Seeking inspiration for summer holidays or a short break away?

JANUARY is a month where people tend to start searching for an escape as the cold starts to set into our bones.

It’s also a lean month for lots of us, but nonetheless, many of us start thinking about summer holidays or short breaks away to give the mind something to look forward to.

Summer holidays are very subjective - some people love the heat while others don’t, some like all-inclusive while others are happy to go self-catering.

One thing that people do love a bit of advice on is city breaks, and city breaks with children are great fun if you pick the right place to visit.

I am very lucky to have a sister who lives in Amsterdam so we have been over with the girls numerous times. It is probably one of my favourite places to visit; the city itself is beautiful, the people are very relaxed, and the weather is usually pretty good.

If the first thing you think about when you think of Amsterdam is marijuana and the red-light district, I can assure you those are not that evident in my experience.

The red-light district, De Wallen, is tucked away so you’re unlikely to wander past scantily clad women in windows by accident. There has been a big shift with regards drug use in Amsterdam too and, in my experience, it’s not something you will see or smell at all.

Let’s start with one of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam and that is the Anne Frank Haus. I have only ever brought my eldest girl, she was 10 at the time, and she loved it. You need to book online and ticket sales open on specific days, so set your timer to book at the right time in advance of your trip.

It is a very moving experience, obviously the subject matter is very heavy, and it is treated with great reverence, but it is absolutely fantastic.

No trip to Amsterdam is complete without a jaunt on the canals. I’ve done it a few times and always enjoyed it - you learn a lot about the history of the city. It probably only captured the attention of the older girls, who were about 8 and 10, so while younger children will enjoy it, bring a few colouring books to keep them entertained if you’re trying to please a few different ages. There is a pancake boat, which we haven’t done, but my sister has said that it is great for families.

Amsterdam is famous for its art museums, probably most notably the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum. Those face onto a park called Museumplein, which is a lovely spot for a picnic.

There is also a lovely garden to the right of the Museumplin, under the Rijksmuseum, where children can hire easels and paints and the little garden is stunning in summer. In that park there is the Moco Museum - a small museum focused on modern art. I have done it with the girls and they all loved it - there are pieces from Banksey, Jeff Koons and many others and it is really fun and colourful.

Nemo Science Museum is another must-see in Amsterdam with children. It is a relatively new attraction and it is filled to the brim with interactive science exhibitions. Leave yourself plenty of time there so you can let the children go at their own pace.

Be sure to go to the roof top, a perfect spot for a coffee, with beautiful views of the city below and more interactive exhibits for the children to stay busy.

Last year, we visited Wondr, which was a brilliant experience just outside the city. It is a series of rooms and each has a different theme - one was a ball pool, another had large furniture so we felt like miniature people, there was a cartoon room, a disco ball room, a room with teddies; a very ‘instagrammable’ experience!

My eldest girls have stayed on without me the last couple of years so they have visited things with my sister I have not seen myself. Last summer they went to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and it is still something they often talk about between themselves. They tell me the experience is really interactive and everything was wild and wacky, so it really drew them in.

We have visited the A’Dam Lookout, at the top of a very tall hotel in a newly-regenerated part of the city that you can access via a foot ferry from the train station. There are swings at the top that swing out over the edge of the building - tweens and teenagers would love it. We didn’t do it because the queues were just too long, but you can just visit the top of the building for some incredible views across the city.

The only other piece of advice I would give is to take your time when walking anywhere - there are bikes everywhere as well as people, trams and cars so be mindful of stepping out onto roads without looking left and right numerous times!