North Holland, Province in northwestern Netherlands
Noord-Holland is a province in the northwestern Netherlands that stretches along the North Sea coast to the inland waters of the IJsselmeer. The landscape alternates between dune strips, flat polders below sea level, and wide flower fields.
The province formed in 1840 when the historic region of Holland divided into northern and southern parts, with Haarlem as capital. This split followed administrative reforms in the Kingdom of the Netherlands after independence from French rule.
The name Holland comes from Old Dutch „holt-land,
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol connects the province to destinations worldwide and sits centrally among the larger cities. Regional trains and buses run regularly to smaller towns and coastal villages.
Marken was a true island in the Zuiderzee until 1957, when a causeway connected the village to the mainland. Visitors today can still see the old wooden houses on stilts that once protected against high water.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
