Come to Rotterdam and "meet the whole world"

Travellers are being invited to come to Rotterdam and "meet the whole world" next month.

Holland's official tourist board advises that between September 5th and 7th at Rotterdam habour the dockland industry will open its door to the public.

The three-day celebration will feature entertainment, music and business presentations, providing visitors with the perfect way to spend a city break.

During the World Harbour Festival ships from all over the world will be on hand for holidaymakers to take tours of, while other boats will offer trips around the nearby coastline.

On the final day of the revelling an "amazing" firework show will the bring the festival to a climatic finish.

The Lonely Planet travel guide describes Holland as a nation which balances a "lively contrast between pragmatic liberalism and buttoned-up just-so primness".

It adds that the Dutch do not get bogged down in cliches of cycling, dykes and windmills, despite the prevalence of all these things.