Netherlands

Other traveller reviews on Netherlands

2010-02-08T13:01:00Z

Read Netherlands travel reviews by other travellers from our friends at bugbitten.

Amsterdam Dance Event

2009-09-25T15:50:00Z

What: A four-day extravaganza featuring hundreds of DJs and thousands of partygoers.

When: October 21-24

Where: Various clubs and venues in Amsterdam.

Do it because: If you like clubbing and throwing some shapes to the world's best DJs then this event is for you. There'll be the likes of Simian Mobile Disco, Pendulum, Armin van Buuren, Fedde Le Grand, John Digweed, Timoos Maas, Groove Armada, Paul van Dyk, Deadmau5 and Sander Kleinenberg, among many many others.

See amsterdam-dance-event.nl

Art in Amsterdam

2009-05-29T14:48:00Z

This year’s introduction of the Holland Art Cities Tours has raised the Netherlands’ position as a top European destination for a solid dose of visual culture.

And you shouldn’t really come to this part of the world and not see some of western civilisation’s most famous artworks.

After all, this was how man captured time before digital photographs and camera phones (or phones at all, for that matter) existed.

Not seeing at least a selection of the artistic treasures in Amsterdam would be like going to Egypt and not looking at the pyramids.

Or going to Easter Island and not seeing those giant heads. It’s something that simply shouldn’t happen.

Sure, the Louvre in Paris has some great art too – but we all know it can get hideously overcrowded and the Mona Lisa is, well, a wee bit overrated.

Besides, Amsterdamers are a lot more chilled out than those snooty Parisians.

Sometimes you just want to relax, right?

A smorgasbord of art

The cluster of art spaces in Amsterdam and the nearby cities of Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht give any visitor time and choice for their cultural mind-expansion.

Conveniently most of the top ten museums in Holland are within an hour’s drive of each other.

The country boasts it has the highest amount of art and cultural activities per square mile in the world.

That rich vein features at least 25 top exhibitions during the next two years.

Sorry, can’t ear you

It should come as little surprise to anyone who knows a bit about art that Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter with a penchant for sunflowers and self-harm, makes a starring appearance in Amsterdam.

Van Gogh is, of course, the manic-depressive genius who, legend has it, cut off his own ear and sent it to a brothel wench – quite possibly the same wench who gave him syphilis.

He is right up there in the popular artist stakes, often mentioned alongside Spain’s Dalí and Picasso and France’s Monet.

Many of his paintings are worth millions, so while you’re in Amsterdam check out the Van Gogh museum to see what all the fuss is about.

The Russian Connection

Amsterdam has embraced Russia with the creation of a branch of the Russian Hermitage Museum.

This centre of Eastern European culture is in the Amstelhof, a former nursing home.

It’ll house fine arts concerts, symposia and a library.

Russia’s history is a proud one, filled with revolutions, suffering and triumph, and the country’s art reflects this.

Love is in the air

If you’re looking for some action, art galleries are notorious as discreet pick-up joints.

After all, art appreciation is subjective, and once a conversation has been struck up, there’s always room for bluffing if you’re not too artsy.

Meanwhile, couples can enjoy a canal barge cruise on the River Amstel in between art galleries. The sedate pace is a great chance to contemplate the images you have seen and to further fan the flames of romance.

If that doesn’t work, a big fat joint from an Amsterdam coffee shop should get you in the right frame of mind in no time.

It might add a whole new element to the art, too.

» Jahn Vannisselroy travelled with the Holland Board of Tourism and Conventions. To suss out your schedule for the Holland Art Cities programme see hollandartcities.com

Queen's Day In Amsterdam

2009-03-26T14:54:00Z

Boats and barges of every size clog the waterways, most decked out in orange streamers and balloons and piled high with speakers pumping out more beats at an ear-splitting volume.

Even Amsterdam’s world-famous red light district is quiet, with most of those who work here taking the day off to enjoy the revelry that has swept the city.

So what’s all the fuss about?

Queen’s Day commemorates the birthday of Queen Juliana. When her daughter Beatrix took the throne in 1980, she decided to leave Queen’s Day on April 30 as a tribute to her mother, and because her own birthday fell in January when the weather isn’t so good.

The abundance of orange, which has become Holland’s national colour even though it doesn’t appear on its flag, refers to the name of the Dutch royal family – the House of Orange.

While the main event goes on all day on April 30, the night before, known as Queen’s Night, has become an equally massive celebration.

Queen’s Day is a Carnival-style street party, but Queen’s Night is more of a music festival, with a dozen-odd sound stages around the city centre and some of the Netherlands’ best trance and house DJs taking to the turntables.

The Queen’s Night tradition only started in the 1990s, when pre-Queen’s Day riots were an increasing problem in another of Holland’s big cities, The Hague. Authorities convinced the rioters that celebrating was a better way to pass the time, and Queen’s Night was born.

Though it’s the biggest day on the calendar in Holland, the cool thing about this festival is that it’s relatively unknown on the world stage.

Many Dutch people living abroad try to make the pilgrimage home for the national holiday, while the vast majority of locals get involved as well, meaning tourists are a minority.

