Things to do in Utrecht, Hoge Veluwe & the East

In Utrecht, a staircase tour climbs the landmark Dom Tower, the Miffy Museum (nijntje museum) lets toddlers explore the world of the famous Dutch picture-book rabbit by looking, smelling and investigating, and the Dutch Railway Museum, set at a real former station, adds experiences such as Steel Monsters and Techlab plus the Royal Class exhibition on the royal family and the railways. Nearby, Castle De Haar opens its interior, outbuildings and extensive gardens, with a restaurant in the grounds. Further east, De Hoge Veluwe National Park lends 2,000 free White Bikes for the ride to the Kröller-Müller Museum, with what it calls the finest Van Gogh collection in the world and a sculpture garden of about 200 works, while Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn offers palace tours, a Junior Palace for children and the Orange Trail through its gardens. Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem recreates natural areas such as Bush, Desert, Mangrove and Ocean, and in the canal village of Giethoorn you can steer an electric whisper boat that needs no boating licence.

Good to knowThe Dom Tower, Miffy Museum, Dutch Railway Museum and Castle De Haar all need advance booking (a time slot is mandatory at the railway museum, which opens on Mondays only in school holidays), and bags are not allowed in the Dom Tower, though free lockers are provided. De Hoge Veluwe's online tickets are date-specific and the park gates do not accept cash, and the Kröller-Müller Museum opens Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays. In Giethoorn, early morning and late afternoon are the best times on the water, and booking ahead is strongly recommended.