Travel: 48 hours in Amsterdam

Thursday, 9am After a relaxing one-hour KLM flight, arrive at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport and enjoy breakfast at the brasserie restaurant. Europe’s fifth-largest airport is the opposite of many others in that it invites one to stay to explore its attractions, such as the world’s first airport library and a museum.

2pm Check into the super-chic Canal House (www.canalhouse.nl; rooms from e220, inclusive of breakfast) in the heart of Jordaan, Amsterdam’s cultural centre and a stone’s throw from the Anne Frank House (www.annefrank.org).

4pm Step back into the 1920s at the Deco Sauna (www.saunadeco.nl). After a traditional massage, unwind in the sauna cabin and Turkish steam bath.

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8pm Discover “wellness from within” in the home of Dutch nutritionist Vardit Kohn (www.forgoodness-sake.com), who serves up a plethora of carefully crafted courses to demonstrate how you can eat healthy food with “minimum input, but providing maximum output”.

Friday, 10am Enjoy a leisurely walk through the streets and over the canal bridges, taking in some of the city’s cultural highlights, including the 17th-century Royal Palace (www.paleisamsterdam.nl/en).

3pm Unwind further with a free yoga session at the Sahaja Meditation Centre (www.sahajayoga.nl).

6pm Dine back at the hotel, where dishes include duck confit with white bean cassoulet.

Saturday, 10am Indulge in the best pre-flight preparation with a full-body massage at Schiphol’s XpressSpa (www.XpressSpa.com; from e65).

THE FACTS

Return flights from Edinburgh (or 14 other airports in the UK) start from £79 (www.klm.com). Two-night breaks flying from Edinburgh or Glasgow from £189pp, www.citiesdirect.co.uk/scotsman

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