In any case, it’s easy to blend in – just grab a pint of Heineken, slap on some orange clothes or accessories and join a million other punters succumbing to a little ‘oranjegekte’.

Free to roam

On Queen’s Day it’s impossible to miss the ‘vrijmarkt’ or freemarket – a city-wide flea market where you can find everything from used dentist equipment to home-made treats and vintage clothing.

It’s the one day of the year the Dutch government makes a dispensation where people can trade without a licence and don’t have to pay taxes on their sales.

Locals set up stalls in parks, on sidewalks and in just about any available nook or crannie.

Estimates put the number of vendors at 1.8 million throughout the Netherlands, with the value of the sales topping 200 million euros.

Typically, kids sell their cast-off toys and clothes while entrepreneurs sell food, cold beer, and anything else imaginable.

Prices are negotiable and drop as the day progresses.

» Trevor Paddenburg travelled to Amsterdam with Busabout (0131 557 9393; busabout.com). The Queen’s Day tour costs £199

Tulips in Holland

2009-02-20T11:32:00Z

Clusius not only planted his bulbs in his garden but also in the surrounding land, and the amazing bulb fields were born.

The Dutch went crazy for the flower, with a period known as ‘Tulipmania’ in the 1630s when some varieties could cost more than a house in Amsterdam.

During the Dutch famine of 1944-45 people experimented with eating tulip bulbs, frying them like onions and grinding them into flour.

Today tulips are a major part of Holland’s export trade, with billions cultivated and sold worldwide each year. They’re an even bigger part of the tourist industry, drawing in the crowds to ogle over their splendour in spring.

No trip to see them would be complete without a visit to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, south-west of Amsterdam. The 32 hectare gardens are only open for the three months of the year when the flowers are in bloom. About seven million flowers that is, ranging from tulips, narcissi and hyacinths to orchids in the exhibition halls. The colours are dazzling, the fragrance takes my breath away and it feels like I’ve stepped into a fantasy. Swans and ducks glide over the lakes, stalls sell ice cream piled with strawberries, and women dressed in traditional costume of caps and clogs usher me into this flowering wonderland.

You could spend the whole day here, taking in the shaded glades and quirky statues as well as the odd maze and windmill.

As the day rolls on and I realise I’ve taken almost 100 photos, I’m in need of sustenance.

The Dutch are well known for their baking and the apple pie at one of the restaurants is the one of the most delicious things I’ve tasted – gooey apple and cinnamon in custard oozing from warm, buttery pastry.

The coffee is also one of the strongest I’ve ever drunk – a much-needed caffeine kick for more exploring.

Although the garden is another world, it’s not a secluded one. Millions of visitors enter the gates every year, and as the day draws on finding a seat under a tree relies on tactical manoeuvres. I feel guilty as I pretend not see some elderly people dodder past, but it’s been a long day, my camera and I are exhausted, and sitting under a flowering cherry tree, I’m happy to soak up nature at its cultivated best.

On the tulip trail

Bolenstreek (bulb district)

If you want to see vast fields of colour, rent a bike and explore the 60km-region between Haarlem and Sassenheim (near Leiden). Route maps can be purchased from the Tourist Information Office in Lisse.

Aalsmeer

The daily flower auction here sees millions of plants go under the hammer all under one roof. The best time to visit is between 7.30am and 9am, before things heat up. See vba-aalsmeer.nl

Tulip Museum

Take in the history of the tulip and purchase some quality souvenirs at this quirky museum in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam.

Rijksmuseum

If the weather doesn’t co-operate, get your flower fix from the still-life paintings by Dutch artists such as Van Gogh at this museum of art. See rijksmuseum.nl

» Janine Jorgensen travelled with Door2Tour.

Relaxing in the Lower Rhine

2008-11-07T16:22:00Z

After the madness of London, the first thing that greets us is the peace and quiet. The Lower Rhine is where Europeans go to escape from it all, and we don’t waste time in putting our feet up and unwinding. The atmosphere today is a far cry from the horrific three-week battle that cost the lives of up to 30,000 men, women and children.

In September 1944, Operation Market Garden saw Allied forces attempt to consolidate their fresh foothold in Europe with an audacious airborne assault behind German lines. The aim was to overwhelm the enemy, capture intact bridges and cross the Rhine, and then open a new north-eastern battlefront. The plan might have failed, but the attempt spawned tales of heroics immortalised in films such as the 1977 classic A Bridge Too Far and Steven Spielberg’s Band Of Brothers series.

Today, remnants of the conflict are scattered throughout the region with dozens of cemeteries, monuments and the Nijmegen Bridge that Allied troops fought tooth and nail to keep safe from stinging German defence.

The feats of the soldiers, Dutch resistance and civilians during the war are retold in the fabulous National Liberation Museum (Nationaal Berijdingsmuseum 1944-1945) south of Nijmegen in the heart of what was once the frontline. Featuring dioramas, birds-eye-view battle plans and a range of souvenirs, the museum offers unique insight into the lives of Dutch citizens under Nazi rule, as well as the stories of those who took up arms.

Nearby war graves are the last resting place of some of the 17,000 Allied soldiers, including young Kiwi flying officer J Lowrie. The 21-year-old was shot down and killed while flying over enemy territory shortly before Operation Market Garden, and now lies alongside 310 of his fallen comrades in the Mook War Cemetery, a few kilometres south of the museum.

