Amsterdam is
by no means the only town worth visiting in the Netherlands: the
nearby cities of the Randstad hold an assortment of delights.
The Randstad
Or 'Edge City', named for its coastal location on the Netherlands'
western edge - is essentially a ring-shaped conurbation bounded
by Amsterdam, Delft, Haarlem, The Hague, Leiden, Rotterdam and Utrecht,
though in recent years, Gouda and Dordrecht have also come to be
considered part of the area. Though separately administered and
fiercely independent, the individual towns work together by choice
for their common good. Somewhat surprisingly, it's also one of the
most densely populated areas in the world: no less than 40 per cent
of the Dutch population inhabit this urban sprawl. The road, rail
and waterway networks are impressive, and the area's strong economy
accounts for at least half of the national turnover. The Randstad's
importance is based on several factors: Rotterdam's port, which
handles more tonnage than any other in the world; Amsterdam's Schiphol
Airport and the city's role as financial and banking centre; the
seats of government and royalty at The Hague; and a huge agricultural
belt. Regarded with awe and sometimes resentment by the outlying
provinces, the Randstad is often accused of monopolising government
attention and funds. However, it has no formally defined status
and is still prone to bitter rivalries between cities and municipalities.
The cities within it provide ample and welcome contrast to Amsterdam,
and are ideal for a short break from the Dutch capital.
Delft
Imagine a miniaturised Amsterdam - canals reduced to dinky proportions,
bridges narrowed down, merchants' houses shrunken and altogether
less forbidding - and you have the essence of Delft. However, though
it's a small town, scoffed at for its seeming sleepiness, it is,
in fact, teeming with social carryings-on if you know where to look.
Everything you might want to see in this compact city is in the
old centre, where the best views are also to be found. As soon as
you cross the road from the station towards the city centre, you
encounter the first introduction to Delft's fascinating past: a
modern representation of Vermeer's Melkmeisje (Milk Maid) in white
stone on the junction of Phoenixstraat and Binnen Watersloot. Delft,
though, is of course most famous for its blue and white tiles and
pottery, known as Delft Blue. There are still a few factories open
to visitors - among them De Delftse Pauw and De Porceleyne Fles
- but for a historical overview of the industry, head for the Museum
Lambert van Meerten. A 19th-century mansion, it houses fine pieces
of tin- glazed earthenware as well as a vast collection of magnificent
ebony-veneered furniture. The huge range of tiles, depicting everything
from battling warships to copulating hares, contrasts dramatically
with today's mass-produced trinkets. Delft was traditionally a centre
for trade, producing and exporting butter, cloth, Delft beer - at
one point in the past, almost 200 breweries could be found beside
the canals - and, later, pottery. Delft also has two spectacular
churches that can be seen for miles around. The first, the Nieuwe
Kerk (the New Church), stands in the Markt (the Market Place) and
contains the mausolea of William of Orange and the lawyer-philosopher
Hugo de Groot. It took almost 15 years to construct and was finished
in 1396. Across the Markt is architect Hendrick de Keyser's 1620
Stadhuis (or City Hall), which was built after the previous one
was razed to the ground. De Keyser also designed Prince William's
black and white marble mausoleum. Not to be outdone, the town's
other splendid house of worship, the Gothic Oude Kerk (c1200), stands
proudly with its tower some two metres off-kilter. Art- lovers should
note that it's the last resting place of Vermeer.
Haarlem
Lying between Amsterdam and the coastal resort of Zandvoort, Haarlem
is a stone's throw from the dunes and the sea, and attracts flocks
of beachgoing Amsterdammers and Germans every summer. All trace
of Haarlem's origins as a 10th-century settlement on a choppy inland
sea disappeared with the draining of the Haarlemmermeer in the mid-19th
century. But the town hasn't lost its appeal: the historic centre
is beautiful with its lively main square, canals and charming almshouse
courtyards. Plenty of high-quality restaurants and shops cater for
well-to-do locals, and people tend to be more friendly than in nearby
Amsterdam. To catch up with Haarlem's history, head to St Bavo's
Church, which dominates the main square. It was built around 1313
but suffered severe fire damage in 1328; rebuilding and expansion
lasted another 150 years. It's surprisingly bright inside: cavernous
white transepts stand as high as the nave and make for a stunning
sight. Music buffs will swoon at the sight of the famed Müller
organ (1738): boasting an amazing 5,068 pipes, it's been played
by both Handel and the young Mozart. Haarlem's cosy but spacious
Grote Markt is one of the loveliest squares in the Netherlands.
