anochecer, sobre las 18-20 h.

Es complicado encontrar sitios para comer fuera de la comida rápida después de las 15 h y para cenar después de las 20 h. Pero siempre hay comida.Proliferan por todas partes restaurantes de comida rápida como hamburgueserías y de comida turca (kebab), indonesia o china. También hay otro tipo de establecimientos donde hay comida rápida como sándwiches, croquetas, etc... en pequeñas vitrinas donde se introduce el dinero para adquirir el producto.

Son muy típicas las patatas fritas con salsas (ketchup, mayonesa...) llamadas patat.

Los supermercados grandes suelen abrir los domingos, y cierran sobre las 8 de la tarde, aunque en general, fuera de las grandes ciudades, las tiendas cierran alrededor de las seis de la tarde. Los jueves o los viernes, dependiendo de la ciudad, se organizan «Koopavonden», literalmente tardes de compras, y se amplían los horarios de las tiendas hasta alrededor de las nueve de la noche.

Cocina holandesa.

Los Países Bajos no son conocidos por su cocina, ya que es simple y directa. Una comida holandesa convencional consiste en carne, patatas y algún tipo de verdura al lado. La cultura gastronómica del país se describe mejor como rústica. Con un alto contenido de carbohidratos y grasas, la cultura alimentaria del país refleja la necesidad dietética de los trabajadores agrícolas, pero a medida que la sociedad pasó a trabajar en el sector de servicios, su cultura alimentaria se ha mantenido prácticamente igual. El plato nacional holandés es el Stamppot , puré de patatas con una o varias verduras. La variedad con escarola y tocino se considera la más tradicional. Hutspot es una variedad con zanahorias y cebollas.

La cocina holandesa difiere mucho según la región. La cocina occidental es conocida por sus numerosos productos lácteos, incluidos quesos destacados como Gouda, Edam, Leerdammer y Beemster. Al ser una región costera, tiene una cultura de mariscos mejor representada por el arenque crudo ( haring ), generalmente se sirve con cebolla picada y ocasionalmente se deja caer en un bollo ( broodje haring ). La cocina nororiental está orientada hacia la carne debido a la relativa escasez de agricultura en esta región. Metworst , una salchicha seca, es particularmente apreciada por su fuerte sabor, y Gelderse rookworst , una salchicha ahumada tradicional, se convirtió en una institución para el país en su conjunto y, a menudo, se sirve junto con una estampilla..

La cocina sureña está históricamente influenciada por los duques de Borgoña, que gobernaron los Países Bajos en la Edad Media y fueron famosos por su esplendor y grandes fiestas. Como tal, es famoso por sus ricos pasteles, sopas, guisos y platos de verduras. Es la única región holandesa que desarrolló una alta cocina que forma la base de la mayoría de los restaurantes holandeses tradicionales. Los platos principales típicos son biefstuk , varkenshaas Y ossenhaas , cortes premium de cerdo o ternera.

Los holandeses generalmente no están orgullosos de su cocina, pero elogian mucho sus especialidades y deliciosos manjares. Los panqueques holandeses ( pannenkoeken ), que son dulces ( zoet ) o salados ( hartig ) vienen en una variedad de sabores, como manzana, almíbar, queso y tocino. Los poffertjes son pequeños panqueques ligeramente fermentados con mantequilla y azúcar en polvo. Ambos se sirven en restaurantes específicamente dedicados a ellos. Los waffles de almíbar ( stroopwafels ), dos capas delgadas con almíbar entremedias , se preparan frescos en la mayoría de los mercados callejeros y puestos especializados.

Los sándwiches se consumen para el desayuno y el almuerzo. Las chispas de chocolate ( hagelslag ) encima de las rebanadas de pan con mantequilla son un popular comienzo del día holandés. Aunque los hábitos alimentarios están cambiando, un simple panecillo con mantequilla y una rebanada de queso o jamón sigue siendo el almuerzo diario para la mayoría de los holandeses. The mantequilla de maní holandesa es considerablemente diferente de la variedad estadounidense. Como es menos común tener platos calientes para el almuerzo, muchos restaurantes ofrecen un menú limitado a la hora del almuerzo. En las ciudades más pequeñas fuera de los principales puntos turísticos, es posible que incluso encuentre restaurantes cerrados para el almuerzo.

Algunas tradiciones alimentarias son estacionales. La sopa de guisantes ( erwtensoep ) es un plato de invierno a base de guisantes verdes y una salchicha ahumada. Es muy abundante y se come a menudo después de patinar sobre hielo. Los oliebollen son bolas de masa tradicionales holandesas que se consumen en la víspera de Año Nuevo. Las asperges flamandes son espárragos blancos con salsa holandesa, jamón, huevos duros desmenuzados y servidos con patatas nuevas hervidas. Muy estacional y generalmente solo se come entre primavera y verano.

