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 you’ve 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:

17th

and 18th

century Dutch Architecture

The Dutch Golden Age roughly spanned over the whole of the 17th

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, you’ll also pass the iconic 18th

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 17th

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 you’ll 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 you’ll 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 19th

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 20th

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 Belgium’s 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, it’s 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.