Culture in the Netherlands

Stamppot is a savoury dish made from mashed potatoes and various vegetables such as kale, sauerkraut or turnips. It is often served with smoked sausage or bacon.

Stamppot is particularly popular in the cooler months and combines simplicity with comfort. The dish is also ideal for using up leftovers or stored vegetables.

Bitterballen are a small but tasty snack from Dutch cuisine. The crispy balls are filled with a creamy meat ragout and are traditionally served hot with mustard. They are a popular accompaniment to beer in pubs and at social events. Their name comes from the fact that they were traditionally eaten with bitters.

Frikandel (also known as frikandelle) are widely available in fast food restaurants, street stalls and cafés in the Netherlands and Belgium and are considered a quick and tasty snack. It is a type of deep-fried meat roll or sausage made from a mixture of minced meat, such as chicken, pork and beef.

The frikandel is usually deep-fried until it is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It can be served in different ways: plain, in a bun (similar to a hot dog), or ‘speciaal’ - sliced and garnished with mayonnaise, ketchup and raw onions.

Poffertjes are an enchanting delicacy from Dutch cuisine. The small, fluffy pancakes, which are made from a special buckwheat dough mixture, are usually barely bigger than a coin.

Poffertjes are prepared hot and fresh in special cast-iron pans and are usually served with a generous helping of icing sugar and a dab of butter. The sweet mini pancakes are particularly popular with children and are a firm favourite at street festivals and markets. 

Stroopwafels are a tempting Dutch pastry consisting of two thin, crispy wafers held together by a rich, sweet caramel filling. They originate from the city of Gouda.Stroopwafels are a favourite accompaniment to coffee or tea.Served warm, the caramel layer melts easily, giving them an irresistible charm.The Stroopwafel can also be placed on the cup for a short time to warm it up.

A traditional Dutch spirit is jenever (also known as genever), which is often regarded as the forerunner of gin. It is distilled from juniper berries and can be enjoyed neat or in cocktails. Bessenjenever, a sweet version of jenever mixed with berry juice, is often served as an aperitif or digestif.

Other popular liqueurs in the Netherlands are the egg liqueur variant Advocaat and Oranjebitter - an orange-coloured liqueur that is traditionally drunk during King's Day (Koningsdag).

Beer is a central element of Dutch drinking culture. The Netherlands is known for a wide variety of beers, including world-famous brands such as Heineken, Amstel and Grolsch, as well as a growing number of craft beer breweries.

Coffee is an integral part of everyday life in the Netherlands. The Netherlands has a strong coffee culture, with a preference for strong coffee served black. Tea is also popular in the Netherlands, often in the afternoon and in a wide range of flavours.

Hot chocolate is particularly popular in the Netherlands during the colder months. It is characterised by its rich and creamy texture.

King's Day on 27 April honours the king's birthday. It is a bank holiday full of street parties, flea markets, music and a general atmosphere of celebration. People often wear orange, the colour of the royal family.

Parades are organised in many Dutch cities on Koningsdag. One of the biggest celebrations awaits you in the capital Amsterdam.

The famous cheese market in Alkmaar is a traditional event that takes place every Friday morning from April to September. Visitors can watch cheese traders and cheese carriers in traditional dress trade and carry around large wheels of cheese.

The Netherlands is famous for its flowers, especially tulips. Various flower parades take place in several parts of the country in spring. Floats and boats are decorated with thousands of flowers and driven through the streets. The largest and most famous of these is the ‘Bloemencorso Bollenstreek’ from Noordwijk to Haarlem.