It would be wrong to judge anyone for thinking first of Amsterdam when planning an Eurorail adventure across Europe. After all, it\u2019s without question one of the continent\u2019s most beautiful cities and a destination that should be on everyone\u2019s bucket list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The real shame would be to not consider stopping off on your journey through the Netherlands instead of making a beeline for the capital. It\u2019s not all windmills, tulip fields and canals, as you\u2019ll discover when you visit these five Dutch cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re after the historic charm of tall, crooked houses and narrow canals, stay on the train to Amsterdam. If you\u2019re looking for the Netherlands\u2019 capital of cool, make sure you disembark in Rotterdam. Virtually levelled to the ground during the Second World War, the port of Rotterdam has risen like a phoenix from the ashes in the decades since. It has also shrugged off its image of a drab port, thanks to its ambitious (and adventurous) architectural projects. Top of the list are the Cube Houses, the Erasmusbrug and the horseshoe-shaped Markthal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Delft may be one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands but it is definitely a spring chicken at heart thanks to a burgeoning student population. Don\u2019t let the relaxed atmosphere of this medieval town fool you – you\u2019d be hard pressed to find anywhere more connected with the country\u2019s turbulent history than Delft. It\u2019s old centre was also the muse of Johannes Vermeer who lived and painted here his entire life. Don\u2019t get back on the train until you\u2019ve joined locals having a drink at watering holes along its lamplit canals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Netherlands\u2019 third largest city needs no introduction, given its global significance. Not far from both Delft and Rotterdam, the city of Den Haag (the Hague) holds the distinction of once being the country\u2019s capital. Although it eventually lost out to Amsterdam, the city is still home to both the Dutch royal family and the government. While the skyline is now dominated by glass skyscrapers, the Hague maintains a regal charm, thanks in part to the presence of some of the country\u2019s most important cultural landmarks, including the Mauritshuis – home to masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer and other Golden Age Dutch masters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n