A few blocks away is the former old men's almshouse and orphanage
that currently houses the Frans Halsmuseum. Though it holds a magnificent
collection of 16th- and 17th-century portraits, still lifes, genre
paintings and landscapes, including works by Pieter Claesz, Jacob
van Ruisdael and Adriaen van Ostade, the highlight is Frans Hals's
eight group portraits of militia companies and regents. (Hals, incidentally,
is buried in the aforementioned St Bavo's Church.) The museum also
houses a large collection of period furniture, Haarlem silver and
ceramics, an 18th-century apothecary with Delftware pottery, and
an extensive modern art collection. Nearby is De Hallen, whose two
buildings, the Verweyhal and the Vleeshal, house a collection of
modern and contemporary art, including outstanding examples of work
by artists from Haarlem and surrounding areas. Though it's rather
in the shadow of the Frans Halsmuseum, the Teylers Museum is equally
excellent. Founded in 1784, it's the country's oldest museum and
has a mix of exhibits: fossils and minerals sit alongside antique
scientific instruments, while there's also a superb collection of
10,000 drawings by 16th- to 19th-century masters including Rembrandt,
Michelangelo and Raphael.
Leiden
Canal-laced Leiden derives a good deal of its charm from the Netherlands'
oldest university, which was founded here in 1575 and which boasts
alumni such as Descartes, US president John Quincy Adams and many
a Dutch royal. The old town teems with bicycles and cosy bars, boasts
the most historic monuments per square metre in the country, and
is, accordingly, a rewarding place for a stroll and a short weekend
away from the relative madness of Amsterdam. William the Silent
gave the university to the townspeople as a reward for their resistance
during the Spanish siege in 1574. The population had nearly been
starved into submission when William opened the dykes, flooding
the ground around Leiden and scaring off the southerners. Het Ontzet
van Leiden (the Relief of Leiden) is still celebrated every 3 October
with a carnival-like festival of which hutspot, a stew said to have
been found in the Spaniards' garrison, is a big feature. The heart
of the student quarter sprawls around the Pieterskerk, in the neighbourhood
in which the American Pilgrim Fathers settled before sailing to
Plymouth on the Mayflower. Their leader, John Robinson, stayed and
was buried in the church. For more history, visit the Leiden American
Pilgrim Museum at Beschuitsteeg 9. In the Dutch Golden Age of the
late 16th and 17th centuries, Leiden grew fat on the textile trade.
It also spawned three great painters of the time: Rembrandt, Jan
van Goyen and Jan Steen. Although few works by these three artists
remain in Leiden today, the Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal (Lakenhal
Municipal Museum; listings below), where the Golden Age clothmakers
met, does have a Rembrandt, as well as other Old Masters and collections
of pewter, tiles, silver and glass. Perhaps Leiden's most notable
museum, though, is the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum
of Antiquities; listings below), which houses the largest archaeological
collection in the Netherlands: the Egyptian mummy collection should
not be missed. The Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde (National Museum
of Ethnology; listings below), meanwhile, showcases the cultures
of Africa, Oceania, Asia, the Americas and the Arctic. Fans of Dutch
clichés should visit the Molenmuseum de Valk (Windmill Museum
The Falcon; listings below), a windmill-turned-museum where you
can see restored living quarters, machinery and a picturesque view
of Leiden. An even better view of the city can be had from the top
of the Burcht, a 12th-century fort on an ancient artificial mound.
And the latest addition to Leiden's many sights is the natural history
museum Naturalis, which houses displays including full-scale dinosaurs,
minerals and stuffed animals.
