As someone living in the Netherlands for nearly three years, I often say that I live in Holland when asked where I live. You might be wondering what is the difference between Holland and the Netherlands. (Will the real country please stand up?) Some people actually ask me how many countries exist in Holland or the Netherlands. You’re about to get schooled in all things that you need to know about Holland before your trip to the Netherlands, so you don’t sound silly.
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Happy New Year! This was my first New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands in a bit and it was lovely celebrating it in my current home of The Hague. New Year’s Eve in the Hague, like most of the Netherlands, is something akin to a war zone… I include tips for spending New Year’s Eve in the Hague as well as the best events for New Year’s Eve in the Scheveningen/Hague area. I’ve updated this post for the 2019-2020 New Year given the recent changes.
…Whenever family and friends visit me in Amsterdam, I always bring them to one of my favorite local secrets: a hidden church in Amsterdam. Our Lord in the Attic is a small museum a bit off the beaten path. It’s is one of my favorite museums in Amsterdam as it does a fantastic of teaching about the Dutch way of life and Dutch history. Keep reading for the history of his hidden church, tips for visiting Our Lord in the Attic, and how to save on admission fees by visiting Onze Lieve heer op Zolder for free!
…Is it weird that I consider breakfast a very important food group? Maybe it’s my American upbringing, but I am a huge fan of breakfast and brunch. This post is about the best brunch/breakfast cafes in the Hague by one very biased American couple living in the Hague. I hope you get very hungry while reading this as I’m already planning my next brunch for this weekend…. I will be updating it periodically as new places open and other close.
…One of my favorite places to bring friends visiting Amsterdam is Brouwerij ‘t IJ. This iconic Amsterdam brewery next to a windmill is one of Amsterdam’s best destinations for craft beer, so if you love craft beer, keep reading my tips for visiting this famous Amsterdam craft brewery.
…Jacob’s work means that both of us find ourselves in Delft quite often. Luckily, there are some great restaurants in Delft, far beyond the typical tourist fare. I hope that this guide to the best food in Delft helps you find a good and reasonable meal in Delft! I indicate vegan-friendly spots in Delft with a * next to their names to make it easier for those with dietary restrictions!
…I’ve been in the Hague for almost a year now and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the thriving craft beer scene in the Hague! As craft beer lovers, both of us have been very busy trying out all the various breweries around the Hague and we solemnly promise to try to keep this updated as new exciting breweries come to The Hague. I include my favorite craft beer bars in the Hague as well as beer shops.
…You’ve probably seen photos online of the prettiest village in the Netherlands, Giethoorn. Visiting Giethoorn from Amsterdam is a doable day trip from Amsterdam if you’re patient enough to spend two hours getting there independently.
I personally preferred staying overnight at Giethoorn in the picturesque village, so you get to enjoy the sunset over the calm canals without the crowds… Keep reading for my tips for visiting Giethoorn, the Netherlands without a tour. I also include information on how to get to Giethoorn from Amsterdam!
…I’ve been putting off this guide to secret Amsterdam for a while as living in Amsterdam has made me worry about sharing my secret places in Amsterdam where I go to avoid the tourists. However, it’s not nice not to share. In this local’s guide to Amsterdam off the beaten path, you’ll be visiting some Amsterdam secret spots as well as some really non-touristy things to do in Amsterdam.
…One of my favorite neighborhoods in Amsterdam is the Jordaan. If you’re looking to escape some of the crowds of center and experience some of the charm of Amsterdam, you can follow this self-guided walking guide to the Jordaan, one of Amsterdam’s most charming neighborhoods, to see a few secrets of de Jordaan that you might not see otherwise. It’s based on my time living just five minutes away from the Jordaan.
I do my best to discuss history as well as some charming cafes, restaurants, hofjes and streets that I always love to stop into. The walking tour of de Jordaan should take about 1.5 hours. The total distance covered is 2 kilometers (~1 mile), but I encourage you to slow down. Map at the bottom of the post.
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