There’s More to Holland than Amsterdam

edited by Nan Frient

Holland offers cultural heritage gems such as beautiful historic towns, special regions, outdoor spaces, fortresses and waterlines. Half the country is below sea level and this has given Holland exceptional, but less well-known landscapes: wetlands, polders and moorlands unique in Europe.

A few ways to spend your time in Holland:

Spending a night in the Harlingen lighthouse
Cycling through the caves of Maastricht
Going on a canoe safari through "Noord-Holland"
Dining at Restaurant Auberge de Campveerse Toren in Zeeland, a town inn since 1400

If you’re looking for a gourmet experience, Holland has a growing list of restaurants with Michelin stars to their names which can be found in unexpected locations such as inside factories, towers and small castles – not just in the heart of Amsterdam.

As for comfort, many Dutch hotels offer artistic, historical or fun style rooms. Or stay in one of Holland’s B&Bs housed in country homes, monasteries and farms. For the more adventurous travelers, the chance to sleep in a castle, boat, lighthouse or haystack is only a short distance away from Amsterdam.

For more information on sights unfamiliar to many foreign visitors, visit www.1000dutchdelights.com. Travelers can get tips on unusual accommodations, restaurants, as well as original sites of interest and activities that can be done during their trip.