Forget windmills, tulips and clogs, even cheese, and think New Dutch. This pioneering movement can be experienced in three cities: Rotterdam, erased by the Germans; Eindhoven, deserted by Philips; and Tilburg, left bare by the textile industry.
Tilburg
The New Dutch movement celebrates the Netherlands as one of Europe’s most forward-thinking destinations. It started as a collaboration between Eindhoven and Rotterdam before expanding to include other destinations. The aim is to showcase the Netherlands not just as a place of history, but as a living laboratory of design, technology, architecture and culture.
Eindhoven
For generations, the Netherlands has been defined by picture postcard Amsterdam, images of canals, tulips and windmills. While those icons remain part of the country’s identity, the new story is the creative transformation of former industrial cities into vibrant cultural destinations.
Rotterdam
Together, Eindhoven, Tilburg and Rotterdam offer a journey into the Netherlands of tomorrow. And the best way of exploring them is on two wheels – an extensive network of cycle paths make these bike friendly cities.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
No city embodies the New Dutch philosophy more completely than Eindhoven. Founded in 1891 as the start-up for the Philips electronics empire, it was a factory town dominated by the manufacturer. Sadly. the company relocated to Amsterdam in 1997 – this was the impetus for the city to transform itself into Europe’s leading design and technology hub.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
In the compact centre, modern design blends with historic buildings, creating a cityscape that reflects the transformation from an industrial town to a hive of innovation. Many of the Philips factories have been repurposed including the Light Tower, where they once tested light bulbs, which is now my hotel. Philipsdorp, built for workers, is a typical garden village with small houses and big gardens so they could grow their own.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
The Philips Museum occupies the building where Gerard Philips produced his first light bulbs in 1891. Interactive exhibits trace the company’s evolution from light bulbs to radios, televisions, medical equipment, and modern technology. You can admire vintage electrics, hear stories of innovation, and learn how Philips influenced both Eindhoven and the wider world.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Strijp-T and Strijp-S are also former factory areas, once closed to anybody apart from the workers. They’ve now become Eindhoven’s creative hub with stylish cafés, art galleries, design studios, boutique shops, and co-working spaces. Street art decorates many of the buildings and the MU Hybrid Art House stages cutting edge exhibitions.
But it’s not all about Philips. Woensel-West, next to Strijp S, was once a working-class neighbourhood that was a dangerous no-go area. Starting around 2007, the local municipality and the Trudo housing corporation teamed up to revitalise the area.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
They replaced old decaying buildings with vibrant architectural designs, cleaned up the streets, and invested in the local community. Now it’s become a hip hotspot, a lively hub filled with diverse cultures, young families, local artists and vibrant street art
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
Eindhoven
You’ll find more art at the Van Abbemuseum, one of Europe’s leading museums of modern and contemporary art. The collection is housed in a stylish mix of historic and modern buildings and includes works by Picasso, Kandinsky and Chagall alongside contemporary artists from around the world.
Just a few kilometres north of Eindhoven is Nuenen where Vincent van Gogh lived between 1883 and 1885. His father was a pastor in the village and, in under two years, he produced hundreds of drawings and paintings focused on peasants, weavers, and rural life. One of his earliest masterpieces is The Potato Eaters, a dark depiction of a farming family gathered around a meal.
Neunen
Neunen
Neunen
The Van Gogh Village Museum doesn’t have any original paintings but instead reconstructs his time here through artefacts, letters and multimedia. It details his daily life, frustrations, experiments with colour and interactions with local people. The museum experience extends to the local area. Around two dozen sites link a walking or cycling route connecting locations where he lived and painted.
Like Eindhoven, Tilburg has transformed itself from a fading textile powerhouse into a thriving cultural hub filled with museums, green spaces and innovative architecture. You see this immediately as you walk out of the station into the Spoorzone, an area that was once railway workshops.
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
The LocHal, the award-winning public library, occupies what was a huge locomotive maintenance shed. The municipal monument dating back to 1932, has been converted into a modernist epicentre of design filled with glass, stunning wooden staircases fitting into the grand old industrial skeleton.
A short walk away, the Kessels Museum, inside the historic Huis van Muziek, tells the story of Mathieu Kessels, one of the Netherlands’ most influential musical instrument makers. Starting in the late 19th century, his Kessels factory became internationally renowned for its brass, woodwind, percussion, string and keyboard instruments. In the museum’s workshop you see instruments from the collection being carefully brought back to life.
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
The Textile Museum tells the story of Tilburg’s textile heritage. It combines historical displays with working textile machinery and contemporary design. A vintage steam engine and mechanical looms sit side by side with skilled artisans operating modern weaving machines. It’s also an opportunity to learn how textile designers experiment with innovative fabrics and sustainable materials.
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
Piushaven is Tilburg’s picturesque waterfront district. Once a busy industrial harbour, it’s now a lively leisure area with restaurants, cafés, bars and traditional barges. It frequently hosts festivals, outdoor concerts, food markets, and cultural events that attract locals and tourists alike.
