Huis Doorn

Initially, we were heading to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park but on the spur of the moment, we stopped at the manor of Doorn. Frankly, we had no idea what the place was famous for but nevertheless, we joined a guided tour of the house and learnt a great deal through the intriguing tales and anecdotes. This is the place where the last emperor of the German empire, Wilhelm II lived in exile - after Germany's defeat in the First World War - until his death in 1941. Audrey Hepburn's mother also spent her childhood here. In addition to the enchanting surroundings (24-room manor house and a 14-acre park), Huis Doorn boasts a unique collection of the kaiser's furniture and other personal belongings shipped in five trains from his German estates. Wilhelm II was buried in the garden mausoleum; in his will, he refused his body to be returned to Germany, unless the monarchy was restored there.