The original do-it-yourself travel guide to Europe SM

NETHERLANDS
Prime Travel Data

The Netherlands is in western Europe. It is bounded by the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium.

A page of the   Prime Travel Data   section from   Enjoy-Europe.com   by   John Bermont


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Amsterdam (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Paperback) by DK Publishing
Amsterdam
Eyewitness Travel Guide
by DK Publishing


Important information about this data sheet. Revised 27 January 2008
Native name Nederland, also known as Holland
Capital Amsterdam
(The Hague, Den Haag, is the seat of
the government)
Postal code NL
Telephone code +31
Language Dutch, also called Nederlands
Currency €, Euro, divided into 100 euro cents
European Union Member
Schengen Agreement Member
Time zone GMT+1
Electricity 220 volts, 50 Hz. See chapter 11.


General open hours, often longer in major cities  
Restaurants 1100-1600, 1800-2300
Banks 0900-1600 M-F
Post offices 0830-1700 M-F (some on Sat 0830-1300)
Most Stores 1300-1800 M, 0900-1800 or 2000 T-F, 900-1700 S
City tourist offices 0900-1700 M-F, 1000-1200 S


Date Holiday Feestdag
Jan 1 New Year's Day Nieuwjaarsdag
Apr 30 Queen's Day Koninginnedag
May 5 Liberation Day Bevrijdingsdag
  Good Friday Goede Vrijdag
  Easter Monday Tweede Paasdag
  Ascension Day Hemelvaartsdag
  Whit Monday Tweede Pinksterdag
Dec 25 Christmas Kerstmis
Dec 26 Boxing Day Tweede Kerstdag

Netherlands Offices in the USA
Embassy
T: 202-244-5300
F: 202-362-3430

Royal Netherlands Embassy
4200 Linnean Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Consulates Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Tourist Office
T: 888-464-6552
Fax: 212-370-9507
Netherlands Board of Tourism
355 Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10036

American Offices in Nederland
Embassy
T: 070-310-9209
Fax: 070-361-4688

American Embassy
Lange Voorhout 102
2514 EJ Den Haag
Consulates
T: 020-575 5309
Consulate General
Museumplein 19
1071 DJ Amsterdam

USA is known as: Verenigde Staten


Recommended books for further information:
The books that you see listed here are those that I have personally used and am satisfied with, and/or are from publishers whose other travel books are reliable. I am a consumer when it comes to travel guides, and a critical one. Notice that I do not recommend any Frommers, Dummies, Steves, or other inferior guides. For some of the reasons please go to the hoi polloi.
As one example of a substandard guide, in his 1,200+ page book titled Rick Steves' Best of Europe 2007 there is barely half a page on The Hague and nothing at all on Maastricht or Utrecht. If he had written a book about the United States he would have left out Chicago and San Francisco. A good chunk of his coverage of Amsterdam is devoted to buying marijuana. Most of his so-called maps prominently indicate the "red light district." Steves seems to be preoccupied with dope and whores. His "maps" have little indication of where to find some of the great art museums of Amsterdam, and there are many. Of those he does locate he totally misplaced one of them. There are other gross errors, but I don't want to serve as his proof reader and editor. He boasts about visiting Europe and updating his books every year but he is either seriously incompetent or just a regular liar. His "Best" book prominently includes a few pages advertising his whirlwind guided bus tours, backpacks, sink stoppers (is this a joke!), and Steves' other branded products. Steves is really strong on self promotion but weak on meaningful content.
For the good stuff, the links below take you directly to a page at Amazon.com. That page details the book or map, and in some cases includes readers' comments and sample pages from the book.You then have the opportunity to add the book to your shopping cart and buy it. Amazon.com pays a small commission to Enjoy-Europe.com when you click a title here and then order the book.

Note: emphasis in the titles is mine -- to aid you in finding the information you need.

