Randstad Classic: Canal Cities and Windmills

MuseumsThe three major art museums are located next to each other on Museumplein: the Rijksmuseum with Rembrandt's "The Night Watch," the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum for modern art. Additionally, there are the Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht, the Museum Het Rembrandthuis, and the Joods Museum.Festivals and MarketsKoningsdag: On April 27, the city celebrates the King's birthday with flea markets and street parties; many wear orange.Pride Amsterdam: The highlight is the Canal Parade on the canals, held on the first Saturday in August.Albert Cuyp Market: The weekly market in De Pijp is the city’s most famous.RemembranceOn May 4, the Netherlands commemorates WWII dead. After the Royal Palace's bell strikes on Dam at 8 PM, two minutes of silence are observed nationwide.

Frans Hals and the Old MastersHaarlem is the city of portrait painter Frans Hals. His works hang in the Frans Hals Museum, and he is buried in the Grote Kerk. The Teylers Museum, founded in 1778, displays paintings and prints, as well as fossils and scientific instruments.The Müller OrganChristian Müller built the organ of the Grote Kerk between 1735 and 1738. Musicians who played on it include Mozart – in 1766 at the age of ten – Händel, and Mendelssohn.HofjesThese almshouses from the 17th and 18th centuries are hidden behind house facades. They are still inhabited today.

City of ScienceThe university was founded in 1575. In its botanical garden, Carolus Clusius planted the tulips that first bloomed on Dutch soil in 1594. The painter Rembrandt also hailed from Leiden; his works are displayed at Museum De Lakenhal.Leidens OntzetFrom May 25, 1574, Spanish troops besieged the city, which was liberated on October 3, 1574. Leiden celebrates this day every year; traditionally, the carrot stew Hutspot is served.

City of Government and LawThe Binnenhof has hosted Parliament since 1446. Each year on the third Tuesday of September, Prinsjesdag, the King opens the parliamentary year in the Ridderzaal with the Speech from the Throne. Due to the renovation of the Binnenhof, expected to last until summer 2031, members of parliament relocated in 2021. Internationally, The Hague is known as the seat of the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace, the International Criminal Court, and Europol.MuseumsMauritshuis: Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and Rembrandt's "Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp".Kunstmuseum Den Haag: The world's largest Mondrian collection.Panorama Mesdag: A panoramic painting from 1881.Escher in Het Paleis: Graphics by M. C. Escher in the former palace of Queen Mother Emma.Museum Beelden aan Zee: Modern sculptures in Scheveningen.ScheveningenThis fishing village grew into the largest seaside resort in the Netherlands. Along the beach promenade, shops, restaurants, and terraces line up; dune areas adjoin to the north and south.

Delft BlueThe blue-and-white pottery made the city world-famous. Among the historic factories, De Porceleyne Fles, founded in 1653 and now Royal Delft, still operates and offers a museum and tours.VermeerThe painter Jan Vermeer lived in Delft and is buried in the Oude Kerk. The Vermeer Centrum explains his work and the symbolism of his paintings.The Delft ThunderclapIn October 1654, a gunpowder magazine exploded with approximately 40,000 kilograms of gunpowder. Hundreds of people died, and a third of the houses in the city center were destroyed.

City of Modern ArchitectureOn May 14, 1940, a German air raid destroyed the city center; approximately 800 people died, and 80,000 became homeless. After 1945, the city decided on a complete urban renewal. You can see the result at every turn: Piet Blom's Cube Houses (1984), the Erasmus Bridge (1996), the Markthal, and the new Central Station (both 2014).MuseumsDepot Boijmans Van Beuningen: Opened in 2021, this MVRDV-designed building in Museumpark is considered the world's first publicly accessible art depot, housing over 155,000 objects. Visits are only possible with an online ticket and time slot; it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM. From the rooftop terrace, approximately 40 meters high, you can look out over the city.Kunsthal: Changing exhibitions on art, design, and photography.Maritime Museum: Shipping and port history, with dedicated areas for children.FestivalsInternational Film Festival Rotterdam: Late January to early February.North Sea Jazz Festival: Second full weekend in July.

The OudegrachtThe northern part of the canal presumably dates back to around the year 1000, while the southern part was started in 1122. Once the city locks were completed in 1275 and the water level remained constant, dry cellars and quays at water level could be built along the banks – these are the wharves that distinguish Utrecht from other canal cities.MuseumsCentraal Museum: Art, fashion, and city history.Museum Speelklok: Self-playing musical instruments, from music boxes to barrel organs.Spoorwegmuseum: The national railway museum housed in a 19th-century train station.Museum Catharijneconvent: History of Christianity in the Netherlands.Nijntje Museum: A play world for young children centered around Dick Bruna's character Miffy.MusicThe Festival Oude Muziek dedicates itself to early music each year in late August and early September. Concerts of all genres take place at the TivoliVredenburg music venue.