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg
Moerenburg is a landscape park close to the city which combines rich history, industrial heritage, and diverse nature. The Oude Warande is another unique green space. This historic forest features one of the few surviving baroque star forests in Europe. Modern art installations are displayed throughout the woodland, an interesting combination of nature and culture.
Tilburg Koningshoeven Abbey
Tilburg Koningshoeven Abbey
Just a few kilometres east of the city centre lies Koningshoeven Abbey, founded in 1881 by French Trappist monks. They began brewing beer in 1884, establishing what would become the La Trappe brewery. Tours take you through the brewing process and offer tastings of their beers. Stay for lunch, as much of their produce is organic and home-grown.
Tilburg La Trappe
Tilburg La Trappe
Tilburg La Trappe
Rotterdam has long been a city where innovation and creativity shape the skyline. Now, one of its most exciting cultural attractions is the new home of the Dutch National Museum of Photography in the beautifully restored Santos Warehouse in the city’s Rijnhaven district.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Housing more than 6.5 million photographs, negatives, and artefacts, this is one of the world’s largest photography collections. It explores both iconic Dutch photographers and emerging contemporary artists through changing exhibitions that showcase the evolving power of visual storytelling.
One of the museum’s most distinctive features is its transparent conservation and archive spaces. Instead of hiding restoration work behind closed doors, you see specialists working to preserve historic photographs with displays that explain the science behind it.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Even if photography is not your primary interest, the architecture alone is worth the trip. The renovated warehouse blends original industrial features with contemporary design, creating spacious exhibition spaces. Views from the huge windows, across Rijnhaven, connect the museum with the city’s waterfront history.
Rotterdam Tramhuis
The Tramhuis is a restored historic tram shelter on Eendrachtsplein in central Rotterdam. Today it functions as a kiosk for city walks, where you can pick up paper guides, download an app, or join hosted walks. The different themed routes cover architecture, art, history, and food, and there are plans for more.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
The Food and Cultures walk is a 5km wander through the city’s multicultural neighbourhoods. Rotterdam’s identity as a port city is deeply tied to migration and settlers, arriving from all over the world, have brought their food culture with them. It’s created a global food hub where almost every neighbourhood has a different taste
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
I set out on the walk, starting in the city’s vibrant Chinatown, full of restaurants and stores from all over Asia. Kiem Foel is a highlight with its range of Surinamese dishes including the Dynamite Roll, a spicy mix of chicken curry and roast pork. I carry on past the Ethiopian Habesha store, then a Turkish bakery and stop at Tia’s Lunchroom for some Cape Verdean fare.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Kapsalon, a combination of fries, shawarma, melted cheese, spicy sauce and lettuce, is Rotterdam’s most famous dish, invented by a Cape Verdean barber, known as Tati. His shop is still there, although he’s sadly gone, but you can order the giant dish at the Turkish El Aviva restaurant next door.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam
The final stop is Dok Boa, a family-run Laotian restaurant in Delfshaven. Although they also serve Thai food, the standouts are the Lao specialities. Try their Laap, a spicy meat salad, or sample their homemade Laotian sausage stuffed with fermented rice. Pace yourself throughout your walk, eating little and often, so you have space in your stomach for these final delicacies.
Rotterdam Dok Boa
GO: Eurostar goes direct from London to Rotterdam.
Bike rental from Westcord Hotel in Eindhoven and Swapfiets in Tilburg.
INFO: The Van Gogh Village Museum is in Neunen.
Tramhuis is the place for guided walks in Rotterdam.
STAY: The Westcord Hotel in Eindhoven occupies the Philips Light Tower once used for testing light bulbs.
Hotel Villa la Vida, in Tilburg, is by the water in a former pastor’s residence.
Morgan and Mees Hotel in Rotterdam was once a radio station.
EAT: Eindhoven:
Kazerne is where art, hospitality, and gastronomy come together.
The Vane Skybar is a rooftop bar with New Dutch cocktails and amazing views.
The Grand Café is good for lunch at the Piet Hein Eek factory.
Fifth has great food and live music on the iconic NRE site
Tilburg
Smeer ‘m is a popular lunch spot right opposite the train station.
Restaurant De Houtloods is good for fine-dining.
La Trappe/Koningshoeven Abbey offers beer tours and excellent local produce.
RAK is a restaurant on the water at the Piushaven.
Rotterdam
Matroos en het Meisje has creative food near Fenix Museum.
The post A Tale of Three Dutch Cities: Eindhoven, Tilburg and Rotterdam, Netherlands appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
We all daydream about that perfect stretch of sand — the kind where the water looks fake, it’s so blue, the sand is soft enough to nap on, and there’s not a single noisy crowd in sight. These five beaches aren’t just pretty postcards; they’ve topped global lists for good reason, and we’ve added all the practical stuff you actually need to plan your trip.
Ranked number 1 in the world right now, this little slice of magic is tucked away on a tiny island in the Bacuit Archipelago. Think dramatic limestone cliffs rising up behind powdery white sand, and water so clear you can spot colourful fish from the shore without even getting your feet wet. It’s quiet, peaceful, and feels like your own private paradise — exactly what you hope for when you travel all this way.
