Today I was looking for a topic for the next article, so I hit Google and I started seeking for the most searched phrases on the Internet. I was very surprised when I found out how often people wonder where Amsterdam is. Because I was raised in Europe, for me, it was always obvious where is Amsterdam. The most often searched term about Amsterdam on Google is: Is Amsterdam in Holland? So let’s get straight to the answer.
Yes, Amsterdam is in Holland. In fact, Amsterdam is the capital of Holland. Keep in mind that Holland is a colloquial name of the Netherlands. Many foreigners use “Holland” as that is how this country is called in their language. Amsterdam is also the biggest city of the Netherlands.
As I mentioned I was very surprised when I realized how often “Is Amsterdam in Holland” is searched. But then I thought about other big cities far away from Europe and actually, I wasn’t sure where they are located in the world. Because of that, I write this article. You’ll find here some more information about Holland and Amsterdam. If you have any question please ask in the comment section below the article.
Where is Amstedam and Holland?
Amsterdam is located in the Noord-west part of Holland. It’s a beautiful city of canals, bridges, and tulips. Its architecture is mindblowing. Holland is a country in the Noord-west Europe with an eastern border with Germany and the sounthern border with Belgium. Amsterdam is in a middle way between Brussel and Hamburg.
The Difference between Holland and the Netherlands
Holland and the Netherlands is the same country. The formal country name is the Netherlands, but many people call it Holland. For example in my mother tongue, we say Holland most often. Because of that for me, the name of Holland is very natural. On the other hand, people living in the Netherlands call themselves: Nederlanders and their country Nederland.
Where the name of Holland come from? Holland is actually a Northwest part of the country. There are two provinces Noord Holland and Zuid Holland. The capital of Noord Holland is a beautiful Haarlem, where I was living for 5 years. I can totally recommend this place. It’s a beautiful old city, one of the oldest in the Netherlands. It’s typically Dutch, not that international as Amsterdam. It’s very close to the sea-side, national park Zuid-Kennemerland and a beautiful area of Bloemendal. When visiting Haarlem you should definitely see a windmill “De Adriaan”. Here you can find some more things to do in Haarlem. The capital of Zuid Holland (South Holland) is The Hague. Den Haag(Dutch name) is a place where the Dutch government is located.
Holland is just a part of the Netherlands, but it’s often used when the Netherlands is meant.
What Language Do People in Holland Speak?
The language of Holland is Dutch. Almost all citizens of this country speak Dutch, but also almost everyone speaks English. Over 90% of Dutch people can speak perfect English. In fact, I have never had a situation where I couldn’t communicate in English. Moreover, Dutch people speak very well in English. Dutch is also spoken in other countries in the World such as Suriname, Aruba, Belgium or Curacao.
Is Dutch a difficult language? For me, it was quite difficult in the beginning. It was something totally different than languages I can speak. It is something in between English and German. The beginning of my learning experience was not easy at all but I managed to learn some basics in a pretty short time. Now I don’t learn anymore because of other priorities. Moreover, in Amsterdam, you can hear English more often than you hear Dutch.
A Short Netherlands Guide
The Netherlands is a beautiful European country. Its culture and tradition are very unique. Holland is known for canals, stroopwafels, bicycles, Amsterdam, weed and many many more. Yes, I mentioned weed, because I used to work in a hotel and I know that many people come here because they want some legal high. Trust me, if you visit Amsterdam just for a that you lose a lot. The Netherlands is much more than just a party, but unfortunately often it’s promoted just like this. I am happy that the municipality of Amsterdam is planning to change an image of Dutch Capital.
If you plan to visit the Netherlands, there are many cities worth visiting. You should definitely go out of Amsterdam. Yesterday I was talking to my friend and she said that it’s easy to get drawn by Amsterdam and there is much more to see. I can recommend you to visit Haarlem. It’s one of the oldest, a medieval city in Noord Holland. I was living there for 5 years. Definitely worth visiting. You should also go to Utrecht, Delft, and Volendam.
What experiences you should go for in the Netherlands? For sure rent a bike! Cycling in Amsterdam is perceived as a mean of transport and bicycles are everywhere. It’s actually astonishing how many bicycles are here. Imagine that yearly 10 000 bicycles are pulled out of canals in Amsterdam. Crazy, right? There are more bikes than habitats in Amsterdam.
Another experience I would like to recommend you is a canal cruise. Cities of the Netherlands are breathtaking from the water perspective and you can get almost everywhere by boat. In Amsterdam itself, there is 100 km of canals.
What is Holland Known For?
Holland isn’t a big country but it’s full of cool stuff. For sure you’ve seen some flower fields photos. In the Netherlands, there is the largest flower garden in Europe. Keukenhof is one of the famous attraction of Holland. You can explore flower fields or the biggest flower auction in the world.
There are over 1500 windmills in the Netherlands. There is even a windmill day. Most of the windmills aren’t open for public and some are inhabited. But there are some open for public or transformed into museums. If you visit Haarlem you should go to Windmill De Adriaan. It’s beautiful, there are some guided tours and just next to the windmill there is a little restaurant. I suggest ordering a cheesecake with whipped cream 🙂
Cheese, wooden clogs and Dutch canals are iconic. Holland is known for its cycling culture. You’ll be amazed by the number of bikes in the Netherlands. Bicycles are everywhere and in this age of global pollution, more countries could learn from Dutch. It hasn’t been always like this. In the past, there was a lot of cars in Holland, but because of the many accidents in the past, the Dutch government started promoting bicycles. They raised car taxes, petrol prices, increased parking costs, so basically, the overall cost of having a car is quite high. They invested in bicycle infrastructure, everywhere you can find bike lanes, bicycle parking and in general, cyclists are privileged most of the time. Another result of that is a healthy community because most of the people cycle on a daily basis.
Is Amsterdam Worth Visiting?
If you already consider visiting Amsterdam I can tell you, go. I am a blogger writing about Amsterdam, so what do you expect me to say? Of course, I recommend visiting this city. I love Amsterdam with all my heart and for me personally, it’s the best place in the world. I say so because of its openness, multiculturalism, and culture. There is always something interesting happening so you won’t ever be bored. Of course, someone may say that’s not a true, but boring people are bored, right? If you don’t know what to do you can ask me. There are always some cool events happening. Or you can just read my ultimate list of things to do in Amsterdam — Link Here.
When you visit Amsterdam don’t get stoned as a first thing you do. Of course, do whatever you want, but in my opinion, you’ll lose a lot. Nothing against weed. I also smoke sometimes. Personally, I love cafes in Amsterdam. Because of what I do – blogging, I visit a new cafe each and every day. They have a special atmosphere. I personally love cafes, and that’s where I rest. Close to Amsterdam, there are such cool spots like Zaanse Schans, National Park Zuid Kennemerland, Seaside town – Zandvoort, a beautiful city of Utrecht and many other. If I were you I would hit some live music bars. There are plenty of them in Amsterdam and among them my favorite one’s Waterhole and Irish Bar The Mulligans. You can go for a free walking tour or swing on the highest swing in Europe.
Summary
Yes, Amsterdam is in Holland and it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. If you plan to visit the capital of the Netherlands I can recommend you this place to stay -> Vondelpark House B&B. It’s located in a beautiful area close to the city center and it’s kept in traditional Dutch mood. They serve an amazing breakfast. Enjoy. If you have any question please ask in the comment section below.
