Category: Dutch Culture
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Why the Dutch Have a Word for This Feeling — and Nobody Else Does
Gezellig: the Dutch word that has no English translation. Discover what it means, where to find it, and why it changes how you see the Netherlands — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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Why Dutch Farmers Still Choose Wooden Clogs Over Rubber Boots
Millions of Dutch wooden clogs are still made every year — not for tourists, but for the farmers who know wood outperforms everything. Discover the real story behind the Netherlands’ most iconic shoe, plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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Why the Dutch Will Tell You the Truth Even When You’d Rather Not Hear It
Discover why the Dutch say exactly what they mean — and why their famous directness is actually a form of deep respect — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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Why Eight O’Clock on the 4th of May Stops the Whole of the Netherlands
Every 4 May at 8pm, the Netherlands falls silent for two minutes. The story behind a tradition that stops a nation — plus weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The Dutch Word for Walking Into the Wind — and Why It Changes Everything
The Dutch walk into the wind on purpose — and have a word for it. Discover uitwaaien, where to try it, and why it works — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The Real Reason the Dutch Cycle Everywhere (It’s Not What You Think)
Why do the Dutch cycle everywhere? The answer starts in the 1970s. Discover the story — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The One Dutch Holiday Where the Whole Country Becomes a Flea Market
Discover the vrijmarkt — the Dutch tradition where an entire nation sets up street stalls on King’s Day to sell each other old treasures — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The Dutch Word That Explains Why the Netherlands Feels Different to Everywhere Else
Gezellig: the Dutch word with no English translation that explains why the Netherlands feels like nowhere else — get weekly stories free in our newsletter.
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Why Dutch Homes Keep Their Curtains Open — The History Behind the Habit
Why Dutch homes keep their curtains open at night — the centuries-old tradition behind the habit. Get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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Why the Dutch Cycle in Rain, in Suits, and at Night — and Never Think Twice
The Netherlands has more bikes than people. Find out why — and what it says about Dutch life. Plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The Dutch Words That Reveal How the Netherlands Really Lives
These five Dutch words have no English translation — and each one reveals something true about how the Dutch think, feel, and live — plus get weekly Netherlands stories free in our newsletter.
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The Quiet Art of Dutch Cheese — And Why You Should Skip the Tourist Shops
Image: Wolf-photography / Shutterstock Dutch cheese has a problem, and the problem is the tourist shops. Walk down any street in central Amsterdam and you’ll see them — bright, cheerful, windows stacked with wheels of yellow Gouda and red-waxed Edam, labelled with cute Dutch phrases and marketed aggressively at visitors. Most of what they sell…