A week in the Netherlands
Oct 2nd, 2011, 12:06 PM
#1
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A week in the Netherlands
Two well traveled active adults going for a week in April. Should we do everything as a day trip by train or bus from Amsterdam to include:
Tulip festival
Delft
Gouda
Zaanse schans
Where else?
Tulip festival
Delft
Gouda
Zaanse schans
Where else?
Oct 2nd, 2011, 01:05 PM
#2
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Tulip festival = Keukenhof?
An objective response is that these can be done as trivial day trips from Amsterdam.
If you want subjective responses to value questions, it would help to state what value you are looking for.
An objective response is that these can be done as trivial day trips from Amsterdam.
If you want subjective responses to value questions, it would help to state what value you are looking for.
Oct 2nd, 2011, 02:20 PM
#3
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I suggest an afternoon in Haarlem.
If you are in Amsterdam on April 30 you are in for the greatest one-day street party in the world, Queen's Day. See http://tinyurl.com/yln3hrp. Assuming *tulip festival* means Keukenhof see http://tinyurl.com/y8hltjl. The Bloemencurso, a flower float parade, takes place on Saturday April 21 next year. The floats are parked in downtown Haarlem on Sunday where you can also see amazing amusement shows of various sorts. Bring your video camera.
*Active adults* would find the Cafe Hoppe (ancient brown bar, after work watering hole) and the Cafe Luxembourg (great for lunch) at the Spui in Amsterdam of interest. Meet the locals. These places are not nearly as touristy as the Leidseplein.
If you are in Amsterdam on April 30 you are in for the greatest one-day street party in the world, Queen's Day. See http://tinyurl.com/yln3hrp. Assuming *tulip festival* means Keukenhof see http://tinyurl.com/y8hltjl. The Bloemencurso, a flower float parade, takes place on Saturday April 21 next year. The floats are parked in downtown Haarlem on Sunday where you can also see amazing amusement shows of various sorts. Bring your video camera.
*Active adults* would find the Cafe Hoppe (ancient brown bar, after work watering hole) and the Cafe Luxembourg (great for lunch) at the Spui in Amsterdam of interest. Meet the locals. These places are not nearly as touristy as the Leidseplein.
Oct 3rd, 2011, 09:27 AM
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Here's a favorite day trip to the flower fields and Keukenhof Gardens, only on in spring usually.
Take a train to Hillegom, via Haarlem - get off and walk a few miles right thru the tulip and flower fields (well on small paved lanes not right thru the fields) to the Keukenhof Gardens, the spectacular flower show showcases the Dutch horticultural industry with blooms galore, inside hothouses and outside.
Then take the frequent shuttle buses from the Keukenhof to Leiden's train station to go back to Amsterdam.
Tiptoeing thru the tulip fields IMO is a stunning experience - well flower fields as there are also hyacinths, etc.
And IMO do not miss Haarlem - just a few minutes by Amsterdam by train and one of the nicest Dutch regional towns IMO
Rotterdam never ceases to amaze me - not for its ancient look which was blitzed to bits in WW2 but for its avant-garde contemporary architecture and its hosts of amazing museums.
Anyone in Holland for a week will benefit by buying the National Museum Pass - just three main Amsterdam museums make the card, valid for one year for unlimited entries to zillions of museums and sights, pay off - buy it at any museum covered.
Take a train to Hillegom, via Haarlem - get off and walk a few miles right thru the tulip and flower fields (well on small paved lanes not right thru the fields) to the Keukenhof Gardens, the spectacular flower show showcases the Dutch horticultural industry with blooms galore, inside hothouses and outside.
Then take the frequent shuttle buses from the Keukenhof to Leiden's train station to go back to Amsterdam.
Tiptoeing thru the tulip fields IMO is a stunning experience - well flower fields as there are also hyacinths, etc.
And IMO do not miss Haarlem - just a few minutes by Amsterdam by train and one of the nicest Dutch regional towns IMO
Rotterdam never ceases to amaze me - not for its ancient look which was blitzed to bits in WW2 but for its avant-garde contemporary architecture and its hosts of amazing museums.
Anyone in Holland for a week will benefit by buying the National Museum Pass - just three main Amsterdam museums make the card, valid for one year for unlimited entries to zillions of museums and sights, pay off - buy it at any museum covered.
Oct 3rd, 2011, 11:48 AM
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Marken and Volendam make a neat day trip by bus - very famous places that I would think are amongst the most popular places in all of Holland for tourists. In season you can even take a boat there from Amsterdam on the Ijsmeer, formerly the zuider Zee before it was blocked off from the sea by the huge enclosing dyke.
