jeneva

My husband and I started planning a 1 week vacation to the Netherlands, and in doing our initial research realized the Belgian Grand Prix is the weekend we arrive. We have changed our plans and we will now be spending only the later half of the trip in Amsterdam. This is the loose itinerary I have thrown together and I am wondering what else would be a good idea to fit in.

Friday Aug 30
- Arrive AMS ~noon - drive to Leige
- pit stops in Delft and Gouda possibly on way

Saturday-Sunday
- GP / sighseeing around Liege (nothing planning yet)

Monday Sept 2
- Liege back to Amsterdam, possibly stop in Kinderdijk??
- free walking tour 3-6pm

Tuesday Sept 3
- WWII walking tour (not booked) https://www.neweuropetours.eu/sandem...-quarter-tour/
- Canal tour (not booked) thinking with Those Dam Boat Guys

We currently have nothing slated for the wednesday, thursday or friday AM (would have to be something quick as we need to head to airport by noon Friday). We would be interested in some sort of biking tour/renting bikes to get out to further places but looking for input on where we should go. Any extra ideas on what to see would be great. We wont have a car while we are in Amsterdam so anything outside of city we would have to take the trains. I am very interested in history (specifically world war history) and general "sightseeing" (buildings, architecture, places that are unique to where we are) around where we travel to. My husband is a beer lover, so any good recommendations for places to eat/drink are also appreciated. Someone we know recommended the Brouwerij 't IJ. We aren't fans of museums, although I may make an exception for some of the war ones. Would love to see Anne Frank house but we wanted to do the "introductory program" but it's currently sold out. Is the extra 5 euro worth it?

I am going to be looking into if there is any music/festivals that week as i love music as well. Any extra ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

menachem

Not much to say about your Amsterdam plans.

I wonder whether a flying visit to Delft on your way to Liege will be feasible, much less a visit to Gouda, and sightseeing around Liege: good luck! Also, Kinderdijk is quite out of the way on your way back and parking there is at a premium (literally): it's a lovely area, but quite mobbed, so for you to judge whether that style of tourism is something you like.

Biking: renting bikes and crossing the IJ on the ferry to Noord, and then cycling along Nieuwendammerdijk to Schellingwoude or Durgerdam is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I usually advise against biking in Amsterdam proper, because bike traffic is INTENSE. And if you're not used to biking in these circumstances, it's not something you can "ease" into. You might find yourself shouted at if you don't conform to the (unwritten) rules. One tip if you do decide to cycle inside Amsterdam: make eye contact, so people can read your movements. for an idea of what it's like.

That WW2 walking tour, not many details, but Amsterdam's WW2 history is fairly well known. I saw it lists Hannie Schaft, who did study at UvA, but was mainly active in Haarlem and is buried near there, in Overveen, where she was liquidated by the Nazis. Really curious what gets told to people on those tours. Do want to add: those free walking tour groups are a blight in Amsterdam. The Resistance Museum is excellent, and they have a wonderful "Anne Frank Walk" booklet, with map: https://www.verzetsmuseum.org/museum...nne_frank_walk I think it contains much the same information as "your local expert guide" will tell you and you'll be able to walk to your own pace, and of course without the group. The Plancius building, where the Verzetsmuseum is housed, has an interesting history in itself.

Brouwerij 't IJ is great. A brewery in a windmill, what's not to like?

Tulips

Amsterdam - Liege will be about a 3 hour drive if you're lucky; Delft and/or Gouda are not on the most direct route. And Friday afternoon traffic on these roads is not quick.
I drive to/from Amsterdam quite often, and all of Friday afternoon from about 3 pm is to be avoided on the roads.
I would get going towards Liege asap after landing, otherwise you will be really stuck in rush hour traffic. Hope you do not have a jetlag.
Possibly stop in Maastricht if you don't encounter too many problems on the road. Or visit Maastricht on one of your days in Liege.

janisj

>>- Arrive AMS ~noon - drive to Leige
- pit stops in Delft and Gouda possibly on way<<

