• Stroll around the centre of Amsterdam, along canal banks lined with narrow-fronted buildings dating from the city's heyday as a trading centre. Among these is the Anne Frank House (website: www.annefrank.org), home of the young Jewish diarist, in Prinsengracht.

• Visit one of Amsterdam's diamond traders, and watch craftsmen cutting and polishing the precious stones. Among the best known is Gassan, in Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat (website: www.gassandiamonds.com), where stones can be selected and mounted in jewellery on the spot.

• See some of the many great works of art, including those of Dutch painters such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer displayed in Amsterdam's many museums and galleries, including the Rijksmuseum (website: www.rijksmuseum.nl).

• Take a trip to Arnhem (website: www.vvvarnhem.nl), in southeastern Holland, scene of WWII's ‘Operation Market Garden', in which the city's Rhine crossing proved a ‘Bridge too Far' for the allied forces attempting to bring an early conclusion to hostilities.

• Take a fascinating tour of architectural heritage at the palaces and government buildings of The Hague (website: www.the-hague.info), seat of Dutch government and royalty, and the UN's fourth most important city, to the west of Amsterdam near the North Sea coast.

• Enjoy a miniaturised flavour of the whole of The Netherlands at Madurodam (website: www.madurodam.nl), which replicates many aspects of the country in 1:25 scale, incorporating windmills, a cheese market and what is claimed as the world's most extensive miniature railway.

• Get up early to witness trading at Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer (the Aalsmeer Flower Auction) (website: www.flora.nl) close to Amsterdam, the world's largest commercial building at 999,000 sq m (10.7million sq ft).

• Head to the far southeast of The Netherlands to see the medieval architecture of Maastricht (website: www.vvv-maastricht.eu), Holland's oldest fortified city. Highlights include the basilica churches of Our Lady and St Servatius, and spectacular caves in the surrounding hills.

• Do not miss the elegant Dom (cathedral) tower and old town area of Utrecht (website: www.vvvutrecht.nl), which also boasts a museum dedicated to the work of Dick Bruna, creator of Miffy (website: www.dickbrunahuis.com).

• See the Netherlands' many tulips; the most spectacular glimpses of these flowers can be seen in Haarlem (website: www.haarlem.nl), 20km (12 miles) west of Amsterdam. The countryside affords a fine view of the bulb fields from the end of March to mid May.

• Enjoy the spectacle of one of Holland's cheese markets. The best are Waagplein, in Alkmaar, open every Friday from mid April to mid September, and at Gouda, 20km (12 miles) southeast of Rotterdam.

• Watch the skills of the porcelain makers at the Royal Delft pottery (website: www.royaldelft.com), in Delft, also home town of Johannes Vermeer, and where a new centre (website: www.vermeerdelft.nl) dedicated to the artistopened in2007.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.