It’s that time of the year again when spring has sprung and across the Netherlands, flowers have started to bloom. This includes the stunning Japanese cherry blossom trees. Fancy a nice spring photoshoot or just an extremely Instagram-worthy spot for a picnic? Head to Amsterdamse Bos where you’ll find 400 of these beautiful trees. READ […]
While Goede Vrijdag originally commemorates Jesus’ resurrection, nowadays people typically start their Easter celebrations with chocolate eggs. Easter egg hunts are popular in the Netherlands, where Dutchies hide chocolate and painted hard-boiled eggs for children to find. Maybe it’s time to check your garden to see if the neighbour left a little surprise for you! […]
What better occasion to decorate your house with tulips and colourful eggs? Painting eggs to make cute Easter decorations is a big thing in the Netherlands and you’ll find painting kits, egg stands and other handy tools all over Dutch supermarkets. Maybe this year you should give it a try! READ MORE | Easter in the […]
Get ready for a big brunch including croissants, eggs and paasbrood (bread with cinnamon and raisins). Dutch Easter is all about getting together with family and celebrating the time spent together with plenty of tasty food. READ MORE | Easter in the Netherlands: What’s happening in 2019?
Happy birthday King Willem-Alexander! The tradition of celebrating the monarch’s birthday is over 100 years old, but we’re guessing it used to be a lot more formal. Today, Koningsdag is known for the vrijmarkt (free market) which is basically a big yard sale, and oranjegekte (orange madness). When the Dutch say madness, they really mean […]
Freedom is a huge part of the Dutch culture and this day pays a tribute to all those who gave their lives for it. On Dodenherdenking (Remembrance Day), a royal memorium is presented by the king and the queen at the Dam square. Another important tradition is holding a two-minute silence to commemorate the victims […]
The Dutch love their freedom and on this day, they take to the streets to celebrate it. A day full of festivals, parades, and concerts, May 5 commemorates the end of the German occupation of the Netherlands at the end of WWII. As part of the celebrations, the liberation flame is lit every year in […]
Did you know that in the Netherlands, Mother’s Day is associated with flowers? So much so that it used to be referred to by the name Moederdag-Bloemendag (Mother’s Day - Flower Day) in the mid-’30s. This was pushed by florists to give a seasonal boost to the flower industry. Now that’s what you call a […]
Feel like you need a bit of a break during the working week? Then you’re in luck because Ascension day is typically celebrated on a Thursday! It marks the 40th day of Easter, and while some religious Dutchies may wish to celebrate the event with a church service, for others it’s simply a nice day […]
Whit Sunday is part of what the Dutchies call the Pentecost. What is it all about? Originally a Christian holiday, nowadays Pentecost is about enjoying time off with family and friends or singing your heart out at outdoor music festivals. And the most popular one that takes place during this long weekend? Pinkpop! READ MORE […]
Fancy a long weekend? Exactly seven weeks after Easter Monday falls Whit Monday — and, luckily, it's a public holiday! The Dutch take full advantage of this by heading to one of many outdoor festivals organised or taking off to a camping ground for a weekend getaway. Leuk! READ MORE | All you need to know […]
While Father’s Day (Vaderdag) may not be as famous as Mother’s Day, it definitely does put the dads in the spotlight. In the Netherlands, dads might be surprised with breakfast in bed or other little gifts from their children. And the best part? They get an excuse to take the day off from doing any […]