NL Guides

NL Guides

Insider's guides to the Netherlands and life in Holland

Pages in this section

Dutch culture

An insider's impression of Dutch culture and society

The Dutch have less sexual hang-ups than most other nations; the idea that sex is somehow dirty is non-existent in Holland.

Traditional Dutch Food

Dutch eating habits explained: from home cooking to fast food

Holland has a colonial past and the Dutch have acquired a taste for the exotic, particularly Indonesian dishes

Dutch Soft Drugs Policy

The inside dope on the Dutch attitude to soft drugs

...the distribution of hashish and marijuana to the public is strictly regulated by means of the coffee shop system

Working in Holland

Information and advice for outsiders seeking employment in Holland

...the comparative difficulty of getting and maintaining a residence permit can, in some cases, drive the sanest to distraction

Sport in the Netherlands

A round-up of Dutch sporting tastes and preference

...the Dutch...are more successful across a broad range of sports than they ought to be for such a small country

Amsterdam City Guide

A quick impression of Amsterdam, Holland's capital city

In the world famous Red Light district ... all manner of brothels, peep-shows and sex shops can be found

The Dutch Language

Overview of 'Het Nederlands' - The Dutch Language

Dutch is spoken by over twenty million people in Holland and Belgium as well as in former overseas colonies...

The Dutch Climate

A summary of the kind of weather to expect in Holland

The sheer flatness of mountainless Holland means that weather and temperatures can change quickly without warning...

The Dutch Royal Family

The House of Orange-Nassau - The Dutch Royal Family

Beatrix has survived and has managed to keep the monarchy popular ... despite a host of political and personal issues