As the others mention that is a long journey and not an easy drive. But in any case one should not drive right off an overnight/long haul flight. Extremely dangerous. Besides -- the area around Liege and Spa will be a zoo due to the Grand Prix. Are you planning on attending the race weekend? If not I'd stay away from that part of Belgium.

hetismij2

Unless you have tickets for the GP, and you really have to be a fan to go to all three days tbh, I would stay well away from the area. The training days are long and not wildly interesting, and the race day is long noisy and packed with Dutchmen cheering on Vertsappen. They will all be going down at the same time as you! If you have tickets try and stay closer than Liege as the roads will be a nightmare. It is also the end of many school holidays so roads will be extra busy with returning traffic.

Instead of driving to Liege take the train, either via Brussels or via Utrecht and Maastricht. The A2 is an extremely busy motorway at all times of day and night and requires a lot of concentration until you get past Utrecht, when it requires even more because it gets boring until Eindhoven, then boring again until Maastricht. Not ideal with a jet lagged brain. It takes all my concentration to drive it and I live here!

Pack good ear protectors if you go to any days of the GP. You will need them, and probably some rain gear too.

fionaferns

Hi, I just visited Amsterdam recently. I would say that Amsterdam is rich in historical, architectural and other places like museums. You must visit Dam Square, The Portuguese Synagogue, Homonument, De Oudee Kerk, The Canal Belt & Anne Frank House. These places are rich in history and it's not difficult to reach these destinations. The Dam Square was opened post World War 2, in memory of its victims.
Amsterdam has many interesting foods to try like the stroopwafels, Herring, Mint Tea, Satay, Chutney and many more. As these are the authentic and most famous foods there, you'll find it in every restaurant or even local eating joints.
Do not forget to try the beer from De Bierkoning.

jeneva

Thanks everyone for your replies so far. We do have tickets (i think they are the 3 day tickets) for the Grand Prix, and right now we only plan to go there for the qualifying on Saturday and the actual race on Sunday. We do have a car reserved and was planning to drive, but i will look into the train as well to see what would be better. We are used to driving up to 6-8 hours at a time to get places (visit family etc) so we figured the 2-3 hour drive wouldn't be too bad, but maybe we should reconsider.

Thanks menachem & fionaferns for the amsterdam recommendations. I will definitely look into those things. When we were in Lisbon last year we stumbled upon a free walking tour and it was awesome, so we figured we would try it again in Amsterdam. We will definitely look into the booklet & Resistance museum you mentioned and compare more with the tour.

janisj

>>We are used to driving up to 6-8 hours at a time to get places <<

I drive a LOT too. I live in Calif and regularly drive from Sacramento to Portland or LA or San Diego or Las Vegas. But NOT after a likely mostly sleepless 24+ hours travel day. It isn't just lack of sleep or 'jet lag' even. And the problem is . . . the driver probably won't even notice s/he is suffering micro sleeps.

Take a train and hire a car starting the next day. You can then drop it after your weekend and train back to Amsterdam.

StCirq

<<We are used to driving up to 6-8 hours at a time to get places>>

Great, but that is NOT the same as getting into a car after an overnight in a plane. Please spare those of us on the roads in Europe your carelessness.

hetismij2

You will have been awake for a very long time by the time you pick up your car, and whilst it is basically a single motorway to Liege you do have a couple of tricky places on the motoways around Schiphol, and again by Utrecht, Eindhoven and Maastricht. Jet lag will hit you about Eindhoven and you will hit Eindhoven at the start of the Friday escape. Do please look into trains, or stay the night near Amsterdam and head down to Spa the following morning since jetlag will have you up early too.
Also make sure you book your Anne Frank visit asap if you are making one. Amsterdam is still busy in September.

