Netherlands - Highlights
The Netherlands is a medley of cultural treasure-trove and pastoral idyll, from Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum and Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum) to the canals that wend their way through the countryside.
Hop on a train from Amsterdam and go to the Kruller-Moller Museum in the Hoge Veluwe national park, where you'll find contemporary art and sculpture in an outdoor setting. In Delft, wander round the Prinsenhof, a medieval monastery (now a museum) where Prince William of Orange was murdered in 1584. In nearby Den Haag (The Hague) marvel at the Dutch state collection of Dutch and Flemish art, housed in the 17th-century Dutch Classical Mauritshuis, worth seeing for its architecture alone.
The tall, narrow canal houses of Amsterdam are iconic - many were built as warehouses in the 17th century. Giethoorn is a Venice-like village in the province of Overijssel, where the canals are still the main way of getting around: it is not uncommon to see cows or wedding parties being transported by boat. In the south-west, look at the Oosterscheldekering - an awesome dam which can be opened and closed to keep the sea at bay. In Rotterdam, zoom to the top of the 185-metre Euromast for far-reaching city views.
Build sandcastles at the seaside town of Scheveningen, with its long beach, pavilions and restaurants. Take the kids to a theme park, such as the magic kingdom of Efteling, or to Artis zoo in Amsterdam. Swim, sail and water-ski up north in the lakes of Overijssel, Drenthe and Friesland. See the whole country in miniature at Madurodam, in The Hague.
Cycling in the Netherlands is a joy. There are separate cycle lanes almost everywhere, and you can easily cycle between cities, not just within them. Go through bulb fields, woods, and along the coastal dunes. It is the best way of seeing the country.
While exploring the capital, tune into Amsterdam by Jacques Brel; go bar-hopping in Groningen to Dutch DJ JXL's A little less conversation Elvis remix; cycle through the fields to Bicycle Race by Queen.
