10 hour layover in Amsterdam
 

Hello! We'll be in Amsterdam for 10 hours next Sunday. We're looking for suggestions for things to do while waiting to fly on to South Africa. How long will it take to get from the airport into the city center? What can we reasonabily fit in? Thanks very much for your help

Smoke up baby!!

Elisha, You can take the "snell train" (fast train, no stops) right into Amsterdam's Centraal Station (less than 30 minutes, total time). From there, I would suggest that you take a tram right outside of the main entrance (4, 9, 16, 20, 24 or 25) and stop just a short distance away on Damrak. There is a canal boat tour location right there and you could take a one or two hour tour. This is a great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time. <BR> <BR>You could also stop in Dam Square afterward, which is also very close to the station and on the same line(s). <BR> <BR>I'm sure that you could fit in another sight or two, stop up on the second floor of Centraal Station at the Tourist Office for info when you arrive. <BR> <BR>Have fun!

10 hours in A'dam?: <BR>Leave your carry-on bags in a locker or the baggage checkroom downstairs at Schiphol. Scoot into town by taxi. Tell the cabbie you want to go to Het Spui (pronounced spow). <BR>Have lunch at the Cafe Luxembourg. Then head to the Rijksmuseum, the best art in Europe; you can walk it in 20 minutes and if you get lost ask anybody, in English. Have a borel at the Hoppe (back at the Spui) and meet the locals. Dinner at Luden just up Spuistraat. <BR>Canal boat tour? IMO this was the worst waste of time I've ever endured. <BR>John Bermont <BR>www.enjoy-europe.com/cds/holland.htm <BR> <BR>

Buy a basic guidebook to the city before you go, or at least check one out of the library and take some notes. <BR>Take the train to Centraal Station. <BR>100 yard walk to the canal boat docks - get the "museum boat" that stops various interesting places around the city, with on/off privileges. <BR>Indonesian restaurant. <BR>A sampling of weed if you are so inclined (purchased from any one of a zillion "coffeeshops"). <BR>Rijksmuseum and van Gogh Museum (they're close together). <BR>Walk along a nice stretch of canal in an old residential neighborhood. <BR>A beer at an outdoor cafe. <BR>Frites (french fries) from a street vendor. <BR>Tram or museum boat back to the station.