Bos Park Bilthoven

Don’t limit yourself to just the rumble of the city. Over at Loosdrecht Lakes (35 minutes’ drive), you can try out paddleboarding, wakeboarding or sailing. There are also crescent-shaped sandy beaches tucked away at Het strand van Henschotermeer (20 minutes), a family-friendly lake with shallow waters and picnic-ready shores. In Amersfoort, there are several historical landmarks. Enter into the inner city through the medieval gates of Koppelpoort (25 minutes), a pretty imposing castle. If you fancy a trip to the zoo, there’s also DierenPark Amersfoort (20 minutes), which hoards a collection of cute (or rather wild) animals. In the vicinity of Utrecht, you can learn about the armed forces at Nationaal Militair Museum (15 minutes or 20 minutes’ cycle). Afterwards, take a tour of the Monument Pyramide van Austerlitz (20 minutes), a towering pyramid, or perhaps visit the fairytale-like grounds at the huge Castle De Haar (35 minutes).