Restaurants

Los restaurantes de los Países Bajos sirven comida de buena calidad y son relativamente caros en comparación con los de los países vecinos. Los beneficios a menudo se obtienen de las bebidas y el postre, así que tenga cuidado al pedirlos si tiene un presupuesto limitado. Las tarifas de servicio y los impuestos están incluidos en los precios del menú. Las propinas no son obligatorias y se ven como un signo de agradecimiento, no como un medio para recuperar un salario mínimo. En caso de que quiera dar propina, redondear al siguiente euro ya es aceptable para billetes pequeños y una propina del 5% al ​​10% es común para los más grandes. Una propina del 10% generalmente se considerará generosa, especialmente en la factura de una cena. Ir a un restaurante generalmente se considera una salida nocturna especial con amigos o familiares, no una forma rápida de comer. Como tal, cenar con holandeses puede llevar un par de horas.

Está prohibido fumar en todos los restaurantes, cafés, bares, carpas de festivales y discotecas. Solo se permite fumar al aire libre o en áreas separadas, cerradas y designadas para fumar en las que los empleados no pueden servir. El personal puede ingresar a dichas salas para fumadores solo en situaciones de emergencia.

La comida holandesa no es muy aclamada, por lo que la mayoría de los restaurantes se especializan en cocinas extranjeras y las grandes ciudades ofrecen una amplia variedad. La cocina del Medio Oriente está disponible, incluso en ciudades más pequeñas, y a menudo tiene un precio de ganga. Los platos populares son shawarma ( shoarma ), lahmacun (a menudo llamada "pizza turca") y falafel. Debido a los lazos coloniales holandeses con Indonesia (entonces conocida como las Indias Orientales Holandesas), la mayoría de las ciudades pequeñas y medianas también tienen un restaurante Chinees-Indisch, que sirve platos chinos e indonesios. Por lo general, obtienes mucha comida por una pequeña cantidad de dinero. Sin embargo, no espere auténtica cocina china o indonesia, ya que la comida se ha adaptado a los gustos holandeses. Los platos típicos son el arroz frito ( nasi goreng), bakmi frito ( bami goreng ) y galletas de gambas ( kroepoek ). Una sugerencia es el famoso rijsttafel holandés-indonesio , que es una combinación de varios platos pequeños de las Indias Orientales, no muy diferente al nasi padang de Indonesia. La mayoría de estos restaurantes tienen un área para sentarse y un mostrador separado para llevar a precios más bajos. La mayoría de las ciudades más grandes también tendrán restaurantes indonesios y chinos más auténticos.

Las cocinas argentina, francesa, italiana, japonesa, española, surinamés y tailandesa también están bien representadas en todo el país. La mayoría de los restaurantes tienen al menos un plato vegetariano en el menú o pueden prepararte uno si lo pides.

Snackbars

En el centro de la ciudad, cerca de las estaciones de transporte público o incluso en los barrios más tranquilos se puede encontrar un snack bar , a veces conocido como cafetería . Estos bares son prácticamente la antítesis de la alta cocina, pero sus bocadillos se consideran típicos del país, y muchos expatriados holandeses los extrañan más cuando van al extranjero. Las cadenas de tiendas populares tienen máquinas expendedoras gigantes conectadas a sus tiendas ( automatiek ). Simplemente inserte un euro o dos y saque el bocadillo de su elección.

El bocadillo más popular son las papas fritas , conocidas como patat en la mayor parte del país y como friet en el sur. La forma estándar es pedirlos con mayonesa ( patat met ), aunque la mayonesa local no es la misma que obtendrías en Francia o en la mayor parte del resto del mundo. Es más firme, más dulce y contiene menos grasa, sin dejar de ser igualmente insalubre. Otras opciones son con ketchup de tomate, ketchup de curry (a diferencia del curry regular, sabe más a ketchup de tomate), salsa de maní indonesia ( satésaus ), cebollas crudas cortadas ( uitjes ), especial (mayonesa, ketchup de curry y cebollas crudas cortadas) y oorlog ("guerra", una combinación de mayonesa, salsa de maní y cebollas crudas cortadas).

Otros bocadillos fritos también se consideran típicos del país. Una croqueta ( kroket ) es un panecillo crujiente relleno de ragú. Se sirve con mostaza y también se puede pedir con pan. Famosas son las croquetas de Amsterdam de Van Dobben y Kwekkeboom. Ambas empresas tienen su propia cafetería cerca de Rembrandtplein. Un frikandel es una salchicha larga, sin piel y de color oscuro, como una salchicha de carne picada. Se puede pedir sobre pan o especial (con mayonesa, ketchup al curry y cebollas crudas cortadas). Un berenklauw ("garra de oso") o berenhap ("bocadillo de oso") es una albóndiga rebanada con aros de cebolla fritos en un pincho de madera, a menudo servido con salsa de maní. Finalmente, un kaassoufflé es un bocadillo de queso popular entre los vegetarianos y también se puede servir con pan.

Drink and go out

La cerveza tiene un precio moderado, similar al que se puede encontrar en España (2 € medio litro) y es de tipo pilsen holandés, abunda la oferta de cervezas belgas y alemanas más complejas. Sin embargo los combinados son bastante más caros.

Además de ir de clubs y de pubs, tienen fama los Coffeeshops. Son mundialmente conocidos porque en ellos se vende y consume de forma legal drogas blandas, concretamente marihuana y resina de cannabis o hachís. La ley vigente, introducida en 2012, prohíbe el acceso a los Coffeeshops a personas que no residen en los Países Bajos.

