The Netherlands or Holland stands at the northwest corner of mainland Europe, bordering Belgium and Germany, and facing the North Sea. If you hire a car in the Netherlands you'll find it's a small but very densely populated nation. The country is famously flat with much of its landscape under the sea level or reclaimed from the sea with elaborate ditches and dams. The Netherlands has a monarchy but is also a long-standing liberal democracy. The capital is Amsterdam, the largest city, but the government and parliament are based in The Hague. The city of Rotterdam is Europe's largest and busiest port by a considerable margin.
If you have a hire car in the Netherlands you'll be able to explore this country with ease. You will be able to find vast fields of flowers, windmills visible for miles across the flat countryside and attractive networks of canals in both the countryside and the cities. Amsterdam is the biggest attraction, and it's not just the famous canals that attract visitors. Look out for the art galleries, relaxed cafes and bars, and the historic home of Dutch painter Rembrandt. Other cities like The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht are full of historic and cultural sights.
Driving in the Netherlands is generally easy and safe. There's a good network of high quality motorways and trunks roads. You're biggest problem is likely to be traffic - so plan ahead to beat the worst of the jams. You'll drive on the right in the Netherlands and most regulations are similar to the rest of Europe. Note, however, that children aged under three must travel in the back seat and the right of way on roundabouts can vary check the signs each time to see.
