Experience firsthand why Portland is known as the "City of Roses" by visiting its Rose Test Garden, the oldest official rose garden in the U.S. Established during World War I, the garden was originally created as a refuge for roses threatened by bombings and potential extinction. Not only did the roses survive, but they have continued to thrive and bloom in Portland. The garden is open to visitors from April through October, with the peak bloom occurring in June.

This extravagantly decorated clandestine church built centuries ago when Catholicism was considered a crime is hidden in plain sight behind an unassuming front door in the city centre. Those walking down Juffrouw Idastraat would never imagine that within one of the typical terraced houses lies the enormous Parish of Saints James and Augustine where Catholics used to practice their faith in secret. Nobody is quite sure who built the church, but the stunning baroque plastering seems to suggest that it was the famous architect and artist Daniel Marot or one of his students. Book a free tour which takes you through the church and the attic to the more recent Bishop’s Chamber which is full of some of the original features and furniture that were used in the 1700s.

Home to many timeless works of art such as 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' and 'The Goldfinch', the Mauritshuis Museum showcases the Dutch Golden Age of painting in all its splendour. Amongst others featured in the museum are both Rembrandt and Vermeer, two of the most celebrated master painters of this momentous time in Dutch history. In their work, they are able to capture the essence of the Netherlands as a global powerhouse and one of the most prosperous nations in Europe throughout the seventeenth century. Be aware that some of the better-known paintings are occasionally sent around the world to be presented in other art exhibitions so it is advisable to check ahead of time to see if they are on display.