Written by Renate, a veteran Rail Europe Employee and native Netherlander. She’s here to give you the inside track on what makes her country so special – and just 30 minutes away from Holland’s cultural epicenter.
Maybe it’s because I was raised in the burbs, but I’ve always known there was much more to my country than the ever-popular, culturally liberal city of Amsterdam. City dwellers who want to unwind know that just 30 minutes away by train there’s a place to relax that’s “shaped” by history. And it’s much more than tulips and windmills.
The northern fisher towns of Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Medemblik, also know as the “Historic Triangle”, blossomed during the time of the Dutch East India Company. A journey through these towns by steam train and boat make for a unique and unforgettable experience. At least, this is what my out-of-town guests claimed after a post-wedding trip I had arranged for them on this route.
The capital of 