En la ciudad de Amsterdam hay alrededor de 150 coffeeshops. El gramo suele oscilar entre los 5 y los 12 euros en función de la calidad. La venta de alcohol en coffeeshops está prohibida debido a una nueva regulación puesta en marcha el 1 de abril de 2007.

Café y té

Los holandeses se encuentran entre los mayores bebedores de café del mundo, y tomar una taza es casi obligatorio cuando vas a visitar gente. Una de las primeras preguntas al entrar por la puerta suele ser " ¿Koffie? ". Tradicionalmente, la bebida se sirve en tazas pequeñas (media taza) con una sola galleta. Sin embargo, algunos invitados también son tratados con uno de los pasteles típicos del país en forma de pastel, como un tompouce , Limburgse vlaai o un trozo de pastel de manzana al estilo holandés.

El café holandés es generalmente bastante fuerte y pesado para el estómago. Si eres de los Estados Unidos o Canadá, ¡puedes pedir una taza de café holandés por la mañana y agregar agua el resto del día! Si pides koffie verkeerd (que significa "café equivocado") obtienes una taza de más o menos mitad leche y mitad café, como el 'café au lait' francés o el 'caffe latte' italiano.

Los holandeses beben té negro y viene en muchas variedades diferentes, desde tradicionales hasta infusiones de frutas. Afortunadamente, si eres británico, te sirven la bolsita de té con una taza de agua caliente (pero nunca hirviendo), para que puedas hacer tu propia versión. El té con leche es casi inaudito y solo se administra a los niños.

El chocolate caliente con crema batida es una tradición de invierno en los Países Bajos. Realmente te llena después de una caminata fría. En el verano también puedes conseguirlo en cualquier barra decente, sin embargo, a veces está hecho de polvo en lugar del tipo tradicional (chocolate normal derretido y mezclado con leche caliente) y no sabe tan bien.

Bebidas alcohólicas

La edad legal para beber en los Países Bajos es de 18 años para todas las bebidas alcohólicas. Solía ​​haber una diferencia entre las bebidas alcohólicas ligeras y las fuertes, y las personas de hasta 16 años podían beber bebidas alcohólicas ligeras (hasta un 15% de alcohol por volumen), pero ya no.

Los holandeses tienen un fuerte cultura cervecera . Heineken es una de las cervezas más famosas del mundo, pero es solo una de las muchas marcas de los Países Bajos. Puedes conseguir todo tipo de cervezas, desde cerveza blanca hasta cerveza oscura. Las marcas populares son Heineken, Grolsch, Brand, Bavaria, Amstel, etc. Hay una cierta variedad regional en las cervezas que encontrarás. Heineken o Amstel se sirve en las provincias occidentales, Bavaria o Dommelsch en Brabant, Brand en Limburg y Grolsch en Gelderland y Overijssel. La mayoría de las cervecerías hoy en día también producen una variante sin alcohol de sus cervezas.

Además de las lagers habituales, pruebe la cerveza de trigo holandesa ( witbier ), que está aromatizada con una mezcla de especias llamada gruit y, por lo tanto, tiene un sabor diferente a las variedades pilsener más conocidas. También se ofrecen cervezas de trigo con sabor a frutas. Las cervezas negras se elaboran en los monasterios del sur de los Países Bajos (Brabante y Limburgo). Estas cervecerías tradicionales son excelentes atracciones turísticas relacionadas con la cerveza, al igual que las microcervecerías y las tiendas de cerveza en Ámsterdam .

Los amargos son populares en invierno. La ginebra holandesa ( jenever or genever ) es la predecesora de la ginebra inglesa. Está disponible en dos tipos, oude (viejo) y jonge (joven), que no tienen nada que ver con la crianza, solo el estilo de destilación. The oude "anticuado" más tradicional es más dulce y de color amarillento, mientras que jonge es más claro, más seco y más parecido a la ginebra inglesa.

Beerenburg se elabora agregando hierbas a la ginebra. Tiene un porcentaje de alcohol en torno al 30%. El Beerenburg original se elaboró ​​a mediados del siglo XIX con una mezcla secreta de especias del comerciante de especias de Ámsterdam, Hendrik Beerenburg, a quien debe su nombre. A pesar de haber sido "inventado" en Amsterdam, se considera típicamente frisón. La mayoría de las otras regiones también producen sus variantes locales menos famosas de un amargo. El amargo de naranja ( Oranjebitter ) se bebe solo el Día del Rey ( Koningsdag ).

Vida nocturna

La vida nocturna en los Países Bajos es muy diversa. Ámsterdam es conocida por sus bares de barrio, Rotterdam tiene fama de ir de discotecas y Groningen, Leiden y Utrecht tienen una activa escena estudiantil. Los bares se adaptan a una amplia gama de escenas musicales, pero el baile es el estilo principal en los clubes nocturnos. La entrada a los bares está permitida legalmente a partir de los 16 años , pero muchos bares y clubes tienen políticas más estrictas y no permiten la entrada a menores de 18 o 21 años.

Holanda es conocida por su política de drogas liberal . El uso personal de drogas (blandas) está regulado por el Ministerio de Justicia bajo una política oficial de gedogen ; literalmente esto significa to accept or tolerar . Legalmente, esta es una doctrina de no enjuiciamiento sobre la base de que la acción tomada sería tan irregular como para constituir un enjuiciamiento selectivo.

