Netherlands

Amsterdam, the capital, is defined by its UNESCO-listed canal ring, gabled merchant houses, and world-class museums, the Rijksmuseum (home to Rembrandt's Night Watch), the Van Gogh Museum and the moving Anne Frank House. Bicycles and boats are the natural way to explore.

Elsewhere, The Hague is the seat of government and international courts, with the Vermeer-rich Mauritshuis; Rotterdam dazzles with bold modern architecture after its WWII rebuilding; Delft charms with its blue pottery and canals; and Utrecht offers a compact, canal-side historic centre. In spring, the Keukenhof gardens and surrounding bulb fields burst into colour, while the windmills of Kinderdijk (a UNESCO site) evoke the classic Dutch landscape. Dutch treats are moreish: warm stroopwafels, bitterballen (crispy meat croquettes), fresh herring eaten street-side, aged Gouda and Edam cheeses, and poffertjes mini pancakes.

Experiences blend art, canals, cycling and countryside, with English spoken almost universally.

• Amsterdam canal cruises and guided old-town walks
• Skip-the-line entry and tours at the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum
• Cycling tours through the city or countryside past windmills and fields
• Spring day trips to Keukenhof gardens and the tulip bulb fields
• Cheese-tasting and food tours featuring Gouda, herring and stroopwafels

Spring (mid-March to mid-May) is magical, with tulips blooming and the Keukenhof gardens open, culminating in the nationwide orange party of King's Day on 27 April. Summer brings long days, canal-side terraces and festivals but bigger crowds. Autumn is atmospheric and quieter, while winter offers cosy cafés, festive markets and, in cold years, the chance of canal ice-skating.