Rotterdam
A skate city; a harbour city; an artists' haven; an architectural
inspiration; the Cultural Capital of Europe for 2001; a historical
museum centre; a jazz-lover's dream… Rotterdam is, it's fair
to say, all things to all people. When Rotterdam's city centre and
harbour were destroyed in May 1940, the authorities decided to start
anew rather than try to reconstruct its maze of canals. The imposing,
futuristic skyline along the banks of the River Maas has been developing
since, and one of the success stories is the Oude Haven (Old Harbour),
a work of imaginative modernism, the pinnacle of which is Piet Blom's
witty Kijk-Kubus. These bright yellow cubic houses are tilted cater-corner
and stand, a little goofily, on stilts. Of the houses, No.70 is
open to visitors. Another architectural wizard, Rem Koolhaas, designed
the Museum Park, referred to as the cultural heart of Rotterdam,
with five museums and many outdoor sculptures. An often overlooked
feature of Rotterdam is the quirky, humorous art that is found all
over the city. A huge storage tank in the oil refinery complex,
on the road towards Europoort, has been painted as a giant hat box,
complete with ribbons; while on the Willemsbrug, the old red bridge
linking the north of the river with Nord Island, is a more controversial
piece of art. Called the Washing Line, it's a large sea-chain painted
black, with bits of sea junk hanging off it. The only people who
can see it are pedestrians on the bridge and those passing below
in boats, leaving many to wonder as to its purpose. The Old Harbour
districts such as Kop van Zuid and Entrepot are currently undergoing
reconstruction and renovation, as part of Rotterdam's ongoing architectural
development. Take one of the various Spido boat tours to check out
what's new; in summer, trips are extended to Europoort, the world's
biggest harbour, and the new flood barrier. The Prins Hendrik Maritime
Museum (Leuvehaven 1, 010 413 2680) offers plenty of perspective
on seafaring: with its background of modern and historical maritime
objects, the seafaring ways of old Rotterdammers will make more
sense. If you're around at the start of September, don't miss the
Wereldhavendagen (World Harbour Days), a three-day festival during
which a myriad of activities related to the harbour are staged around
the city. The Netherlands Architecture Institute, in seven temporary
exhibition spaces, gives an overview of the history and development
of architecture, especially the urban design and spatial planning
of Rotterdam. Be stimulated by the urban development yourself and
go up the Euromast for a spectacular view, if you can handle the
height (185 metres, or 607 feet). The park at the base of the Euromast
is where many Rotterdammers hang out when the weather holds up.
Delfshaven, a solitary tree-lined canal, is one of the few remnants
of Rotterdam's old city centre; a plaque on the quay marks where
the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for America in 1620. Close by is the
Oude Kerk (the Old Church), the last stop of the Pilgrim Fathers,
where they are also commemorated, having held a final service here.
The Historical Museum de Dubbelde Palmboom (Double Palm Tree) is
housed in an old granary in Delfshaven, and features life and work
in the Meuse delta from 8000 BC to the present. As part of the Rotterdam
City Museum, it's also linked to Het Schielandshuis, a 17th-century
palatial mansion and another of the few buildings spared in the
bombing. Now placed in bizarre juxtaposition to Quist's Robeco Tower
built in 1992 and the giant Hollandse Bank Unie, it displays historic
rooms and clothing from the 18th century to the present. Across
town, the Museum Boijmans-Van Beuningen offers a beautiful collection
of traditional and contemporary art (including works by Van Eyck
and Rembrandt), with a sizeable design collection. Poles apart from
this is Rotterdam's role as the only city in the Netherlands home
to a growth in youth population. Events-wise, it's one festival
after another from the beginning of June until late September. The
summer carnival, Streetlife, a sporty lifestyle event for young
people, takes place at Blaak in late June (029 734 444). Don't miss
the Dunya Festival (World Festival), with music, poetry, stories
and street theatre, held at the Park (near the Euromast) in June.
For De Parade (033 465 4577), the Museumpark is taken over by a
travelling theatre, and on the occasion of the Fast Forward Dance
Parade in mid-August, Rotterdam becomes one massive street party.
