There is no doubt that the 185-metre Euromast tower in Rotterdam is one of the Netherlands' top attractions. As Holland is as flat as the proverbial pancake, this is one of the few places in the country that affords a panoramic view.
Of course, there's more than just the scenic splendours of Europe's largest port to be enjoyed from the Euromast. Visitors can have lunch or dinner at the Brasserie, spend the night in one of the brace of 1960s-themed suites - Heaven and Stars - or even abseil or rope-slide down the side of the building. Such diversions sum up some of the best that the Netherlands has to offer. And given the country's excellent transport network that covers almost all of its 41,000 sq km, getting around one of the most charismatic countries in Europe is a breeze.
Holland's certainly not short of intriguing places to stay, from the Amsterdam Hilton where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 'make love not war' bed-in back in 1969 to De Hoefslag, a 30-room country manor outside Utrecht. At the Hotel-Restaurant de Beukenhof in Leiden the emphasis is on gourmet dining, in particular beneath a 350-year-old tree in the beautifully manicured garden. And the Chateau St Gerlach is part of a sprawling estate near Maastricht that includes a castle, a farmhouse, a granary, a convent and a Baroque church as well as a state-of-the-art spa. Perhaps the most unusual is the Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy, whose 117 rooms are graded from one- to five-star, each varying in size, decor and price - as much a cultural experience as somewhere to simply spend the night.
Active holidaymakers aren't confined to abseiling or rope-sliding. It is estimated that there are more than 12 million bicycles in the Netherlands, almost one per inhabitant, and this is the quintessential way to tour the country, with an abundance of bike lanes and very few places where gears are needed to tackle steep gradients. One of the most popular routes is Kinderdijk in southern Holland, which passes beneath 19 working windmills and through typical polder countryside. Alternatively, the wooden houses and windmills dating from the 17th and 18th centuries dot the Zaandam Heritage Route which runs for 32km, making it an easy day's outing.
Around one fifth of the Netherlands is covered by water which, together with its sunny coastline, makes it ideal for watersports enthusiasts of all kinds. Mini cruise boats ply the country's waterways, kite surfing is hugely popular off the northern beaches of the island of Terschelling, and anglers can find excellent sport catching whitefish in the canals and rivers, while trout and eel abound in secluded salt water lakes.
And, for anyone who wants to stick to dry land to indulge in some sporting opportunities, the Netherlands is home to more than 150 golf courses.