When you think of a holiday in Holland, what comes to your mind? Tulips, bikes and legal drug usage probably, but there is much more to this extraordinary country than Amsterdam, and provided you are willing to explore, the country can show you a little bit of its true nature, away from the tourist Mecca of the capital.

So it was that I arrived in Eindhoven, a medium-sized city on the banks of the River Dommel with a rich history and a forward-thinking philosophy.

A mere 45 minutes’ flight from Gatwick (by a very reasonably-priced Easyjet flight) and an hour and half’s train ride across the remarkably flat country found me in the city ‘centrum’, moving into my suite in the Eden Crown hotel in the heart of the ex-industrial city.

The first thing I noticed from my second floor window was the striking architecture of the city.

Far removed from the cramped streets of London or the canals of Amsterdam, Eindhoven is a city of tall, artistic buildings, mixed in with the occasional shop-packed side street or piazza, and completely shot through with cycle routes - Holland being such a flat country that cycling is the best way to get around.

Since the city was bombed to the ground near the end of World War Two by the British (sorry Holland), the industrial Dutch instead took the opportunity to rebuild their shattered existence in as modern a style as had then been conceived, creating this surprising mix of old and new, with the vestiges of Eindhoven’s industrial past fading away as the city moves ever onwards.

Once the site of a huge production hub for the electrical company Phillips, the city was the site of a massive factory complex, which produced millions of light bulbs and shipped them all over the world - earning the city the nickname of ‘light town’.

The remains of the factories are evident in the industrial quarter of the city, but while the Dutch are quick to defend their history, the future is constantly on the move in Eindhoven.

Even as some of the old buildings are preserved as markers of the past, the city continues to grow, with the ambitious Strijp-S program working towards a long strip of boutiques, hotels, leisure facilities, nightlife and creative buildings - a bright future for the ‘light town’.

And never has the city earned its nickname so poignantly as in the months of September and October, when a 25km stretch of the city is bedecked with lights and awnings, as the grateful Dutch mark the route the liberating Allies took to remove the Nazi menace from the city - a route which is best enjoyed from the saddle of one of the thousands of bikes which cruise the streets or from one of the street cafes, fine eateries or restaurants which line the roads and byways.

You could even enjoy the views from one of the rowdier bars along what I was told was the “longest party street in Holland”- a great place for a night out amongst the friendly clubbers of the busy city centre.

Or, if clubbing isn’t your thing, the numerous museums and walks which adorn the city are well worth a look, detailing the past and future of the city’s planners, as well as the wartime past of the city’s people, who fought so hard against Nazi occupation.

A city of contrast, whether you’re young or more mature, Eindhoven is sure to have something to make your holiday a little bit special.

It’s is a city apart from Amsterdam in so many ways. A peaceful place, hiding a committed party atmosphere, the city would be ideal for a weekend away from it all.

Whether clubbing, cycling or sitting by the river, Eindhoven is sure to steal your heart, and in a city where the rush hour consists almost entirely of bikes, it’s easy to feel like a local.

See past the gaudy front of Amsterdam, and into a true gem of the Netherlands.

For more photographs, click here  

See more information about Eindhoven at http://www.vvveindhoven.nl/en/

For more information about flights to Holland go to: www.easyJet.com

For more information about hotels in Holland, visit: www.hotels.com