Netherlands (Holland) Travel Guide - Essentials

Safety: the Netherlands is a safe country to visit, posing very little in the way of threats to holiday makers and weekend trippers although there are a few basic caveats that all visitors are wise to observe. Keep a tight check on your cash and valuables especially in busy public places and avoid obviously sparsely populated or seedy areas of the city at night.

Women are best to travel with partners or in groups if going out in an evening. Marijjuana has been de-criminalised in the Netherlands and so is widely available in coffee shops around the country; visitors are advised to exercise a little caution and reserve with regards to their approach to this situation.

You might wish to consider also that should you be required for whatever reason to produce a urine sample back in your home country or any other country for that matter, subsequent to your trip; that traces of marijjuana may be present for up to two weeks after consumption.

When to go: from a perspective of weather/climate, summer is the best time to take a trip to the Netherlands with the months of July and August offering the highest temperatures (highs of 22°C) and fairly low levels of rainfall. June and September see highs of 19-20°C, so are also reasonable months in which to make a trip.

Money: the Netherlands use the Euro so visitors from EU countries which have also adopted the same will not need to make any currency exchanges. UK and US visitors and others from outside of Europe will need to purchase Euros either from a bank or bureau de change desk in their home country prior to travel or from the same on arrival in the country.

Bureau de change counters can be found in all of the country’s major airports while almost all banks in the Netherlands will be happy to exchange foreign currency for Euros; a fee may be charge on any exchange transactions so be sure to establish if and how much it will be before agreeing to the exchange.

Language: the main language in the Netherlands is Dutch although almost all educated citizens speak competent English while French and German are also commonly spoken. Visitors may wish to learn a few key phrases in Dutch out of respect for the locals however it’s far from expected and you’ll find the level of English being spoken will far exceed any Dutch you can cram from a phrasebook so just learning to say thank you is probably enough to get you an acknowledgement of effort.

Emergency: the Netherlands has a full range of emergency services and a reputation for prompt and efficient responses. Hospitals offer a high standard of medical care with the vast majority of staff speaking highly competent if not fluent English. Visitors from EU or other countries with reciprocal health care agreements will qualify for free treatment provided they are in possession of the relevant documentation (EICH for UK citizens), all other visitors should be sure to have travel insurance with ample provision for medical treatment.

Foreign business persons should be aware that business is conducted in a formal manner in the Netherlands with punctuality considered of the utmost importance as is appropriate attire (business suits). Women command equal importance in Dutch business and frequently hold management level positions.

Ambulance: 112

Police: 112

Tourist police emergency hotline: no specific tourist hotline exists; however the national police telephone number (not for emergencies) is 0900 8844.

Typical business hours:

• Government departments: 08:30 to 17:00 (with a break at midday), Monday to Friday.
• Retail: 09:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Friday; 11:00 to 18:00, Mondays; 08:30 to 17:00, Saturdays; 12:00 to 17:00, Sundays.
• Banking: 09:00 to 16:00, Tuesday to Friday; 13:00 to 16:00, Mondays.