Está permitido comprar y fumar pequeñas dosis (5 go menos) de cannabis o hachís. Debes tener 18 años o más para comprar. Para ello, debe visitar un coffeeshop, que abunda en la mayoría de las ciudades más grandes. Los coffeeshops no pueden vender alcohol y los menores de 18 años no pueden entrar. A los coffeeshops se les prohíbe la publicidad explícita, por lo que muchos usan los colores Rastafari rojo-amarillo-verde para insinuar los productos disponibles en el interior, mientras que otros son más discretos y, a veces, casi ocultos a la vista.

Los hongos alucinógenos ("mágicos"), una vez legales, están oficialmente prohibidos. Sin embargo, las "trufas mágicas", que contienen los mismos ingredientes activos que las setas mágicas, todavía se toleran y se venden en algunas tiendas de moda de Ámsterdam.

Se ha despenalizado la prostitución, pero solo para aquellas prostitutas registradas en un burdel autorizado. El sexo seguro y el uso de condones es una práctica común, y la prostituta generalmente los tendrá disponibles. Es ilegal que las trabajadoras sexuales soliciten clientes en la calle. La prostitución es más común en la capital, Ámsterdam, con su barrio rojo, incluso si los turistas solo la visitan como recuerdo de su viaje. En las zonas más rurales, la prostitución es casi inexistente.

Sleep

Existe una amplia oferta de alojamiento, concentrada en los principales destinos turísticos. Incluyen regiones populares para el turismo nacional, como Veluwe y Zuid-Limburg .

Camping

Los campamentos están muy extendidos y disponibles en prácticamente todos los rincones del país, así como cerca de la mayoría de las principales ciudades. Fuera de la temporada turística principal (julio-septiembre), por lo general hay un lugar disponible y la mayoría de los campamentos encontrarán un lugar para pequeñas tiendas de campaña en cualquier época del año. En el caso de caravanas, autocaravanas o tiendas de campaña familiares, es aconsejable reservar con antelación, especialmente durante las vacaciones de verano. En las zonas turísticas nacionales y regionales populares, como en la costa, en las islas de Frisia Occidental , en Zuid-Limburg y en Veluwe , es fácil encontrar campamentos de alto nivel con muchas instalaciones y entretenimiento. En las zonas rurales, los sitios más pequeños junto a las granjas son muy populares (ver Stichting Vrije Recreatie (SVR)). Los paisajes naturales puros se pueden experimentar vívidamente en los llamados natuurkampeerterreinen ( terrenos para acampar en la naturaleza ). En lo que respecta a las instalaciones comerciales, es posible que se compren productos del propio lugar.

Las instalaciones sanitarias dependen del tipo de camping, pero la calidad es excelente en la mayoría de los campings. En algunos sitios para acampar el uso de agua caliente no está incluido, pero debe pagarse en las duchas. Es aconsejable preguntar si este es el caso al registrarse. Incluso sin una tienda de campaña, puede disfrutar alojándose en un camping. Muchos sitios ofrecen cabañas llamadas trekkershut .

Aviso: no se permite acampar en la naturaleza y estará estrictamente regulado. Pero en algunos lugares hay 'pole campings' gratuitos ( Paalcamping ).This is a post in the ground where you are allowed to stay overnight.

Hotels

Hotels in the Netherlands are plentiful, particularly in the Netherlands proper, and can be relatively inexpensive compared to other Western European countries. You may be able to find a decent hotel of international standards for € 50 or less per night. Due to good public transportation options, even staying outside of the city center, or even in a different city, can be a viable option to visit a particular destination comfortably without breaking the budget limits.

While there are independent properties throughout the country, there is a relatively high presence of local and international hotel chains. Some of the most popular are:

