Travel Archives - Page 2 of 9

DutchNews podcast – The Swedish Men Are Better Edition – Week 19

The podcast returns from a two-week break to commiserate with Ajax fans over their shock exit from the Champions League, catch up with Forum voor Democratie’s fruitless search for a senate leader and find out why the tourist board has started telling visitors to get out of Amsterdam. We also bring you the latest on the arrest of a suspected serial killer and why organic labelling is less wholesome than it sounds. In our discussion we take a deep dive... More >

Blowin’ in the wind: traditional windmills you can visit in the Netherlands

What’s the first thing that springs to mind when most people think of the Netherlands? If this were a question on a game show, windmills would probably be the number one answer. If you’ve never experienced the joys of climbing to the top of one of these ubiquitous structures, or merely drinking a biertje beside one, here’s a few that you can visit (and, in some cases, even spend the night in). Zaanse Schans – Zaandam Okay, let’s get the... More >

DutchNews podcast – The Infected Tulip and Painted Zwerfkei Edition – Week 17

This week on the podcast we try to piece together the debris after an explosive week for Forum voor Democratie, find out why so many MPs claim to live in Limburg and catch up with the campaign to ban a homophobic American Holocaust denier from Amsterdam. There’s also news of the neck-and-neck Eredivisie title race and some mysterious vandalism on Texel. In our discussion we give you the lowdown on this year’s King’s Day festivities in Amersfoort. Ophef of the... More >

Photomontage for DutchNews podcast April 19 2019 featuring King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima with a bunch of flowers and a very large sheep.

DutchNews podcast – The Long Live King Trouby Edition – Week 16

As the country gears up for the Easter weekend, the podcast team checks on the progress of the fledgling provincial governments and asks if fears that the housing market is overheating are well grounded. We also look at Ajax’s rejuvenation in Europe, what sank Amsterdam’s last floating flower business and how one of the country’s most decorated soldiers poured home-made fertiliser all over his reputation. And with a week to go to King’s Day, we ask why young people are... More >

Two people trapped after light aircraft is caught in tree

Firefighters are working to free two people from a light aircraft that crashed into a tree on a military airfield in Hilversum. The single-engine plane came down on the Van Oudheusdenkazerne at around 12.50pm on Monday. It came to rest in the branches of a tree about 10 metres above the ground. The GooiVecht fire crew reported that the two occupants were conscious and able to respond. The aircraft was leaking fuel but not on fire. A spokesman told AD.nl:... More >

Dutch destinations: 14 suggestions for that perfect spring break

With the weather turning warmer, what better thing to do with your weekend than go on a spring break? Since last year, DutchNews.nl has carried a monthly travel feature in which we give you the lowdown on a Dutch destination. Here’s a round up to inspire you to see more of the Netherlands. Enjoy suikerbrood and sailing in Sneek Explore Leiden without the tourist hustle Deventer is an under-rated gem Explore Utrecht from high up and from way down Get... More >

Thinking of renting a Dutch holiday cottage: here’s what you should know

The Netherlands is stuffed full of places where you can rent a cottage for a few days to get away with friends and family. Center Parcs is, after all, a Dutch invention. But there are a few things you should be aware of before you get too excited. It looks so great on the website – that May holiday bargain cottage for four, which will cost you just €319 for three nights. But, as we at DutchNews.nl have all discovered... More >

Rush-hour strike expected to cause train delays throughout Monday

Train passengers have been warned to expect delays and disruption throughout Monday morning as a result of a strike by transport workers. The 66-minute walkout, which also affected local public transport services such as trams, lasted from 6am to 7.06am and was held to protest against plans to increase the pension age. Other protests included a slow procession on the A28 motorway towards the Hague by emergency services personnel, who drove at 66 km/h with blue lights flashing. #zwaankleefaan vanuit... More >

Dutch destinations: Go south and mooch around in Maastricht

Maastricht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, and it elegantly combines classic architecture with modern twists. Here you’ll find a vibrant bookstore and coffee bar in a centuries-old cathedral, electrifying boutiques located along cobblestone lanes, and what some say is the best bar in the country. As one of the country’s most gorgeous (and strategically located) cities, it should come as no surprise that various empires have tried to seize Maastricht over the years. No one can... More >

DutchNews podcast – The Belgium is Cancelled Edition – Week 10

Plenty of ground to cover in this week’s podcast, from Ajax’s swashbuckling conquest of Madrid to Wopke Hoekstra’s peacemaking mission to Paris and a setback for Albert Heijn in Belgium. Dutch ministers call for short-haul flights to Brussels to be scrapped, IS fighter Yago Riedijk is told he’ll have to find his own way back to Arnhem and Willem Holleeder’s long career as the Netherlands’ most notorious gangster may be running out of road. In our discussion we look at... More >

Interview: Amsterdam’s housing chief on limiting holiday home rentals

This week, Amsterdam’s housing chief Laurens Ivens wrote to councillors to inform them that talks with Airbnb, Booking.com and HomeAway/Expedia had broken down and that the council would be taking its own measures to stop illegal home rentals to tourists. The council had asked the holiday rental agencies to actively ensure that their renters respected a new maximum annual limit of 30 days per property. In a written response earlier this year, Ivens answered DutchNews.nl’s questions on why the council... More >

NS rolls out ‘seat finder’ app to cut standing on trains

Rail operator NS is to extend its ‘seat finder’ app which helps train passengers find which carriages have spaces free. The app lets people know before they board the train where they are most likely to find a seat by colour coding carriages green (for empty), orange or red. Sensors in the carriages estimate the number of passengers by measuring carbon dioxide levels. NS hopes the app will encourage passengers to spread themselves out across the platform rather than clustering... More >

Dutch destinations: Deventer is an under-rated gem

Best known for its annual Dickens festival during the winter holiday season, Deventer is a picturesque city located east of Apeldoorn with a rich literary history. Here you’ll find gorgeous architecture, great cafes, and a very old kettle with a blood-soaked past. Deventer’s history goes all the way back to the Dark Ages, and it’s one of the country’s oldest communities. Historians theorise that it was likely founded by the English missionary Lebuinus in the mid 8th century. He constructed... More >

Photoshop montage featuring the Lower House benches occupied by ordinary Dutch couple Sander and Sonja, an empty chair with Klaas Dijkhoff's name plate, Dick Advocaat, a bag of money and a portrait of doubtful origin attributed to Rembrandt.

DutchNews podcast – The Tweede Derde Vierde Kamer Mint Edition – Week 5

It’s a high-stakes edition of the podcast as political parties are banned from receiving foreign donations, the government sees an €8 million Rubens painting go west and cyclists face €95 fines for using mobile phones. In sport, physiotherapists’ goldmine Robin van Persie leaves Ajax’s €75 million man chasing shadows in the Klassieker, while FC Utrecht call time on Dick Advocaat’s lucrative career. And we discuss whether the deal to grant amnesty for more child refugees to settle means Mark Rutte’s... More >