Hidden gems in Paesi Bassi

The little-known corners of Paesi Bassi: villages, nature and places far from mass tourism, to discover at a slow pace.

Silent canals, the Nieuwe Kerk and workshops where blue porcelain is still hand-painted. The real Netherlands, fifteen minutes from The Hague.

Double-level canals with waterside terraces, the tallest tower in the Netherlands and a vibrant cultural scene — all without the city-centre crowds.

Behind a small door on the Egelantiersgracht, the second-oldest hofje in Amsterdam: a corridor of blue tiles and a silent garden.

Michel de Klerk's Expressionist masterpiece in Amsterdam's Spaarndammerbuurt: social housing shaped like a ship, now a museum you can actually visit.

On the Prinsengracht a façade so sober it disappears among the houses: inside, a monumental hall and a great Smits organ.

Het Twiske: 650 hectares of lakes, reed beds and Highland cattle north of Amsterdam. A Natura 2000 reserve reachable by ferry and bus 392.