Despite this grim history, the Lower Rhine has taken giant steps after World War II. The small shuffling city of Arnhem, filled with bars, cafés and shops, hums with happy bustle.

Across the border in Germany, the boutique village of Kempen could double as a pre-war fairy-tale film set. With its medieval buildings, classical architecture and lazy pace of life, you would struggle to find a better way to spend a warm summer evening than sipping the local brew in the town square.

For the energetic, a new bogie cart track makes use of a disused stretch of railway line on the Dutch-German border. A local entrepreneur decided a pedal-powered business would revive the line. Cycling down the track, half expecting to be confronted by a speeding freight train, is good fun. The bogie configuration is simple — four seats and pedal berths attached to the back of a wheel-mounted platform. Thanks to a gentle downward slope, we completed the 5.5km stretch in about 25 minutes. Not bad but, our guide casually told us, substantially shy of the record 14 minutes clocked-up by a group of German lads a few days before.

But, we decided while sipping a particularly fine pilsener afterwards, the Lower Rhine is not about getting from A to B in record time. It’s about taking your foot off and coasting it for a bit.

» Matt Torbitt travelled to the Lower Rhine with the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions

Other attractions

Step back in time

Want to see Holland in a day? Situated in Arnhem, The National Heritage Museum (Nederlands Openluchtmuseum) is a large open-air museum and park filled with historical houses, farms and factories. Many of the buildings and machinery have been painstakingly transported to the site and restored to ‘working’ order. Museum staff dress in traditional costumes and re-enact the daily business of various old trades, such as beer production. See www.openluchtmuseum.nl/en.

Roman ruins

The Romans arrived on the scene around 15BC and set up a whopping big camp to base their troops fighting the northern hordes. Over time the military base grew to be a thriving Roman city, which today, in the form of Xanten Archaeological Park, is one of the finest archaeological sites of its kind in the region.

Get crafty

Once a year Krefeld welcomes 100,000 visitors to Germany’s largest handicraft market, the medieval Flax Market (Flachsmarkt). It takes place on a weekend in May on the grounds of the 12th-century Castle Linn, where all manner of goods are sold.

Visiting Old Holland: Delft and The Hague

2008-09-12T13:50:00Z

Pottering in Delft

Situated between Rotterdam and The Hague, this old town is famous for its blue and white pottery and being the birthplace of Johannes Vermeer (painter of The Girl With A Pearl Earring). It’s not all art and crafts though. Delft is also a water city — with 151km of waterways and 286 bridges. This means plenty of canalside cafés at which to sit and sip a Heineken and eat a plate of chips and mayo.

Time a trip to Delft with its Thursday Markt, where stalls sell everything from T-shirts to baked goods beneath the Nieuwe Kerk. This 14th-century church has a 109m tower, and if you’re feeling energetic (or need to work off all the yummy offerings of the market) climb the 376 steps to admire the view.

Surrounding the market square are loads of ceramics shops. One of these is the Blue Tulip (Blauwe Tulp) — a cosy Delft showroom (so small, you’ll be scared to pull out your wallet in case you knock something over) where traditional painting and firing of ceramics take place. Be warned, you’ll pay for proper Delft (identified by the markings on the bottom of items), but it is superior to the bargain buys in the souvenir shops.

The new church in the market square is not to be confused with the Oude Kerk (old church), and admission for one includes entry to the other.

Like the old church’s leaning tower, many of the buildings in Delft seem to tilt precariously on the edge of the canals, but there’s a haphazard charm about the town that makes it a highlight of visiting old Holland.

Other sights in Delft: Visit the Delft factories for cheaper ware and learn about the origins of this world-famous pottery.

Delft is also home to the House of Orange and you can gain some historical insight into the royal family and be on the scene of an assassination at Municipal Museum Het Prinsenhof.

Peace of The Hague

When you pull into The Hague, one of the first things you’ll notice is the amount of cars. As the favourite mode of transport in Holland is the two-wheeled pedal variety (there are an estimated 13 million bikes in the country — almost as many as people), busy four-lane streets can be a bit of a shock, but then The Hague is no ordinary Dutch city.

Home to the Dutch royal family and the seat of government, the city has a regal air — many of the buildings are embassies, houses are palatial and the parks are carefully manicured green spaces.

The UN’s International Court of Justice is housed in the Peace Palace, so it’s no wonder there are so many cars — imagine all those diplomats riding to work on bikes. You can take a guided walk of the palace, but have to book ahead. See www.peacepalace.nl.

If you feel slightly shabby in the usual tourist garb of jeans and trainers, steer clear of the suits and head to one of The Hague’s top attractions, the Mauritshuis. This art gallery houses works from the Dutch Golden Age, including a few Rembrandts.

Away from high art discover another sight on The Hague’s tourist trail — Madurodam. This Netherlands city in miniature is a charity foundation and war monument, where you’ll find 1:25 scale versions of all the famous Dutch landmarks. The detail is impressive, but if after admiring the grand masters’ work at Mauritshuis it seems a bit on the tacky side, head back to the city and mingle with those in high places in one of the many cafés, dress code aside.

