katk

Background- 66 yr old and DH traveling to Amsterdam for 6 days prior to 14 day Northern Isles cruise. Mobility issues with back and knees using a walking stick.
Day 1-Tues. arrive from Chicago @ 9:30 am Schipol, plan to use Gettransfer( thanks for suggestion) for transfer to Jan Luyken Hotel. Hoping to arrive at hotel by 11:30 Is this being too optimistic? Reason being would like to go to Rijks museum ( 5-10 min walk) right away so trying to decide if we make required timed reservation for 12:30 or 1:00. Will plan to have lunch in museum cafe and then visit museum until 5 pm close time. 5:30 reservation for Stromma canal tour with wine and cheese basket. Hoping jet lag doesn’t interfere with these plans
Day 2Wed-Anne Frank museum-hoping for early am tickets, see Westerkerk, tulip museum, St Andrew’s Hof, Cafe Sonneveld for lunch, Begijnhof, Flower market Suggestion for dinner
Day 3 Thurs-Royal Palace, Niewkerk, red light district walk, Old church, Our Lady in the Attic, St Nicholas church suggestions lunch or dinner
Day 4 Fri- Dutch resistance Museum, Jewish history museum, Portuguese Synagogue, Dutch Theatre and Rembrandt House
Day 5- Sat. Private 6-7 hour tour to Zaan Schanse area starting from hotel @ 9 am. Will be dropped off at hotel. Wondering if there is a suggestion to be dropped off in an area we have not seen yet and then dinner suggestions?
Day 6- Sun, Van Gogh museum- trying to get tickets for opening @ 9 am but ticket start times keep listing 10 am as first tickets-anyone had this issue.Reason being we would love to have 2 hours at museum, get back to hotel with arrival at cruise terminal between 12-12:30
Would love critiques, suggestions for this itinerary! Like to go to local dining places vs touristy - will be on cruise for 14 days so can avoid high end dining as frequent gourmet dining on ship. Trying to categorizing sightseeing utilizing GVB to avoid excess walking between sites. The GVB app seems to only list trip routes using trams and rarely buses??We have purchased the city card for the museums so we will have the flexibility to go to them or not and also includes public transit. Worthwhile visiting about 2 attractions/ day and 2 transit legs.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

hetismij2

Sounds a busy time. I have no difficulty finding a 9am ticket at the van Gogh, but it depends of course on your dates, not my random attempts.
If you don't yet have your Anne frank tickets I assume you are visiting later rather than sooner so the tickets are not yet released.
I see little time for just pottering, and enjoying the feel of the city
6-7 hours Zaanse Schans tour, I hope that includes more than just Zaanse Schans.

There are buses a metro and trams in Amsterdam. Depends on where you are going which is best.

geetika

>>5:30 reservation for Stromma canal tour with wine and cheese basket. Hoping jet lag doesn’t interfere with these plans<<

IMO the cruise with wine on the first evening could be a perfect recipe for you to snooze. I planned something similar for my family in 2017 and my nephew and niece were sound asleep within minutes, as was DH too. And this was minus the wine and cheese!

Zaans Schanse is a half day trip at best, even using public transport, where else will you be going? This does look like a very busy schedule, but you know best what you can do.

katk

Thanks
I know it sounds busy but we are definitely flexible so if energy level isn’t there we also are good to sit at a cafe and watch the people go by. Trying to utilize our energy and time best to see things in a geographic area to prevent wasting time and energy- some things will be a 30 min visit, most a 1 1/2- 2 hour visit. Yes a few more weeks before tickets available for Anne Frank so when we get the time for the tickets it will determine the plans for the day. What website are you using for Van Gogh-it is for Sun. July 31st? Yes It includes Volendam, Marken, and is a customizable tour so we could adjust as we go. I do keep second guessing the canal cruise but again the dock is a few blocks from the Rijks and we will be right there. Just wish it wasn’t required and important to make so many timed reservations as it does decrease the flexibility.

hetismij2

Odd the website says they open at 9 in July but tickets only from 10. No idea why, but they are selling out fast I see. Maybe rearrange your days to fit the van Gogh another day?
I would aim for the later entry time for the Rijks as well. Schiphol, like many airports is suffering staff shortages and queues. They may be sorted by then, but it seems unlikely. If you are early then grab a coffee to keep yourselves awake!

HappyTrvlr

Skip Zaanse Schans, a collection of old buildings moved there from other locations.
For an incredible site, take train to Rotterdam, river boat to Kinderdijk to see 19 windmills in their original locations.

HappyTrvlr

Skip Zaanse Schans, a collection of old buildings moved there from other locations.
For an incredible site, take train to Rotterdam, river boat to Kinderdijk to see 19 windmills in their original locations, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

katk

Thanks for the input re: Kinderdijk. Had contemplated visiting there vs. Zaanse Schans. Decided to just do the touristy thing with Zaanse Schans but maybe will rethink and get a private tour to Kinderdijk from Amsterdam. We do love visiting UNESCO sites. After the hectic week schedule a longer ride may be nice. Decision involved twice the price for Kinderdijk vs Zaan Schans and with goal to see windmills- to totally simplify things isn’t a windmill a windmill a windmill- please correct me if I am wrong! Also the tour to Kinderdijk would probably include Rotterdam

menachem

Zaanse schans is like a showcase for windmills. They have no function there, and are put there as spectacle for tourists. They are authentic mills, but not from that area. In Kinderdijk everything is fully functional and the mills are still being used for the purpose they were built for.

TDudette

I want to save this for future planning and look forward to reading your TR, katk.

ParisAmsterdam

I'd reschedule the canal cruise from the end of day one. You will surely fall asleep.