2 wks in Netherlands - 1 full wk in Amsterdam - then where?
Oct 10th, 2019, 11:51 AM
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2 wks in Netherlands - 1 full wk in Amsterdam - then where?
Will be traveling in early August for two weeks with a friend, both in our 70s and active. I have been to Amsterdam four times but a first time for my friend. We plan to stay near Centraal Station to both explore the city and train to other cities for day trips. I am suggesting we attend the flower auction in Aalsmeer one morning. Should we sign up for a tour or is there a train/bus that goes there?
We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around. Any thoughts on using Delft as a base? We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week. Other options are Den Haag, Leiden, or Rotterdam. We enjoy walking, museums and other cultural sites, using our cameras, good food. We do not ride bikes. We would both like to stay somewhere with "charm." A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August); my friend is less picky. I have been to Den Haag and Delft briefly. One day I would like to go to Scheveningen as I have great memories of lunch of mussels at a beachside restaurant. Not looking at expensive hotels as we need separate rooms. Thanks in advance. Diane
We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around. Any thoughts on using Delft as a base? We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week. Other options are Den Haag, Leiden, or Rotterdam. We enjoy walking, museums and other cultural sites, using our cameras, good food. We do not ride bikes. We would both like to stay somewhere with "charm." A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August); my friend is less picky. I have been to Den Haag and Delft briefly. One day I would like to go to Scheveningen as I have great memories of lunch of mussels at a beachside restaurant. Not looking at expensive hotels as we need separate rooms. Thanks in advance. Diane
Oct 10th, 2019, 12:49 PM
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Are you willing to drive? If so why not go north? Visit the unvisited places?
If you go to Aalsmeer then do visit the Historische Tuinen as well if you can. You can hear my DH's dulcet tones on the English audiotour.
Tuinbouwmuseum Historische Tuin Aalsmeer ? Historische Tuin Aalsmeer
If you go to Aalsmeer then do visit the Historische Tuinen as well if you can. You can hear my DH's dulcet tones on the English audiotour.
Tuinbouwmuseum Historische Tuin Aalsmeer ? Historische Tuin Aalsmeer
Oct 10th, 2019, 07:57 PM
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>>> We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week.
How early is your flight? If it is very early, you need to be staying in a city close enough to the airport. If this is the case, if you do Amsterdam-somewhere else - near enough to AMS, then you have to stay in 3 different places. If you reverse your visit order to somewhere else - Amsterdam, then you only have to stay in two places.
>>> We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around.
>>> A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August);
>>> Not looking at expensive hotels
A/C requirement outside Amsterdam would cut down available options. You might have to probe accommodations with A/C as the key anchoring criteria to explore what options exist. Ones with A/C are likely to be at the higher price range.
How early is your flight? If it is very early, you need to be staying in a city close enough to the airport. If this is the case, if you do Amsterdam-somewhere else - near enough to AMS, then you have to stay in 3 different places. If you reverse your visit order to somewhere else - Amsterdam, then you only have to stay in two places.
>>> We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around.
>>> A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August);
>>> Not looking at expensive hotels
A/C requirement outside Amsterdam would cut down available options. You might have to probe accommodations with A/C as the key anchoring criteria to explore what options exist. Ones with A/C are likely to be at the higher price range.
Oct 10th, 2019, 08:36 PM
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greg, as you stated, A/C does pose a dilemma. I'm not finding any Delft lodging regardless of price or A/C that makes me happy. I didn't think I was too fussy, but maybe I am. I will look elsewhere. I stayed in The Hague many years ago and took the train from there to Schiphol in plenty of time to catch my flight home. I will look at The Hague or maybe Leiden. We haven't booked our flights yet...we are waiting until we pin down the trip schedule. We're not going until August so we have time.
Oct 10th, 2019, 09:36 PM
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Will be traveling in early August for two weeks with a friend, both in our 70s and active. I have been to Amsterdam four times but a first time for my friend. We plan to stay near Centraal Station to both explore the city and train to other cities for day trips. I am suggesting we attend the flower auction in Aalsmeer one morning. Should we sign up for a tour or is there a train/bus that goes there?
