All about Dutch Culture

Dutch culture is incredibly diverse and there are many regional differences as well as foreign
influences. When one thinks of Dutch Culture, one tends to think of the Netherlands, which
ignores the entire north-western part of Belgium. Here, people also speak Dutch and have their
own cultural practices and traditions. The best way to access both of these regions is through the
rivers that connect them, and this is why it is important to book one of the many available Dutch
river cruises if one wants to get a proper feel for what Dutch culture is all about.

The best time to do such a cruise is in springtime, as this is the part of the world that is famous
for its many varieties of tulips. They can be seen when one passes the Keukenhof Bulb Gardens
in Lisse, Netherlands, and the Vredehof Tulip Garden in Belgium. Once youve wandered
through these attractions, it will become clear why so many tourists do a Netherlands or Belgium
river cruise just to witness this floral splendor.

As far as the cultural aspect of these cruises is concerned, this is what one can expect:
17
th
and 18
th
century Dutch Architecture
The Dutch Golden Age roughly spanned over the whole of the 17
th
century. During this time the
architecture was amongst the most acclaimed in the world and many of these marvels can still be
witnessed today.

From an architectural point of view, there are many buildings here, like town halls, weigh and
store houses, castles, churches, and stately homes, that display Gothic elements with Renaissance
motives. Most of these historic structures are incredibly detailed and colorful and were designed
by noteworthy Dutch architects Jacob van Campen, Pieter Post, Pieter Vingbooms, Lieven de
Key, and Hendrick de Keyser.

On your Netherlands river cruise, youll also pass the iconic 18
th
century windmills and get an
in-depth lesson on why they were built, including how they work to control flooding in these
areas.

Dutch Art
The 17
th
century was also the Dutch Golden Age of painting and the works produced during this
time are still amongst the most celebrated in the world. There are a couple of Belgium museums
that youll pass along the way that feature great paintings by Baroque masters such as Rubens.
In the Netherlands, there was a clear break from the Baroque style during this time and elements
of Caravaggesque and naturalism became evident. Here youll be able to witness iconic paintings
like those of Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt van Rijn's Night
Watch.

The late 19
th
century gave birth to post-impressionism, and artworks known for their rough
beauty, emotional honesty, and bold color were created. Premier amongst these artists was
Vincent van Gogh, and some of his work is also displayed in museums in Amsterdam.

Apart from this there are also many 20
th
century works by renowned artists that fall into the
genres of Cubism, Futurism, Expressionism, and of course, many De Stijl (the style) works by
Piet Mondria, who advocated pure art and became a leading figure in the genre.

Chocolate and Cheese
Belgium is renowned for producing some of the best chocolates in the world and has been in the
business of making chocolate for a very long time. The same can be said about the Dutch and
their cheeses. While on your cruise, you will make stops at many chocolatiers and cheese
factories that date back a century or two and are still operating today. Here you will be allowed
to taste Belgiums famous namesakes while receiving a history lesson on their premier export
products.

This is just a small taste of Dutch culture, and there are also many modern cultural marvels in the
Netherlands and north-western part of Belgium that warrant a trip to these regions. When
looking at Dutch river cruises, its important to find one that covers both of these regions, like
the all-inclusive trips offered by AmaWaterways, in order to get the full Dutch experience.