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Amsterdam’s wonderfully family-friendly zoo was established in 1838 and covers more than 14 hectares (35 acres) of tree-lined pathways and landscaped gardens. It has more than 900 species of animal, successfully combining 19th-century layout and buildings with a 21st-century commitment to conservation and breeding. Buy a map and a list of the current feeding times from the Artis office at the zoo’s entrance to negotiate the animal enclosures—where lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, and gazelles range fairly freely—the ticket price grants admission to Artis’s Aquarium, the Insect House, Geological Museum, and Planetarium where 3D films on the birth of the planet are shown. There’s also a children’s farm, where kids can pet assorted small animals. There are daily keeper talks, vulture and lion feeding sessions, playful sea lions, and elephant training to fit in to your day as well, plus late-night sessions at the zoo on Saturdays between June and the end of August.