juli

I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestion as to their favorite neighboring city and if they had any advice as to how to get there cheap for one day (no overnight). <BR>Any help or advice on things to do in Amsterdam would be appreciated. <BR> <BR>Juli

Sjoerd

There is no need to visit another country, as there is plenty to see in the Netherlands. Nice cities for a daytrip from Amsterdam are: Haarlem, Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Alkmaar, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft, Den Haag. Some of these cities can be combined in one day trip. for instance: take the train to Enkhuizen, visit the Zuiderzeemuseum (http://www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl/), and on your way back to Amsterdam visit Hoorn. <BR>Another "must" is National Park De Hoge Veluwe with the Kröller Muller Museum. (http://www.kmm.nl/) <BR>Castle De Haar in Haarzuilens close to Utrecht is nice. (http://www.kasteeldehaar.nl/) <BR>Trains and buses go to all these cities/places. Just ask at the VVV (tourist info) in Amsterdam. <BR>For things to do in Amsterdam, check out: http://www.simplyamsterdam.nl/

merriem

We were in Amsterdam a year ago for a week, and it was too long. We kick ourselves that we didn't get out of Holland....yes we took two nice day trips on the train. Frankly, we didn't care for Amsterdam....not wanting to start any long heated thread...but it just wasn't for us. I would think you could see everything in 3 days max, and then take the train somewhere else. Good luck.

elvira

Five days in Amsterdam is a lot; I think I did it in two days, with a wish I had another day. There are boat trips through the canals; there's a torture museum; be sure to eat an Indonesian restaurant; ride a bicycle; go shopping (in Amsterdam, I bought the funkiest pair of pantyhose I ever owned). I second the Kroller-Muller Museum; Maastricht for the marl caves and the American Cemetery; Mauroradam (spelling very questionable) which is a miniature Holland - sort of a silly thing to do, but I really liked the unimportance of it all after days of Rembrandt and Rubens and Van Gogh.

Tom

How about taking the train to Brussels or Brugge for a day and night?

April

The other side of the coin - <BR>We spent a week there and found it too short. I could stay much longer and never be bored. Accustomed to North American travel, my husband and I were astounded by the efficiency of their train system. Get a day pass and go all over the country. You don't even need to plan well - just go. It's easy. Plus the people are so friendly and helpful.

Sjoerd

To Elvira: it is Madurodam and it is in Den Haag / Scheveningen. <BR>http://www.madurodam.nl/e/intro/index.html <BR>

April

Speaking of Scheveningen, Sjoerd, I heard somewhere that during the war they could tell a German by his/her mispronunciation of Scheveningen. (This left me wondering if I pronounced it correctly.) Do you know in what way they mispronounced it?

Ben Haines

Fodors <BR> <BR>Like Sjoerd, I think you should stay in the Netherlands. Trips to Germany and to Belgium take you to other prosperous democracies with old histories, no great change from Amsterdam. It's true that you would enjoest a trip to Maastricht. You might like, too, to see really flat country: perhaps a trip to Groningen. But in fact right there in the small provinces of North Holland and Holland is a great deal of beauty and interest: Haarlem and the Frans Hals Museum, Leyden and the making of knowlege (the City Museum), or the Dutch connection with water, at Leewarden. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR>

Sjoerd

to April: <BR>most foreigners find the Dutch "sch" combination difficult to pronounce. It is pronounced as "s" followed by a very hard "g". This combination does not exist in German. (or in English or most other languages) <BR>

April

Thanks again Sjoerd (I won't even guess how to pronounce your name). <BR> <BR>By the way, Juli, if you plan to go to Madurodam, we found it very easy to take the public transportation there once we got off the train.

Diane

I spent a week in Amsterdam and enjoyed it a great deal. There's so much to do. Take a canal boat ride, visit the Anne Frank House, go to the museums, take day trips to Volendam & Marken, the flower auction (I can't remember the name of the city), Alkmaar, Delft, etc. Spend a sunny afternoon in the park, browse the antique shops on Spiegelstraat, eat in ethnic restaurants. This is a lively, vibrant city. I could have easily spent another week there without getting bored.

Sjoerd

To April: my name is pronounced more or less like "Shoe-wert" in English. <BR>To Diane: the flower auction is in Aalsmeer and indeed highly recommended. (but you have to wake up early, very early)

donna

Hi Juli- I don't think you need to visit another country. We love the Netherlands and have always found lots to do. I agree you could buy a three day train pass and travel to many palces. Madurodam is wonderful (you take a tram from the train, but the travel office is right there and they are most helpful. I can also recommend going to the Kroller-Mueller indoor/outdoor art museumand riding the free bicycles in de Hogue Veulve park, we were the only Americans visitng the Makkum pottery factory (a little north of Amsterdam) and loved it! (The whole town was charming) and we loved the Jopie Huisman museum in the town of Workum (we did both in one day!) Also, you can take the train for a day to Rotterdam (go up the Euromast!) to see the modern architecture and also the old windmill in Old Deltshaven part of the city. There is much to do in a wek! Hope this gives you some good ideas.

Juli

Thanks to all of you for your great advice. I will definitely use it!!! Please keep it coming. If we did want to do a day trip by train where would you all suggest?