Experience more of the Netherlands with road travel in Amsterdam

As springtime dawns upon us and the travel market gears up for short breaks, Amsterdam heads the list of the most desirable and popular European city destinations. The culture, atmosphere and nightlife of Amsterdam have long been heralded by UK and European travellers; and Amsterdam, along with Barcelona, Prague and Dublin is widely recognised as one of the most popular short break destinations.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands' largest city, is also one of the most pedestrian friendly and environmentally conscious cities in the world. This status helps reaffirm the tourist-friendly nature of the city, as amiable wandering is encouraged and the scourge of traffic is virtually non-existent within the confines of the city centre.

Amsterdam is also a good base for those looking to explore further into the Netherlands; and for repeat visitors, a number of excursions and attractions are easily accessible by car from the city. Delft, a historic city founded in 1100, is on the main stretch of road between Amsterdam and The Hague. The town is home to the historic blue and white pottery, known as Delftware; it has also been described as 'the Netherlands in miniature,' with characteristic buildings and canals that are associated with the architecture of the country. Further traditional pursuits can be experienced in Alkmaar, which hosts the weekly cheese market. This runs every Friday and is a traditional ritual for tourists who are after the region's renowned Edam and Gouda cheeses.

For adventurous types, a day trip to the Efteling theme park is a must. The park is based around traditional myths and fairy tales and is renowned as one of the best theme parks in Europe. More laid-back entertainment can be found on a trip to the Zaanse Schans windmills - a reconstructed and fully operational museum that relives the heritage of industrial windmills.

Driving in the Netherlands is a pleasurable pursuit: the country is flat, the roads are open and most tourists find that Dutch drivers are extremely courteous and safe. Moreover, with extensive means of car hire in the Netherlands, pairing some exciting excursions with a round-up of Amsterdam attractions is simple. But if the wider attractions of the Netherlands don't appeal, you can always hire a bike and see some of the Netherlands on two wheels rather than four.

Lastest Headlines for "Travel and Leisure"

• ZEN CLASS Gives Air Travel Excellence New Wings; Innovative Travel Accessories Line Brings Ease & Leisure In-Flight ... (PRWeb)
  ZEN CLASS™ is a new line of comfort and organization accessories originated to improve the diminishing quality of passenger travel. With a tagline encouraging trippers to "upgrade yourself," the brand takes flight with the ZEN CLASS NIRVANA ORGANIZER, a patent-pending tote that cleverly converts the airline seat-back tray table into a storage area for all personal, professional or parental ...
• lastminute.com appoints Andy Washington as Sales Director for Travel (eyefortravel.com)
  Online travel and leisure retailer lastminute.com has chosen former Cosmos Sales And Distribution Director Andy Washington for the newly created position of Sales Director - Travel.
• ZEN CLASS Gives Air Travel Excellence New Wings; Innovative Travel Accessories Line Brings Ease & Leisure In-Flight ... (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)
  ZEN CLASS™ is a new line of comfort and organization accessories originated to improve the diminishing quality of passenger travel. With a tagline encouraging trippers to "upgrade yourself," the brand takes flight with the ZEN CLASS NIRVANA ORGANIZER, a patent-pending tote that cleverly converts the airline seat-back tray table into a storage area for all personal, professional or parental needs.
• Sligo Airport capitalises on leisure travel boom (Western People)
  IRISH holidaymakers are still travelling abroad in huge numbers, with no sign of a significant downturn just yet. And Sligo Airport, just one of the regional airports doomed by Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary recently, is ready to capitalise on this boon.
• With help from the Web, travel agents regain relevance | boston.com (Hospitality Net)
  Not long ago, the advent of online travel - allowing travelers to research and book their trips with a few clicks of a mouse - was thought to be a death knell for traditional travel agents. But faced with the increasing cost and unpredictability of travel today, vacationers seem to be returning to the fold. Twenty-three percent of online leisure travelers in the United States say they would use ...
• Roster of OpenTravel Members Speaking at Travel Distribution Summit In Las Vegas on October 1 and 2, 2008 (eyefortravel.com)
  August 20, 2008 – WASHINGTON, DC - The OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel), the travel industry’s leading distribution standards development organization, will be very well represented at EyeforTravel’s Travel Distribution Summit.
• Americans Pumped Up About Fall Travel (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
  TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual fall travel survey of more than 1,900 travelers worldwide.
• Sri Lanka eyes more travellers from the Middle East (AME Info)
  A high level travel delegation from Sri Lanka, led by His Excellency Faizer Musthapha, Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Tourism will target prominent countries in the Gulf including UAE and Qatar in a bid to attract increased leisure traffic.
• lastminute to sell UK rail tickets (eyefortravel.com)
  lastminute.com has become the first online travel agency to sell UK rail tickets. The online travel and leisure retailer, also a retailer of Eurostar's cross channel train service, has added UK domestic rail to its site.
• Travel almanac (The Salt Lake Tribune)
  Crazy chair Looking for a good chair to relax in after a road trip? The $68 framed, flat-folding Crazy Legs Leisure chair by Crazy Creek features a side table to hold cold drinks and snacks.