Netherlands

The country of the Netherlands—which means the “Low Countries”—takes its name from the unusual fact that much of the nation lies below sea level. The industrious Dutch people reclaimed the land by constructing a vast network of dykes to hold back the water.

Though many Americans refer to this country as “Holland,” that designation is technically incorrect, as North Holland and South Holland are actually two of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands.

Amsterdam is located in North Holland. The nation’s capital boasts 7,000 historic monuments and actually claims more canals than Venice. The Bloemenmarkt is a unique flower market that floats in the Singel Canal. Along the city’s Prinsengracht Canal is the emotionally stirring Anne Frank House. And, the Van Gogh Museum hosts the world’s largest collection of paintings and drawing by the infamous Dutch painter.

The Netherlands’ administrative capital and the location of the royal residence is The Hague, found in South Holland. Also found in this province are the beach resorts of Scheveningen and Kijkduin, which lie on the shores of the North Sea. For the culturally minded, The Hague presents six museums which collectively display five centuries’ worth of paintings.

Holland’s finest beach, also situated on the shores of the North Sea, is less than half an hour’s drive from Amsterdam in Noordwijk. The area also boasts a golf course that is considered to be one of the top 100 most beautiful courses in the world. The Space Expo is housed here, which is Europe’s largest permanent exposition on space travel. And, the intriguing Corpus museum takes visitors on a larger-than-life-sized tour through the human body.

Nearby, the nation’s most famous garden is the Keukenhof flower park. Each spring, the park showcases the largest and most impressive display of flowers in the world. Throughout the 80-acre park, paths winds past flower displays, themed gardens, and hothouses, while several pavilions feature painting and photo exhibitions.

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