Wind, Water, Wonders

Manneken Pis or Atomium? Then they have arrived in Belgium's capital Brussels! The Manneken Pis is a fountain figure made of bronze, which is only about half a meter tall, but has been delighting people since 1650. In addition to the ancient buildings, Brussels is also known for its culinary, especially its fine chocolates, which are available in numerous chocolatiers. If enough buildings have been visited and the sweets extensively tested, a relaxing day can only be rounded off by a delicious beer. There are plenty of them in Brussels and as a beer lover you can choose your favorite beer from a selection of over 1,000 types. Whether Manneken Pis, Chocolatier or Leffe Blonde - in Brussels you will find everything your heart desires..

Manneken Pis or Atomium? Then they have arrived in Belgium's capital Brussels! The Manneken Pis is a fountain figure made of bronze, which is only about half a meter tall, but has been delighting people since 1650. In addition to the ancient buildings, Brussels is also known for its culinary, especially its fine chocolates, which are available in numerous chocolatiers. If enough buildings have been visited and the sweets extensively tested, a relaxing day can only be rounded off by a delicious beer. There are plenty of them in Brussels and as a beer lover you can choose your favorite beer from a selection of over 1,000 types. Whether Manneken Pis, Chocolatier or Leffe Blonde - in Brussels you will find everything your heart desires..

Manneken Pis or Atomium? Then they have arrived in Belgium's capital Brussels! The Manneken Pis is a fountain figure made of bronze, which is only about half a meter tall, but has been delighting people since 1650. In addition to the ancient buildings, Brussels is also known for its culinary, especially its fine chocolates, which are available in numerous chocolatiers. If enough buildings have been visited and the sweets extensively tested, a relaxing day can only be rounded off by a delicious beer. There are plenty of them in Brussels and as a beer lover you can choose your favorite beer from a selection of over 1,000 types. Whether Manneken Pis, Chocolatier or Leffe Blonde - in Brussels you will find everything your heart desires..

The heart of Flanders beats in Antwerp, the internationallen center of the diamond trade. And when it comes to finest chocolaterie and the lively cultural scene, it beats thateven a little faster. The home of numerous fashioncreators, painters and musicians was 400 years ago the largest city in Europe and testifies with its historic city center of a magnificent past: a look into the hall of the Main Station or to the luxury department store "Stadsfeestzaal" well worth it! In addition to thirteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites provide more As 50 baroque Rubens works in various museums picture-perfect for looking up.

Explore Antwerp, Belgium's second city. Known for its diamond cutting industry, fashion and the many great artists that lived in its vicinity, Antwerp is a city focused on art and culture.

Explore Antwerp, Belgium's second city. Known for its diamond cutting industry, fashion and the many great artists that lived in its vicinity, Antwerp is a city focused on art and culture.

Once a thriving trading port for Scottish wool in the 16th century, Veere is now a quiet village of about 1,500 people within a larger municipality.

Bruinisse, often called "Bru" by locals, is a quintessential fishing village on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands. It is famously known as the "Mussel Capital" of the country due to its long-standing tradition of mussel farming and aquaculture.

Bruinisse, often called "Bru" by locals, is a quintessential fishing village on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland in the province of Zeeland, Netherlands. It is famously known as the "Mussel Capital" of the country due to its long-standing tradition of mussel farming and aquaculture.

Willemstad is a former fortified city of William of Orange, which is located on the southern coast of the Netherlands. It is an impostant, star-shaped fortress, which consists of a hexagon of canals and five bastions. There are a total of 11 forts on the southern coast of the Netherlands, three of which can be visited in Willemstad. In the historic city, the former ammunition depots and provision stores have now become cozy cafes and restaurants, which invite you to take a break in a historic ambience. In addition to visiting the fortresses, great bird watching can be done in the surroundings of Willemstad. This is best done at the bird boulevard Hellegat-Ventjager, where four observation huts and an observation tower can be found.

