Amsterdam

Make sense of the vast Rijksmuseum in a couple of focused hours – a guide walks you to the Night Watch, the Vermeers and the must-sees with the stories behind them, skipping the queue.

Duck into an old-world proeflokaal (tasting house) to sample jenever – the juniper spirit that gave gin its name – alongside aged Dutch cheeses, with a guide explaining the rituals.

A short hop from the city to a postcard village of working windmills, wooden houses and cheese and clog workshops on the Zaan river. Guided half-day trips handle the transport.

An interactive romp through the original Heineken brewery – the brewing process, some theme-park flourishes and a couple of beers at the end. Touristy fun; book online to skip the line.

A guided graze around lively De Pijp and the Albert Cuyp Market – herring, cheese, stroopwafels, Surinamese and Indonesian bites – with a local unpacking Amsterdam’s multicultural food story.

A moving guided walk through wartime Amsterdam – the Jewish Quarter, hidden histories and the story of the occupation and resistance. Note the Anne Frank House itself needs a separate timed ticket.

See the city the way locals do – on two wheels. A guided ride links the canals, the Jordaan, Vondelpark and quieter corners, with the bike and a confidence-building intro included.

The classic way to see Amsterdam – gliding the UNESCO canal ring past gabled houses and under humpback bridges. Options run from hop-on-hop-off to candlelit evening cruises with drinks.