Other sights in The Hague: Remember all those 4D patterns of fish and ducks from maths classes? Well the Escher in Het Paleis Museum pays tribute to Dutch artist MC Escher and his weirdly creative ideas with
spatial dynamics.

Near The Hague is the seaside resort of Scheveningen. Extremely popular in summer, this beach not only has deckchairs but also World War II bunkers, a grim reminder of Nazi occupation in the country’s past.

» Janine Jorgensen travelled to the Netherlands with Door2Tour (www.door2tour.com).

Going Dutch

What’s the difference between The Netherlands and Holland?

The official name of the country is the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Holland makes up two provinces in the west of the country: North Holland and South Holland. These two provinces played an important role in the country’s history, and so Holland is often used to refer to the whole country

Chill out in Amsterdam

2008-07-09T10:54:00Z

It's an ugly spectacle. Groups of British lads mosey on down, swaggering, swaying and swigging beer as they pass porn stores, peep shows and 'coffee' shops, where the air is thick with cannabis smoke and the joints come pre-rolled for beginners. Outside, whispering dealers offer every illegal substance under the sun (or full moon, as it is tonight), while shadowy figures lurk outside the windows bearing red lights. Not everyone is discreet about their intentions, however.

"I've just been offered a blow job for 20 euros and shag for 50," cries a disbelieving Geordie to howls of laughter from his mates.

I'm not really enjoying this, my first night in Amsterdam, probably because I'm alone and haven't got my buddies for back-up.

I don't feel in danger, just taken aback. I've seen some seedy sights on previous nights out around the world, but I'm not sure I've ever witnessed such an outlandish display of debauchery. I had to see it, though. You can't come here and avoid it.

The next morning I wake struggling to breathe through the thick, invisible clouds of drug-tinged air in my hostel (where pot smoking is allowed), so I quickly shower and head out exploring.

I join the New Amsterdam tour, which is free and runs on a tips basis. Our cheerful Dutch host Jules proceeds to take us on a whirlwind walk around the city, revealing much about its long history and culture, and, by the end of it, I'm thankful.

Last night I pretty much hated Amsterdam. Now I see it in a better light. For a start, it's more beautiful in the daytime, thanks to its canals and the lofty houses that run alongside them, topped with stepped and curved gables.
Even the red-light district is not quite so vulgar. A few red lights are on as we pass by, and we're waved at (and beckoned) by some of the scantily-clad prostitutes, but the abscence of stag parties and drunks makes the general atmosphere more chilled.

Jules tells us the history of the city's legalised prostitution, the decriminalisation of soft drugs and its licensed coffee shops.

That evening, along with a few people I'd met on the tour, I go to Dampkring, the coffee shop in which George Clooney and Brad Pitt filmed a scene for Ocean's 12. We end the night clubbing in the throbbing Leidseplein district.
I wake slightly fuzzy-headed but keen to make the most of the day. I hop on the tram to check out the Rijksmuseum, which offers a great insight into the Dutch Golden Age (the 17th century, when Holland was the unofficial capital of world trade and art). Then it's on to the Van Gogh Museum, home to the world's largest collection of works by the troubled Dutch artist.

I spend a couple of hours in both and, after a bite to eat (I can't resist the Amsterdam favourite of chips doused in mayonnaise), I visit the moving Anne Frank Museum, the former hiding place of the little Jewish girl who wrote a famous diary on what it was like living under the Nazi occupation of Holland in World War II.

I also pop into the Sex Museum, which boasts that it's 'the leading museum of the theme of sensual love and erotica'. In truth it's unbelievably graphic and not a place for prudes. But parts of it are absolutely hilarious.

The next morning, I take a walk around Rembrandt's House, the former abode of the 17th century Dutch painter and, after taking a relaxing cruise round the canals, it's time to go.

I leave with an entirely new view of Amsterdam - an intoxicating city in so many ways.

Rotterdam's North Sea Jazz Festival

2008-07-09T10:54:00Z

The Dutch city has garnered a reputation as a place that doesn't stop. It's already a hotspot for many big-name DJs thanks to its buzzing clubbing scene, but if you want to change the pace a little head there during the three-day North Sea Jazz Festival. The old shipping town becomes overrun with bebop junkies who jet in from all over the world to get their fix. The city comes alive for two weeks either side of the festival, with art exhibitions, live music and film screenings celebrating - yes, you guessed it - jazz.

Rotterdam has its similarities to Amsterdam with its trams, bike lanes and special cafés, but the difference is it isn't overrun with tourists and stoners. It manages to feel both grungy and cosmopolitan, with an alternative streak that runs through the food, drink and music.

It's a working city and flourished as a trade and shipping port in the 19th century, remaining the world's busiest port until the '90s (when it was overtaken by Singapore). A local joke that the money is earned in Rotterdam, distributed in the Hague and spent in Amsterdam says a lot about this work-hard, play-hard city.

Heading into the city, I got a taster of the fun-loving vibe as funky tunes wafted from buzzy cafés lined up along the pavement. As I get nearer to the festival, walk of fame-style stars line the pavement telling punters who's on the bill. Last year, most of the names were unknown to this jazz virgin apart from Amy Winehouse (in true rock meltdown form, she pulled out at the last minute).

