Giethoorn, Netherlands

With a population of around 630,000, Rotterdam, which is in the southern Netherlands, is the second-biggest city in the nation after Amsterdam, the capital. Because of its location on the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt river delta, Rotterdam has been an important city for hundreds of years and has always been a major port. The port of Rotterdam has grown and been a key port for the Dutch East India Company since the 1300s. Rotterdam was heavily bombed during World War II, and its center was nearly destroyed. Nevertheless, the city was gradually rebuilt and is now a modern port.Because of its beauty and history, Rotterdam is the ideal getaway destination for couples, families, and friends. Rotterdam is known around the world as the most attractive city in the Netherlands and is situated in the country's south. Its magnificent architecture, history, culture, and main city attractions draw tourists from all over the world. In 1604, Rotterdam's first municipal library was established. With fifteen locations throughout the city, the Bibliotheek Rotterdam (Public Library) was founded in 1869 and is presently the biggest cultural institution in Rotterdam. The Stadsarchief Rotterdam, often known as the Rotterdam City Archives, was founded in 1857. Administrative documents and historical development sources for the city can be found here.Among the archival holdings are a library, notarial deeds, general archives, and an audiovisual collection.

The Dutch city and municipality of Delft is located in the South Holland province. It is situated between The Hague to the northwest and Rotterdam to the southeast. Alongside them, it is a component of the Randstad and the Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area.A well-liked travel destination in the Netherlands, Delft is well-known for its blue ceramics, its historical ties to the ruling House of Orange-Nassau, the residence of painter Jan Vermeer, and its status as the home of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). In the past, Delft had a significant impact on the Dutch Golden Age.Delft is regarded as the origin of microbiology in terms of science and technology because of the groundbreaking work of Martinus Beijerinck and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.As the name suggests, the city of Delft was named after the 'Delf' canal, which is derived from the verb delven, which means to delve or dig. Around 1075, a Count built his manor at the high spot where this 'Delf' crossed the creek wall of the silted-up river Gantel. As seen by the size of its central market square, Delft became a significant market town in part because of this.Count Willem II gave Delft its city charter on April 15, 1246, after it had grown from a rural town in the early Middle Ages. Industry and trade were booming. The port of Delfshaven was constructed in 1389 after the Delfshavensche Schie canal was excavated through to the Maas River, linking Delft with the ocean.When William of Orange (Willem van Oranje), also known as William the Silent (Willem de Zwijger), moved into the old Saint-Agatha monastery (after known as the Prinsenhof) in 1572, the town became associated with the House of Orange. He served as the leader of the Eighty Years' War, a developing national Dutch resistance movement against Spanish domination. At that time, Delft was one of Holland's most important cities and had the city walls needed for a headquarters. In the Battle of Delft in October 1573, Spanish soldiers launched an attack that was repulsed.

De Haar Castle's interior is every bit as magnificent as its exterior! You can take your time exploring the interior if you purchase a combo ticket. With opulent bedrooms, sculptures and carvings, paintings, ornate furniture, stained glass windows, There are 200 rooms in the castle! The interior tour was quite informative and worth it, even though they only allowed you walk through a few of these. The entire village of Haarzuilens had to move to make room for this magnificent castle, which was constructed by renowned Dutch architect PJH Cuypers. It is situated on a breathtaking 250-acre park. Although the original castle site was created in the fourteenth century, it is well worth the effort to examine this more recent building, which was built in 1892.armor sets, and much more, Castle De Haar's interior is exquisite and incredibly detailed. It's like taking a tour of an art museum.The castle has gone by numerous titles over the years. The castle was originally built by an aristocratic family known as the Van Zuylen family. You get Haarzuilens, Haarzuilen, or Haarzuylens when you combine that with the family name De Haar. Today, Haarzuilens is the name of the town where the castle is situated. However, the history books also mention Ter Haar, De Haer, and Huis De Haar.

Aan de Geul, Valkenburg Limburgish: The municipality of Valkeberg is located in the province of Limburg in southeast Netherlands. The municipality's central town, Valkenburg, and the little river Geul that flows through it are referenced in the name.A recurring motif in Valkenburg's history has been sieges and conquests, particularly in relation to Valkenburg Castle, the home of the counts of Valkenburg (or Falkenburg). In an attempt to keep Louis XIV of France's army from seizing it, Dutch troops under William III destroyed the fortress once more in December 1672, this time with no intention of rebuilding it. Due to the area's natural surroundings, Valkenburg became a popular vacation spot for the wealthy in the Netherlands during the 19th century. Following the opening of the railway from Maastricht to Heerlen and Aachen in 1853, tourism flourished. The oldest railway station still standing in the Netherlands is Valkenburg. Pierre Cuypers, a Dutch architect, spent a number of years at Valkenburg during the start of the twentieth century. By creating a hotel, an outdoor theater, and a replica of the Roman catacombs, he contributed to the growth of tourism. In addition, he renovated the medieval church and created a Gothic Revival-style chapel and a number of graves for a cemetery on Cauberg, a high hill beyond the town center.Cycling events are the reason for Valkenburg aan de Geul's fame. In 1938, 1948, 1979, 1998, and 2012, the city hosted the UCI Road Cycling World Championship five times in a row. The Amstel Gold Race has been held on the city's Cauberg hill since 2003, and as of 2017, it is within the final 10 kilometers of the finish line. In 1992 and 2006, Valkenburg served as a stage finale for the Tour de France. The following villages and hamlets make up the municipality of Valkenburg aan de Geul, in addition to the city of Valkenburg (including the Broekhem neighborhood): Berg en Terblijt, Vilt, Geulhem, Houthem, Sibbe, IJzeren, Oud-Valkenburg, Schin op Geul, and Walem.