Best for: Slow days, snorkelling, and photos that’ll make everyone back home jealous
Best time to go: November to May (dry season, calm seas and sunny days)
How to get there: Fly into El Nido Airport (ENI) from Manila or Cebu, then head to the town beach. Entalula is only reachable by boat — it’s a standard stop on Tour B or Tour C island hopping trips, which cost around £20–£30 per person, including lunch and snorkel gear. You can also charter a private boat if you want to set your own schedule.
Budget/mid-range: Orange Pearl Beach Resort or J Boutique Hotel in El Nido town — both close to the pier, from about £35–£80 a night
Splurge: Miniloc Island Resort right on the water, with its own boat transfers straight to the beach
Fteri beach c. https://worlds50beaches.com
Wild, rugged and totally breathtaking — Fteri feels like one of the Mediterranean’s best kept secrets. It’s a mix of soft sand and smooth white pebbles, leading into that iconic vivid blue Ionian water, backed by steep cliffs and green scrub. The journey there is half the fun, and the sunset here is absolutely unmissable.
Best for: Chasing hidden gems, quiet swims and golden hour photos
Best time to go: May–June or September–October — warm enough to swim, way fewer crowds than July/August
How to get there: Fly into Kefalonia Airport. From there, drive or take a local bus to the trailhead near Agia Kyriaki. It’s a gentle 20–30 minute easy hike down to the beach, or you can take a small boat from nearby ports like Lixouri or Agia Kyriaki for around £10–£15 per person. Note: There are no facilities here, so bring plenty of water, snacks and shade!
Mid-range: Petani Bay Hotel (adults only, great views) or Aenos Hotel in Argostoli — from £60–£120 a night
Local vibe: Beachfront villas like Beachfront Villa Fteri near Zola — perfect for groups or couples, from £100+ a night
Wharton Beach, Australia
Stretching along the spectacular Duke of Orleans Bay near Esperance, this beach is famous for sand so white it glows, and water that shifts from turquoise to deep sapphire. You’ll often spot dolphins swimming close to shore, and the gentle waves are perfect for swimming or just floating around. It’s quiet, unspoiled and feels a million miles from anywhere.
Best for: Long walks, wildlife spotting, and lazy days in the sun
Best time to go: October to April — warm weather and great swimming conditions
How to get there: Fly into Perth, then either take a 1.5-hour flight to Esperance or hit the road for an epic 8.5-hour coastal drive. From Esperance town, it’s about an hour’s drive east to Wharton Beach — regular cars can reach the main car park easily, though you’ll need a 4WD if you want to drive onto the sand.
Budget/camping: Duke of Orleans Bay Caravan Park — powered sites, basic cabins and chalets just 4 minutes’ drive from the beach, from £20–£50 a night
Comfort: Esperance Bay Holiday Park or The Jetty Resort in Esperance town — from £80–£150 a night, with easy day trips out to the beach
Nosy Iranja, Madagascar Image by DREAMONTRAVEL from Pixabay
This place is genuinely one of a kind — two beautiful islands connected by a wide, gleaming sandbar that appears at low tide and disappears beneath the waves when the tide comes in. You can walk between turquoise lagoons and open ocean, surrounded by colourful coral, sea turtles and all kinds of amazing marine life. It’s raw, wild and utterly magical.
Best for: Unique adventures, snorkelling, and getting away from it all
Best time to go: April to December — drier weather and calm seas
How to get there: Fly into Nosy Be Airport from Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo. From Madirokely beach on Nosy Be, it’s a 75-minute speedboat ride to Nosy Iranja — most people book a day tour or arrange transfers through their accommodation, usually around £30–£50 per person return.
On the island: Le Zahir de l’Île — charming eco-friendly bungalows right on the beach, from about £80–£150 a night including some meals; or organised bivouac stays for a more rustic Robinson Crusoe vibe from around £60 a night
On Nosy Be: Naturalia Lodge or Palm Beach Resort — great options if you prefer more amenities, with easy access to boat trips over.
East Beach, Vomo Island, Fiji Image (AI generated)
Pure tropical bliss, plain and simple. Soft golden sand slopes gently into calm, warm water protected by coral reefs, so it’s perfect for swimming all day long. Swaying palm trees, lush green hills and not much else — this is exactly what you imagine when you think of a Fijian paradise. And since it’s on a private island, you’ll often have whole stretches of beach all to yourself.
Best for: Total relaxation, families, and that once-in-a-lifetime luxury vibe
Best time to go: May to October — mild, dry and sunny, with low humidity
How to get there: Fly into Nadi International Airport. From there, Vomo Island Resort arranges everything: a 20-minute drive to Vuda Point Marina, then a 35-minute speedboat ride straight to the island, or a quick 15-minute helicopter transfer if you want to arrive in style! All transfers are pre-booked through the resort.
Vomo Island Resort is the only place to stay right here — all rooms are beachfront or garden villas, with amazing food, activities included and that famous Fijian hospitality. Prices start around £600 per night all-inclusive, but it’s worth every penny for the experience.
So there you have it — five incredible beaches that live up to the hype, with all the practical details sorted so you can start planning your next adventure. Which one are you adding to the top of your bucket list first?
The post Top 5 Beaches in the World: Where Paradise Actually Lives appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
