Two Dutch grandmasters of 17th-century portraiture, Frans Hals and Rembrandt van Rijn, are exhibited together in the charming museum devoted to Hals in his hometown of Haarlem. Just 25 minutes from the centre of Amsterdam by train (35 minutes from Leiden and 45 minutes from The Hague), it makes for a fascinating day trip, and there are a couple of small hotels for those who prefer to stay in the town itself.

Both artists were renowned for their loose brush strokes and the honesty in which they captured their subjects, from royalty to children, actors and musicians. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see these artists’ mastery together and up close. If you choose to stay in Amsterdam, why not also enjoy the retrospective of 20th-century Dutch artist, Willem de Kooning, at the Rijksmuseum (9 October 2026 – 17 January 2027).