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the netherlands is a densely populated
country
in part reclaimed from the sea with
about half of its land
lying below sea level many tourists only
come to the netherlands to visit
amsterdam
but holland has plenty to offer outside
its capital
crisscrossed with canals the flat
landscape is perfect for cycling
with historic town centers and classic
windmills
sprinkled across the country during
springtime the flower gardens become
great tourist attractions providing a
bold spectacle of vivid colors
here's a look at the best places to
visit in the netherlands
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number 10 hauda hauda is a typical dutch
city
with lots of buildings and pretty canals
and is a popular destination for a day
trip
thanks to its great rail and highway
connections the city is famous for its
cheese syrup waffles candles and its
clay pipes
attractions in houda include the
beautiful 15th century town hall
and the amazing glass windows in since
youngskurk
the compact city center is entirely
ringed by canals
and is a mere five minutes walk from the
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station
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number nine rotterdam the second largest
city in the netherlands
rotterdam is home to one of the biggest
and busiest ports in the world
with numerous waterways crisscrossing
the city having sustained
considerable damage during the second
world war the city is now characterized
by futuristic
and innovative architecture although
there is still
an underlying grittiness to the place
rotterdam
is a lively and diverse place with great
museums
cultural attractions and of course
fantastic dining options
befitting of such a large metropolis
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number eight zalza chance the zanzachons
is an open-air conservation area and
museum
about 20 minutes from amsterdam it
displays the traditional architecture of
the area from the 17th
and 18th century and contains black and
green traditional wooden houses
several functioning windmills and
craftsman workshops
which are open to visitors the windmills
performed a wide range of industrial
duties
including wood sawing thrushing grains
and
for the production of things like seed
and nut oil
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number seven utrecht one of the oldest
cities in the country
utrecht's winding canals twist their way
around its delightful medieval center
which has the arrestingly beautiful
cathedral towering above it
although the sprawling suburbs do not
make the best impression as you enter
the city
its tangled web of roads are soon
forgotten once you get a feel for this
lively place with its fun
atmosphere thanks in part to its huge
student population
the city has loads of cheap and cheerful
bars and cafes
as well as lots of great eating options
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number six maastricht located in the
southernmost tip of the netherlands
maastricht's proximity to belgium and
germany makes it a popular destination
for citizens of both nations as well as
the dutch themselves
a vibrant place its streets thrown with
life
the city is home to a multilingual and
multicultural population
as exemplified by its large student body
hailing from all around europe as such
it is a mix of cultures
and very different from other dutch
cities
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number five kinder dyke kinder dike is a
beautiful landscape
of empty marshes and waterways near the
city of rotterdam
to drain its excess water from the
poulters which are situated below sea
level
19 windmills were built here around 1740
they have been well preserved to the
present day and can still be used
although enormous mechanical pumps have
taken over their task
in summer tall reeds line the canals
lily pads float on the water
and bird calls break the silence it's a
wonderful
and quintessentially dutch landscape to
wander through
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number four the hague though not the
capital
the hague is the seat of the dutch
government and is referred to as the
international city of peace and justice
because so many organizations devoted to
world peace
can be found here this bustling city of
old world charm
is home to numerous museums that house
some of the world's greatest art
collections
the hague also is known for its seaside
atmosphere
with great beaches and dunes that
stretch along the coast
for as far as you can see
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number three delft a popular day trip
destination from amsterdam
it is easy to see what makes delft such
an attractive option
with its lovely medieval center and
picturesque canals crossed by brick
bridges
and lined with trees the city is quaint
and peaceful its most famous son the
painter johannes vermeer
is just one of many who has sung its
praises over the ages
famous for the distinctive blue and
white tiles and ceramics that are
produced here
visiting the delftware factories is
popular among tourists
but despite its wealth of beautiful old
buildings
it is the atmosphere rather than any
particular attraction
that makes it worth visiting
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so
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number two tulip fields stretching
endlessly into the distance the
netherlands colorful tulip fields are
one of its most evocative sites
ever since the late 16th century when
the beautiful bulbs first arrived
and tulip mania struck europe visitors
have been attracted to its fantastic
flower beds
and lavishly landscaped gardens by far
the biggest
and best of its flower parks is kukenhof
home to around 7 million tulips
daffodils and roses
cycling around holland's fetching fields
is a delight
with loads of great photos to be had of
pretty purple
orange and red flowers waving in the
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wind
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number one amsterdam amsterdam
is a pleasant city marked by meandering
canals lined with tall
narrow row houses it is the city where
anne frank kept her most famous diary
so visiting the house where she wrote it
is a must
this venice of the north also is a city
of great art
beginning with the reeks museum home to
great european masterpieces
rembrandt's house and the more modern
van gogh museum
take a break from sightseeing to tour
and sample holland's beer
and the heineken brewery
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you