Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Dutch capital is one of Europe’s best-preserved cities – with 60 miles of canals and nearly 7,000 buildings dating from the 18th century or earlier. A good way to see the narrow shop houses is on a canal cruise. Consider a canal tour that includes the poignant Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht Canal. Amsterdam is an art lover’s city with over 70 museums, the best known being the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, considered a national treasure for its collection of masterworks by Rembrandt, Vermeer and others. Don’t miss a trip to Zaanse Schans, a picturesque village of windmills, factories and workshops giving a glimpse of what it was like to live in the Netherlands in the 18th and 19th centuries.