• NH Hotels The Spanish hotel chain inherited many properties in the Netherlands by taking over the former Krasnapolsky hotels in Amsterdam and many of the former Golden Tulips. Therefore, most of the properties are older or even historical. NH Hoteles in the larger cities are usually what one would expect from the chain in any other country, in the smaller cities the properties are usually from the 1980s and only partially refurbished since then. You can always count on a rich buffet breakfast, which is a registered trademark of NH Hoteles. NH Hoteles has the most properties of any hotel chain in Amsterdam, which can be helpful or disappointing in busy periods when hotels are prone to overbooking (you can easily be moved to another NH hotel in Amsterdam). Members of Alitalia, Aeroméxico, edit
• Golden tulip , Tulip Inn (same website as Golden Tulip) and Campanile - The remaining properties of the Dutch Tulip hotel chain now belong to the France-based Groupe du Louvre, which also operates Campanile hotels. The Golden Tulips are mainly located in the city centers and are of a higher standard (four stars usually), the Campaniles next to highway junctions and are more basic (two stars), the Tulip Inns are located somewhere intermediate. Some properties may be quite old, but they can offer attractive rates if you don't mind that they don't exactly measure up to your international competition. For those traveling the Netherlands by car, Campaniles and Tulip Inns can help you stay within tighter budgets. Groupe du Louvre runs various loyalty programs and you can earn airline miles with various airlines when you stay with them.
• Van der Valk Hotels A local hotel chain operated by the Van der Valk family focuses on luxury accommodations and resort-style facilities. Therefore, hotels are usually of a high standard and comfort and often have swimming pools and other leisure facilities, but they can also be quite far from city centers. There is no loyalty scheme for guests of Van der Valk hotels, but themed leisure packages are often offered, including stays and additional services or attractions. Edit
• Hampshire Hotels With more than 80 properties, including 3 in Germany and 8 in Belgium, this is one of the largest hotel chains in the Netherlands. The standard of hotels ranges from basic three-star properties to more exclusive and often historic hotels, Hampshire Eden Y Hampshire Classic . The chain does not operate a loyalty scheme and members of most frequent flyer programs will not be able to purchase miles for stays at Hampshire Hotels. Edit
• Bastion Hotels A chain of highly uniform limited-service hotels aimed at road warriors who drive through Holland on business. Most of the hotels were expressly built in the 1990s or later, and are reminiscent of other hotel chains of a similar character that can be found throughout Europe, such as ibis or Premier Inn hotels. It is usually found around freeways, sometimes with poor access to public transportation. While they are limited-service, most have an on-site restaurant open throughout the day. (Updated January 2019 | edit)
• Accor It has a considerable presence in the Netherlands, in particular with its brands Ibis , Novotel Y Mercure . As in other countries, Mercures are usually independent three or four star properties that have joined the chain. Edit
• The Intercontinental Hotels Group has increased its presence by opening up all new Holiday Inn Express properties in key locations across the country, with competitive prices, including breakfast. There are also properties Holiday Inn Y Crowne plaza oldest in the main cities.

Other international hotel chains maintain a certain presence in the Netherlands, although this is mainly limited to Amsterdam and Schiphol airports. There are also quite a few Best Western affiliated properties in the Netherlands, but as in all countries, they vary widely in character, size, price, and comfort.

The showers are slightly different from the American style. Bar soap is not very popular; most of what is offered in hotels and major stores is body wash. Wipes are generally not available, but wash mitts are available in stores. European-style bathrooms often have no rim on the shower floor, allowing water to reach the floor in other parts of the bathroom. (Be prepared to wipe with a floor towel if someone needs to go to the bathroom right after someone takes a shower.) Shower heads are usually hand-held on flexible hoses, and there are separate controls for water temperature versus volume (instead of hot and cold water knobs). or a single temperature lever typically seen in the US).

Bed and breakfast

There is a wide variety of bed & breakfast in the big cities, but there are also many in the smaller cities and towns. Prices are generally € 40 to € 100, depending on the number of occupants and the season. Bed & breakfasts may not offer all the facilities that larger hotels offer, but service is generally friendly and personalized. In addition, many bed & breakfasts are located along popular hiking and cycle paths.

Budget

Even for inexpensive installations, the prices are generally high. Budget accommodation starts at around € 20 per person and prices increase from there. Seasonal demand affects availability and can drive prices up, especially in Amsterdam.

The youth hostels Dutch officers are called "Stay Okay", but they are not as widespread as in Great Britain. Also, there is no kitchen available for guests, so you either eat what's on the menu or eat out. In addition to the official Dutch youth hostels, there are many other hostels spread throughout the country. Many hostels have regulations for travelers under the age of 18. In some cases they must be accompanied by an adult and in others they cannot reserve beds in shared rooms. Be sure to check with the hostel of your choice. Sheets are often included, but the use of towels usually comes at a cost.

In natural areas, the local landscape can be experienced in the so-called Natuurvryenhuizen (Friends of nature houses). These facilities are somehow found between hostels and hotels in general and are especially open to cyclists and hikers, including groups. They are run by volunteers and visitors, and have communal kitchens and contagious living rooms.

The apartment rental to short term is available in cities, but may not be legal. While most have a minimum stay of 3 nights, the reservation and check-in process is generally identical to staying at a hotel, with the notable exception that most require a credit card deposit and cash balance due. the arrival.

If you travel by bicycle or on foot, there is a list of 3,600 addresses where you can stay in private homes with bed and breakfast for no more than € 18.50 per person per night, although you will also have to pay € 8 for membership. scheme. It is called Vrían op de fiets.

Holiday rental houses (bungalows)

The holiday rental houses (in Dutch also called bungalows ) are popular in the Netherlands, especially in rural areas. These tiny houses come in a wide variety: they can be simple or luxurious, individual locations or part of large parks with many identical houses and are operated by both private owners and large chains. Traversia has the largest collection of vacation rentals in the Netherlands, by Dutch owners. Large chains of vacation rental home parks include Center Parks, Landal Greenparks, and TopParken. Where privately owned options can sometimes provide a more authentic local experience (for example, in old half-timbered houses in South Limburg), the parks will offer additional services, restaurants and swimming pools. In most cases, you must book at least one weekend. Although they are generally not very cheap, they do have kitchens and therefore allow the possibility of self-catering.

Learn

Holland has many universities. The country has converted its own degrees to the bachelor / master system.

There are two types of universities:

• Academic (focusing more on theoretical knowledge, "Universiteit")
• Applied Sciences (more focused on practical knowledge, "Hogeschool"). Although they generally use the term university in their English names, according to Dutch law, they are not universities and have a lower level of tertiary education.

