DutchNews.nl - Features Archive -

Dutch destinations: untangle the history of Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog

It’s a town so nice they named it twice. Actually, the story of this unusual community that engulfs the Dutch/Belgian border in and near North Brabant is actually quite a bit more complicated. The borderlines that divide Baarle-Nassau/Baarle-Hertog are so convoluted they’ve been making the eyes of real estate agents, legal scholars, and bureaucrats water for centuries. Baarle-Nassau is the name of a Dutch town that’s entwined like a hopelessly knotted ball of yarn with a Belgian one called Baarle-Hertog.... More >

Experience bank: moving to the Netherlands

An ABN AMRO banking expert shares his decades of experiences in helping people move to the Netherlands and set up their affairs here. Two decades ago, moving to the Netherlands was quite an adventure. ‘A client came not knowing what was happening here,’ recalls Daniel Poot, who has spent his 50-year career at ABN AMRO assisting all kinds of immigrants from well-travelled diplomats to first-time expats. ‘I was downstairs at a desk and everyone who wanted to open an account... More >

Inburgering with DN: having a baby

With rain at home and the prospects for summer breaks abroad still open to question, why not catch up on some Dutch culture instead? Back by popular demand – the DutchNews.nl inburgering course. Lesson 22: What you need to know about having a baby in the Netherlands The Netherlands is notorious for its painkiller-free home births. But there are lots of other essential things you need to know to make sure you have a baby the Dutch way. The home... More >

'Here, I don’t have to bring my work home'

Courtney Schellekens works as both a project leader at the University of Groningen and as a freelance photographer who documents conflict and post-conflict environments. Originally from Boston, she loves the sensible work-life balance found in the Netherlands but Dutch nachos? Not so much. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I used to be married to a Dutch guy. We moved here from Boston when he got a job at the University of Groningen back in 2009. I’ve been... More >

D66 MP Lisa van Ginneken breaks boundaries

In a curious way, Lisa van Ginneken’s political career might never have happened if it hadn’t been for far-right nationalist leader Thierry Baudet. Van Ginneken became the Netherlands’ first transgender MP when she was elected in March for the progressive liberal D66 party. She had been a prominent activist as chair of the advocacy group Transvisie since 2017, but the moment that prompted her to stand for parliament came during the provincial election campaign of 2019. Baudet’s Forum voor Democratie... More >

Podcast: Komkommertijd is Cancelled

It’s the last podcast before the summer holiday, but there’s little respite in prospect for thousands of people in Limburg hit by unprecedented flooding in the Maas valley. The chances of anyone going abroad are diminishing fast as the surge in coronavirus cases turn the Netherlands red on the EU’s travel map. The country is shocked by the murder of investigative journalist Peter R de Vries in broad daylight in Amsterdam. Mark Rutte apologises after clashing with reporters over the... More >

Inburgering with DN: 10 Unesco sites

With rain at home and the prospects for summer breaks abroad still open to question, why not catch up on some Dutch culture instead? Back by popular demand – the DutchNews.nl inburgering course. Lesson 20: 10 Dutch sites on the Unesco world heritage list By the end of this month, Unesco experts will have decided if two new Dutch locations should be included on the world cultural heritage list – the Lower German Limes and the ‘Colonies of Benevolence’ in... More >

The best Amsterdam breweries with food

The Dutch tradition of brewing beer goes back centuries, when there were hundreds of breweries fermenting their own, unique brews. Gradually, a few big players took over and the Netherlands became primarily a lager-producing country, until only 15 breweries were left by 1980. Fortunately for us, all that has now changed and Dutch micro-breweries have reclaimed their rightful place at the pinnacle of the beer world – brewing everything from blonde beers to bock beers and from IPAs to porters.... More >

Podcast: Third Wave Dancing Shoes Edition

Alarming news dominates this week’s podcast as journalist Peter R de Vries is shot in the street and coronavirus infections spread like wildfire through the country’s nightspots. Was De Vries targeted for his investigations into the Netherlands’ drug gangs? And what measures will the government bring back to save everyone from long Cov- sorry, from having to cancel their holidays? MPs say goodbye to the Binnenhof for the last time before a renovation that’s expected to last five years, so... More >

'This whole place is a social experiment'

Alison Fisher is a Scottish-Canadian who moved to the Netherlands in the ‘90s to work as an editor. She lives in Amsterdam, loves the bike tunnel through the Rijksmuseum, and continues to work as both a translator and a life coach. How did you end up in the Netherlands? I planned when I left university to work my way all around the world. First, I’d look for a job, then I’d go to a country, live there for a few... More >

The Great Pyramid of...the Netherlands?!!

