Amsterdam Planner for the Clueless & Clued
 

I have had the fortune to spend vast periods of time in Amsterdam, my very favorite city in Europe, for decades now - both on business and pleasure. So this trip report will be a amalgam of literally hundreds of separate visits to Amsterdam! And like any Siren i am looking forward to visiting again late this December.

I have incessantly been exploring this multi-faceted and fascinating city and wish to here give a basic planner for clueless travelers who know little about Amsterdam and are planning sojourns there - and as well giving things well off the beaten path that i've stumbled on for folks planning return visits.

So here goes - in my first installments i will cover what are the MAIN SIGHTS, including several great MUSEUMS, must WALKS to take, BOAT TOURS, THE MUSEUM PASS; USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT; SAFETY TIPS; EASY AND GREAT DAY TRIPS TO CONSIDER, and more..

Amsterdam is a surprisingly compact town in the tourist core - no more than say 4 square miles i'd say and is thus eminently walkable. And by any accounts in what is one of the world's most beautiful and unique cities any walk i've ever taken was sheer pleasure, in spite of the oft wet, if rarely really cold, weather.

NEXT - PLANNING YOUR TIME AS A FIRST-TIME AMSTERDAM VISITOR

Just in time! I'm hoping to make my first visit next year, and I'm ready to start planning. Lead on!

Amsterdam is also high on our list of destinations in Europe, so I'll be keeping an eye on this post - thanks.

Lovely! Planning our first trip next year.

Were you the person who stayed in the Prinsengracht D flat from Simply Amsterdam? I noted it from someone here, but can't remember who. Planning on staying there in March.

Thank you!

Great timing - we'll be there over the New Year's holiday! Thanks, Palenque!

sounds great. I've been there once for 24 hrs and I definitely want to go back.

slangevar - i hope to be in Amsterdam over the New Year's Holiday as well - it is the very busiest time of the year in Amsterdam the Amsterdam Tourist Office told me once - apparently folks flock there from all over Europe for the ambience and whatever - streets full at night and really bombastic fireworks displays i guess for hours everywhere - i've never been the week between Christmas and New Years and am looking very forward to it. And if you have not make room bookings yet hop on it - one year i tried to find any room for my son during that week and it was nearly impossible, even several weeks out.

melissa - no t'waint moi and i will admit that accommodations are not my expertise - i'm rarely in my room when in such a place and take basic budget digs that i would probably not recommend to others, not knowing their criteria.

As they say in Dutch "Tot Ziens" see you soon (now sure of exact translation!)

Palenque, With a 9 hour layover, we certainly can do several things in Amsterdam. My question is if we arrive at 11;45 am, should we do a river cruise before or after the Anne Frank House?? And what else would you suggest we squeeze in?? We will not have any luggage to worry about and we are good walkers. Thanks dap1206

dap1206 does your flight arrive at 11.45? If so you need to allow a lot of time just to clear the airport - it can take 15 minutes just to taxi to the gate, depending on which runway is in use. What time is your ongoing flight?

If seeing the Anne Frankhuis is your number one priority then I would book tickets on line for that, at say 14.30 or even 15.00 to be on the safe side. You can always do a canal boat ride afterwards if you have time, and can walk around the city a bit before hand, and have a cup of coffee, or something stronger, if you are in early. Alternatively if you need to get to the AFH quickly for you timed entry take the stop and go bus from outside the station (follow the signs to the stop). You pay cash for the ticket and it runs along Prinsengracht so is very convenient for the AFH.
You will need either coins for the NS ticket machines or will have to buy your ticket from the window at Schiphol which will cost a little bit more but not enough to worry about.