The Hague
Once the hunting ground of the Counts of Holland, The Hague (aka
Den Haag) was founded in 1248 when William II built a castle on
the site of the present parliament buildings, the Binnenhof. It
was here that the De Witt brothers were lynched after being accused
of conspiring to kill William of Orange. The buildings have retained
a bastion- like appearance to this day. Queen Beatrix arrives at
the Binnenhof in a golden coach every Prinsjesdag (third Tuesday
in September) for the annual state opening of parliament. Guided
tours are organised daily to the Knights' Hall, where the ceremony
takes place and where the Queen sits on her throne. Huis ten Bosch
Palace, the Queen's residence, Noordeinde Palace and Kneuterdijk
Palace are, unfortunately, not open to the public, but Voorhout
Palace, on the elegant Lange Voorhout avenue has recently been opened
as a museum. The Mauritshuis, a former regal home, is also open
to the public and has an excellent art collection including works
by Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dijck, Vermeer (most notably his View
of Delft) and Jan Steen. The Hague's city centre is lively, offering
- among other things - a good selection of shops on the small streets
and squares around the palaces. And while architects are currently
and continually working to bring the city into a bigger and brighter
cultural sphere, The Hague is also one of the greenest cities in
Europe, and has a number of lovely parks. Clingendael has a Japanese
garden; Meijendael, a little further out of town, is part of an
ancient forest; and the Scheveningse Bosje is big enough to occupy
an entire day. Between the Bosje and the city is Vredes Paleis (the
Peace Palace), a gift from Andrew Carnegie that is now the UN's
Court of International Justice. Just beyond Scheveningse Bosje is
Scheveningen, a former fishing village. It's now a huge resort with
high-rise hotels and, in summer, a massive choice of beach cafés.
The architectural highlight of the beach is the Steigenberger Kurhaus
Hotel. Built in 1887, it's a legacy of Scheveningen's days as a
bathing place for European high society. The main salon, with its
enormous chandeliers and glass cupola, is a wonderful and intimidating
place to take tea. The town's history as a spa has been resurrected
with the opening of Kuur Thermen Vitalizee (Strandweg 13F, 070 416
6500), a spa bath that offers a range of treatments in which to
indulge. Also in Scheveningen is the highly acclaimed 'Sculptures
by the Sea' exhibition, a multi- dimensional collection of statues
portraying emotions and hailed as 'a silent sensation', at the Museum
Beelden aan Zee. The recently renovated Panorama Mesdag houses works
from The Hague (marine style) and Barbizon (peasant life and landscape)
schools. None, though, is worth quite as much as the Victory Boogie
Woogie, Piet Mondrian's last work which went for a cool ƒ80
million in 1998. Victory Boogie Woogie is part of the modern art
collection at the Gemeentemuseum, housed in newly restored buildings
masterminded by Dutch architect Berlage. The museum now has its
own Fashion Gallery, with temporary exhibitions focusing on designers
whose work transcends fashion to become art objects. The Gemeentemuseum
is also linked to the Museon, a popular science museum, and the
Omniversum IMAX Theatre, a state-of-the-art planetarium, while Gemeente's
sister museum, Het Paleis on the Lange Voorhout, has special temporary
exhibitions and, during the summer only, a fine selection of 20th-century
sculptures on display along the tree-lined avenue in front of the
museum. For all those who want to explore the cities in Holland
but haven't got enough time or energy, visit Madurodam. An insanely
detailed miniature city, it depicts, among other attractions, Amsterdam's
merchants' houses and the Alkmaar cheese market, both of which are
replicated in minute detail. Windmills turn, ships sail and modern
trains speed around on the world's largest miniature railway. The
Hague also offers a decent calendar of seasonal events, the most
entertaining of which is the Queen's Day on 30 April (though it's
not as wild as Amsterdam's equivalent celebrations). The North Sea
Regatta is held at the end of May, falling in the middle of the
International Sand Sculpture Festival, which takes place from early
May to the beginning of June. Add to this the Hague Horse Days,
equestrian displays held in the Lange Voorhout over the last weekend
in May, Parkpop, an enormous free pop festival held in Zuiderpark
during June, and the North Sea Jazz Festival in early July, and
the old cliché about there being something for everyone rears
its ugly but relevant head.
