North Sea Jazz Festival was never what you might call a slow-burner. In 1976, its very first year, it featured the likes of Miles Davis, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, and has been packing them in ever since. Held over a weekend in Rotterdam, it's one of the most prestigious festivals in Holland.

For more information on the North Sea Jazz Festival, click here.

This Dutch national holiday is celebrated throughout the Netherlands, but it's in Amsterdam where things really kick off. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets and turn the place into a giant carnival, where music, dancing and revelry continuing well into the wee hours. King's Day is also notable for its nationwide flea market, making it a great time to pick up a bargain.

For more information on Koningsdag, click here.

LowLands is a three-day festival of music and performing arts, and it's one of the most popular in the country. Held a short hop from Amsterdam in a series of outsized tents (the main one is the size of a football field!), it offers an international line-up of rock, pop and dance music as well as street theatre, cabaret performances and more.

For more information on Lowlands, click here.

While Best Kept Secret's lakeside setting in Beekse Bergen safari park is wonderfully scenic, it's the lineup that really draws the crowds. Here you'll find top name acts alongside next-big-things from the worlds of indie, folk, hip-hop, rock, electronica and dance music, making it one of the best Dutch music events.

For more information on Best Kept Secret Festival, click here.

Amsterdam Open Air was designed to take the famed Amsterdam nightlife to the festival stages, so expect things to get loud, late and banging. A predominantly Dutch roster of electronic artists and DJs take care of the beats, while a range of artisan caterers ensure you won't go hungry. Pitch your tent and get ready to party!

For more information on Amsterdam Open Air festival, click here.

This national museum of arts and history is the most visited in the country. Here you'll find your Rembrandts and Vermeers and a host of other works from the Dutch Golden Age, as well as a large and varied collection of exhibits from the 13th to 21st centuries including costumes, furniture and even dolls' houses.

For more information on the Rijksmuseum, click here.

This museum is home to the largest collection of Van Gogh's works in the world, so as you'd expect it's one of the most popular museums in Amsterdam - book early to avoid a lengthy queue. As well as prized masterpieces by the tortured genius, there's a roving exhibition of famous works from around the world.

For more information on the Van Gogh Museum, click here.

Anne Frank's story has captivated the imagination of millions, and a visit to the place where she went into hiding and penned her famous diary is an essential Netherlands travel experience. Though one of the world's most famous museums it's also one of its smallest, so pre-booking is essential.

For more information on the Anne Frank House, click here.

Amsterdam's premier museum of contemporary and modern art houses many important works by the likes of Mondrian, Kandinsky and Matisse. Located in Amsterdam's Museum Quarter, it's an easy stroll from other Holland travel essentials like the Van Gogh museum and the Rijksmuseum, so you can tick them all off in one go.

For more information on the Stedelijk Museum, click here.

This fully furnished canal-house museum is perhaps the grandest in the city. Originally built for the Mayor of Amsterdam in the late 17th century, it was bequeathed to the city by its last owner in 1895 on the condition that it became a museum, and has been offering visitors a unique viewpoint on Amsterdam canal life ever since.

For more information on the Museum Willet-Holthuysen, click here.

These meaty deep-fried balls have a crunchy outer with a deliciously gooey filling, making them one of the most popular beer snacks in the country. Eat them dipped in mustard, just like the locals.

_{Best eaten at
Café Luxembourg, Spui 24, 1012 XA Amsterdam}

In terms of street food, the French fry is king in the Netherlands, and there is perhaps nothing more quintessentially Dutch than a paper cone of piping hot crispy fries slathered heavily with mayonnaise. Other popular toppings - curry sauce with chopped raw onions - are also worth a try.

_{Best eaten at
Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx, Voetboogstraat 31, 1012 Amsterdam}

Holland's answer to sushi, raw herring is sold at fish stands throughout the country. Eat it served on a plate cut into chunks with raw onions and pickles on the side, or tackle it the traditional way - grab it by the tail, dip it in onions then pop it in your mouth whole. It's said to be a great hangover recipe, but we'll let you judge that one for yourselves.

_{Best eaten at
Schmidt Zeevis, Vasteland 60, 3011 BM Rotterdam}

This hearty dish is Dutch comfort food at its best. It's a mash of potatoes with a combination of other vegetables (take your pick from the likes of carrot, onion, kale, sauerkraut, spinach and endive) and is usually served with rookworst, a smoked Dutch sausage, and plenty of gravy.

_{Best eaten at
Stamppotje, Haarlemmerstraat 14, Amsterdam}

Stroopwafels are made from two thin layers of baked dough, with a syrupy caramel filling in between. Balanced over the top of a cup of tea or coffee until the biscuit softens and the filling melts, they make a delicious teatime snack.

_{Best eaten at
Albert Cuyp Market, Albert Cuypstraat, Amsterdam (or Lanskroon, Singel 385, 1012 WL Amsterdam)}