Guides to the Netherlands and Amsterdam
  Michelin Green Guide Netherlands
  Baedeker's Netherlands
  DK Eyewitness Holland
  Fodor's Holland
  Lonely Planet Netherlands
  DK Eyewitness Travel Guide to Amsterdam
  Michelin Green Guide Amsterdam and Environs
  Baedeker's Amsterdam
  Fodor's Citypack Amsterdam
  Lonely Planet Amsterdam

Maps
  Netherlands (Michelin National Maps)
  Michelin Amsterdam Street Map 36
  Michelin Amsterdam/Groningen Map 210
  Lonely Planet Amsterdam City Map

Words
  Berlitz Dutch Phrase Book
  Hippocrene Dutch-English/English-Dutch Concise Dictionary

Insite and Amusement
  The Undutchables
  Tulipomania

Suggestions for further reading are welcome at bermont@enjoy-europe.com.

Note: "The Netherlands" and "Holland" are used interchangeably, though actually Holland is the name of the two major provinces, Noord Holland and Zuid Holland. For all practical purposes, either name is OK. The people are "Nederlanders," "Hollanders," or "Dutch."


Travelers Supplies
Shopping easy at


Electrical Plug Adapter
USA to Continental Europe




Grounded Adapter
USA to Continental Europe



Grounded Adapter
UK & Australia to Europe





The Stormbreaker
by Turfer Sport




Women's Petite Macintosh Commuter Coat
by Lands' End




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Home and general index.

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HOW  TO  EUROPE
The Complete Travelers Handbook
Europe Intro
Clothing
Packing List
Luggage
Guidebooks
Electricity
Photography
Trains
Driving
Telephones
Moving to Europe
Living in Europe
Shopping
Languages
Metric System
Seeing Europe

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Prime Travel Data
Elementary Travel Information for Europe
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Finland

France
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Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
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Norway
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Utilize John Bermont's exclusive:

TRAVELERS YELLOW PAGES
A Directory of Links to Products, Services, and Information
Airlines to Europe
National Tourist Offices
City Tourist Offices
City Information and Tours
Country Information and Tours
Luggage and Backpacks
Discount Air Travel
Villas and Homes for Rent
Hostels in Europe
Hotels in Europe
Auto Rental in Europe
Rail Services of Europe
Eclectic Travel Sites
Internet Search Engines
Photography
Guide Books for Europe
Educational Programs
Newsletters from Europe
Personal Travel Pages
Personal Trip Planning

Get open hours, costs, locations, and more:

Travelers Portfolio
Essential Visitors Information for the Top Sights of Europe
       Amsterdam       
Anne Frank Huis (Anne Frank House)
Rijksmuseum (National Museum)
Van Gogh Museum
       London       
British Museum
Buckingham Palace
National Gallery
Natural History Museum
Palace of Westminster
St. Paul's Cathedral
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
       Paris coming soon       
Arc de Triomphe
Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower)
Hôtel des Invalides (The Invalides)
Musée de l'Armée (Army Museum)
The Opera
Montmarte
Cathédrale Notre Dame
Musée d'Orsay
Musée du Louvre

Exchange rates, weather, maps:

Up-To-The-Minute
Be informed before you go.
       Money Exchange
Currency exchange rates, including the euro, British pound, Swiss Frank.
       Weather in Europe
Current European weather conditions and forecasts. Good luck.
    Maps and Time Zones
Free online maps of Europe. Guide to setting your watch ahead.

Didn't find what you need yet?
Google It !!
 

Copyright
Internet edition
© 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001 James J. Broad
© 1987, 1986, 1984, 1982, 1981 Murphy & Broad Publishing Co.
All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés.
This is copyrighted material. Do not reproduce, copy, plagiarize, store, modify, extract,
transmit, or purloin any part of this publication in any nation in any form or by any means
or for any purpose whatsoever without permission in writing.

Prime Travel Data is an update of chapter 29, "Country Data Sheets," from the first edition of John Bermont's How To Europe, originally published in 1982. See About this Data Sheet for important details regarding some of the information presented above.

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The original
do-it-yourself
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SM


470 pages
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345 b/w photos
Last Call checklists
detailed index


ISBN 0-940792-69-9
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Prime travel data for independent
budget travel in Netherlands.