Geography
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is in Western Europe, bordered by the North Sea, Belgium and Germany. The West Frisian Islands, off the coast of North Holland, are part of the Netherlands. The Netherlands Antilles, in the Caribbean, is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Caribbean island of Aruba is an autonomous member of the Kingdom.

Amsterdam is the capital city and an important port; the government of the Netherlands is situated in The Hague. Rotterdam is a major city and one of the world's leading ports.

Most of the country is low-lying with half of the Netherlands below sea level. Dikes (dams) have been built along the coast and the land drained. In the north the former Zuider Zee, separated from the North Sea by an eighteen mile long dike, forms a lake called the IJsselmeer. Rivers include the Rhine (Waal and Lek) and the Maas or Meuse.
The climate is temperate with cool summers and mild winters.

Weather and Climate
Lots of tourists visit Holland in summer. There is no denying that this is the best time of the year to sit by the canals or take a bike trip through the country. Spring is a good time to visit too, as the bulb flowers are in full bloom in this season. April is the best month for daffodils, May for tulips. Rain is spread pretty evenly over the year, so there is not much point in trying to avoid the Dutch drizzle. Winter can be quite cold, but you will find that the museums are not very busy, which is not a bad thing. If it gets cold enough for the canals and waterways to freeze over, the Dutch enjoy skating on the canals and flood plains.

Money
Currency in the Netherlands is the euro dollar (EUR).
Changing money in the Netherlands is easy. Any post office will change cash or travelers' cheques, and change bureaus are. Banks generally offer the best exchange rates. Cash-dispensing ATMs are all over the place: Cirrus access is common and MasterCard is the most widely accepted credit card. Tipping is not compulsory in the Netherlands, but rounding up the bill is always appreciated in taxis, restaurants and pubs with table or pavement service.

Cycling in Holland
Throughout Holland, you will see bicycles wherever you look. This is not a strange phenomenon, knowing that 15 million people own approximately 12 million bicycles. The Dutch use the bicycle as a way of transportation rather than just for recreation. It is common to use the bike for daily shopping and to commute to work and school. You will find clearly marked bicycle routes (direction pointers with red lettering on white backgrounds) throughout Holland. There are many special lanes and paths for cyclists with a total length of approximately 11,000 miles!

Special Routes for Cyclists
These lanes, recognizable by the round blue sign with a white bicycle in the middle, will take you through some of the most attractive regions of Holland. In many parts, you will find superbly indicated special routes for cyclists. Many companies specialize in the rent and repair of bicycles. Special events for cyclists are regularly organized. In short, Holland is a 'cyclist-friendly' country with a climate characterized by mild winters and comfortable summers.

Flat country
Another important aspect is that Holland is generally flat with only an occasional hill. This makes the country ideal for even longer tours and also allows the youngest and the oldest member of the family to participate. While cycling through Holland you will notice wide-open spaces like the polders, beautiful forests, colorful bulb fields, attractive towns and picturesque villages. En route there are plenty of opportunities to take a rest at terraces of restaurants and cafes, specially built picnic areas or anywhere along the side of the road.