Eric12

Hi friends ... I will be visiting Netherlands in July 2014 with family. Being my first trip to Netherlands, kindly suggest an itinerary for 3 days (which excludes entry & exit dates).

My tentative plan is cover Amsterdam for 2 days and visit Delft and Rotterdam on 3rd day, as a day trip. Any other places to include ? Within Amsterdam, any specific areas to cover? Mainly interested in common tourist attractions.

Eric12

Awaiting some response !

ribeirasacra

I have to say you should give us a bit of time to respond. Just over an hours wait is not so long.
With three days you seem to have got your time filled.
Had you given actual dates and method of travel and interests then perhaps your spot would will get some more answers.

PalenQ

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ite-things.cfm

Here's my take as others as well in the thread linked above.

Most will tell you to spend your whole time in Amsterdam - there is so so much to see. I'd do a short day trip like to Haarlem, a sweet regional town as nice as any but just 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam - oer to Zaanse Schanse - the famous group on behemoth windmills also just a short train ride away.

menachem

Rotterdam is now 40 minutes from Amsterdam Central by intercity direct. So, perfect for a daytrip if only for its gorgeous and spectacular new central station (opened in april) and its soon to open and nearly completed market hall.

From Rotterdam, the mills at Kinderdijk are about 40 minutes away by fast ferry and local ferry. Take the fast ferry from Erasmus bridge to Ridderkerk, then change to the local Kinderdijk ferry. You might want to combine this with a visit to Dordrecht, also on the Fast Ferry Line and from there take the train back to Rotterdam (15 minutes) and so back to Amsterdam by intercity direct.

Dordt is easily as gorgeous as Haarlem and is in many ways the city where the Dutch nation was born during the Dutch revolt against the Spanish.

In july there's the Big Rivers Festival, that has live music at venues all over town. A bit like Austin City Limits.

http://www.bigrivers.nl/

spaarne

With only 3 days in country I second PalenQ's suggestions. Haarlem is a charming city off the main tourist route, very Dutch, and very close to Amsterdam. It is an easy day trip and also has some lively night life around the Grote Kerk (Big Church) and Grote Markt (Town Square). The city windmill on the river is a reconstruct. The Zaanse Schans has much better windmills.

dfourh

I just spent the afternoon in Utrecht. I had a 7 hour layover at Schiphol, and I asked the Dutchman next to me on the incoming flight where to go, since I tend to keep going back to Utrecht. He mentioned Zaanse Schanz (sp?), Alkmaar, Amersfoort, and others, as nice towns. Haarlem of course. The beach at Zaandvort. Even Groningen, which is 1.5 hours from Amsterdam by train. Said they were all nice.

So what did I do? Went to Utrecht and did the usual. Got in, bought an umbrella at Blokker for 3e before leaving the station shopping center area (it had started raining), strolled through town in the rain, strolled down the Oude Gracht in the rain, looked wistfully into the Cafe Belgie where they have lots of great Belgian beers (but didn't partake because of my incoming-day jet lag regimen), walked all the way down to Bert's Beerhuis where Twijnstraat splits off from the canal a bit, and just looked at the incredible offerings at great prices (but did not buy, because I could not check another bag this layover), then went to the fabulous cheese shop Kazerij Stalenhoef a couple doors down and got a Tomme Chevre, which we polished off later tonight (if I could partake I would have gone another block to Cafe Ledig Erf for a beer - - great pub with a nice outdoor garden), then to the Albert Hein, and got some pistachios and a mixed seafood, which I ate walking back up the Oude Gracht while the rain abated. With more time, Utrecht is the perfect place for sitting at cafes. The big church is nice too. It's such a perfect town. Got back to Schiphol and hung out in the lounge for an hour or so before flying on to Hamburg.

Eric12

Thanks friends for the extremely useful suggestions. I was certainly expecting some contribution from PalenQ and he didn't disappoint either ! Ribeirasacra .. our actual date of travel is July 20 to July 24. Hope I can catch the Big Rivers festival in time !

PalenQ

dfourth founds Utrecht so sweet and I always have too - my favorite city outside of Amsterdam (and Haarlem) and there is a neat unique museum of self-playing clocks and instruments - just a fun fun place to go and right in the town center.

http://www.museumspeelklok.nl/Over_ons/Geschiedenis

Eric12

Thanks PalenQ, much appreciated. Will certainly visit Utrecht.