Amsterdam

The wild and risky capital of the Netherlands never fails to impress, with its winding canal waterways and curious melange of Flemish architecture and regal parks. In fact, there’s so much to do between the various districts of its tight-knit centre that it can sometimes be hard to know where exactly to begin. A good choice would be to start with the ubiquitous coffee shops that cluster around the gaudy streets of the Red Light District, or perhaps with a jaunt to the royal complexes of Dam Square at the city’s very heart. Then, quiz your Amsterdam tourist guide about the bohemian jazz joints and boutiques of the Jordaan District, the beaches that stretch out across the North Sea shores just away from the centre, the buzzing foray of the Albert Cuyp market, or the endless gardens of Vondelpark and Rembrantpark, cycling between the lot like a bona fide Dutch local on two wheels. Also be sure not to leave without at least sampling the Dutch masterworks that lurk beneath the grand facades of the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, or the alluring flavours of Dutch beer, flowing nonstop from the taps at the Heineken Experience. Then there’s also the enthralling Anne Frank House to discover, and the Rembrandthuis—preserved exactly as it was for the artist in the mid-1600s.