One of the jewels of the IJselmeer lake, the port of Hoorn was an important base for the Dutch East India Company, and you can still see plenty of evidence of the prosperity that the town enjoyed during its 17th-century heyday. There are some lovely restaurants, galleries and shops to explore, and the lake is a popular location for watersports.

Dordrecht was first granted a town charter in the 13th century, and its importance as a merchant city is reflected in the delightful historic architecture of the old harbour. Just outside the city is the watery expanse of Biesbosch National Park, a freshwater delta criss-crossed by walking trails and cycle paths.

One of the great ports of Europe, Rotterdam’s impressive skyline can be seen from far and wide. With great architecture both ancient and modern, fantastic exhibition and concert halls, theatres, pretty galleries and numerous museums, there is so much to do when you stay here.

Situated just to the north of Dordrecht, the UNESCO-listed Kinderdijk is one of the most photographed locations in the Netherlands. This is a quintessentially Dutch landscape of canals, marshes and 19 beautiful windmills that were built to protect the land from flooding.

Nijmegen is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, and was the site of a Roman military camp in the 1st century BC. Nowadays it’s a bustling city with a charming medieval centre, home to Holland’s oldest shopping street and the fascinating Freedom Museum, which documents the Dutch experience during the Second World War.

The vibrant city of Maastricht is sandwiched between Belgium and Germany in the southeastern corner of the Netherlands, and has a real multinational, multilingual feel. Highlights include romantic cobbled streets, fascinating Roman history, fantastic shopping and a lively restaurant and bar scene.