Typical Dutch activities with your kids
The Netherlands is calling and here you are: making plans for a family travel to Amsterdam and beyond. Include one of these typical Dutch activities with your kids in 2022. I'm sure your family is going to love it.
2023 Flower festival Keukenhof
In 2023 flower festival Keukenhof will bloom again. It is not just one of the largest gardens in the world. It is also one of the most popular spring attractions in the Amsterdam area. Start planning your spring visit 2023 to Holland now with this info & tips.
Visit flower fields in summer around tulip gardens
Less tourists, more interaction with locals. Visit flower fields in summer around the tulip gardens Netherlands and you'll feel that burst of happiness. The colorful explosion of dahlias and other bulb flowers will make your heart go b(l)oom like tulips do. And, when that's not enough there are still the highlights of the Flower Region. And the local festivals. All best to be explored by bike. A great way to taste the local culture in a relaxed way and live the Dutch life. Even if it's just for 1 day. Read more
Heritage Days South Holland Open Monuments
Local festivals and public holidays in the Netherlands are based on ceremonies and traditions. Nature is linked to century old involvement by humans. Even seasonal Dutch food and artisanal products are not the same without looking at history. The European Heritage Days in South Holland make you live the Dutch life in present, past and future. Here are my 4 favorite places to visit on Open Monuments Day.
Challenge Leiden local festival 3 October 2020
Mark your calendar! On Saturday 3 October 2020 the Leiden Ontzet challenge takes place for the second time. Registration with your own team of 3/4 people is possible. In this group outing you and your team follow a trail through the historical centre of Leiden. At different historical locations there's an assignment. Enjoy the Leiden local festival, get social with a local and become the hero of the challenge.
When small town boys visit the canal parade
When small town boys visit the canal parade they get hyperactive and super excited. Maybe it is the surrounding. The story about Vermeer and his secret marriage. All of a sudden they fall silent and look serious. Not for long though.
Secret marriage in Delft countryside
We’ve just walked through the chapel and the group’s laughter and chitchats turn into a respectful awe. Now the three men sit opposite of me, hands supporting their heads, eyes looking straight at me. I tell them the story of protestant Vermeer and his marriage with the catholic Maria. Catholicism was forbidden in those days so they had to get married in secret in this village not far from Delft.
Back home in Dutch farmland
The handsome small town boys know how it feels to hide your true self and sigh. “North of New York is where I grew up, but it wasn’t like NY at all. Just farmlands. Nobody travels, everyone stays in their comfort zone.”, one says. He almost jumped up and down on the bike when we started the tour. Now he looks at the others and finds comfort in their expressions.
When Fields of Dreams meets the Big Apple
“Do you know the movie Fields of Dreams?, that’s where I’m from”. The guy who’s talking is quite the opposite of his friend. He took his time to take in the scenery while cycling. You can see he thinks before he speaks and right now he has a stern look on his face. A mix between melancholy and pride. He’s clearly goal driven: “When I was young I told my mother I wanted to live on Sesame Street. Now I live one block away from it”. They moved from small countryside villages to the Big Apple. Dreaming of a good job, meeting like-minded people and being accepted for who they are. They succeeded and are proud of themselves. So they should be.
Birthday celebration in and out of Amsterdam
These three beautiful men celebrate a birthday in Amsterdam. At their arrival they stumbled upon the first Pride parties. They’re all excited for this afternoon, when these small town boys visit the Canal Parade. An endless flow of questions runs through the air:
“Will the Canal Parade be like the one in New York , celebrated in different districts? Will it be as big?”
Juicy stories and good food in Vermeer's wedding town
They left big city Amsterdam and Pride to wonder through the countryside near Delft with me. Even if they would have liked to be at the Canal Parade the whole day, they don’t show it. Their attention is on me and that makes me feel real special. When one of them gets a flat tire, we’re all sad. I promise them beer and good local food. Their laughter and juicy stories can be heard from far away. Somehow, with some effort, we make it back to Vermeer’s wedding place. In my favorite restaurant we savor local delicacies and good beer. More stories, more questions follow. They miss their train back to Amsterdam. And the next one. And the next one. Then they decide to really make a move. Ready for Pride Amsterdam!
When small town boys visit the canal parade
When the small town boys visit the Canal Parade, they make a trip in Delft to visit the farmlands. I’m happy they did.
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January Tulip Garden in Amsterdam 2022
It has become a tradition. On the third Saturday of January we're throwing a spring party! In a central location a tulip garden in Amsterdam is especially created for this occasion. There's more than one reason why you should not miss this colorful event. Read more
Strange events in the Netherlands
Where can you find some strange events in the Netherlands? These are my top 3 traditional Dutch festivals involving orange hats, herring for breakfast and single men holding hands.
