The Dutch province of Friesland.

The northwestern Dutch province of Friesland is everything one would expect of the rural Netherlands: a lake-studded region of picturesque fields and pasturelands dotted with its namesake black-and-white cows. Stitched together by a network of waterways, its 11 historical cities possess quiet cobblestoned streets that are a welcome change of pace from destinations nearer to Amsterdam. And there’s no better time to visit; Friesland is co-hosting the European Capital of Culture this year, with much of the action centered in the provincial capital of Leeuwarden. Expect largescale art displays, music festivals, and events celebrating local figures such as M.C. Esher and the infamous exotic dancer–cum–World War I spy Mata Hari.