One of the advantages of living in Amsterdam is that you’re never more than half an hour’s drive or ride from the sea. Zandvoort-aan-Zee is the favoured beach for Amsterdammers, easily reached by train or car. But my favourite seaside resort is Wijk-aan-Zee in the Northern Province of the Netherlands. It’s a small town nestled behind dunes which run adjacent to the widest beach on the North Sea coast.

The town has higgledy-piggledy streets, boutiques, knick-knack shops, chippie, a church and a big central meadow where horses graze. What’s more, for visitors to the beach, it’s free to park! There is no beach boulevard which is perhaps why it’s not as popular as Zandvoort and also no direct route by bus or train from Amsterdam. This jewel of a beach is a well-kept secret amongst locals so ssshh, let’s keep it that way!