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A unique flight over the Netherlands

Old towns, stunning constructions and wonderful nature: admire all of this and more in THIS IS HOLLAND, a brand-new 5D movie attraction by the producers of De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness). It is the perfect introduction to Holland for first-time visitors, but also an interesting surprise for Dutchies who think they know their country inside out. This is a magical 5D experience with smells, colours, images, sounds, rain and shine.

Some are calling it ‘The new city centre’. Perhaps that’s a bit much, but there is no denying that the north shore of the IJ has undergone a spectacular transformation. Shipyards, factories and smoking chimneys have made way for numerous attractions, hotels and fine restaurants. Explore the national film museum EYE, the A’DAM Tower with its rooftop viewing platform, the lively cultural hotspot on the NDSM shipyard, luxury hotel rooms in a renovated crane, and the culinary magic at Hotel De Goudfazant. Amsterdam-Noord has it all.

Zoom right over the many ‘must sees’ in the Netherlands
Zoom right over the many ‘must sees’ in the Netherlands

Amsterdam

Soar above the city, the monuments and nature

The latest addition to Amsterdam’s list of tourist attractions is THIS IS HOLLAND. Visitors take a seat inside this ‘panoramic flight simulator’ and watch a 5D movie on a 15-metre-high spherical screen. As your feet dangle in the air, your seat moves along with the images in the film as if you’re actually flying over the country. EMS Films, which produced the very popular natural history documentary De Nieuwe Wildernis, spent 2 years recording 32 hours of material from a helicopter. The finest shots were selected for this film. Highlights include many cultural, historic and natural treasures, such as the Amsterdam canals, the Woudagemaal pumping station and the Wadden Sea – all 3 of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. The ‘flight’ also takes you to Schiphol Airport and the windmills of Zaanse Schans, along the coast, over castles, palaces, the tulip fields and such nature reserves as the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Veluwezoom and Oostvaardersplassen. Throughout the film, visitors are literally immersed in the very best of the Netherlands.
A unique flight experience
Students discover the history of the Netherlands

THIS IS HOLLAND: practical information

The main show lasts 8 minutes, however the entire visit takes around an hour. Like at many theme parks, visitors to THIS IS HOLLAND can have their photograph taken as a souvenir. In this particular picture they will seem to be flying through the air; a great reminder of a great experience! There is also a short film about the past and present of the Netherlands, followed by a presentation of the locations that appear in the featured film. And then it’s time for the grand finale: ‘The Flight Experience’. THIS IS HOLLAND can accommodate 200 visitors an hour and is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. Tickets are €15.50 at www.thisisholland.com. You will find the cylinder-shaped building at the Overhoeksplein next to the EYE Museum and the A’DAM Tower. Access is by a free ferry that departs from behind Amsterdam Central Station.
The THIS IS HOLLAND pavilion in Amsterdam-Noord

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