Amsterdam might be the first place that you think of when someone suggests a weekend in the Netherlands, but Utrecht is the city I’d tell you to book for your next city break.

Smaller, friendlier and far easier to get under the skin of in a weekend, Utrecht has all the Dutch good looks, canals, cobbles, bicycles, gabled buildings and cosy waterside cafés without the crowds, and with a cool young vibe that’s kind of infectious.