When people think of the Netherlands, cities like The Hague and Utrecht come to mind — but it’ll definitely tick off your average Dutchie if you act like these are the only cities around. 🙄
Rarely do you hear about the beautiful city of Hilversum or the historical city of Nijmegen. It’s always “Amsterdam this, Rotterdam that” and never “actually, I really like Maastricht”.
What is it?
The Randstad is a megalopolis (a collection of large cities that are close to each other), made up of Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.
Over 8.3 million people live within the Randstad compared to the country’s total population of 17.4 million. So chances are, if you’re in the Netherlands, you’re reading from the Randstad.
But of course, the remaining 9.1 million people who live in the Netherlands live perfectly happy and fulfilling lives without having to be in this cluster of cities…right? 🤨
Why do they do it?
Some Dutchies may feel as though everything outside the Randstad is boring and dull. There’s this notion that everything in the Netherlands worth seeing is in the Randstad and that it’s not worth going to other cities otherwise.
Obviously, this isn’t true but Dutchies from outside the Randstad probably feel a little attacked when someone comes here and acts like there’s nothing except Amsterdam.
And so what happens? An unspoken rivalry between the Randstad and everyone else — even when there’s nothing really to be fighting about. 🤷🏻
Why is it quirky?
Well, it seems like this attitude is mostly self-imposed. No, people who live in the Randstad don’t actually think they’re better than everyone else. No, non-Randstaders don’t have an inferiority complex.
But we do notice this little feud every now and then when you ask a Dutchie what the best city in the Netherlands is — you’ll find they are more divided over whether it’s a Randstad city or not.
Should you join in?
Unless you want to contribute to this weird rivalry, we suggest you don’t join in fuelling the fire. 🍵 Maybe it’s better to sit at the sidelines and just enjoy all the Dutch cities for what they have to offer.
What do you think of this Dutch quirk? Have you experienced it? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: DutchReview/Supplied