Welcome to
the Netherlands
Culture & leisure
Dutch culture has its own character. We try to give you some guidance here. We have listed the official Dutch holidays. And an overview of useful websites will help you get ahead online.
The Dutch
culture
The Netherlands has its own customs, habits and traditions.
As an international, you will undoubtedly encounter typical Dutch things.
You may not always understand them immediately.
Or you might just be used to something completely different.
Because we speak to many expats, we have some experience with cultural differences.
By way of a brief introduction to Dutch culture, we have listed some primal Dutch things.
The Dutch are a down-to-earth people, straightforward and we love bikes!
Furthermore, we are thrifty and have everything well insured.
Because we are a small country, we have always sought connections with other countries.
Thus, we speak several languages and are a trading country.
Very Hollandish
Typically Dutch
- Directness (honest or blunt)
- Punctual (arriving on time and a deal is a deal)
- Consultation (‘poldering‘ to consensus).
- Complaining (about prices and the weather)
- Clean (from streets to window sills)
- Ordinary (is crazy enough)
- Economical (not a penny too much)
- Task-oriented (not who but what)
- Individualistic (independent instead of together)
- Open & friendly,
but also agenda & plans
Dutch food
- Herring (raw fish with onion)
- Stroopwafels (like sweet cake)
- Peppernuts (with St. Nicholas)
- Hutspot (with bacon and gravy)
- Mashed potatoes (potatoes, vegetables and mash them up)
- ‘Febo’ (croquette from the wall)
- Chocolate sprinkles (nice and messy)
- Licorice (you either love it or hate it)
Dutch customs and traditions
- ‘Oliebollen’ with New Year’s Eve
- Bread at lunch
- Setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve
- Rusks with ‘muisjes’ (‘mice’) at births
- ‘Sinterklaas’ and ‘Pakjesavond’ (St. Nicolas and ‘Presents Eve’)
- Collecting coupon stamps
- Elfstedentocht (Ice skating tour)
- (Nijmegen’s) 4Days Marches
- Doing everything by bicycle
- Swimming diploma
- Congratulations to the birthday person (Congratulating everyone on birthdays, not just the birthday person)
Public holidays 2025 🎉
- 🍾 Nieuwjaarsdag (New Year’s Day): Wednesday 1 January 2025
- ✝ Goede vrijdag (Good Friday): Friday 18 April 2025
- 🐣 Eerste en tweede paasdag (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday): Sunday 20 April and Monday 21 April 2025
- 👑 Koningsdag (King’s Day): Saturday 26 April 2025
(In 2025, King’s Day will be celebrated a day earlier on 26 April, because 27 April falls on a Sunday.) - 🎈 Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day): Monday 5 May 2025
- ☁ Hemelvaartsdag (Ascension Day): Thursday 29 May 2025
- 🌼 Eerste en tweede pinksterdag (Whit Sunday and Whit Monday): Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June 2025
- 🎄 Eerste en tweede kerstdag (Christmas Day and Boxing Day): Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025
ℹ More information: Which days are official public holidays in the Netherlands? | Government.nl
Websites that might be useful to you
IND (Immigration and Naturalization Service).
Municipalities
Food Valley
Expat info
Museums
National parks
Local news media
Internet
- Compare internet broadband providers (pricevergelijken.nl)
- Internet provider in the Netherlands for expats (broadbandwinkel.nl)
Health Insurance
Emergency Services
Government
Water & energy
- GBLT municipal and water board taxes
- Vitens (water)
- Compare energy providers (energyvergelijk.nl)
- Expats utilities service – Easy Nuts
- Expats Service – Utility Direct
Housing
Tax
Childcare
Transportation
Roadside assistance
International schools
- Amersfoort International School | Learning for all
- Rivers International School Arnhem (riversarnhem.org)
- ISU Homepage (isutrecht.nl)
Official holidays
Partners
- ABN AMRO Bank
- AHL immigration lawyers
- AON Insurance company
- Holiday resort De Thijmse Berg
- in’to Languages
- Ravecruitment
- Short Stay Wageningen
- SNS Bank
- The TaxSavers
- Wageningen University & Research
ID / BSN / DigiD
- Citizen service number (BSN) in the Netherlands | Business.gov.nl
- DigiD (Digital Identification).
- What is a Citizen Service number (belastingdienst.nl)
Note: These links are purely informative; We have no affiliation with any of them, except our official partners.
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