| 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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