An Autumn savory: Arnhem, The Netherlands 

Holidays are the most awaited activity of the winters of the Netherlands. With the overshadow mornings, chilly nights and snowy days the outings give a boost of life to our gloomy days. But this winter has an added disadvantage, the pandemic. So, we could only visit such places where there are less crowd and more space to roam around freely. I had heard a lot about The Hoge Veluwe National Park from locals, so it was in my travel list for a long time. While all the google-searched write-ups suggested visiting the stretch during autumn for a picturesque view, there was no chance of me missing this opportunity. The first thing I checked was it a drivable option so that we don't have to stay there and to my happiness it was!

Arnhem is a beautiful city in the eastern part of The Netherlands which has a very glorious history attached to it. Other than the national park it has numerous monumental sightseeing facilities too.

I have visited most of them, so I would love to share my experience with you all, hoping it will help you with your vacation plans. According to me, three days is enough for exploring all the essential sights of this city. Some of the places are nearer to each other so you can club them on the same day.

The Hoge Veluwe National Park- The national park is a cultural estate that spreads around 5400 hectares of land with varied terrain, forestry and animal species. It has three different entrance to the park, each equipped with ticket centres and car parking. Things to check out for in the garden is photogenic landscapes, the Kroller Muller Museum, Museonder(an underground museum) and Park restaurant. You can visit the whole park in your car or bike (free bikes are available too near the entrance). The safety precautions are excellent.

My experience tip: If possible, take bikes either own or the ones available in the park to explore the area thoroughly. It is a surreal experience altogether when you are so close to nature and have stoppages at your wish to click pictures or soak in the view.

Kroller Muller Museum- This museum is a live form of one of my dreams. I have always wanted to have a personal library cum collection house, and Helene Kroller Muller has done it. She was a lover of art and has one of the largest private collections of 20th Century.

It is harboured in the centre of the National Park, mentioned above, housing arts of Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Monet, Piet Mondriaan and many more. The collections are unique, and all documented in a book which you can find in the museum shop. With times, the museum has undergone many additions to attract more visitors around the world, and the sculpture garden is one of them. Around 160 counts of the architectural gems are scattered all over the area.

Royal Burgers' Zoo- Every time I visit a zoo, in Europe, I feel that is the best one I can ever see. Surprisingly, every time I am proved wrong. From the Schonbrunn Zoo in Vienna to Oceanario de Lisboa In Lisbon have surprised me with their environmental preserve and variety of animal life displayed. Still, this zoo has also proved its worth. I am delighted to add the Burgers' zoo to the list too. This vast spread of animal kingdom is a treat for people of all age group with lots of fun facts about various species. You can make a day trip out of it with your kids. Do try out the café in the zoo, they have some tasty treats there.

The Netherland Open Air Museum- These kinds of Open-Air museums are my favourite. This isn't the first time I did visit an open-air museum, but I knew that I was going to be mind blown. Generally, we have known museums to host models or pictures and images of a part of the story they want to share. Most of the time its in a closed space and you have to use your imagination to get the whole picture. However, the open-air museums harbour things in their natural existence form. In the Openluchtmuseum, you get to see The Netherlands terrain, culture, food, highlights in its glory. If you want to know The Netherlands as a country in a few hours, then do visit this museum. It has answers to everything- how the ancestors used to live, what was their hobbies, work, personal life about and many more such questions. 

The highlights of this museum are the Canon of Dutch History: a presentation of Dutch History. There are various activities for children too. If you want, you can have a tram ride to reach multiple stops in the general area.

Airborne Museum Hartenstein- Did you know a part of the Second World War was fought in Hartenstein, Arnhem? The Airborne museum throws light on the war and shows the perspective of every party involved. Other than the exhibition you can find a show explaining the whole war period and also an Airborne Experience exhibition which recreates the entire scene with the visitors. It was heart-wrenching to see what people went through for their freedom. The visit to the museum will surely make you understand what humankind has survived.

A tasty tip: Do try the restaurant nearby named Klein Hartenstein for its delicious servings. I swear you will regret it if you give it a miss.

Doorwerth Castle- The castle was one of the first museum castles in Netherland when it opened its doors in 1913. But with the second world war happening, it took long years to restore it and open again for visitors. Saying this, you can easily understand how relevant this castle is. The walls, the articles exhibited, the architecture everything tells a story here. The tour of the museum gets you through various parts of the castle-like entrance, dining room, kitchen, bedroom hall, etc. to give you those era's vibes. For me, the scariest part was the Prison. Visit the castle to know why.

With so many things to serve, Arnhem is very spectacular in terms of the old Netherlands view. If you ever visit this city, do not forget to check the places mentioned above. And when you visit do share your experiences in the comment section of the post. I would be more than happy to know about it.