Dutch settlers came here in the 1630s, about the same time they sailed through the Verazzano Narrows to Manhattan, bringing with them original red-tile roofs, first used on the trade ships as ballast and later incorporated into the architecture of Willemstad. Much of the original colonial structures remain, but this historic city is constantly reinventing itself and the government monument foundation is always busy restoring buildings in one urban neighborhood or another. The salty air causes what is called "wall cancer" which causes the ancient abodes to continually crumble over time. The city is cut in two by Santa Anna Bay. On one side is Punda (the point)—crammed with shops, restaurants, monuments, and markets and a new museum retracing its colorful history. And on the other side is Otrobanda (literally meaning the "other side"), with lots of narrow, winding streets and alleyways (called "steekjes" in Dutch), full of private homes notable for their picturesque gables and Dutch-influenced designs. In recent years the ongoing regeneration of Otrobanda has been apparent, marked by a surge in development of new hotels, restaurants, and shops; the rebirth, concentrated near the waterfront, was spearheaded by the creation of the elaborate Kura Hulanda complex.There are three ways to cross the bay: by car over the Juliana Bridge; by foot over the Queen Emma pontoon bridge (locally called "The Swinging Old Lady"); or by free ferry, which runs when the pontoon bridge is swung open for passing ships. All the major hotels outside town offer free shuttle service to town once or twice daily. Shuttles coming from the Otrobanda side leave you at Riffort. From here it's a short walk north to the foot of the pontoon bridge. Shuttles coming from the Punda side leave you near the main entrance to Ft. Amsterdam.

The Dutch city of Dordrecht is a former trading city thanks to its location on the water. This past can still be felt in the town today. Be it in the historic city center, at the harbor or in one of the several museums. Also worth seeing is the "Grote Kerk" and the Augustinian monastery of the 13th century. A walk through Dordrecht is the best way to discover the history of the place.

The Dutch city of Dordrecht is a former trading city thanks to its location on the water. This past can still be felt in the town today. Be it in the historic city center, at the harbor or in one of the several museums. Also worth seeing is the "Grote Kerk" and the Augustinian monastery of the 13th century. A walk through Dordrecht is the best way to discover the history of the place.

The Dutch city of Dordrecht is a former trading city thanks to its location on the water. This past can still be felt in the town today. Be it in the historic city center, at the harbor or in one of the several museums. Also worth seeing is the "Grote Kerk" and the Augustinian monastery of the 13th century. A walk through Dordrecht is the best way to discover the history of the place.

The port city of Rotterdam is located in the Netherlands and is one of the most interesting places in the world. The modern architecture plays a significant role in this. Among the impressive sights is the horseshoe-shaped market hall with the huge range of goods and the colorful hustle and bustle. In the old harbor with the striking white house, historic ships can be marveled at. For strolling, shopping and partying, the shopping mile Witte de Withstraat is an attraction. The futuristic-looking central station, the bag, also invites you to pub crawl and shop.

Rotterdam is a city that's a long way removed from most people's stereotypical notion of the Netherlands. There are few, if any, canals to be found here nor are there any quaint windmills. There is, however, a thriving modern city which is one of the busiest ports in the entire world.

Amsterdam is one of those cities that every traveler should have visited at least once in his life. No wonder, millions and millions of tourists flock to the city on the canals every year to enjoy the flood of sights and cultural offerings. The best way to discover Amsterdam is by taking a boat ride along the canals or a walk along the unique canals. Art lovers will be immediately drawn to one of the world-famous museums, such as the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum or the Van Gogh Museum. Party people will find their happiness in the nightlife and red light district De Wallen. And beer drinkers should by no means miss the Heineken Experience.

