Style Correspondent Romy Boesveldt from StudioROOF

Destination Flevopark

Flevopark is a large park about three miles east of the centre of Amsterdam. Here, many different groups of people mingle – Dutch, Morrocan and Turkish families mix with students, hipsters and young professionals – all enjoying barbecues or picnics whenever the weather is great.

My daughters and I love to come here for a swim in the open air pool on beautiful days and then relax in the park

The outdoor swimming area is the largest in Amsterdam. It is heated!! and it has a pool for swimming laps as well as a shallow pool for small children. Lockers are available to keep your valuables safe while you picnic or swim, and there are also tennis courts, a playground and a petting zoo for kids. A cafe in the park also means that if you are running a little low on picnic fare, you can always retire to the cafe.

Why go For a wilder side of Amsterdam

Who is it best for All ages, but best for families who really like their parks on the ‘wilder side’; this is one of the least developed of the parks in this city and provides a safe haven for many of the native animals that you would not get to meet in parks such as Vondelpark (which is also a fabulous spot to stop if you don’t have the time to go this little distance further…)

While you’re in the area If parents are feeling a little parched, drop in on Distilleerderij ‘t Nieuwe Diep, a distillery on the edge of the park that creates its own liqueurs from organic ingredients using old Dutch recipes. They produce roughly 100 spirits made in small batches in this historic location where Rembrandt once painted. A tour of the facilities is available every Friday at 16:00, and you can visit the tasting room on weekdays for an intoxicating Amsterdam souvenir. Kids will love the fairytale setting.