Oct 5th, 2011, 09:41 AM
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The main purpose of our trip is to go to Keukenhof and just be surrounded by the beautiful flowers. Beyond that we'd like to absorb some of the unique landscapes and experiences that this region has to offer. Obviously in a week we're not going to blend in like locals so we're happy to just enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes outside of Amsterdam.
Oct 5th, 2011, 10:11 AM
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You could get adventurous and head way from the tourists traps around Amsterdam. Hire a car and drive around the Ijsselmeer - you can visit bulbfields most of the way around. Visit small villages, other cities or towns which are off the beaten track but just as interesting and lovely, just less crowded.
Oct 5th, 2011, 10:37 AM
#8
Returning from Keukenhof you can also take a bus to Haarlem - it stops just outside of the train station. The bus passes lots of tulip fields on the way. The train from Haarlem to Amsterdam is 15 minutes and there are 4 trains every hour. The walk from the train/bus station to Haarlem's main square is 10 minutes. We based in Haarlem rather than Amsterdam and loved it there.
Oct 5th, 2011, 10:48 AM
#9
An easy trip from Amsterdam would be to visit this castle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/muiden
Oct 5th, 2011, 11:19 AM
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For unique landscape, I would also recommend going north as recommended by Hetismij. Delft and Gouda are big cities. Unless you are there before 9am or at night, you will get crushed by the flow of residents and tourists during the day. Also, if you visit only big cities with canals, they all start looking like other cities in the Lowlands.
Oct 5th, 2011, 12:32 PM
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I also often base in Haarlem and love it - great rail links to everywhere - day trip into Amsterdam and love coming back to a more real and quiet Haarlem at night - have a nice family-run B&B for about 35 euros with unlimited breakfast - cheapest digs in Amsterdam would be a dump and at least twice as much with a meager breakfast of a few rolls and a cup of coffee.
Oct 6th, 2011, 08:41 AM
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Haarlem Bed Breakfast Holland
botbedbreakfast.com/Enjoy a Holland holiday and stay in a real Dutch bed and breakfast
right in town center on a neat small canal - friendly owners live on premises - spaarne (see above post) also stays at a neat B&B in Haarlem as well that I may try on my next trip.
If into biking you could rent a bike in Haarlem and pedal thru the flower fields to the Keukenhof and if tired put your bike on a train to return to Haarlem. bike rentals at Haarlem's train station.
botbedbreakfast.com/Enjoy a Holland holiday and stay in a real Dutch bed and breakfast
right in town center on a neat small canal - friendly owners live on premises - spaarne (see above post) also stays at a neat B&B in Haarlem as well that I may try on my next trip.
If into biking you could rent a bike in Haarlem and pedal thru the flower fields to the Keukenhof and if tired put your bike on a train to return to Haarlem. bike rentals at Haarlem's train station.
Oct 6th, 2011, 09:31 AM
#15
We had an excellent dinner at this restaurant in Amsterdam on a canal and the prices were reasonable. www.theeboom.com Google D'Theeboom for reviews
Oct 6th, 2011, 10:25 AM
#17
29FEB; Agree,great place to visit. That was an easy day trip by train, Gouda and then Den Haag. Left at 8 in the morning and returned at 8 in the evening. One of my favorite places is Masstricht. Would be a long day trip. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maastricht
Oct 6th, 2011, 10:41 AM
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a trip to Delft could also easily be combined with a look at The Hague, just about 10 miles or so away with frequent trains between each. Delft is small and a few hours there could be fine - Den hague's major sites are in a compact area for the most part and not far from either of its two train stations.
Oct 6th, 2011, 12:22 PM
#20
hi CJ,
I too am planning an April trip to Holland, partly to see the Keuckenhof gardens but also to go to the Floriade - a huge flower show that takes place every 10 years in the east of Holland near Venlo.
we are planning on staying in Maastricht for that part of our visit, but I suspect that you will be able to get there from Amsterdam.
BTW Pal, that link to your B&B in Haarlem didn't work.
I too am planning an April trip to Holland, partly to see the Keuckenhof gardens but also to go to the Floriade - a huge flower show that takes place every 10 years in the east of Holland near Venlo.
we are planning on staying in Maastricht for that part of our visit, but I suspect that you will be able to get there from Amsterdam.
BTW Pal, that link to your B&B in Haarlem didn't work.
