Rotterdam is catching up on Amsterdam as the most popular place in the Netherlands, according to a new report by branding experts Hendrik Beerda and Utrecht University.

The port city has gone up two places in the rankings, from fourth to second place behind the Dutch capital. The survey, which involved 12,000 people, took place before Feyenoord won the Dutch football Eredivisie competition, which experts say provided a further boost.

Utrecht is in second place in the list, followed by Maastricht (down from second place) and The Hague. In terms of how locals view their own cities, however, Maastricht is a clear favourite, followed by Den Bosch and Groningen.

New in the cities top 10 are Delft and Haarlem. ‘Smaller cities with a long history are in clear demand,’ the report said. ‘They combine the draw of the big cities with the atmosphere of a more provincial town’

Last year, research into the quality of life in Europe’s cities put Rotterdam top of the happiness ranking, but the city came bottom in another happiness ranking by the Dutch Atlas voor Gemeenten which was published last month.

The survey also looked at the brand strength of the Dutch provinces and regions. The Veluwe heathlands south of Utrecht were the best rated region, followed by southern parts of Limburg and the Wadden Sea.