Cheap flights to the Netherlands

Netherlands climate

The Netherlands’ climate is fairly temperate. It rains throughout the year and temperatures vary with the seasons. Summer is the best time to visit, even though tourist crowds might scare you away. The country’s famous tulips start blooming in May.

Best Time to Fly to Netherlands

Peak season:

The summer is when most travelers book flights to the Netherlands and when tourists throng the cities, but there is no bad time to see the Netherlands. Spring and autumn are also good times. Go in April for the daffodils and May to see the tulips at their colorful best.

Off season:

The winters are quite cold, but you can often find cheap flights to the Netherlands and discounts on accommodations.

Getting around Netherlands

Domestic air services connect Amsterdam Schiphol with Eindhoven, Groningen, Maastricht and Rotterdam airports. The major car-rental companies are represented at the airports. There is a good, efficient and affordable bus and rail network, but for getting around the Netherlands the Dutch way, take to the bicycle. There is an excellent bicycle network.

There are also ferries for “Wad hopping” or island hopping among the Dutch Wadden islands, which lie to the north of the country. It is a popular pastime during the summer months. It is possible to sail from island to island, and you can bring your bike on most ferries.

The following chart gives approximate journey times from Amsterdam (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in The Netherlands.

Netherlands Travel Information

• Hoge Veluwe National Park is the Netherlands’ largest national park. It boasts marshlands, forests and sand dunes and the Kröller-Müller Museum, which is world-famous for its large collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh.
• The Keukenhof Gardens, south of Haarlem, is the largest garden in the world. Almost one million people visit it each year. Go for the endless fields of color that appear thanks to the hundreds of thousands of tulips and daffodils in full bloom.
• Even though the Rijksmuseum is undergoing a major renovation program until 2009, it is worth a visit. The “facelift” will restore the building to its original state.
• The Van Gogh Museum has about 200 paintings including The Potato Eaters and The Yellow House in Arles as well as paintings by Monet and Gauguin.
• Visit the Euromast in the port city of Rotterdam. Its observation area offers panoramic views over Rotterdam.
• Hotels in the Netherlands cater to all types of travelers. Amsterdam hotels range from hostels to luxury properties, Maastricht hotels offer travelers a little respite from the city center of Amsterdam, and Rotterdam hotels are frequented by students and parents visiting during the school year.