Delft © sub_lime79

South of Amsterdam lies Delft, a Dutch city famous for its distinctive blue and white ceramics. There is more to Delft than china, however, and the city has a 750-year history full of drama and excitement.

Founded in 1246, Delft became a prosperous city until much of it was destroyed by a great fire in 1536. It was hit with another disaster in 1654, when a gunpowder warehouse exploded and large sections of the city were destroyed. Delft has also been the site of Dutch East India Company offices, acting as a major trading centre in the Netherlands.

Nowadays, Delft is one of the prettiest towns in the Netherlands, with a number of beautiful buildings and a network of canals that are pleasant to stroll along. There are a few museums worth visiting, and the Thursday Market at the main square is a great place to both soak up some local culture and do a bit of souvenir shopping.

The city has a lively atmosphere thanks to the 13,000 students of the Delft University of Technology, and there are a number of cafes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs to keep everyone entertained. While Delft has no red light district, there are a few marijuana coffeeshops in town as well.

Of course, the famous earthenware is not to be forgotten and apart from the tourist shop windows, which overflow with a sea of blue and white, you can visit the Porcelijne Fles, the factory which produces the most iconic pieces.