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Now and then - Almere, like the rest of the province of Flevoland, was literally raised from the sea. The city was conceived mainly to take in some of the rapidly expanding population of Amsterdam in the wake of the baby boom. In 1984, it became an official municipality, and has been growing ever since. Today, Almere is a haven for those who like to get away from Amsterdam, which is widely considered expensive and overcrowded. By contrast, Almere offers people beautiful green spaces, intelligent city planning, clean living and cheap(er) housing. It also houses some of the most stunning natural reserves and forests in the Netherlands.

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"Route Touristique" - Almere is an important part of the Netherlands' first "Route Touristique," an alternative route through the province of Flevoland that allows visitors the chance to view some of the tourist highlights it has to offer.

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"Route Touristique" - Inspired by the "Route touristique du Champagne' in France's Champagne region, the idea was to offer drivers a way off the freeway, taking them by some of the area's hidden gems.

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"Route Touristique" - The route takes you past the Oostvaardersplassen, various beaches, forests, and the pump station De Blocq van Kuffeler (pictured), Europe's largest pump station.

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Oostvaardersplassen - Near Almere is one of the country's largest nature reserves, the Oostvaardersplassen. It's an important global example of the sustainable use of wetlands.

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Oostvaardersplassen - In the experience center Oostvaarders (pictured), you'll find various exhibitions about the wetlands themselves, the animals that inhabit them, and their development. On top of the building is a telescope that allows for a more detailed view of the wetlands.

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Oostvaardersplassen - The area is also renowned for its rewilding project. The new ecosystem was intended to resemble the one that existed in the area before human interference.

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Oostvaardersplassen - Additionally, the marshland there is one of the best birdwatching spots in the country.

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Standout architecture - One of the city's most defininig features is its bold and innovative architecture.

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Standout architecture - In the '90s, city council decided to start building more exclusive housing than in previous years, when construction was mainly focused on the functionality of the residences.

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Standout architecture - Since then, the city has become a place where some of the most striking, creative, and innovative residential buildings in the country can be observed. A true architect's dream, and a great place to learn the tricks of the trade for architecture students.

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Standout architecture - Almere has been recognized for its unique buildings in the architecture world, winning numerous international prizes throughout the years.

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Beatrixpark - Almere is probably the greenest city in the Netherlands. One of the nicest parks in the city is Beatrixpark, named after the former queen of the Netherlands.

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Beatrixpark - The park lies in the center of four of the most important neighborhoods in the city, though land preparation started before any of these had been built. It's a great place for running, boating, or just relaxing. Also, right in the middle of the park is an American-style diner!

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Land art - During the development of the province of Flevoland, engineers and planners thought it a good idea to create large works of art throughout the province, such as the Green Cathedral (pictured). These "land art" projects were inspired by similar creations in the US from the 1970s.

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Land art - Seen from the ground in this photo, the Green Cathedral is a life-size replica of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims (a gothic cathedral in the French city of Reims) made of growing poplars.

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Land art - Another one of the land art projects is the Polderland Garden of Love and Fire, designed as a meditation area by world famous architect Daniel Libeskind.

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De (the) Kemphaan - The Kemphaan is a very pleasant city estate, with forests great for long hikes, playing facilities for children, and a large restaurant (pictured) to relax in and have some nice Dutch treats.

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The AAP Foundation - Within the Kemphaan is a rather remarkable island. Why remarkable? Well, it's inhabited exclusively by monkeys. It's run by the AAP Foundation, which aims to create a natural habitat for non-indigenous monkeys illegally smuggled into the Netherlands. It opened its doors in 2001, and continues to attract many visitors.

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Fun Forest - Do you like outdoor activities, nature, and exercise? Then the Fun Forest is the place for you!

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Fun Forest - The Fun Forest is a park with nine different climbing courses—perfect for families, groups of friends, and company outings.

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Bos der Onverzettelijken - The Bos der Onverzettelijken (Forest of the Unyielding) is a specially planted forest that honors the fallen Dutch resistance fighters of WWII. The forest is the first of its kind in the country. The reason Almere was chosen as the location is because the city is young with a fruitful and promising future ahead of it.

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Bos der Onverzettelijken - The forest is populated by 2,142 trees, 2,133 of which represent individual fallen resistance fighters. Five trees were planted to signal the five years of occupation, another three to symbolize the bond with the Dutch royal house, and one to honor an unknown resistance fighter executed by firing squad.

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Weerwater - The city is also famous for its vast array of water sports options. The Weerwater, a fresh water lake located in the middle of the city, is where you can go waterskiing, wakeboarding, and stand-up paddling, among other things.

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Cablepark - Nearby Cablepark is the perfect place for family outings, and also serves as a place to learn any of the aforementioned disciplines.

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Vroege Vogelbos - The Vroege Vogelbos is one of the largest forests in the area. It's a great place to go for hikes, enjoy the fresh air, and take in the natural surroundings.

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Schaapskooi - Within the forest is the Schaapskooi (the sheep's cage), where about 100 sheep live. The sheep were introduced to graze away the large amounts of hogweed in the area. The cage was built in 2003, and won a prize at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in the category 'Pleasure.'

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Almere Castle - One of the more curious sights is the Almere Castle (Kasteel Almere). Situated at the edge of Almere-Haven, this unfinished structure is visible from the A6 (the main highway).

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Almere Castle - Modeled on the 13th century Jemeppe Castle (pictured) in Belgium, building began in 2000. However, construction was abandoned in 2002 for financial reasons. It was then bought by building company Gravin BV, which planned to turn it into a hotel and wedding location. But their development plan was rejected by Almere's city council in 2008.

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Almere Castle -

From 2013 until very recently, there were plans to turn the castle into an amusement park by a company called Witchworld. However, financial problems led them to abandon the project in October of 2018. Thus, the castle remains standing, still unfinished, but a striking vision with enormous future potential, much like the city itself.

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