agree on Kroller Muller Museum... was a highlight for us!

Saving info as I am hoping to get to Amsterdam soon to visit my son, he lives in the de Pjip area too!

Try and get to Coffee and Coconuts, funky cafe in de Pjip.

De Rijp is a town well outside of Amsterdam and de Pijp is a funky section of Amsterdam - two different creature but I like de Pijp in Amsterdam a whole lot -never been to De rijp, the small town.

Don't miss Delft!

I disagree that one can see Leiden, Delft and den Hague in a day. There are some really nice museums in all 3 and Delft is so nice to walk around.

The trains are so easy in the Netherlands.

From Den Hague to Delft I enjoyed taking the tram - runs right thru towns and down main streets - of course slower than the train but kind of neat.

I was in Delft yesterday morning, visiting the beautiful synagogue on Koornmarkt, the oldest newly built one in the country after Napoleon's emancipation of "the Jewish Nation". It's a great example of early nineteenth century classicist architecture, like a little greek temple. Very nice and well kept interior.
After morning service we strolled through the city. It was a glorious spring day.

I disagree that one can see Leiden, Delft and den Hague in a day. There are some really nice museums in all 3 and Delft is so nice to walk around.>

What does 'see' mean? Yes you could see all three but do very little in each one - Leiden and Delft are great for just ambling around.

I picked up a walking map/tour of Delft at the VVV or Tourist Office and had a wonderful full day there - plus to go to the interesting Porcelen Fles - the largest of the remaining Delftware craft shops/factories with museum and seconds for sale - that is about a mile outside of Delft's Centrum:

http://www.royaldelft.com/home_en

I've really enjoyed my several visits there.

you spent an entire day in delft? what did you do there? it's a pretty small city, with a picturesque center of town, but that's it. Leiden: same. Good for a walk, maybe sit down and have a drink or lunch, but that's it.

Well I was researching an article I was writing on Delft and with the tourist office map stopped by and took in every site on the map (even some architectural one by the University) so I could write about a walking tour and I walked out to the Porcelene Fles place - about a mile each way - but come to think of it I did start in Den Hague and walked from CS station to HS station thru the royal palace area (Mauritshuis was closed for renovations) and took the tram to Delft - thus I was there about a good half-day - I agree just for small central Delft about a half-day is right.

I used Delft as a base for 4 nights, which worked very well.

In Delft, I went into both the Old Church and New Church, and went to the Prisenhof and Vermeer Art Center. I thought the Vermeer Art Center was very well done and I spent a while there. I also enjoyed walking down to the old gate, and to see what was supposedly the view from where Vermeer painted his "View of Delft" in 1660 (it looks a lot different today). Both those are a little bit from the main square area.

Leiden has some great museums - I only visited the Lakenhal (which I really liked) and the Ethnological Museum, which was fascinating. I only saw a bit of that one, b/c I was starting to run out of steam. I walked around the windmill, but didn't go inside.

In The Hague, the Maruisthaus is a great art museum; we also toured the prison museum. We also walked around Mini Holland, which was silly but fun. (Even the gargoyles on St. Jan Cathedral were represented!)

If you don't like museums, I guess you could see Leiden, Delft and The Hague in one day, but there are IMO very worthwhile museums in all 3 places.

I also took a tour of the Peace Palace or whatever they call it in The Hague - where the World Court sits - an ornate monumental building about a mile or so towards the sea from the town center. In good weather Schevingenen (sp?) makes an interesting aspect of The Hague - classy seaside resort - well kind of classy - trams go there and everywhere in The Hague.

I visited Leiden for an afternoon last summer. Those with an interest in American history would find a visit to the Pieterskerk remarkable. It is the church of the Pilgrims before they set sail on the Mayflower. You will learn that some American Presidents have ancestry in that group. The grave stones inside the mostly barren church are interesting.

I studied in Leiden (the Oxford of the Netherlands) so this spotlight on Leiden warms my heart.

I also want to point out its beautiful Hortus Botanicus, just off Rapenburg, behind the old university buildings. And a walk around town may get you to "De Burcht", a mount-like fortification with a rather nice cafe-restaurant at its base.

Leiden is not on most folks' radars it seems but certainly should be - loved the open-air market and neat canals.

Leiden was not originally on my itinerary. I was going to go down near Antwerp but decided to stay closer to my home base (Delft). I think the change of plans was a good one - I enjoyed walking around there.

There really is a lot to see in this neck of the woods. As a bonus, I was also able to meet hetismij2 and her husband in Utrecht. I really enjoyed meeting them. I was asking them if there was anywhere else in Europe where the trains were as easy to use, and ran as frequently - and there was so much too see, as in this area. (Or is that question a separate thread? I would say Belguim and Antwerp, Brugge, Ghent and Brussels also is a great itinerary with very easy train access between places).

Belgium is said to have the densest train system in Europe or did and like The Netherlands about 2-4 trains an hour going everywhere.

Dutch and Belgian trains are great but as most are basically commuter trains in these tiny countries whose population density rivals India or China I think - I love always having a first-class railpass that lets me sit nearly by myself many times whereas 2nd class can be SRO - at certain times of day. I suggest that it may be worth it to pay the relatively little extra on these trains to go first class and never have to worry about finding a seat - reservations are not possible on most trains.

It's even worse now. There's a shortage of rolling stock.

maybe all the more reason to go first class for a tourist on the trip of a lifetime perhaps?

Absolutely! It's not that much of a premium if you take into account all holiday expenses.

Though on short distances it's a waste of money imo. But if you have over half an hour of travel time to deal with it: go first class.