In the 1980’s there was a famous Indian movie called Silsila. In this movie you see a famous romantic song filmed in Keukenhof and the surrounding tulip fields. The movie and especially the song ‘Dekha Ek Khwab’ was a Bollywood box office super hit and it opened up the beauty of the tulips to the Indian audience. Everyone who has watched it, wishes to visit the tulip fields in the Netherlands. For us as a family, a visit to the tulip fields is a must every year and marks an occasion to make a yearly family picture with the tulips as the back drop. We mostly visit the tulips in the Lisse area and also sometimes like to explore the vast expanses of tulip fields around Egmond aan Zee.
Another spot that I really like and gives you the chance to experience the Dutch culture in one go, is the Zaanse Schans, a picturesque Dutch village, approximately 15 km north of Amsterdam. Here you will find iconic views of 6 windmills set on the river Zaan, traditional houses, shops and museums. It’s like a village rising from a story.
Let it be any season, there is one place that never disappoints The National park Hoge Veluwe. We find a nice sunny day and head to Hoge Veluwe for a leisurely cycle ride. You can find cycles in the park ready for visitors to use, which is a very nice feature of this park. The Veluwe is a forest-rich ridge of hills (1100 km2) in the province of Gelderland and features many different landscapes, including woodland, heath, some small lakes and Europe’s largest sand drifts. I like to take my kids to an old hunting lodge called Jachthuis Sint Hubertus. You’ll find responsibly sourced wild meat like venison, boar and game on the menu all year round at restaurants in surrounding villages. Or you can join the celebrations for the start of the game season at ‘De Wilddaggen’ (Wild Days) – a weekend-long culinary fair held every October in the village of Vierhouten. As well as wild meat, you can taste certified local products like honey, wine, beer, artisan bread and cheese.
We also like to visit the enchanting Paleis het Loo in Apeldoorn, the Dutch royal hunting lodge and Baroque summer palace famous for its sumptuous interior and formal gardens.
Sometimes we go to Delft and visit the Grote markt (main square). There is always something to do in Delft but my favorite things to do is to see Delft Blue porcelain or visit the Delft’s markets. Thursdays and Saturdays are market days in Delft, when the narrow streets along the canals and the main square fill up with the rows of stalls selling just about everything.
There is so much to do in the Netherlands, beautiful beaches, well kept gardens, historical structures or just a boat ride in the canals. It is a country blessed with natural beauty and is supported by its strong infrastructure.
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