The Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe, is known for a flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills and cycling routes. Amsterdam, the capital, is home to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the house where Jewish diarist Anne Frank hid during WWII. Canalside mansions and a trove of works from artists including Rembrandt and Vermeer remain from the city's 17th-century "Golden Age."

Rotterdam is a major port city with bold modern architecture. The university town of Utrecht is home to lively canalside cafes and the 14th-century Dom Tower. Southern Maastricht has a vibrant culinary scene, old churches and medieval city walls. In the north, the countryside between Leiden and Den Helder is one of the most well-known places to see tulip fields and windmills. The seaside towns of the Wadden (Frisian) Islands are busy summer resorts with a quirky local pastime, wadlopen (mudflat walking).