Even if you're not a jazz nutter you'll recognise a lot of the greats that have played this festival since 1976 - Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gilespie, Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino, to name just a few. But it's only in the past two years that Rotterdam has hosted the event, taking over from the Hague as it struggled to accommodate the growing numbers of fans and newcomers.

Ahoy! The stadium is up ahead. No really, that is the name of the largest indoor stadium that will host more than 70,000 revellers on festival weekend - a nod to the city's shipping heritage perhaps. Buskers warm up the crowds heading into the venue, looking slick and sharp playing soulful saxophone tunes.

By 9pm the place is alive, 15 stages fill the arena making room for every type of jazz under the sun - New Orleans, swing, bop, free jazz, fusion, avant-garde and electronic. If it fits into the jazz stable, it's here. But the festival isn't elitist - blues, gospel, funk, soul, hip-hop, R'n'B and world music all play a part too, the sassy, sexy and uplifting sounds all washed down with some great Dutch beer and a huge selection of world food.

There's so much choice its hard to stay in one place, and you'll find yourself constantly moving around wanting to hear new sounds on every stage. In what seems like no time at all, it's 2am and time to move the party into town for a dose of Rotterdam's thriving clubbing culture.

The next day we're back again for another round and the music seems to get better and better as I start to learn a bit more about what I'm listening to. By the end of the festival I find myself nursing a hangover in legendary jazz club Dizzy's. I slowly sip a glass of wine as sounds of familiar tunes play in the background. A jazz old-timer rests in the corner and the sun trickles through his cloud of smoke. I think I've completed my Jazz 101.

Rotterdam's eye candy

If jazz isn't your thing, then hop on a bike and do a tour around Rotterdam, 'the architectural city of Europe'. Here are a few places to stop off and admire:

Erasmus Bridge
The Erasmum Bridge is a 139m-high and 80m-long pylon bent over the Nieuwe Maas river, linking the northern and southern halves of the city. Nicknamed 'the Swan', it was designed by Ben van Berkel and completed in 1996.

Euromast
The 101m tower - Rotterdam's tallest - was built as an attraction for the 1960 Floriade. It was designed by HA Maaskant and constructed between 1958 and 1960. Euromast is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers.

Cube Houses
To give the city a quirky edge, Amsterdam architect Piet Blom was commissioned to create this masterpiece in 1984. There are 32 houses that have been tilted on a 45-degree angle.

Five reasons to go to Maastricht, Holland

2008-07-09T10:53:17Z

1 Situated on the banks of the Maas River is the wonderful Bonnefantenmuseum, designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi. Shaped like a wheat silo, the museum's interior space is beautifully light and airy, with the ground floor devoted to Dutch masters and medieval sculpture and the area under the dome featuring a single, large installation.

2 Maastricht's proximity between Belgium and Germany has afforded the town a rich gastronomic traditon which is celebrated annually during its four-day Preuvenemint Festival. This year, the festival runs from August 25-28.

3 Underneath a small hill just outside town is a curious maze of tunnels hollowed out of soft sandstone known as the Caves of Mount St Pieter. Dating back to Roman times, the tunnel walls are covered with graffiti and signatures, one of which supposedly belongs to Napoleon. Warning: get lost in here and you've little chance of getting out alive, so be sure to hire one of the experienced guides from the Maastricht tourist office.

4 With some 52 churches, Maastricht doesn't exactly live up to the licentious reputation of other Dutch cities. Although many of these churches are now out of service, St Servaas remains a magnet for pilgrims who pour into the town every seven years for Heiligdomsvaart: a centuries-old tradition which celebrates Maastricht's first bishop, St Servaas, who has been buried in a tomb in the church since the year AD384.

5 Given that it has one pub for every 300 inhabitants, as well as three breweries, Maastricht is unsurprisingly renowned for its relaxed al fresco café culture. And like all Dutch cities, Maastricht has a smattering of 'coffee shops' for those who are so inclined to get stoned.

the essentials

Time from London 3 hours
Getting there Basiq Air operates regular flights to Rotterdam. From there the train takes approximately two hours.
What to say Waar zijn er veel Coffeeshops? Where can I find somewhere to smoke dope?
Price of a beer €1.50

Sleeping Around - Rotterdam, Netherlands

2008-07-09T10:53:14Z

It's also friendly - people have even been known to talk to each other on the Metro. The city goes festival crazy in summer, with the Brazil-style Summer Carnival and huge FFWD Dance Parade topping the list. Increasingly famed for its nightlife, its burgeoning clubbing scene is a major draw.

Street spirit
Cycling is the classic and quintessentially Dutch way of seeing the city. Try Rotterdam ByCycle (www.rotterdambycycle.nl) for tours and hire. If the weather's a tad nippy for charging around on a bike, there's always the charmingly eccentric-sounding Snerttram ('pea soup tram'), a tour that runs until the end of April. An on-board accordion player entertains as you settle back and enjoy the sights while sipping hot pea soup, a Dutch winter favourite.

