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Netherlands

Tourist information about the country.

Amsterdam

Tourist information about the capital city.

Transportation

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Cities & Regions

Tourist info about cities and regions.

All articles

Also, check out more articles about the country.

King’s Day / Koningsdag.

Tips for your trips. Tourist information. Official websites.

Koningsdag or King’s Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Celebrated on 27 April (26 April if the 27th is a Sunday), the date marks the birth of King Willem-Alexander.

Until the abdication of Queen Beatrix in 2013, the holiday was known as Koninginnedag or Queen’s Day and was celebrated on 30 April.

Koningsdag is known for its nationwide vrijmarkt (“free market”), at which the Dutch sell their used items. It is also an opportunity for “orange madness” or oranjegekte, a kind of frenzy named for the national colour.

Koningsdag now sees large-scale celebrations, with many concerts and special events in public spaces, particularly in Amsterdam. An outdoor concert is held on Amsterdam’s Museumplein (map), where as many as 800,000 people may gather.

Many young people celebrate in the streets and squares (and in Amsterdam, the canals as well) throughout the night, and after all-night partying join the crowds at the vrijmarkt.

Those taking part in Koningsdag commonly dye their hair orange or wear orange clothing in honour of the *House of Orange-Nassau, which rules over the Netherlands. Orange-coloured drinks are also popular. This colour choice is sometimes dubbed “orange madness”, or in Dutch, oranjegekte.

The vrijmarkt (literally ‘free market’) is a nationwide flea market, at which many people sell their used goods. Koningsdag is the one day of the year that the Dutch government permits sales on the street without a permit and without the payment of value added tax.

Queen Beatrix has been known to buy at the vrijmarkt; in 1995 she purchased a floor lamp.

Among the most popular areas for the vrijmarkt in Amsterdam is the Jordaan quarter (map), but the wide Apollolaan in front of the Hilton hotel (map) in southern Amsterdam is gaining in popularity.

 

#1 The Hague

The heart of the city contains most of the historic architecture from the medieval, renaissance, and Baroque periods and is easily accessible on foot.

#2 Visit Haarlem

Haarlem, located just 20 km from Amsterdam. It proudly showcases a magnificent old center adorned with numerous monumental buildings.

#3 Visit Utrecht

Utrecht’s ancient city center is home to a plethora of buildings and structures, some of which date back as far as the High Middle Ages.

Public transport.

Information about all types of public transport.

OV Reisplanner – All public transport companies.

All public transport in the Netherlands (buses, trams, metros and trains) use contactless smart cards called ⇒ OV-chipkaart

Also сheck оut мore info: Public transport in the Netherlands (holland.com)

BUS: FlixbusConnexxionArrivaQbuzz

TRAIN: Information about trains can be found at the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS, Dutch Railways) + NS — International App, which includes a trip planner which uses the latest information about train delays and detours.

AIRPORT: Schiphol Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. It is 15 km (9.3 mi) southwest of Amsterdam. It’s a point of interest in itself, being 4 metres below mean sea level.

FERRY: Amsterdam Central Station (map). Waterbus Rotterdam & Dordrecht >> waterbus.nl. + AFerry.co.uk.

CYCLING: routiq.com – Route planner. The best online routeplanner for cyclists can be found at a wikiplanner made by volunteers of the Dutch cyclist union “Fietsersbond”.

Kings Day Amsterdam 2023: Millions Of Dutch Celebrate.

Experience the vibrant atmosphere of 👑 King’s Day 2023 (Koningsdag) in Amsterdam at one of its most popular tourist hotspots, Leidseplein. The streets were filled with amazing people, buzzing clubs, pubs with delicious food and drinks, and a lively crowd dancing and enjoying the festivities of the day. Discover the best of Amsterdam on King’s Day and join the celebrations!

video source: Elnaz Afarin / youtube.com /

Useful websites.

Links to additional resources with useful information for planning your trip.

VISAS & IMMIGRATION.

If you are coming to the Netherlands you should always check if you need a visa and, if so, what type of visa. Applying for a visa.

www.9292.nl

A popular journey planner for public transport in the Netherlands. It provides real-time information on train, tram, bus, and metro schedules.

iamexpat.nl

While primarily targeting expats living in the Netherlands, also provides articles and resources about Dutch culture, customs, traditions.

IamExpat: While primarily targeting expats living in the Netherlands, IamExpat also provides articles and resources about Dutch culture, customs, and traditions. It covers topics such as festivals, holidays, etiquette, and social norms.

DutchReview is an online magazine that covers a wide range of topics related to the Netherlands. It offers articles on Dutch culture, society, history, food, and lifestyle, providing an entertaining and informative perspective.

The Meertens Institute is a research center for Dutch culture and language. Their website features resources on Dutch folklore, dialects, names, and customs.