The Times Higher Education Supplement ranks 11 universities in the top 200 in the world.

Most undergraduate courses are taught in Dutch, although many graduate courses are taught in English. Universities also offer courses in Dutch for international students.

There is also the added bonus that most venues under the age of 30 are reasonably capable in English.

For international students, there are various scholarships available. They can be found on the Nuffic website. Here you will also find information about courses, institutions, housing, procedures, culture, practices and possible difficulties.

Job

Job opportunities for non-EU members are very restricted. Only when an employer can prove that they have searched the EU, they are allowed to hire a non-EU citizen. Official policy is to discourage all immigration outside the EU, unless there is an economic need.

Citizens of certain non-EU countries can work in the Netherlands without obtaining a visa or any other authorization for the period of their 90-day visa-free stay. For more information, see the 'Login' section above.

Students from other European countries are eligible for study funding only when they have a fixed employment contract of 56 hours / month or when they have lived in the Netherlands for five years.

Since 2005, Dutch law allows what they call "knowledge immigration", the idea is to allow local companies to "import" foreign employees to work in the Netherlands. The process is simple and takes 4 to 10 weeks.

Security

It is a generally very safe country, with abundant surveillance cameras and polite and helpful police. Except for the tourist center of Amsterdam where special caution must be exercised, especially with pickpockets...

Crime

The Netherlands is generally considered a safe country. However, be vigilant in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and other big cities that are plagued with pickpockets and bicycle thefts; violent crime is rare. In larger cities, certain outlying suburbs are considered unsafe at night.

Police, ambulances and firefighters have a general emergency number 112 . There is a police force, organized into 10 police regions. Visitors will deal primarily with the regional police. Some specialized forces, such as the railway police and the highway police on the main roads, are led by a separate national force (the highway police is the KLPD - Korps Landelijke Politie Diensten , and the railway police is the spoorwegpolitie ). When you call 112 If you can, find out what emergency services you need.

Border controls and port and airport security are run by a separate police force, the Marechaussee (or abbreviation 'KMar' - Koninklijke Marechaussee ), a gendarmerie. They are an independent service of the Dutch armed forces (which makes them a military service, not a civil one) and they have security duties among their duties.

In most cities, there are municipal services ( stadswacht or stadstoezicht ) with some police tasks such as issuing tickets for parking and garbage. They often wear police-style uniforms to confer some authority, but their powers are limited. For example, only police officers can carry weapons.

The European Network Against Racism, an international organization supported by the European Commission, reported that, in the Netherlands, half of Turks reported experiencing racial discrimination. The same report notes a "dramatic growth in Islamophobia" parallel to anti-Semitism. Attitudes like these, however, are related to problems with the settlement of migrants rather than tourists, and visitors of minority origin will not find their ethnic origin a problem in a country famous for its tolerance.

Drugs

Cannabis may be decriminalized, but there are some security risks involved. It is advisable to have your first joint in a relaxed social environment, for example, among like-minded people in a coffeeshop. Cannabis sold in the Netherlands is usually stronger than varieties elsewhere. Be especially careful with marijuana cakes ("space cakes"), as it is easy to accidentally eat too much, although there are also unscrupulous shops that sell marijuana-free space cakes. Wait at least an hour after eating!

Driving any motor vehicle while intoxicated is prohibited, including driving under the influence of both illegal and legal recreational or prescription drugs (such as cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, and mushrooms), as well as alcohol and medications that may affect your ability to drive. .

Buying soft drugs from street dealers is always illegal and is commonly discouraged. The purchase of other (hard) drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine or processed / dried mushrooms is still regulated by law. However, people found to be in possession of small amounts of illegal drugs for personal use are often not prosecuted.

The act of consuming any form of drug is legal, even if the possession is not. If they see you using drugs, they can theoretically arrest you for possession, but not for use. This has an important effect; do not hesitate to seek medical help if you suffer from the negative effects of drug use and inform emergency services as soon as possible of the specific (illegal) drugs you have taken. The medical services do not care where you got the drugs, they will not contact the police, their only intention is to treat you in the best possible way. Since some substances can interact (negatively) with others or certain procedures become dangerous under the influence of certain substances, this can save your life!

At some parties, a "drug testing desk" is offered, where you can have your (synthetic) drugs tested. This is mainly because many pills contain harmful chemicals in addition to the declared ingredients; for example, many "ecstasy" (MDMA) pills also contain speed (amphetamines). Some pills do not even contain MDMA. The test counters are not intended to encourage drug use, as venue owners face heavy fines for allowing drugs in their venues, but are tolerated or "gedoogd" as they mitigate public health risks. The desk will not return tested medications.

There are significant risks associated with drug use:

• While marijuana purchased from coffeeshops is unlikely to be dangerous, hard drugs like cocaine and heroin and synthetic drugs like ecstasy remain illegal and unregulated. These hard drugs are likely to be contaminated in some way, especially when purchased from street vendors.
• Some countries have laws that prohibit planning a trip to another country for the purpose of committing illegal acts under their jurisdiction, so you may be detained in your home country after you have legally smoked marijuana in the Netherlands.