Amsterdam combines the unrivaled beauty of the 17th-century Golden Age city center with plenty of museums and art of the highest order, not to mention a remarkably laid-back atmosphere. It all comes together to make this one of the world's most appealing and offbeat metropolises in the world. Built on a latticework of concentric canals like an aquatic rainbow, Amsterdam is known as the City of Canals—but it's no Venice, content to live on moonlight serenades and former glory. Quite the contrary: on nearly every street here you'll find old and new side by side—quiet corners where time seems to be holding its breath next to streets like neon-lit Kalverstraat, and Red Light ladies strutting by the city's oldest church. Indeed, Amsterdam has as many lovely facets as a 40-carat diamond polished by one of the city's gem cutters. It's certainly a metropolis, but a rather small and very accessible one. Locals tend to refer to it as a big village, albeit one that happens to pack the cultural wallop of a major world destination. There are scores of concerts every day, numerous museums, summertime festivals, and, of course, a legendary year-round party scene. It's pretty much impossible to resist Amsterdam's charms. With 7,000 registered monuments, most of which began as the residences and warehouses of humble merchants, set on 160 man-made canals, and traversed by 1,500 or so bridges, Amsterdam has the largest historical inner city in Europe. Its famous circle of waterways, the grachtengordel, was a 17th-century urban expansion plan for the rich and is a lasting testament to the city’s Golden Age. This town is endearing because of its kinder, gentler nature—but a reputation for championing sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll does not alone account for Amsterdam's being one of the most popular destinations in Europe: consider that within a single square mile the city harbors some of the greatest achievements in Western art, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh. Not to mention that this is one of Europe's great walking cities, with so many of its treasures in the untouted details: tiny alleyways barely visible on the map, hidden garden courtyards, shop windows, floating houseboats, hidden hofjes(courtyards with almshouses), sudden vistas of church spires, and gabled roofs that look like so many unframed paintings. And don’t forget that the joy lies in details: elaborate gables and witty gable stones denoting the trade of a previous owner. Keep in mind that those XXX symbols you see all over town are not a mark of the city's triple-X reputation. They're part of Amsterdam's official coat of arms—three St. Andrew's crosses, believed to represent the three dangers that have traditionally plagued the city: flood, fire, and pestilence. The coat's motto ("Valiant, determined, compassionate") was introduced in 1947 by Queen Wilhelmina in remembrance of the 1941 February Strike in Amsterdam—the first time in Europe that non-Jewish people protested against the persecution of Jews by the Nazi regime.

Amsterdam combines the unrivaled beauty of the 17th-century Golden Age city center with plenty of museums and art of the highest order, not to mention a remarkably laid-back atmosphere. It all comes together to make this one of the world's most appealing and offbeat metropolises in the world. Built on a latticework of concentric canals like an aquatic rainbow, Amsterdam is known as the City of Canals—but it's no Venice, content to live on moonlight serenades and former glory. Quite the contrary: on nearly every street here you'll find old and new side by side—quiet corners where time seems to be holding its breath next to streets like neon-lit Kalverstraat, and Red Light ladies strutting by the city's oldest church. Indeed, Amsterdam has as many lovely facets as a 40-carat diamond polished by one of the city's gem cutters. It's certainly a metropolis, but a rather small and very accessible one. Locals tend to refer to it as a big village, albeit one that happens to pack the cultural wallop of a major world destination. There are scores of concerts every day, numerous museums, summertime festivals, and, of course, a legendary year-round party scene. It's pretty much impossible to resist Amsterdam's charms. With 7,000 registered monuments, most of which began as the residences and warehouses of humble merchants, set on 160 man-made canals, and traversed by 1,500 or so bridges, Amsterdam has the largest historical inner city in Europe. Its famous circle of waterways, the grachtengordel, was a 17th-century urban expansion plan for the rich and is a lasting testament to the city’s Golden Age. This town is endearing because of its kinder, gentler nature—but a reputation for championing sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll does not alone account for Amsterdam's being one of the most popular destinations in Europe: consider that within a single square mile the city harbors some of the greatest achievements in Western art, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh. Not to mention that this is one of Europe's great walking cities, with so many of its treasures in the untouted details: tiny alleyways barely visible on the map, hidden garden courtyards, shop windows, floating houseboats, hidden hofjes(courtyards with almshouses), sudden vistas of church spires, and gabled roofs that look like so many unframed paintings. And don’t forget that the joy lies in details: elaborate gables and witty gable stones denoting the trade of a previous owner. Keep in mind that those XXX symbols you see all over town are not a mark of the city's triple-X reputation. They're part of Amsterdam's official coat of arms—three St. Andrew's crosses, believed to represent the three dangers that have traditionally plagued the city: flood, fire, and pestilence. The coat's motto ("Valiant, determined, compassionate") was introduced in 1947 by Queen Wilhelmina in remembrance of the 1941 February Strike in Amsterdam—the first time in Europe that non-Jewish people protested against the persecution of Jews by the Nazi regime.