Bikes and canals and a sense of calm make for the best of Amsterdam.

The biggest city in the Netherlands is a triumph of resourcefulness and lateral thinking.

Space is at premium in Amsterdam, where much of the land has been reclaimed from the sea.

The city's planners turned that to their advantage: Amsterdam's canals soothe rather than imprison the city. They provide its order, its calm.

That calm is regularly disturbed by the trill of bicycle bells, but as long as you give the cyclists a wide berth, it's the perfect city for pedestrians.

Now, with Koninginnedag upon us (April 30) and a new king being crowned, it's the perfect time to discover the best of Amsterdam.