Groningen

Groningen is the capital of the Dutch north and one of the youngest cities in the country — roughly a quarter of its population is university students, which gives the city an energy and affordability that the Randstad cities have lost. The Grote Markt and Vismarkt form the commercial heart, surrounded by cafes, independent shops, and the Martinitoren, a 97-meter tower that offers the best view in the northern Netherlands. Locals call it “d’Oansen” — the Old One — and climbing its 260 steps is a rite of passage.

The Groninger Museum, housed in a wildly colorful building on an island in the station canal, is one of the Netherlands’ most adventurous art and design museums. The city’s real charm, though, is in its human scale and cycling culture — Groningen is the most bicycle-friendly city in one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly countries, which is saying something. The surrounding province offers the Wadden Sea mudflats (UNESCO-listed), the fortress village of Bourtange, and a flatness so complete that the horizon feels philosophical. The nightlife, concentrated around the Peperstraat and Poelestraat, is genuinely excellent for a city this size.

When to go: May to September for long evenings and canal-side terraces. August for the Noorderzon performing arts festival in the Noorderplantsoen park.