Netherlands Attractions

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the world's best hangouts, a canny blend of old and new: radical squatter art installations hang off 17th-century eaves; BMWs give way to bicycles; and triple-strength monk-made beer is drunk in gleaming, minimalist cafes.

The city seems to thrive on its mix and, despite hordes of tourists, still manages to feel quintessentially Dutch. The old crooked houses, the cobbled streets, the tree-lined canals and the generous parks all contribute to the atmosphere.

Hoge Veluwe

Hoge Veluwe is the country's largest national park and home to the wonderful Kröller-Müller Museum. The park itself covers 5500 hectares (13,500 acres) and is a strange mix of forests and woods, shifting sands and heath moors that provide a sense of isolation (if not actual isolation) found nowhere else on the Dutch mainland.

Red deer, wild boar and mouflon (a Mediterranean sheep) roam here. The Kröller-Müller Museum has 278 works by Van Gogh, as well as smaller collections of Picasso and Mondrian. Hoge Veluwe is accessible by bus from Arnhem, which is an hour's train ride east of Amsterdam. White bicycles are available free of charge once you're inside the park.

Maastricht

Swish Maastricht is renowned for world-class dining, top-notch events and an elegant atmosphere. This crown jewel of the south ditches the Dutch stereotypes in favour of a sophisticated pan-European flavour. And wait a minute, what country are we in? There are actually hills here!