We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around. Any thoughts on using Delft as a base? We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week. Other options are Den Haag, Leiden, or Rotterdam. We enjoy walking, museums and other cultural sites, using our cameras, good food. We do not ride bikes. We would both like to stay somewhere with "charm." A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August); my friend is less picky. I have been to Den Haag and Delft briefly. One day I would like to go to Scheveningen as I have great memories of lunch of mussels at a beachside restaurant. Not looking at expensive hotels as we need separate rooms. Thanks in advance. Diane
We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around. Any thoughts on using Delft as a base? We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week. Other options are Den Haag, Leiden, or Rotterdam. We enjoy walking, museums and other cultural sites, using our cameras, good food. We do not ride bikes. We would both like to stay somewhere with "charm." A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August); my friend is less picky. I have been to Den Haag and Delft briefly. One day I would like to go to Scheveningen as I have great memories of lunch of mussels at a beachside restaurant. Not looking at expensive hotels as we need separate rooms. Thanks in advance. Diane
(disclaimer: I live there)
I would suggest the North and the East for a real off the beaten track. Perhaps a visit to Groningen and the Frisian Islands, or Arnhem - Deventer - Zwolle. All easily done by train.
Scheveningen I would advise against. It'll be overrun in August. If you are looking for very good seafood in Scheveningen, the seaside is not where you want to be. In the old village of Scheveningen, on the fishing harbour, there are two places I often go to:
Het Haringhuisje and Weduwe Van Der Toorn. The latter is the best for a "real" menu, the former for a casual snack.
Last edited by menachem; Oct 10th, 2019 at 10:18 PM.
Oct 10th, 2019, 09:37 PM
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Are you willing to drive? If so why not go north? Visit the unvisited places?
If you go to Aalsmeer then do visit the Historische Tuinen as well if you can. You can hear my DH's dulcet tones on the English audiotour.
Tuinbouwmuseum Historische Tuin Aalsmeer ? Historische Tuin Aalsmeer
If you go to Aalsmeer then do visit the Historische Tuinen as well if you can. You can hear my DH's dulcet tones on the English audiotour.
Tuinbouwmuseum Historische Tuin Aalsmeer ? Historische Tuin Aalsmeer
Oct 10th, 2019, 09:38 PM
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>>> We need to get back to AMS for our flights home at the end of the week.
How early is your flight? If it is very early, you need to be staying in a city close enough to the airport. If this is the case, if you do Amsterdam-somewhere else - near enough to AMS, then you have to stay in 3 different places. If you reverse your visit order to somewhere else - Amsterdam, then you only have to stay in two places.
>>> We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around.
>>> A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August);
>>> Not looking at expensive hotels
A/C requirement outside Amsterdam would cut down available options. You might have to probe accommodations with A/C as the key anchoring criteria to explore what options exist. Ones with A/C are likely to be at the higher price range.
How early is your flight? If it is very early, you need to be staying in a city close enough to the airport. If this is the case, if you do Amsterdam-somewhere else - near enough to AMS, then you have to stay in 3 different places. If you reverse your visit order to somewhere else - Amsterdam, then you only have to stay in two places.
>>> We are looking at basing in Delft for the second week using public transportation to get around.
>>> A hotel with A/C is on my needs list (we're going in August);
>>> Not looking at expensive hotels
A/C requirement outside Amsterdam would cut down available options. You might have to probe accommodations with A/C as the key anchoring criteria to explore what options exist. Ones with A/C are likely to be at the higher price range.
Oct 10th, 2019, 09:39 PM
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greg, as you stated, A/C does pose a dilemma. I'm not finding any Delft lodging regardless of price or A/C that makes me happy. I didn't think I was too fussy, but maybe I am. I will look elsewhere. I stayed in The Hague many years ago and took the train from there to Schiphol in plenty of time to catch my flight home. I will look at The Hague or maybe Leiden. We haven't booked our flights yet...we are waiting until we pin down the trip schedule. We're not going until August so we have time.
Oct 10th, 2019, 10:13 PM
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One piece of advice about Amsterdam: don't stay "near Central Station". I don't know how long ago it is since you've been in Amsterdam, but in August and especially there, it's filthy, smelly and hordes. At all hours of the day - and night. I can recommend something like Pension Homeland at the old Navy Yard: they now have apartments too. Like being on a green island in the middle of the city
it's an independent property, so you'll be directly contributing to the Amsterdam economy
https://www.pensionhomeland.com/en/vanrijn/
it's an independent property, so you'll be directly contributing to the Amsterdam economy
https://www.pensionhomeland.com/en/vanrijn/
