Kick back and relax in the lush gardens of the Arboretum Trompenburg, a refreshing oasis of nature in the middle of Rotterdam’s busy, glass-and-concrete city centre. The sprawling, beautifully landscaped English garden dates to the 19th century, and spans 12 acres of vibrant rhododendrons, stately oaks, slender beech trees and fields of grass sporting dainty wildflowers. It has a surprisingly large number of edible plants too, which is sure to thrill all the budding cooks out there.

Don’t worry if you’re not a botanist; you can still easily identify the various plants because they’re all labelled with a small nameplate, so that you can fully appreciate the diversity of plant life in the garden. There are also workshops held throughout the year for those looking to pick up a new skill, and you can have lunch in the Tea House, which serves coffee, tea, cakes and other foods, often made from the garden’s produce.