Located in the quiet neighbourhood of the Plantage, the Hortus Botanical Garden has been fascinating naturalists, botanists and fans of beauty for over 300 years making it one of the oldest such gardens in the world. Although only a little over one hectare in size, Hortus boasts over 4,000 species of plants from around the globe throughout its gardens and greenhouses, nearly all of which are open to the public. It specialises in cycads, or palm trees, the oldest of which was brought to the Netherlands on a V.O.C. ship centuries ago and has had a home at Hortus since 1856. You can wander around the grounds and view beautiful flowers, carnivorous florae, a rare Australian pine thought extinct until 1994 and even a redwood tree, which, if allowed to grow on its own, might just change the city’s skyline in a few generations. You can also walk through the tropical and desert greenhouses, but don’t miss the butterfly house. You can also buy plants at its shop or have lunch at its café that hosts live jazz on Sundays in summer.