Easter holiday Netherlands

Easter in the Netherlands is a family-oriented holiday. Easter is a rolling holiday, so it can fall on a Sunday before March 22 and no later than April 25. The Dutch prepare festive breakfasts, brunches or lunches for Easter. Children can search for and eat chocolate eggs that are supposedly delivered by the Easter bunny. Do you want to feel the Dutch traditions and be a part of the Dutch celebrations? Then I have a proposal for you, take a look at Easter holiday Netherlands offers and get ready for a typical Dutch Easter.

Nature in the Netherlands

Despite the small size of the country, the land cover of the Netherlands is very diverse. Soils by their properties occupy one of the first places in Europe. Derkovo-pale podzolic soils are common in the north and east of the country. These soils contain more than 5% humus. It is also common in many localities to artificially stimulate the accumulation of humus, and natural soils are under a mixture of manure, turf, forest floor and sand. In terms of their arable properties, these soils occupy one of the first places in Europe.

The low-lying terrain and humid climate have contributed to the formation of swamps, which have undergone significant reclamation. Bog peat is often covered with mineral soil. The soils and river valleys along the Rhine and Meuse are very diverse. The Netherlands is 7.6% forested, mainly in the form of groves. They are varied, they include oak, beech, ash and hornbeam.

About 70% of the territory of the Netherlands is occupied by cultural landscapes(seeded meadows, arable lands, settlements, and others). Forests(oak, beech, hornbeam, ash with an admixture of yew) are represented by separate groves and cover(together with planted forests and roadside forest belts) 8% of the territory. In sandy areas, heathlands with shrubs (gorse, broom, juniper) are common. On the dunes there are pine forests and sea buckthorn thickets. On the banks of the branches of large rivers there are willows.

Animal world

On the territory of the Netherlands, due to natural features, there are many birds, and especially waterfowl(there are about 180 thousand species). Some species of animals are protected in the national reserve. Those species of animals that live in reservoirs and canals have survived. In the process of human development of the territory of the Netherlands and the expansion of land reclamation, the habitat conditions for birds worsened, and many species of wild animals left their places. The most popular as well as the national bird of the Netherlands is the spoonbill. It is a white or pink large and long-legged bird that lives in swamps. It has a large long beak, with which it easily gets food. An excellent wintering place for birds is the delta of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt. A great variety of birds stops here: snipe, curlews, teals. Nesting birds are: short-eared owl, shepherd boy, mustached tit.

Muskrat has settled along the overgrown shores of small bays. Seals live on the northern shores of the country. In the forests there are: squirrel, roe deer, wood mouse, rabbit and representatives of the weasel family. On the coastal dunes there are wild cats. The North Sea is rich in fish.

The fauna is greatly impoverished. There are wild rabbits on the dunes, in the forests - squirrels, hares, martens, ferrets, roe deer. In the Netherlands, there are about 180 species of birds. In the delta of the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt, there are protected areas for mass wintering of waterfowl(geese, brants, gulls, waders). The North Sea is rich in fish(herring, cod, mackerel).

River cruises in Holland

The Netherlands has a rich and interesting history, rich cultural heritage and beautiful nature. Also the territory of Holland has been crossed for several years, which it was impossible not to use for quality recreation - river cruises.

The water recreation center here is called Sneek. If you book one of the river cruises in the Netherlands, you will definitely find yourself on it. Another interesting stopping point is the medieval castle in Muiderslot, Giethoorn(this area is also called a miniature copy of Dutch Venice). Whichever route of movement along the rivers you choose, at almost any stop you will have any water sports to choose from, cycling, as well as other active recreation, exploring the port and adjacent landmarks, fishing and river cruises.

One of the largest riverboat bases in the Netherlands is called Strand Horst. It is located in a very picturesque place and may well position itself as a real Mediterranean resort. Starting your journey along the rivers from this base, you will get the opportunity to take a closer look at the unique Dutch landscapes, containing many reservoirs, lakes, streams. Another famous ship base - Woudsend - is located in Friesland(northern part of the country), this is the beginning of a large number of river cruises in Holland.

Going on a cruise in the Netherlands, you can choose the following travel schemes to your taste: three-day cruise Strand Horst - Elburg - Spackenburg - Strand Horst(100km), three-day mini-cruise Woodsend - Snick - Woodsend(80km), Capital cruise Strand Horst - Amsterdam - Utrecht - Strand Horst(180km), Lakes and Cities cruise(80km or 200km to choose from), Dutch river cruise(150km) and others.

The changeable climate of Holland

The Netherlands is located in the temperate zone, which determines the presence of a mild maritime climate on its territory. Summers in this country are not too hot and winters are not very cold. Since the territory of the Netherlands is rather small, the climatic conditions are approximately the same everywhere. Only the number of sunny days per year can change, and this is rather a subjective perception of the Dutch themselves.

Classic summer weather is not the same as, for example, the weather in Kiev, and looks like this: light cloudiness, frequent, but not too heavy rain, the temperature is kept within +17°С and +22°С. Classic summer weather: sparse snow that melts quickly, as the air temperature usually stays above zero degrees.

The cold season in the Netherlands is the period when the temperature is set at around +5°С. Real frosts are an extremely rare occurrence, as a warm wind often blows from the sea. This is extremely beneficial for shipping: ships can be received at the ports around the clock. True, the idyll is sometimes disturbed by not very pleasant drizzling rain or snow pellets - a fairly frequent occurrence in the Netherlands.

The coldest month of the year is January. At this time, the temperature is usually set between +1°С and + 4°С, a high level of humidity is observed in the air, and again a warm wind blows from the sea. A rare guest for the Dutch is a harsh winter. In a winter like this, the canals can freeze. But even at this time, the locals do not lose heart, and arrange numerous competitions in ice skating - people of all ages love and respect him here. In general, the climate of the Netherlands can be called favorable for European residents - something between the arithmetic and really harsh and hot versions of it.