EuroParcs De Wiedense Meren

Giethoorn aside, the site is just a short drive from plenty more cosy towns. Pretty canals are a centrepiece in Meppel (15 minutes’ drive) too, along with bridges, monuments like the Meppeler Toren, a printing museum and Molen de Weert, where corn is still ground to this day. Hanseatic towns might be a hit too. Hasselt (20 minutes) has plenty of historical buildings, including the Grote of St. Stephanuskerk. Dubbed ‘little Amsterdam’, its canals form part of the Zwarte Water, so it’s a splendid setting for peaceful strolls, which might continue into the six-acre-large 17th-century Japanese garden. The town is also an important pilgrim route on the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Those keen on history can make their way south to Zwolle (35 minutes), where there’s a medieval centre with a 600-year-old city gate, a theatre, parks and a canal (of course). Kids can let off steam at Dino Land Zwolle (half an hour), while those with an interest in the arty side of things can check out the art museum in Zwolle’s 19th-century palace, Museum de Fundatie (35 minutes).