Netherlands 

Michelin starred ML in Haarlem has wonderful food in a lovely space

This is a great place to eat in Amsterdam. A bit away from the main downtown area its is easy to reach by tram. The restaurant grows most of their own food at the green house on site (where you eat) or in another farm just outside of town. Fantastic food in a cool setting

Fantastic food in Otterlo. Worth the trip just for the food

Outstanding food at this Michelin star retaurant just outside the risjkmuseum. Plan 3 hours – well worthwhile

Upscale brewpub inside an old church. Cool place with a great beer selection

This is a pretty cool place – a great craft beer selection and food inside an old church. Check out the website for “high beer” (like high tea but, you know, with beer)

The Mauritshuis Gallery is housed in a mansion built for a sugar trader and has quite an amazing collection including more Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson, among many others.

The most beautiful spring garden in the world. Acres and acres of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils in a spectacular park. It does get crowded – arrive early and head straight to the boat dock to reserve a boat tour through the commercial bulb growing fields adjacent then spend the rest of the day wandering the gardens

This house-turned-museum is where three generations of the Ten Boom family lived between 1837 and 1945. The family of this house hid hundreds of jews from the Nazis and was a very important piece of Resistance. You’ll see the hiding place, family photos, and objects from WWII. To see this house you must go on […]

This is one of there great museums of the word. well laid out, a joy to visit. May of the greats of the old masters are here (Rembrandt’s the Night Watch is the highlight). We panned a couple hours but could have used more. Get reservations – by the time we left early afternoon they […]

This is the office building where the Jewish Frank family hid for two years from the Nazis made famous by 15 year old Anne’s posthumously published diary. You will need to reserve far in advance. The tour walks you through the tiny apartments where several families hid, accessed behind a bookshelf. You’ll learn the story […]

This is the nbest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world. You start at the bottom and work your way up – basically following the chronology of his life and works. VERY popular – be sure and get tickets n advance. Allow 2 hours.

Amsterdam is very walkable but big and it really is worth it if you can to partake of this guided tour. This was great tour hitting almost all of the parts of town. There are self guided tours and free tours but I really thought this one was excellent

This company offer private tours of Leiden of various length. While you can tour on your own, they did a nice tour of the most important parts of the city in their two hour tour.

When in Amsterdam be sure and take a canal cruise. This cruise was in the evening with lovely light and open bar with wine, beer, and cheeses

Delft is compact and you can wander it on your own but you can get a great sense of the history and satires of the town with this guided tour. You can combine with a boat trip through canals as well

Very interesting museum outlining the dutch resistance but also the role of right wing collaborators and the choices facing ordinary citizens. Interesting section on the plight of people in Indonesia as well

Lovely hotel and spa in the village of Otterlo, just outside the national park, The wonderful restaurant Cepes is on the first floor

Wonderfully located very pleasant Hotel In Haarlem, Netherlands in a former printing house. Outside is sunny corner for drinks and the recommended ML restaraunt is here as well

Nice canal house lodging on the Oude Canal in Delft – just a short walk from all of the sights

Located in the lovely Jordaan neighborhood in Amsterdam this lodging is pleasant and welcoming. The only drawback was the shower may have been the smallest we’ve ever seen