Travel Archives - DutchNews.nl

Dutch Destinations: miracles and Mondrian in Amersfoort

Home of monastic miracles and medieval architecture, but also birthplace of Mondrian, icon of Dutch Modernism, Amersfoort, in Utrecht province, is a rich blend of the new and the old with plenty to discover. An unexpected guide accompanies us on our 15-minute walk from the station to Amersfoort’s historic centre. ‘Sofie’ – as she is known – steers us through the city’s trafficky outskirts, her iconic swishing ponytail and stout mini-skirted form illuminated in red and green on the traffic... More >

Motorway lights to be switched back on to improve road safety

More stretches of motorway are to be lit up at night from the autumn as part of the cabinet’s plans to improve road safety. Around 550km of motorway have been unlit at night since 2013 for a combination of environmental and cost-saving reasons, but the current coalition agreement includes a pledge to review the situation. Highways operator Rijkswaterstaat will spend the next few months analysing which stretches of road should have the lights switched back on after research showed that... More >

Forget the skates. Visit the 11 cities of Friesland at any time of the year

The 11 cities of Friesland very occasionally host a gruelling 200 kilometre skating race – if temperatures dip below zero for long enough, and just recently a swimming marathon. But you can also travel the famous route by bike, by boat, on horseback, on foot… however you like. Fansels! (That’s Friesian for ‘of course’). 1 Dokkum (the only one of the 11 without a different name in Friesian) In olden times Dutch school children were taught that ‘Bonifacius was killed... More >

Inquiry after Dutch boy boards transatlantic flight at Heathrow without a ticket

A 12-year-old Dutch boy has sparked a major security inquiry at Heathrow Airport after he boarded a plane unaccompanied without a ticket, according to UK media. The boy was only spotted when a stewardess asked to see his boarding pass after he got onto the British Airways flight to Los Angeles, the Daily Telegraph reported. The plane was delayed for four hours while all passengers were ordered to get off and go through a second security check on Sunday evening.... More >

Dutch destinations: good food and great shopping in Haarlem

It’s the namesake of the New York City borough, the city saved by a finger in the dike and was the epicenter for tulip mania. Haarlem is a mere fifteen minutes from Amsterdam and should be next on your list of places to visit. Founded somewhere in the 10th century, Haarlem was given city status in 1245. It is located on a small bit of land above sea level which connects Leiden to Alkmaar and its geography provided the locals... More >

DutchNews podcast – The Bonfire of the Caterpillars Edition – Week 27

It’s been a week of big-name casualties as the law finally caught up with celebrity gangster Willem Holleeder and Frans Timmermans saw a top European job slip through his fingers. While Queen Maxima came under fire for her silence in a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, one cyclist in Groningen probably wishes she’d kept quiet when police stopped and fined her for using her phone. And it’s been a busy week for Amsterdam’s mayor Femke Halsema, who announced plans... More >

Man dies after falling 200m while walking in Swiss Alps

A Dutchman has died after falling while walking with a group of tourists in the Swiss Alps. Swiss police said the 54-year-old man lost his balance and fell 200 metres while walking through snow at a height of 2,560 metres, NOS reported. The man was one of a group of six Dutch tourists visiting the area of the Lac de Mauvoisin reservoir in the canton of Valais. Two helicopters were sent to the scene, but the victim died before they... More >

Public transport strike in The Hague on Wednesday morning

No trains and buses are running in The Hague from 6am until 10am on Wednesday morning because of a strike. The unions FNV and CNV called a strike for employees of the city transport company HTM in protest at the failure to agree better working conditions. They want higher wages and less pressure. HTM said in a release online that trams and buses are expected to resume normal service at around 11.30am, adding that it was ‘extremely annoying that travellers... More >

Captain of ship that caused ‘dangerous’ tidal wave faces investigation

The highways and waterways authority Rijkswaterstaat has lodged a complaint against the captain of a ship that caused a tidal wave off the coast of Vlissingen. engulfing seven people. The agency said the Bonny River, a 160 metre-long sand dredger, passed the beach at Boulevard Bankert at a speed of 13.5 knots on Sunday evening. Two children aged five and three, as well as an adult, were taken to hospital to be checked over they were swept into the water.... More >

DutchNews podcast – The Anne Frank and Crystal Meth Edition – Week 26

Cheese, canals and cycling – the podcast team tries to identify the DNA of Dutch identity in a week when the Dutch sense of order was turned on its head. The 112 emergency services hotline broke down, the women’s football team won a match with a late penalty and a midsummer Elfstedentocht was staged in 30-degree heat. We also look at moves to atone for two dark episodes in the nation’s history, the latest vaccination figures and yet more changes... More >

Weird places to spend the night in the Netherlands

Normal hotels can be soooo boring. If you’re looking for a place to stay in the Netherlands that offers something beyond mere conventionality, why not try one of these unusual lodgings? Crane Hotel Faralda – Amsterdam It’s become one of the country’s most famous and downright bizarre hotels, but it’s also among the most expensive. A single night at Crane Hotel Faralda will run you upwards of €795. It’s hard to dismiss the view up there though, and the experience... More >

Dutch destinations: a weekend exploring the former island of Walcheren

Walcheren was once an island but a dam, several bridges and a lot of reclaimed land have put paid to that. Today, it is at the heart of Zeeland, with beaches, pretty villages to visit and plenty of things to see and do, whatever your age. Beaches seem to be a key part of so many of DutchNews.nl’s destination guides – hardly surprising when you consider the length of the coastline, and how easy it is to get to from... More >

KLM rolls out extra charges for luggage on long-haul flights

KLM passengers travelling on budget fares will have to pay an extra €100 to take luggage on long-haul flights from this week as the flag carrier tries to compete with low-cost airlines. Passengers booking at the ‘light’ rate will pay on average 10 to 15% less to fly if they travel with hand luggage only, but if they turn up at the airport with a suitcase it will cost them an extra €100. Flexible tickets, which include hold luggage and... More >