Muiden and Naarden, a moated castle and a star-shaped town half an hour from Amsterdam.

East of Amsterdam, where the river Vecht reaches the IJmeer, there are two fortified villages that are visited together. Muiden has the most photographed castle in the country, the Muiderslot, with its four red-brick towers, moat and drawbridge, and a sea lock of 1673 full of sailing boats. Naarden, a few kilometres away, is a star-shaped town: six bastions surrounded by a double ring of ramparts and moats, so sharp that from the air it looks like a snowflake. Both are part of the Dutch Water Defence Lines, the system of forts, dykes and floodable land that defended Amsterdam, now a World Heritage Site. And between them, in the middle of the water, lies the fortress island of Pampus, which can only be reached by boat.

How do I get there from Amsterdam?

Without a car, by train and bus. For Muiden, take a train from Amsterdam to Weesp, a short ride, and bus 110 to Muiden Centrum, with ten minutes on foot to the castle. For Naarden, take a train to Naarden-Bussum and the same 110 to the Westwalstraat stop, a hundred metres from the Vestingmuseum, in about ten minutes. Since the 110 links Weesp, Muiden and Naarden, you can do both on the same day. On weekends from spring to autumn, the MuiderslotExpress 510 takes you from the Muiden P+R to the castle for €1. Always pay by contactless card.

By car, both are right beside the A1. In Muiden the centre is paid parking every day; park free at P2, on the Mariahoeveweg, ten minutes on foot from the castle. In Naarden there is parking beside the Nieuw Molen bastion.

What to see in Muiden?

The Muiderslot is the heart of it all. Its origins date from 1285 and today it is part of the Rijksmuseum: you visit the furnished 17th-century rooms, the towers and the garden with its herb garden of old varieties, with a free English audio guide that children can follow easily. It costs €19.50, and €7.50 for ages 4 to 11; from April to October it is open daily. From the quay opposite leaves the boat to Pampus, an artificial island with a fort 130 years old, in season. And in the centre of the village, the Groote Zeesluis, the sea lock of 1673, can be seen from the terraces as boats pass through.

What to see in Naarden?

Start with the Vestingmuseum, inside the Turfpoort bastion: casemates, cannons on the rampart and the story of how Naarden protected Amsterdam. Then climb onto the ramparts and walk round the star, about four and a half kilometres between moats. In the centre, the Grote Kerk holds a wooden vault painted around 1518, the "Sistine Chapel of the North", and a tower you climb with a booked time. Next door is the town hall of 1601, in Dutch Renaissance style.

Where to eat and sleep?

In Muiden, Fort H is open every day inside a 19th-century fort with a terrace over the harbour, and De Tuinkamer is the castle café. In Naarden, the Vesting Lounge serves from breakfast to dinner opposite the Grote Kerk. To sleep inside the fortress, the Vesting Hotel has fourteen rooms, one of them with a Dutch box bed, and the B&B Naarden Vesting has two rooms and an apartment. In Muiden, the B&B Studio Amuda is open from March to October beside the locks.

How much time and in what order?

A day is enough for both: the Muiden castle in the morning, when it opens at 10:00, lunch in Muiden and Naarden in the afternoon, bearing in mind that the Vestingmuseum does not let anyone in after 16:30. If you want to go to Pampus, devote the day to Muiden and leave Naarden for another. With a night in the Vesting of Naarden you can carry on to Utrecht or Amersfoort.

When to go?

From April to October: the castle is open daily, the boats to Pampus run and there is more atmosphere at the locks. In winter the castle and the museum are well worth visiting, Tuesday to Sunday, and the Grote Kerk fills with concerts. Avoid Mondays: the Vestingmuseum is closed and, from November to March, so is the Muiderslot.