Be very careful with the alcohol and marijuana. Don't drink alcohol the first few times you smoke marijuana - Drinking one beer after you've smoked can feel like drinking ten beers. Alcohol and marijuana amplify each other: a little alcohol can make you feel the high of marijuana, but a little too much can make you feel dizzy and / or nauseous.

Drug use is condemned, frowned upon, and sometimes feared by many Dutch people, despite the approach the criminal justice system has taken for decades.

Prostitution

Prostitution in the Netherlands is legal as long as it refers to voluntary interactions between adults. The minimum age for sex workers is 18 years old. Exploiting sex workers or involving them in the industry against their will is a crime. Street prostitution is prohibited in most municipalities, although Utrecht, Arnhem, Groningen, Heerlen, Nijmegen and Eindhoven allow it in special "tippelzones". While brothels are allowed by law, most cities require them to have permits and enforce a maximum number of establishments in a limited part of the city. Research has concluded that drug addictions are more common in street activities. A client who uses sexual services when he might have suspected an illegal situation is already sanctioned by law, and more explicit legal provisions on client responsibilities are being developed. Reasonable suspicion could include shy or young girls, (small) injuries, but also suspicious places like industrial areas or garage boxes. Illegal prostitution in hotels can be raided by the police and both the client and the prostitute can be fined or imprisoned. Hotel staff are required by law to notify the police if they suspect such illegal activities. In short, it is advisable to have paid sex only in places with a license to host prostitutes and to ask for identification when you have doubts about the age of a person. Illegal prostitution in hotels can be raided by the police and both the client and the prostitute can be fined or imprisoned. Hotel staff are required by law to notify the police if they suspect such illegal activities. In short, it is advisable to have paid sex only in places with a license to host prostitutes and to ask for identification when you have doubts about the age of a person. Illegal prostitution in hotels can be raided by the police and both the client and the prostitute can be fined or imprisoned. Hotel staff are required by law to notify the police if they suspect such illegal activities. In short, it is advisable to have paid sex only in places with a license to host prostitutes and to ask for identification when you have doubts about the age of a person.

Health

The Netherlands has one of the best tap water of the world. It is even considered to be of similar or better quality than natural or spring mineral water. It is distributed by democratically elected water authorities ( waterschappen ). Food (whether bought in a supermarket or eaten in a restaurant) shouldn't be a problem either.

The health system in the Netherlands is on par with the rest of Europe. Most of the hospitals are located in larger cities and all have English speaking medical staff. General practitioners can be found in almost every city, except small towns, and can usually speak English as well. In most cases, staying healthy is a matter of common sense. Two health risks are particularly relevant for travelers:

• When hiking or camping in forests and dunes, watch out for ticks and the diseases that transmit them. It is advisable to wear long sleeves and put pants on your socks. If you discover a red ring on your body in the next few weeks, be sure to visit a doctor to detect lyme disease , which can be fatal without proper medical attention.
• In summer, outdoor recreational swimming areas (mainly freshwater) can suffer from the notorious blue algae , a rather smelly cyanobacterium that, when it dies, releases toxins into the water. When this happens, a sign at the entrance to the area or near the water should tell you something like "Waarschuwing: blauwalg." When in doubt, ask someone.

Pseudoephedrine (eg Sudafed) was withdrawn from the market in 1989 due to cardiac safety issues. If you have a cold and need medication, you can bring a limited quantity from another country for personal use or purchase an alternative decongestant. Xylometazoline is commonly available as a nasal spray.

Respect

The Dutch are supposed to be the most informal and laid-back people in Europe and there are few strict social taboos to speak of. The Dutch are unlikely to be offended simply by their behavior or appearance. In fact, visitors themselves are more likely to be offended by a conversation too much direct . However, the standards of rudeness manifests and hostility are similar to those of other Western European countries.

The exception to this openness is personal wealth. For example, it is considered vulgar to reveal how rich you are, so asking someone about this will be considered nosy and will probably only give you an evasive answer.

Similarly, it is not advisable to be blunt about your own religion or to assume that a Dutch person you have met is a Catholic or a Calvinist, as most people do not adhere to any faith. In urban areas it is not considered rude to ask someone about this, but in general you are expected to be completely tolerant of what the other person believes and not attempt to proselytize in any way. Openly religious behavior is generally met with bewilderment and ridicule rather than hostility. An exception is the Dutch Biblical Belt that stretches from Zeeland to South Holland, Utrecht and Gelderland, and consists of cities with many strong Dutch Reformed Christians, who are more likely to feel insulted by different religious views.

Openly nationalistic sentiments are also viewed with some suspicion among the general public, although there are a number of celebrations such as King's Day ( Koningsdag , April 27) and during soccer championships. Some people wear orange and / or get drunk, but there is no fear of hostility towards foreigners.

Never refer to the whole country as "Holland", as that name only refers to the two provinces of North and South Holland, and doing so may offend the Dutch in the other provinces or their relatives. However, the country as a whole calls itself "Holland" for tourists. Generally speaking, the people of Flevoland and Utrecht won't bother to correct you when you refer to them as "Dutch" or to their region as "Holland." Don't expect anyone from a province other than those four to be flattered when called "Dutch." It never hurts to ask if someone presents minds.