Down by the water
In summer, Rotterdammers head for the harbour and riverside, especially areas like historic Delfshaven and Veerhaven with their bars, restaurants and pavement cafés. Another popular spot is the man-made beach along the river Maas. Summer or winter, a Spido harbour cruise is an excellent way to get a sense of the sheer size of Rotterdam's waterways. The spaceship-like boats cruise past miles of the port's slightly surreal industrial landscape that's refreshingly free of rusting containers and seagulls. Instead, you'll pass clean futuristic buildings and regal-looking swans bobbing on the water while flames shoot from oil refinery towers like a scene from Blade Runner.

Dance fever
Make like the locals and start the night with drinks and snacks in a classic Dutch brown café (so called because of the tobacco stains on the walls). Beer's the perfect partner for the 'bitterballen' - small breaded meatballs eaten with toothpicks and dipped in mustard. No trip to Rotterdam would be complete without sampling the city's club scene, whether it's a laidback lounge you're after or a full-on dance temple. Throw some shapes and mingle with glammed-up punters in hotspots like Jackie's, Nighttown, Now & Wow and Thalia Lounge. See www.hollandclubbing.com for more information.

WORTH A LOOK
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen
The most high profile of Rotterdam's 34 museums has a good collection of Dutch and international art, ranging from Old Masters to works by the likes of Dali, Magritte, Monet and Kandinsky. Another good option for culture vultures is the nearby Kunsthal, a big exhibition space that hosts an esoteric range of visiting collections.

Nieuwe Binnenweg
With its quirky clothes stores, coffee shops and pavement cafés, this street is one the city's trendiest shopping thoroughfares. The record shops are popular with local DJs and the boutiques are stocked with clubbing gear. Rotown café is a good spot for taking time out with its relaxed atmosphere and live music.

Winterplein
Open until January 29, Winterplein's 800m2 ice skating rink is located near the south side of the futuristic-looking Erasmus bridge. The rink and terrace are both covered so skating is possible in all weather.

Euromast
The views from the top of Rotterdam's tallest building are spectacular. More than 180m tall, the tower was designed to resemble a ship's mast complete with bridge and crow's nest, pretty appropriate considering the city's maritime history. It's got the obligatory revolving restaurant and, between May and September, you can also abseil down it.

Five reasons to go to Rotterdam

2008-07-09T10:53:12Z

1 Flattened by bombs in World War II, Rotterdam made the most of a clean slate with bold constructions that put the harbour city on the world map for its modern architecture. Check out Piet Blom's cube houses and Rem Koolhaas' Kunsthal in the Museumpark.

2 Away from the tourists and stoned daytrippers that blight Amsterdam, Rotterdam's nightlife is the one that draws the local dollar with multi-storey clubs like Now & Wow, Las Palmas, Off_Corso and Nighttown. Head to areas like Witte de Withstraat, the Nieuwe Binnenweg or the Stadhuisplein to find the coolest bars.

3 A summer full of various festivals proves that Rotterdam's love of a good party isn't confined to indoor events. On August 13, the ninth FFWD Heineken Dance Parade (www.ffwdheinekendanceparade.nl) is set to attract around 350,000 spectators with 50,000 going on to the spectacular after-party that's become tradition.

4 Named European Capital of Sport 2005 (www.sportjaar2005.nl), Rotterdam is this year hosting 133 sports events from hockey to catamaran sailing. If you want to get active instead of just spectate, do the Dutch thing and take a cycle tour around town. This is also a city that welcomes skaters - there's a custom-designed skate park right in the centre of town.

5 Witte de Withstraat - or 'Witte de Wit' - is a good analogy for the city's powers of transformation: once an inner-city no-go zone, the influx of artists and galleries and the cafés, bars and boutiques that followed have made the thoroughfare Rotterdam's cultural heart. At number 16, Bazar is a fine example of the city's embrace of ethnic culture - feast on global cuisine at the World Eatery then check in to one of the themed hotel rooms upstairs.

The Essentials

Time from London: 1 hour
Getting there: Flights to Rotterdam with Transavia (www.transavia.com) start at £36.99 one-way including tax.
What to say: Vanavond gaan we uit ons dak" (fonaafond han vuh utt uns dock): "Tonight we plan to get completely off our heads"
Price of a beer: €2-€2.50

- ELISE RANA"

Clubbing in Rotterdam

2008-07-09T10:53:00Z

Clubbing gear and cobblestones - it's a recipe for disaster. High heels were not meant for the unevenly paved lanes of old Europe. The smooth streets of modern Rotterdam, on the other hand, make for much plainer sailing on a big night out. Just as well, because more and more clubbers are turning to Holland's second city.

Bombed to bits in World War II, Rotterdam's centre has practically no trace of its pre-war urban landscape remaining. In its place is a spacious and increasingly sophisticated city with an ever-evolving skyline. From the sweeping futuristic lines of Erasmus Bridge to the quirkily geometric cube houses, the city has a sharp, modern vibe that goes well with its growing profile as a party capital.

Rotterdammers have a reputation for no-nonsense hard work, unsurprising in a town driven by trade and industry (it's Europe's largest port), so it's only natural that they play hard as well. Long linked to dance music, the city spawned the hardcore house style gabber in the late '80s. The name isn't bandied about so much now, but traces of it are evident in the 'Rotterdam sound', hard to pin down but essentially hard-edged and funky.

