Amsterdam - 7.5hr layover
 

we are arriving morning, have 7.5hr layover; luggage is going right through to Turkey....how hard is it to get out of the airport, go downtown for a bit, then back? Would it be a hassle going through and back through customs with no luggage??
Leave tomorrow, answers quick would be most appreciated!

This question has been asked a hundred times in the last year.

1. No problem. Take the train to Amsterdam.

2. Do a search in the box above for Amsterdam layover.

Not enough time to go to Amsterdam. To see a nice typical Dutch town, go to Haarlem. Find the thread from last month in which the originator came to this conclusion after all the advice we gave him / her.

Haarlem is a very nice town. It even has its own red light.

The train runs right out of the airport about every 15 minutes and it take about 15 minutes to get to Centraal station in the heart of Amsterdam. You have time to take a canal cruise, take a quick llok at the Reikes (sp) museum to see the Rembrants or just stroll through the red light district and visit a "coffee" shop.

Actually when you walk out of the Centraal Station, turn right until you see a canal, then follow the canal going south (by turning left). You'll be in the western side of central Amsterdam which I think is the nicer side. There are plenty of nice canal sceneries as you walk south closer toward the Damrak area. You'll also pass the Westerkerk & Anne Frank's house (I've never been inside either or even looked for them.

The other route is the red light district on the east side. A lot less charm and a lot more sleaze.

From Damrak walk (or take the tram if you want to skip the endless stores) towards Leidseplein (stop for lunch?)and eventually head to the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum. The city tram is actually great for seeing and zipping through Amsterdam.