When to visit what, and the joys of flexibility

Everybody will agree that the Netherlands are an interesting country to visit.
But that weather ! You never know what to expect !
You can indeed encounter three seasons in a day here.

Now, there is good news and bad news for visitors to Holland.
Yes, the weather is pretty unstable, with on many days some risk of precipitation.
But on the other hand, this changeability also means that, if it rains, it generally does not rain for days on end. (Yes, I know, that cold and wet summer of 2011 ! But that was really exceptional....)
Anyway, either you can resent the climate, and grumble. Or you can simply take this fact into account in your planning. By including flexibility !
Flexibility really is the key word for a relaxed visit to this country.

Being flexible is made easier with great tools like rain radar on the internet. That gives a pretty accurate short term forecast, and allows you to decide in the morning on the rest of the day.
"Well, it's going to rain a lot this morning, let's visit that and that museum, cosy indoors."    Here a Museumcard comes in handy !
"Hey, looks this afternoon the weather will be OK. Let's go out for a country walk or a bike trip."
True, the best period of the year for outdoor activity is April till October. But we have a moderate climate, so even in winter a short bicycle trip or a nice walk can be just great.

High season in the Netherlands is July and August. But that mainly goes for the seaside region, and a few highlight touristical places.
Still plenty of room to stay, cycle or walk in the rest of the country. And plenty of beauty as well, don't worry.
One remark : especially in spring, the first warm sunny days of the year, do expect crowds of Dutch walkers and bikers on the bicycle paths in the weekend !
Amsterdam is always busy and crowded ; less in winter of course, and that's just fine for museum visits. For famous museums, avoid the weekend and/or book in advance.
And talking crowds, there's the season of tulips and other spring flowers. Most tourists go to the traditional growing region, a narrow strip along the coast south of Amsterdam. For more relaxed possibilities, check my private tulip tours.

About days of the week to do things. Many museums are closed on Monday, especially in smaller towns. In Amsterdam they're generally open on Monday. But best check anyway.
Sundays tend to be very quiet in small towns, with shops, local museums, and restaurants often closed. Even in Amsterdam, expect live to really wake up towards noon on Sundays.

For the weather forecast

• Rain radar, actual and forecast : www.buienradar.nl.
• Weather forecast, actual, short and long term : www.weather-forecast.com.

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