Social Tag

In the Netherlands, kissing on the cheeks is a common way of greeting between women and between women and men. Usually two men shake hands. Kissing is especially suitable for informal occasions. For greetings, it is generally used for people who already know each other. It is also a common practice when congratulating someone, and it is also common among strangers in that case. Shaking hands is more appropriate for formal occasions. Trying to shake hands when offered a kiss or rejecting it altogether could be considered strange or rude.

The Dutch will kiss three times alternating the right and left cheeks. This could create uncomfortable situations for the British and many other Europeans, used to just two kisses. Also, always kiss on the cheeks instead of air kisses.

Gay and lesbian travelers

As mentioned above, the Netherlands is liberal when it comes to the homosexuality and it is considered one of the most gay-friendly countries in the world. The Netherlands has a reputation for being the first country to recognize same-sex marriage, and openly showing your orientation won't cause much discomfort in the Netherlands.

However, even a gay-friendly country like the Netherlands has room for some criticism of homosexuality, but this varies depending on where you travel. If you express your opposition to LGBT rights, the Dutch can politely make it clear that they do not agree with your thoughts. Don't be fooled by the Dutch using 'gay' ('homo') as a swear word, it is widely used by LGBT people themselves.

Keep touch

The country code for the Netherlands is 31 . The international exit prefix is 00 , so to call USA, substitute 00 1 by 1 Y 00 44 by United Kingdom by 44 .

The cell phone networkin the Netherlands it is GSM 900/1800. Cell phone networks are operated by KPN, Vodafone, and T-Mobile; other operators use one of these 3 networks. The nets are of high quality and cover every corner of the Netherlands. If you bring your own cell phone (GSM) to make (or receive calls) while in the Netherlands, be sure to check the relevant "roaming" charges for your provider as they vary substantially. Receiving phone calls on a cell phone with a Dutch SIM card is free in most cases; Charges apply if you are using a foreign SIM card as the call is theoretically routed through your home country. It may be cheaper to buy a pay-as-you-go SIM card to insert into your GSM phone, or even buy a very inexpensive pay-as-you-go phone and card package. Providers that specialize in discount rates for foreign countries include Lyca, Lebara, Ortel, and Vectone.

To enjoy cheap international calls From the Netherlands, you can use low-cost direct dialing services such as Qazza, BelBazaar, pennyphone, SlimCall, telegoedkoop, beldewereld, teleknaller. Dialing services are available directly from any landline in the Netherlands. No contract, no registration required. Most dial-up services offer the US, Canada, Western Europe, and many other countries for the price of a local call so you can easily save on your telephone costs. They also work from public pay phones.

There are few public phone booths left in the Netherlands. They are mainly found in train stations. Telfort booths accept coins, while most KPN booths accept only prepaid cards or credit cards. Some new pay phones have been installed that accept coins again. Rates (per unit or amount of call time) may differ between public telephones in a truly public area and the same types of machines in a more public-private area.

0800 numbers are free, while 09xx numbers are charged at special rates. Mobile phones have numbers in the 06 range and calls to mobile phones also have higher rates. You can reach the (national) directory inquiries through 1888 , 1850 and various other 'query operators'. Rates vary depending on the operator, but are usually quite high, more than € 1 per call, as well as charges per second. For inquiries about the international directory, call 0900 8418 (Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00, € 0.90 per minute). Telephone numbers can also be found on the Internet, free of charge, at Telefoonboek.nl, De Telefoongids.nl and for opening hours visit Openingstijden.nl or OpeningstijdenGids.nl.

Internet access

With the exception of some low-end service providers, all mobile operators support GPRS . KPN, Vodafone and T-Mobile offer service UMTS (and HSDPA) in almost every part of the country, with almost full 4G coverage for most providers. Las tarjetas SIM holandesas también están disponibles con acceso a Internet móvil, normalmente desde 10 € por 1 GB y un mes de validez. Los usuarios con una cuenta de teléfono móvil de un país de la UE pueden utilizar su plan de datos en los Países Bajos sin incurrir en cargos adicionales.

Los cibercafés son cada vez más raros, pero todavía se pueden encontrar en las principales ciudades y, por lo general, también ofrecen cabinas de llamadas internacionales. Muchas bibliotecas públicas brindan acceso a Internet, generalmente con un cargo. El acceso inalámbrico a Internet mediante Wi-Fi está ampliamente disponible. Suele ser un servicio gratuito en pubs, restaurantes y muchas atracciones. En los hoteles la situación es diferente, con servicio gratuito en algunos y tarifas elevadas en otros. Se ofrece Wi-Fi gratuito en muchas de las estaciones de tren más grandes, un número creciente de trenes interurbanos NS, trenes locales de algunos de los otros operadores y algunos autobuses regionales, y Schiphol ofrece un servicio gratuito limitado, así como mejores (y más largos) utilizar por un cargo.

Correo

Hay sellos postales digitales disponibles: usted paga el franqueo con la aplicación móvil PostNL, luego escribe el código de 12 dígitos provisto en el sobre, en lugar de usar un sello físico.

external links

• Wikipedia has an article on Netherlands.w:Países Bajos
• Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Netherlands. Commons
• Wikinews has news related to Netherlands.Wikinews