More than just Amsterdam!

The Netherlands may be perceived as a small country, with Amsterdam its capital known for its pulsing nightlife and open culture, but what is left to be discovered hidden away in smaller cities is a treasure of traditions. One can discover thousands of windmills, variety of cheese, Delft Blue earthenware, wooden shoes, network of canals and countless bicycles!

About an hour’s distance north of Amsterdam is The Zaanse Schans. As soon as you set foot in the area you are taken back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The landscape is dotted with authentic houses and brightly painted windmills, it seems to be straight out of a Van Gogh painting. This is the best place to experience traditional Holland. Of the thousand industrial windmills ever built along the banks of the river Zaan thirteen remain. Six can be found at the Zaanse Schans and are open to the public. The tours let you look at a working mill; you even get a chance to climb up onto the stage to take a closer look and make you contemplate on the power of wind. 

Holland is the largest exporter of cheese in the world, the most popular cheeses being Gouda and Edam. The cheese factory at Zaanse Schans is the ideal place to watch Gouda in the making. Enjoy the aroma, taste tens of varieties and take your pick to take back home. To experience the world of cheese, make a trip to Alkmaar in North Holland well-known for its traditional cheese market and the Cheese Museum. 

The Dutch and their clogs! The wooden shoes have had a long association and there are 25 traditional clog makers who like to demonstrate the profession of clog making. To watch a shoemaker carve clogs right in front of you visit the Wooden Shoe Workshop De Zaanse Schans, an art still in existence only because we tourists love to buy these traditional clogs. You can try on a pair; it is fun and quite comfortable too! A part of the workshop is a Museum with one of the largest and most beautiful collection of traditional wooden shoes.

Other attractions at Zaanse Schans are a historic shipyard, a pewter factory, a coopery, an age-old grocery store and its many museums showcasing traditional arts and crafts. 

Make your way to the quiet picturesque city of Delft, situated between Rotterdam and The Hague. In this university town, you could wander along the churches, canals, mansions and courtyard or better still, use the bicycle. It’s likely you’ll fall in love with the charms of this small, historic town. Delft is where the Royal Delft also known as ‘De Porceleyne Fles’ is situated, the last remaining factory that makes the world famous Delft Blue earthenware. To this day, it uses centuries-old traditions to make and paint the delftware by hand. The tour takes you through the factory where you can watch the painters meticulously working on the earthenware. There is a large collection of delft earthenware from the previous centuries as well as larger-than-life tile paintings for you to appreciate and admire. 

A trip to the Netherlands is incomplete without a cruise in Amsterdam’s famous canals. The 17^th century canal ring area, a part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, is a symbol of Amsterdam and is of great cultural and historical value, the city seems to draw its beauty and charm from these canals itself.  In the hour long cruise, you can take a long look at the famed canal houses, house boats and many bridges. If you have the time you can also walk alongside the canals and you wouldn’t know how time passes by in this Venice of the North.

There is so much tradition in Netherlands may it be the clothes, food, drinks, crafts and art; so make your own discoveries!