We are looking at spending a week in the Netherlands following a 2.5-week trip to the U.K. The UK trip with be with two other friends, but my wife and I would like to tack on a week for ourselves at the tail end. For now, we're focused on the Netherlands, in part because it is a pretty easy train connection from London as well as a non-stop flight back to Seattle, our home town. We chose the Netherlands over other European countries that also have direct flights to SEA for various reasons.
We would be in the Netherlands in late September. We've been to Amsterdam and Rotterdam before and thought both were great. But we're looking for somewhere outside the "big" cities, preferably spending the entire week in one location. Could do two, but one would be best.
Our interests include architecture, urban planning, geography, history, art, restaurants/cafes, local culture, and unexpected discoveries (of the good kind). We are in our 70's, seasoned travelers, and physically capable of managing cobblestone walkways and flights of stairs.
We do not want to be car-dependent, so will be relying on other forms of transport.
Your thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated. The Hague? Delft? Utrecht? Haarlem? Somewhere less discovered?