5 places in the Netherlands that feel like abroad
The news reports say that only one in four Dutch people are going abroad this summer, which means we are staying home en masse. Home can also feel like away, especially if you look for places that feel almost un-Dutch. But if anything is a vacation for me, it’s sleeping in a hotel, eating out, and leisurely enjoying a coffee and newspaper at breakfast. So if you add that to places in the Netherlands that feel like you’re abroad, then that seems to me the recipe for a vacation.
1. Rotterdam
Did you plan to go to Berlin but are staying home instead? Then plan a weekend in Rotterdam. It has a raw edge, it’s no-nonsense, the people speak their minds, but the city is cool if you know where to go. Honestly: everything that Berlin has too.
Tip: The CitizenM in Rotterdam offers Staycation Packages, with a night’s stay at CitizenM and an evening of dining and wine drinking at the Michelin-starred restaurant Fitzgerald.
2. Maastricht
The city of the south that feels un-Dutch, if you ask me. Give me a night in Maastricht and I feel like I’m immersing myself in a Burgundian foreign land. Its narrow streets, its good restaurants, its full terraces, and beautiful shops. And the hotels, because you can choose from boutique to design.
Tip: Sleeping in the Designhotel Maastricht in Wyck, where you get a free upgrade and a late check-out if available.
3. Ameland
Honestly, it’s all very Dutch, but Ameland just feels far away. It’s probably because of the ferry you can take at an ungodly hour to the island. But once you’re there and you’re sitting with your feet in the sand on the beach, it could almost be a spot across the border. It also didn’t help that it was warmer every day than predicted.
Tip: Dining and sipping at Zee van Tijd.
4. Bruinisse
Anyway, Schouwen is the island in Zeeland that feels tropical, because flamingos live there in the wild (no joke), but I’m tipping you a spot at the marina in Bruinisse where it feels a bit like Saint Tropez close to home.
Tip: Sleeping on the water, but I really mean literally in a floating cottage or cabin in the middle of the marina where the sunset is breathtaking.
5. Amsterdam
Because honestly: if anything has international allure, it’s our city Amsterdam. This is just the moment to book a staycation in our own capital, because almost all hotels have amazing deals.
Tip: The Live it Up Staycation at the W Hotel, where you are treated to breakfast in bed, a visit to the in-house spa, a bike tour, a cocktail upon arrival, and a late check-out.
Happy holidays in your own country, y’all.
