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Netherlands

Amsterdam Centraal station’s ornate facade.

A train station that makes flying seem far less convenient

Planes have revolutionised modern travel, but this experience is so efficient and stress-free that it almost makes flying seem archaic.

  • Jenny Hewett
Cherry blossoms around Museumsplein.

The Dutch town that inspired van Gogh’s ‘best’ painting

Amsterdam’s van Gogh museum is booked out, so we plan a jaunt to Van Gogh Village, Nuenen, where the master perfected his technique.

  • Catherine Marshall
Amsterdam doesn’t have the obvious tourist sites of other cities.

After 15 years in this European city, I can say it’s the world’s best

I agreed with the view Amsterdam is too expensive, too crowded, and has too many tourists. Then I broke my leg and my whole perspective changed.

  • Ben Coates
Bikes and windows in Amsterdam.

Ten things we’ll never understand about the Dutch

An indifference to privacy, uncanny cycling abilities and a cringeworthy Christmas tradition are just some of the Netherlands’ cultural quirks.

  • Brian Johnston
The glass pyramid was designed to handle 4 million entries a year. But the Louvre now regularly draws more than twice that figure.

The best of Europe

Its compact size means you can pack a huge amount into a holiday. Our guide will help you make the most of your time.

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Irreverence rules on this canal cruise.

‘Adult language, adult substances’: A canal cruise unlike any other

 Unconventional elements of Amsterdam’s history are divulged on an irreverent canal cruise.

  • Tim Richards
Mother-son bonding … scenic stops along the Amsterdam to Bruges trail.

My mum got her hip replaced, so I took her cycling through Europe

Things don’t start off well when my mother is knocked down amid a pack of cycling commuters in Amsterdam.

  • Kurt Johnson
Build it and they will come… the quay in front of FENIX 1.

One of Europe’s most underrated cities is shining in 2025

Once considered as beautiful as its rival Amsterdam, the Netherlands’ second-largest city is finally being revitalised.

  • Shaney Hudson
The SS Rotterdam is the former flagship of the Holland America Line.

The most beautiful ship in Europe is one you can’t cruise on

Stepping aboard feels like walking onto the set of Mad Men – if Don Draper had gone cruising, this would be his ship of choice.

  • Shaney Hudson
The existence of a public-access bike underpass through the Dutch national museum of history and arts might be a novelty for tourists, but for Amsterdamers, its continued existence reflects the fight to keep the city livable for locals.

Amsterdam’s iconic art museum is like no other in Europe

From blockbuster paintings to cabinet curios and even a bike tunnel, the Rijksmuseum is like no other art museum in Europe.

  • Shaney Hudson