Locals tend to regard Rotterdam as a destination for clubbing purists, a different scene to Amsterdam with its herds of marauding stags and blitzed narco-tourists. Dance music aficionados cite high-profile Rotterdam DJ Michel de Hey, who appeared at Heaven's Carl Cox and Friends night in London this year, as playing a key role in boosting the city's international reputation.

If there's one event that symbolises the city's commitment to dance culture, it would have to be the annual FFWD Heineken Dance Parade, which drew 400,000 people in August this year. It's impossible not to get swept up in the party atmosphere as crowds from all over the country shake their collective booty in the city's streets. This year, the 40 trucks carrying DJs, scantily clad dancers and the occasional bongo player were hosted by top clubs from the Netherlands and as far afield as Brazil, Australia and South Africa. Pumping out high-octane beats in a procession through the centre and over Erasmus Bridge, the whole shebang culminates in a waterfront festival where eight zones, from the main stage to smaller tents, cater to tastes from techno to house and drum 'n' bass.

One of the major advantages of clubbing in Rotterdam is the ease of getting from place to place, with top venues clustered around the city centre. A typical night might start in the likes of Rotown, a café/restaurant and live music venue on Nieuwe Binnenweg, one of the main shopping streets. Those who fancy a spot of Footballers' Wives-style kitsch glamour could opt for restaurant club Jackie's, a sort of fashion Hard Rock Café with an opulent interior, elaborate mood lighting and bling-tastic designer outfits sharing wall space with pop culture memorabilia.

At the other end of the atmospheric scale is Hyper Hyper, popular with hip young locals kickstarting their night out. With its barn-like interior and stark white and red colour scheme, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's bang in the midde of town and good for some serious drinking and schmoozing.

The big guns of the city's club scene include Nighttown, where Michel de Hey had a long-running residency, Now & Wow, which is housed in a converted factory and Off_Corso, where madcap Brit act The Cuban Brothers delighted punters at the Dance Parade after-party this year.

Tips

Don't forget to make sure you've got some spare change handy as a visit to the loo costs 50 euro cents in most clubs.

The post-clubbing kebab is as revered a tradition in Rotterdam as it is in London. Here they're called shoarma and are pretty easy to track down in the city centre.

Watch out for bikes. This is Holland, after all, and you'll find folks happily cycling round town at all hours of the day and night. Just don't walk into one while you're busy stuffing your face with shoarma.

Dick Bruna and Miffy in Utrecht, Netherlands

2008-07-09T10:53:00Z

Children have been enjoying Miffy for generations. After 50 years, the world's best-loved bunny has a permanent home. DAMIEN NOWICKI reports.

Technically, Miffy is supposed to be for kids. The cute girl rabbit with a cross for mouth and nose, two dots for eyes and a rather blank expression is tailor-made for entertaining the little ones. Uncomplicated, plucky and always open to new ideas, she has been delighting tots for 50 years with stories about puddles, puppies, trips to the beach, counting to 10 and the delights of helping mum. I'm in my late twenties and certainly don't have children, so what's Miffy got to do with me? Shouldn't I be more interested in Dutch icons for grown-ups like Vincent van Gogh? Yet, there's something about that little rabbit that seems to captivate all ages.

It's a fact that I'm finding increasingly hard to deny as I enter Miffy's new permanent home in Utrecht - the Dick Bruna House - with nary a little'un in sight. Named after Miffy's creator, the museum has invited us for a sneak preview ahead of the official opening. As I step through the front door I'm confronted by Miffy mania. In the Miffy shop hundreds of cute fluffy Miffys are stacked alongside an array of Miffy books in all different languages. We pass a tea-tray piled high with Miffy biscuits and up to an enormous golden Miffy, brassy enough to put a fear of bunnies into anyone. Entering a multimedia room I can't help but notice that the benches, peek-a-boo windows and three-dimensional displays are at ankle height. It's all cute, but I'm starting to feel as out of place as Chuck Norris in a doily shop.

But this is no mere children's playground, it's an homage to the art of one man. Entering the upstairs gallery, it's clear why this is the Dick Bruna Huis and not the Miffy Museum. The walls are covered with designs - illustrations, book covers and posters - which all bear Bruna's direct two-dimensional style. As a young man, Bruna knocked back an opportunity to take over his family publishing business, instead working as the in-house designer, creating thousands of eye-catching book sleeves from 1952-75. And we're not talking storytime material - Bruna's distinctive covers brought to life anything from racy thrillers to political treatises by Susan Sontag.

The museum's footage of Bruna at work is a surprise. It's easy to imagine his minimalist black outlines are sketched rapidly like a cartoon. In reality, each line is painted slowly and painstakingly, at times he uses both hands for extra control. He says his style was largely inspired by an early trip to Paris when he discovered the work of modernists such as Henri Matisse and Fernand Léger. It may seem outrageous to put a children's author in the same sentence as European greats, but in Holland Bruna is a modern Dutch Master in the line of Rembrandt and Vermeer, a natural successor to the harmony, order and austere line of the De Stijl tradition.