Utrecht
One of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, Utrecht was also, in
the Middle Ages, the country's biggest. It was a religious centre
for centuries, where bishops lived and built their churches. At
the end of this period, there were around 40 houses of worship in
the city. All had towers and spires: from a distance, Utrecht must
have resembled a giant pincushion. However, there's more to Utrecht
than history and scenery. Utrecht University is one of the largest
in the Netherlands, and as a result the city centre is bustling
with trendy shops and relaxed cafés. The city boasts the
largest covered shopping centre in the country, the Hoog Catharijne,
though unfortunately it's also one of the biggest eyesores. However,
try not to be too put off by its labyrinthine layout. It might be
big enough to lose yourself in for a day, but if you follow signs
for 'centrum' (town centre), you will eventually come out on Achter
Clarenburg. For tourist information, turn left outside and follow
the shopping centre to the corner of Vredenburg and Lange Viestraat,
where you'll find the VVV on your left. Lovers of luxury should
instead head for the boutiques and galleries tucked down the small
streets along the canals; linger especially on Oudkerkhof, where
there is a concentration of designer shops, or go to La Vie, the
shopping centre on Lange Viestraat. Bargain hunters will enjoy the
markets at Vredenburg on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and at St Jacobsstraat
on Saturdays, or the flower and plant markets along Janskerkhof
and Oudegracht on Saturdays. Though bikes can be hired from Rijwiel
Shop (030 296 7287), the city is so compact that practically everything
is within walking distance. A good place to start a stroll around
town is the Domtoren (the cathedral tower). At over 112 metres (367
feet) high, not only is it the highest tower in the country, but
with over 50 bells it's also the largest musical instrument in the
Netherlands. Visitors are allowed to climb the tower, but make sure
you feel capable of scaling 465 steps. The panoramic view is worth
the effort, stretching 40 kilometres (25 miles) to Amsterdam on
a clear day. The entire space between the tower and the Domkerk
was originally occupied by the nave of the huge church, destroyed
in a freak tornado in 1674. Many other buildings were damaged, and
the exhibition inside the Domkerk shows interesting 'before' and
'after' sketches. Outside is the Pandhof, a cloister garden planted
with many medicinal herbs. The garden, with its beautiful statuette
of a canon hunched over his writing, is a tranquil spot to sit and
rest a while. Another fascinating place to explore is the Oudegracht,
the canal that runs through the centre of the city. Unlike Amsterdam,
where the water is at street level, the people of Utrecht have been
blessed with waterside footpaths and cellars, which allow them to
use the basements of their canalside houses. Many of those cellars
now house cafés and shops, and are excellent places to have
a snack and watch boats navigate their way under the narrow bridges.
There are regular boat trips, and waterfietsen (pedal boats) can
also be hired. Of Utrecht's several museums, the Museum Catharijnecovent
is located in a beautiful late medieval building and gives an account
of the country's religious history. The bogenkelder (vaulted cellar),
which contains many old Bibles with silver cast covers, and the
beautiful stained-glass windows in the adjoining church should not
be missed. The Nationaal Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement, meanwhile,
has an extensive collection of automated musical instruments dating
back to as far as the 17th century, and the Universiteitsmuseum
focuses on the interaction between science and education, past and
present. At the Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (Dutch Railway Museum;
listings below) visitors can drive on an intercity train simulator
and look at old locomotives. The biggest rock garden in the Netherlands
is a striking part of Fort Hoofddijk (listings below); on a cold
day, the tropical greenhouse is a perfect place to thaw out. There
are various blues and jazz weekends throughout the year, starting
in April with a Jazz Festival at the beginning of the month and
Blues Roots in mid-April. Music is central to the hectic Queen's
Day celebrations on 30 April, the Midsummer Night's pop and classical
concert, and the Festival of Music at the end of August. There are
specific days when monuments and museums throw their doors open
to the public for free (check with the VVV) and, during July and
August, there are informative walking tours through the city. Utrecht
is located in a neighbourhood abundant with castles, forests and
arboretums. In the outskirts of the city, Slot Zuylen (Zuylen Castle,
Tournooiveld 1, Oud Zuilen, 030 244 0255) presides over exquisite
ornamental waterfalls and gardens. Check out the concerts and exhibitions
in Kasteel Groeneveld's gorgeous gardens (Groeneveld Castle, Groeneveld
2, 035 542 0446), just north-east of Utrecht. Stroll in the lovely
Arboretum von Gimborn (Vossensteinsesteeg 8, 030 253 1826) in Doorne,
then pop across the town to Kasteel Huis Doorn (Doorn Castle, Langbroekerweg
10, 034 341 2244) to see how royalty lived at the end of the 19th
century. In Haarzuilens, west of Utrecht, Kasteel de Haar is a sumptuous
fairy-tale castle with purple-tiled turrets.
