Vondelpark is Amsterdam's largest city park, complete with sculptures, a nature area for wildlife spotting, free open-air theatre in the summer and plenty of paths to explore among the trees and grassy areas.

Board the free ferry to Buiksloterdijk and cycle around the charming old Buiksloot neighbourhood of quintessentially Dutch half-timbered houses – a truly authentic side of the Netherlands which too few visitors experience.

While away an afternoon exploring the canals and cobbled streets of Amsterdam’s famous Nine Streets, home to independent coffee shops and quirky boutiques. 

Shopaholics, head to KaDeWe, Europe's second-largest department store. If you're in need of a bite then go to the top floor, where you'll find the impressive foodhall. 

There are many museums dotted around Berlin, but some some of the most iconic are clustered on Museumsinsel (Museum Island), including the Pergamonmuseum and Neues Museum.

Escape the city for the day and venture into Brandenburg, the area surrounding Berlin, to visit one of the region's many peaceful lakes. There are more than 3000 lakes to choose from, plus rivers and outdoor pools, some wild and natural, others more manicured and child-friendly.

Sitting on top of a hill on the opposite bank of the River Vltava to Prague Castle, the Vyšehrad Citadel was also once a royal residence. You can explore the ornate churches of St Peter and St Paul, as well as Slavín Cemetery, which is the last resting place of many famous Czechs, including composer Dvořák.

David Černý's sculptures are bold, provocative and you'll see them throughout the city, whether you intend to or not. Look out for K, a giant revolving bust of Franz Kafka in the Quadrio shopping centre and Miminka, a series of babies climbing up the TV tower at Žižkov.

Comprising several separate sights in the Josefov quarter, the Prague Jewish Museum gives a fascinating insight into this community’s long history in Prague. The opulent Spanish Synagogue is one of the highlights, as is the Jewish Cemetery, with its timeworn gravestones now leaning at sharp angles.