If you didn’t already know, the Netherlands is home to a 36-metre-tall pyramid. You can find it in Woudenberg. Here’s the fascinating history of one of the country’s most peculiar monuments. Keeping a regiment of 18,000 soldiers entertained back in the early 19th century was no easy task, especially one that was stuck in the middle of the Netherlands and far from the front lines of the Napoleonic Wars. That was the problem that French General Auguste de Marmont faced... More >

Refugee crisis sees museums unite

Opening on Friday at Foam Amsterdam is an exhibition of photographs taken by refugees inside the infamous Camp Moria on the Greek island of Lesbos. But the exhibition is far from exclusive, with new venues opening each week. DutchNews.nl finds out why Now You See Me Moria has museums breaking with convention. Now You See Me Moria, a collection of 446 campaign posters displayed alongside photographs taken by migrants inside Europe’s largest refugee camp, has attracted 33k followers on Instagram... More >

Podcast: The Von Fallersleben Edition

After Oranje checked out early from Euro 2020, the state broadcaster brought further shame on the nation by posting the wrong lyrics to the German national anthem. Fans looking to drown their sorrows had to move fast to beat the ban on cut-price alcohol promotions from July 1. Elsewhere it was a week of success in Dutch sport, with Max Verstappen and Mathieu van der Poel scoring victories on four wheels and two. In other motoring news, Sigrid Kaag got... More >

'Restraint is essential for democracy'

As insults fly across the parliamentary debating chamber, D66 leader Sigrid Kaag says mutual understanding, patience and a willingness to listen are essential in a healthy democracy. Chief coalition negotiator Mariëtte Hamer raised a few eyebrows when she said the coalition talks could do with a bit of cheering up. Some peole took it as sign of impotence at a time which demands great seriousness and a sense of urgency. The climate crisis is not very jolly, after all, and... More >

Convenient, modern life in Amsterdam Noord

Ivy curls around the rusted steel balconies, inside the bed is made and the kitchen sparkles, and a rack of bikes are downstairs ready for the next journey into Amsterdam. These are the ‘fully serviced designer rentals’ at NorthOrleans, a halfway home between a long-term place to stay and serviced apartment, perfect for newcomers to the city. David, a British-Dutch management consultant, has recently moved in and appreciates the ease of living in this new development, minutes from the ferry... More >

11 great things to do this summer

With most of the coronavirus restrictions now lifted, the calendar is packed with things to do this summer. Here is a selection. Go medieval with the Romanovs At the Hermitage in Amsterdam it’s all about the middle ages and what the Russian court made of them in the 19th century. Some 250 objects, from both eras, explain the world of knights in shining armour and courtly love and why it resonated so much with the czars. There is a 500... More >

Summer crash course in Dutch at Taalthuis

This August, Taalthuis is offering crash courses in Dutch for adults and children, both face-to-face and online, so newcomers can greet the re-opened Netherlands in its own language. We find out more. When the second lockdown hit, Jessica Coetzee (19), a South African au pair working in Bilthoven, was concerned that she would have to cancel her Dutch lessons with Taalthuis. ‘I was going to do a course in person, but with the coronavirus and everything, it was so confusing,’... More >

Women take sextech into their own hands

As the pandemic boosts sales in sextech, we meet the female entrepreneurs who are reshaping the industry to educate women on sexual wellness and better serve their needs and desires. Since founding her sex toy business RIANNE S in 2009, Rianne Swierstra from Amsterdam has had no shortage of female volunteers to test her products. ‘I never had to put an advertisement in the newspaper!’ she laughs. A sector in growth Today, RIANNE S’s products, which are aimed at women,... More >

Podcast: Everything's Gone Belgian Edition

Coronavirus infections are receding, Janssen vaccines are being snapped up like hot cakes and football fans are looking forward to watching Oranje on the big screen again. But will the Delta variant spoil everyone’s party this summer? As the coalition talks get stuck in the mud, Mark Rutte gets stuck into Victor Orbán over Hungary’s law banning the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality. And we explain how modern technology has cast fresh light on Rembrandt’s Night Watch. Want to support the DutchNews... More >

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