Saturday - Go winter-sporting below sea level

All around the country there are indoor skiing facilities, complete with ski-lifts, sport equipment shops and alpine bars.

In The Hague there's the Uithof, which apart from the indoor slope offers also an indoor free-climbing theatre, a speed skating rink, a go-kart circuit and ice hockey stadium.

The largest one can be found in Limburg. It's the Snowworld Landgraaf and it's the only indoor ski area with an official FIS slope, meaning that FIS World Cup competitions could be organised under its roof.

Even for those like me who are not so passionate about winter sports, these places are guaranteed to provoke wonder and amazement!

http://www.deuithof.nl/

http://www.snowworld.com/77/Indoor-ski-slope-Landgraaf

Friday - Set out your winter table in Leeuwarden

With these short winter days and the weather sets to get colder, it's nice to dine at home, maybe with a couple of old friends, some candles here and there and a bottle of good wine.

To seek inspiration for the table setting, you can visit the exhibition "Winters Tafelen" (Winter Tables) currently on display at the Ceramic Museum Princessehof in Leeuwarden.

Extraordinary textiles, ceramics and glass to make of every table a work of art...or at least give it a try!

Until 24 Febryary.

http://www.princessehof.nl/

Thursday - Chinese Lanterns in Rotterdam

The Oriental tradition of paper lanterns has come to Rotterdam this year.

Huge paper objects (flowers, dragons, temples and whole gardens), illuminated from inside, are disseminated in the Euromast park and all over the city.

Having seen it in Seoul last year (picture below) I can warmly recommend it, despite the fact that in Korea it's free while in Rotterdam the ticket costs an hefty 15 euro...

Lights go on at 17.00 till 22.00.

http://chinalightrotterdam.nl/en/

Wednesday - Open air organic shopping in The Hague

Every Wednesday on the Hofplaats in The Hague, just outside the Twede Kameer building (Lower Chambers of the Dutch Parliament), there's a small market with producers of organic vegetables, cheeses, meats and grains.

Despite being quite tiny in size, the quality and variety are quite good.

What cannot be found on the stalls, can be most likely be located at Marqt, the new organic supermarket just opened across the street.

http://www.boerenmarkt-denhaag.nl/

Tuesday - Visit the extravagant Groninger Museum and its collection

There are few things more cheering in a grey, sad, humid mid-winter day such as today than visiting a colourful art exhibition in a quirky building.

The Groninger Museum delivers just that.

Rumour has it that the supposedly water proof building was in fact flooded during the first year of its existence, forcing curators to salvage precious works of art by ...  carrying them above their heads while swimming out the lower floors...

http://www.groningermuseum.nl/en

Monday - Acquire a new skill

There's still a bit of time to enrol in some of the spring classes offered in several of the Volkuniversiteit around The Netherlands.

Wine tasting, cake decoration, Dutch and art classes among others available.

http://www.volksuniversiteit.nl/

Sunday - Go to a matinee concert in Amsterdam

At the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam you can enjoy a morning concert almost every Sunday (and there are shows in the afternoon too).

Before the morning concert you can join a guided tour of the building, while afterwards, you can stay and enjoy a brunch in the Foyer.

www.concertgebouw.nl