The simple genius of Miffy is most apparent in Bruna's obsessive minimalism. He almost exclusively uses primary colours. Characters are never seen in profile. It is with the slightest adjustments to the facial 'X' that Bruna switches Miffy from happy to sad. Sometimes he tilts the ears to create a slightly different mood. Examples of Bruna's art have long been displayed at Utrecht's Centraal Museum and with Miffy's ever-increasing popularity it was only natural that they should have their own house. The sprightly 78-year-old has been heavily involved in its creation and, luckily for us, is on hand to welcome us. He possesses all the magical qualities that you'd hope to find in the father of an illustration icon - particularly an amusing moustache and a Willy Wonka-like sparkle in his eye.

Bruna explains that he came up with the idea for Miffy more than 50 years ago, when on holiday with his family.

"I was with my wife and my son at the seaside and then each evening I would tell him a story," he says. "Then one day we saw a rabbit and so I made up a story about it. Miffy At The Seaside became my first book."

Miffy is now one of Holland's greatest exports, bringing in more than £170 million a year. The books have been translated into 40 different languages and sold 85 million copies. She's an official ambassador for New York and massive in Japan, home of the eerily Miffy-like Hello Kitty.

Despite his enormous success and wealth - Miffy is worth more than £300 million - Bruna is loved as a down-to-earth local in Utrecht, where he is often seen riding his bike around the canals. He admits to us that he's quite shy, and gets nervous when reading his books for groups of children.

At the airport on the journey home I'm still wondering whether this striking design should be left for the kids when I come across a stall selling hundreds of Miffy keychains - not an item of great use to most toddlers I know. It's clear the horse has already bolted. We nicked Harry Potter and Halloween from the little tackers, so I guess there's no reason why Miffy shouldn't be ours too."

Rotterdam

2008-07-09T10:53:00Z

A working city with dynamic nightlife and daring architecture

In Rotterdam there's a saying that shirts are sold with the sleeves already rolled up. Ever since the city was bombed during World War II, locals have been known to simply push on and get the job done. With its reputation as a working city, however, travellers tend to look past it in favour of Amsterdam (only 50km away) without realising it's also getting its leg up, if not in different ways.

Dynamic nightlife, daring architecture and accessible attractions are helping steer the city to new heights and no one is more proud than the friendly locals. The city is still a work in progress - evident from loud construction work -but, as Marloose, a 27-year-old local says, [Rotterdam] doesn't come to you and give you a big hug, but once you see what it's got, you never want to leave".

Getting around
The blossoming inner city is fairly easy to navigate and can be done on foot or bike. With cycling all the rage in Holland you can mix with the local pedlers by hiring one from Rotterdam Bicycle (www.rotterdambycycle.nl) for €6 a day or go on a two-hour guided tour that takes in the city's main sites for €15. Caution: trams don't stop for anyone. Make sure you get down to the port, the biggest in Europe and also where hundreds of Europeans literally jumped ship to America and Australia in search of a better life.

With things pretty drab back then no wonder they shot through, but it's certainly picked its socks up with a string of vibrant waterfront cafés and bars. Also down by the water is the Euromast, a 185m tall lookout tower fittingly designed to resemble a ship's mast. It's the highest tower in the Netherlands, and not only does it offer a fab view, but also a chance to fireman-slide down it - or abseil, rather.

Sculptured city
Rotterdam is plugged internationally for its modern architecture. There will be even more emphasis on it in 2007 as it's being hyped as the Year of Architecture, with a host of events such as the Week of Skyscrapers and the Rotterdam International Architecture Biennial to take place.

The post-war reconstruction of the city brought a mix of handsome and hideous buildings which at least help make what's good stand out. With each project the skyline continues to change for the better. One of the more innovative is the Kijk-Kubus residential village, filled to the brim with cube-shaped homes. Created by local architect Piet Blom, the adventurous project met global applause.

A Show-Cube is set up for tourists to have a sticky beak at how one can comfortably live in such an oddly shaped abode.

Clubs ahead
Local world-famous DJ Michel de Hey says Rotterdam's nightlife has developed in leaps and bounds over the past 10 years with myriad clubs dotted around the city. It's spectacular, especially the electro scene - it really is all about the music," he says.

With so many venues to choose from - some more unusual than others - it's hard to know where to start. Now & Wow (www.now-wow.nt), a former grain silo, is popular with young hipsters with its house and urban beats and is open every weekend until the wee hours. Off_Corso (www.off_corso.nl) is another top pick and resides in a former cinema. It reverberates with house, hip-hop and dance classics with a big emphasis on multi-media. See www.hollandclubbing.com for more.

There's also a variety of festivals throughout the year including the Rotterdam Electronic Music Festival and the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Don't count on much snooze time during a stay here.

Culture shop
On Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Tuesdays the market square turns into a shopping wonderland with rows of local goods and produce. Make sure you stock up on cheese. During other times check out the department stores, of which there are plenty.

You will find eight 'Shopping in Rotterdam' routes at www.rotterdam.info if you want to go about it in a more organised fashion. In between shopping, swing by a couple of the city's museums. Look out for the Netherlands Photo Museum, Maritime Museum and Natural History Museum.