Hi, me and my wife are planning a trip to Amsterdam. Since we have not much time to spend, we need some info from other travellers. Is the Floriade worthwhile and how far is it from the city centre... The van Gogh-Gaugin exhibition: is it really as great as they say and what is the best time to go there to avoid crowds? Do you recommend hiring bikes or is the traffic very difficult to survive on a bike? And.. is the redlight district save to visit? Thanks for any reply and other recommandations.

<BR>I live in Amsterdam but not a native Dutchman, Floriade is definately worth a visit, but if it is flowers you are interested in please visit Keukenhof, much better.

The Gaugin exhibition is def worth a visit, but be there by 08:30am to make sure oyu are in before the crowds.<BR><BR>Don't hire a bike in Amsterdam, it is chaos and no fun. Instead the national rail company have a ticket where you can go by train to one of the small towns a and pick up a hired bike at the train station. i would recommend Naarden-Bussum and a cycle to visit Naarden Vesting a historical village and Muiderslot a beautiful castle all within a twenty minute cycle from the station.<BR>You could also visit Leiden by bike the surrounding area is very nice

The red light district (at least the main streets) are very safe, but obviously full of pickpockets. Do not miss the chance to visit, it is a truely remarkable sight. There is a great restuarant called Brug en den Waal in a small alley just up from Koestraat, it is the best meal in Amsterdam despite being in the middle of the red light district.

I love Amsterdam, the Amsterdam people are great, just go and hire a bike, beware of the trams and enjoy nightlife. There is a floating flower market, visit it but do not buy anything, stay in a small street and not a main street. Notice: Central station is NOT the centre but Damsquare/ Muntplein are more likely to be so. Walk along the canals and have a GREAT holiday

Just returned from Amsterdam. The Van Gogh and Gaugin exhibit was fabulous!!! Included in the admission is an audio tour, you wear a headset and press the number of the painting to hear the commentary. It really helps you appreciate the works and gain an insight into the history and psychology of the artists. Best time to go is first thing in the morning during the week; I didn't have reservations. From what I heard, even if you had "time slot" reservations later in the day or weekend, it was very crowded. It's funny, all over Amsterdam and at the airport returning home you will see everyone carrying the blue triangular poster carton from the Van Gogh museum, a testament to it's popularity.

Sturger, I agree with David, if it's flowers you are interested in then Keukenhof is a must! It's simply breathtaking. We didn't see the Gogh-Gaugin exhibit but heard it was definately worth the visit. Also, check out the rant and rave section, we love the Hotel Washington in the museum district! Have a great time!

Floriade is interesting; something like a world's fair for the environment. It is a 15-20 minute bus ride from the airport. IMO, the best parts of Floriade are around the lake; here you'll find the Asian village and many unique gardens, including my favorite, a child's woodland adventure place. (It is hidden in the woods near the lakeside cafe and the low, wide bridge.) The center "spotter's hill" section is interesting but not outstanding. The final "roof" section was the least interesting to us. <BR><BR>De Keukenhof is extraordinarily beautiful, but closes next week, so your timing is off. It is best in late April or early May. I found Van Gogh-Gauguin most interesting and highly recommend it. One of our favorite activities was taking one of those silly-looking paddle boats down the canals. They can be rented about a block from the Anne Frank House.

Did not care for Amsterdam the city.<BR><BR>However the van Gogh museum was excellent, the Anne Frank House meaningful and the most impressive of all was the "NightWatch" by Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum (sp).<BR><BR>An absolutely awesome painting!<BR><BR>US

Sturger:<BR>Since your post date is 5/19, I assume you are not in Holland at the moment. I was at the Keukenhof this friday (5/17) and the floweres were definitely on the wane. But the park itself is lovely even with the few flower beds remaining. The growers' tulip fields that line the roads around Lisse (where Keukenhof is located) have all long since been harvested. The big catch in all this is Keukenhof closes today 5/20...<BR><BR>The VanGogh/Gauguin exhibit was fantastic, well worth the traffic hassle to get into the city from Lisse. We got to the Museum about 5 pm with the intention of buying tickets for Sat or Sun...but the art gods were smiling on us. We found a parking space IN FRONT of the museum AND got tickets for immediate entrance. The free audio tour is good, but as usual all the people bunched up around the paintings featured on the audio guide !! Later in the day seems to be less croweded, too, as well as the early morning. Also the museum has extended its' hours so you can view up to 7:30 or 9 pm depending on day of the week. Check the museum website for times. The big catch on this one is the VanGogh/Gaugin exhibit CLOSES 6/2.....<BR><BR>Have not been to the Floriade, that's in a months' time...but I have heard nothing but good things from those who have gone. But they all have said it is a huge exhibit and should plan to spend most of the day there. It is not just something to drop in on.<BR><BR>Judy from Munster, Germany