| Holland: |
The Netherlands is a country partly reclaimed from the waters
of the North Sea, and around half of it lies at or below sea level. Land
reclamation has been the dominant motif of its history, with the result a
country of unique images - flat, fertile landscapes punctuated by windmills and
church spires; ornately gabled terraces flanking peaceful canals; and mile upon
mile of grassy dunes, backing onto stretches of pristine sandy beach.
Most people travel only to the uniquely atmospheric capital, Amsterdam: the
rest of the country, despite its accessibility, is comparatively untouched by
tourism. The west of the Netherlands is the most populated and historically
interesting region, home to a group of towns known collectively as the Randstad
(literally "rim town"). It's a good idea to forsake Amsterdam for a while and
investigate places like Haarlem and Delft with their old canal-girded centres,
or The Hague (Den Haag), stately home of the government with fine museums and
easy beach access. Outside the Randstad, life moves more slowly. The remote
province of Zeeland, in the southwest, is unlikely to feature on anyone's
whistle-stop tour of the continent. In the north, Groningen is a busy cultural
centre, lent verve by its large resident student population. To the south, the
landscape undulates into heathy moor land, best experienced in the Hoge Veluwe
National Park. Further south lies the compelling city of Maastricht, squeezed
between the German and Belgian borders. |
| Find out more information on Holland by
clicking on the following links: |
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Dutch tourist board: http://www.visitholland.com
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