Read more
How to get to the Fireworks Festival Scheveningen 2018
Great that you're coming to the International Fireworks Festival Scheveningen. To get to Scheveningen is quite easy, but I would recommend you to prepare your trip as this popular festival expects tens of thousands of visitors. Here are some tips on how to get to the Fireworks Festival Scheveningen.
Cycling to the Fireworks Festival Scheveningen
Of course, as a bike fan I would suggest to come by bike. Your journey to the Scheveningen beach won't be any longer than usual, you don't depend on bus or tram schedules and you can easily leave the Fireworks Festival Scheveningen. Finding a parking spot for your bike can be difficult though, so even when you come by bike, come a bit earlier. If you're looking for a bike parking check biesieklette. If you're not from The Hague you can also rent a bike at Biesieklette. These are the rental locations:
- Grote Markt (Laan 9)
- Driehoekjes (Grote Halstraat 9)
- Spuiplein (onder het stadhuis)
- Anna van Buerenstraat (achter het Centraal Station)
- Zeeman Grote Markstraat
- Rabbijn Maarsenplein
- Du Nord Keizerstraatpark & bike in Fireworks Festival Scheveningen
Park & Bike
Coming by car is a real hassle and I definitely wouldn't recommend it. If you do want to come by car, check https://bksparking.nl/ for available parking spot in the area of the International Fireworks Festival. If you really want to take the car to Scheveningen beach I suggest to use this website . This is a special Park & Ride system as you book a parking spot in advance ánd can add public transport, taxi service or a rental bike . Do make sure that you reserve a bike at least one day in advance as this is quite a popular service.
Fireworks Festival Scheveningen: just a tramride away
The last option to get to the Fireworks Festival Scheveningen is to come by tram. At the servicedesks in The Hague Centraal Station and Hollands Spoor they sell €4.00 event tickets which is valid for both ways. You can take tram 1 and 11 from and to railway station The Hague Hollands Spoor or tram 9 from The Hague Centraal railway station. Bus 21, 22 and 23 have several stops in The Hague city centre. Check for more information ( in Dutch) HTM or 9292.nl
General information on how to get to beach resort Scheveningen can be found on this website. The fireworks festival Scheveningen takes place on 10,11, 17 & 18 August 2018. More information on the festival itself can be found here
How a small café by the harbour became the core of the Vlaggetjesdag Challenge
It wasn't supposed to get all the attention, but somehow it did. A small café by the harbour became the core of the Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen Challenge. This is how it happened.
Celebration of the Dutch New Herring
The new herring catch of the season calls for a typical Dutch celebration. A typical Dutch celebration calls for a challenge by Verita's Visit. So there we were, me and a bunch of international minded people, at the harbour of Scheveningen with just one mission: find out what Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen was all about and if it was more than Dutch new herring.
King William and Madonna at Vlaggetjesdag
The participants had no idea what to expect, there were question marks all over their faces when we met at the Scheveningen library. As there was some drizzle outside that was expected to turn into heavy rainfall, we headed inside for a short introduction. The given information could be used during the challenge. King William, Madonna, the painter Mesdag and of course the Dutch herring, also known as Hollandse Nieuwe all dropped by in this introduction.
the go with the flow festival challenge
Exactly at the moment the rain stopped, the participants, now divided in teams, were off to the first location in the Scheveningen harbour where they had to answer a question and complete a creative challenge. Now, finding your way in a local festival is quite a challenge by itself, so at first all teams were a bit lost. By the time they had done two or three challenges they got the hang of it. They somehow realized the best thing to do was to just go with the flow, dive into the festivities and have fun.
Enjoy the local atmosphere and get social with a local
The best thing on local festivals like Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen is the atmosphere, everyone is relaxed and it's easy to make contact with locals or visitors. Just like in the Leidens Ontzet Treasure Hunt the participants of the Vlaggetjesdag Scheveningen Challenge had to step out of their comfort zone and get social with a local.
Sharing Experiences during Herring & Corenwijn tasting
At the end of the Scheveningen Vlaggetjesdag challenge we all gathered at Restaurant de Dagvisser. In this small café by the harbour we tasted 4 exquisite herring dishes with 4 types of Corenwijn. All teams shared their experiences there. When I asked them why they all had chosen the song 'Het kleine café aan de haven' for one of the challenges they all responded in unison: "Because it was the shortest!"
Small cafe by the harbour of Scheveningen
Athough they were all enjoyed, it was not the Hollandse Nieuwe, the fishers' boats, the stands demonstrating the local crafts or the men and women in traditional clothing, it was a small café by the harbour that became the core of the Vlaggetjesdag Challenge edition 2016.
