Juliette Tentvakanties at Camping de Bergvennen

It’s all about the open air around here: once you’ve bimbled around the Bergvennen reserve a bit, make tracks for more trails at Het Lutterzand nature area (20 minutes’ drive) or stroll around Singraven estate (15 minutes) to see its smart 17th-century house and medieval water mill. Twickel Castle (35 minutes) is another top spot for a stroll, particularly if you’ve an eye for fine formal gardens. Even the museums embrace the outdoors here, especially the open-air museum in Ootmarsum (10 minutes), which focuses on village life from days gone by. If it’s not outdoorsy weather, retreat indoors to the Natura Docet museum (15 minutes) for hands-on nature displays. And discovery time’s not done once the sun goes down – that’s the time to swing by the Cosmos observatory (five minutes) for one of their summer stargazing evenings (although you can come by in the afternoon to see the planetarium displays too). Country-hopping? You’ll be very close to the German border here – once you’ve crossed over it’s worth making a stop in Nordhorn (15 minutes) for the zoo and open-air swimming pool.