Maybe you would enjoy a stop in Den Bosch on your way back to Amsterdam.

jeneva

Thanks hetismij2 for the constructive feedback. As i mentioned i will look into taking a train. I just want to clear up that we will definitely be sleeping prior to getting in the car. Many of you are acting as though we will have been awake for 36 hours prior to getting in a vehicle, which I'm VERY aware is dangerous. We were also thinking of taking a more "scenic" route to Liege trying to fit in a little of the countryside and make a few stops to take in more than just the highway.

wunderbar2

janisj

>> find it very condescending to assume we, you, would get in a car and drive after a long haul flight. Only my opinion but some need to get over themselves and preaching about what we should do. This just rubbed me the wrong way.<<

Thank you very much -- I love being called condescending when trying to help. I did not attack anyone but simply posted valuable information. Just google micro sleeps. We are not talking 'jet lag' . A person can be wide awake but their brain slips into sleep mode. In many countries driving after an overnight flight is considered impaired just like drunk driving. But I guess using facts is condescending . . .

>>I just want to clear up that we will definitely be sleeping prior to getting in the car. <<

I guess I misunderstood -- you say arrive at AMS at noon and plan on driving to Liege that day.

wunderbar2

hetismij2

Then I am condescending. But I might be driving that way on that day and I do not want to meet a tired jet lagged driver along the way.

It wasn't clear you are planning to sleep first jeneva.

bilboburgler

It depends on the sort of roads you are used to. For instance one of the most dangerous parts of Europe is Belgium, I'd never drive in Belgium after a flight just because the roads are bad, the drivers terrifying and micro-sleeps will hurt. (my old company banned anyone from driving after an 8-hour flight anywhere in the world and we had to have special dispensation for Belgium and China). I mention this because some parts of the Netherlands, with their own unique road markings, can be confusing.

I don't see this advice as condescending, only life-preserving and life-preserving seems like a good thing.

janisj

>>janisj, this was not referring to your comment however....<<

Did seem so since I posted about the problem more than once. You and the OP seem to think the advice is silly. NONE of us were condescending BTW. Blunt perhaps -- but when the point isn't getting through, blunt is sometimes required.

This is a very serious issue - not some 'the OP knows what they are capable of'.

Now the OP says they are sleeping first -- so if they are spending the night in Amsterdam before diving to Spa that's great. That solves everything. But that really isn't possible if they plan on attending GP qualifying on Saturday morning. And especially if they are going in to Liege first.

jeneva

Again, thank you everyone for your advice on not driving. Just thought I would let you know that qualifying is at 3pm so I do believe there is still time to get there. I didn't put in my original post where we are flying in from, and maybe to be more clear we will be sleeping the night before, so we don't plan on going to bed at 1pm.

I didn't intend for this to become an argument over safe driving practice, and I also believe everyone's concerns are valid and in the interest of everyone's safety. My original questions were "what should we do / is there anything we should definitely see in Amsterdam", so if this is going to continue to be a back and forth on if people should drive or not after a flight I will ask a moderator to delete this thread. I came here to get thoughts and opinions, (which most were very helpful and appropriate-thank you!!) not to be called "careless" or "silly".

hetismij2

Sorry we got side tracked jeneva. Browerij 't Ij is absolutely worth it. I was enjoy an Ij Wit with my lunch today!
As I sadi if you are visiting Anne Frank then do book asap. I've never done the extra tour, so can't say if it is worth the extra, but it isn't worth missing going just because that isn't available.

If your husband enjoys beer I suggets a trip to Haarlem for a Jopen maybe. But there are other brewers in Amsterdam, and I don't mean Heineken. A quick search on line will give you some and some specialist beer shops too, though even the supermarkets have a selction of the many other small brewery beers now available. The selection varies per shop and per chain - so Abert Heijn will have different ones to Jumbo say.
Haarlem is worth a train ride out to anyway if you want to get away from Amsterdam for a while.
Also take the ferry over to Noord and explore that area. I think you will love it!

Tulips

What Bilbo says; you need to be alert, and this is not an easy drive. Especially on a Friday afternoon. Taking B-roads will take you through small towns and villages, with low speed limits, and these will also be busy. It will take all day to drive to Liege on secondary roads.
Saturday morning would be MUCH better.
I do not assume that everyone who posts here is coming from the US and will have a jetlag.

Do try to fit in Maastricht, either on your way there or on the way back. It's a lovely town.
I cannot advise on Liege. Enjoy the GP!