dap1206 - Hetismij' take would be mine as well. There are luggage lockers inside Schiphol's transit zone i believe so stash you bags there before exiting Customs - or if these are unavailable there are luggage lockers in the basement of the arrivals hall after exiting Customs - there are ATM machines all over the airport to get Euros with your ATM card. buy a return train ticket to Amsterdam C.S. (Centraal Station) and when boarding the train be sure that Amsterdam C.S. is on the overhead board - about half the trains to Amsterdam do not go to Amsterdam C.S. but to Amsterdam Zuid-WTC and Amsterdam RAI, stations on the fringe of Amsterdam - i am always amazed when i take trains to Zuid-WTC as i frequently do that there are also tourists who have gotten on the wrong train. If you have time from the Anne Frank House a leisurely stroll along Prinsengraacht, one of the really cute ring of canals, back towards the train station would be sweet. As for boat rides i always suggest choosing one that also goes into the harbor and not just in the canals - the harbour cruises give you a neat view of Amsterdam from afar - it's old Flemish facades hemming in what was once one of the world's busiest ports.

Our flight out is at 8;55 pm so I know we have to be back in the airport by 7:00 pm. That gives us about 6 hours to tour if we get our bags in lockers and on the train by 1;00 pm. Is that doable?? Since Amsterdam is a "bonus" and not our primary stop I would hate to miss the fight. Is the weather decent there in Mid November? Being from Michigan, we are used to cold and rain then. Thanks for the input

The weather will be similar here to Michigan I'm afraid, plus it gets dark fairly early, but that shouldn't put you off.
It is very doable. Book the Anne Frankhuis tickets online so you don't have to queue and as I said allow enough time for getting into the city, I would say book tickets for 15.00 if you can. There is enough to do before hand should you get in earlier.

The weather in Amsterdam all winter i would call like early November in Michigan - but up here in far northern Michigan Amsterdam will be warmer - rarely any snow it seems anytime in Amsterdam and the canals rarely freeze over like they once always did. Bring good rain gear and it may well be windy as well - layering is good - you will not need heavy-duty warm gear but a sweat shirt and sweater layered under some water-proof outer wear. Canal boat tours take about an hour so you will have ample time - if you could research a tour that would near its end dump you off at the Anne Frank House all the better - there is a boat dock right in front of the house.

dap, if your flight is back to the US our hotel told us that we should be at the check in counter 3 hours before our flight. We were told about one of their hotel guests from the US who got there two hours ahead of time and was denied boarding. You probably don't have to worry about checking your luggage but you are right to allow two hours to get to the gates. Our experience is based on just returning from our first trip to Amsterdam FWIW !!! It's a wonderful city, have a great time. Deborah

dap is on a transfer so their bags will presumably have been checked through and they will be checked in for their flight, which gives a little extra leeway.
They should be sure to be back in plenty of time as security is at the gate and can take a long time to get through.

We usually get there about two and a half hours before the flight for the US, when checking bags, if we have checked in on-line.

Meanwhile Pal we await your first instalment with bated breath.

more Pal more....

I think he's gone off for some early ice fishing :)

ttt 4 later

thanks for the interest - no no ice angling yet - ice has to be pretty thick to not break when i clamber on it

HOW MUCH TIME FOR FIRST-TIME VISIT TO AMSTERDAM

Of course the more time you can spend in a place the better, to a point but with Amsterdam i would say a full three days and nights there will be sufficient for the average tourist - not everyone falls in love with Amsterdam and not uncommonly some find it was a gorgeous city but somehow felt uncomfortable there - perhaps by the Redlight District, which can only be described as tawdry and the rampant soft drugs tolerance inside and out of the town's many infamous coffeeshops where cannabis is sold from menu boards with often various types on display.


i think Amsterdam has really cleaned up its act since in started going there for the first time 40 years ago - in the 80s it really seemed to be out of control in many ways - street crime was rife, streets were littered and there were way too may down and out drug addict types laying about. But during the 90s i'd say a lot of this has greatly improved, so some folk may be getting an impression of Amsterdam from travelers from a few decades ago and not now. Whereas in the 80s i would be really really vigilant in the tourist areas today the city seems much like any other big city in Europe - you always should be on guard but i at least feel a much more relaxed outlook in this regard.

And for first-time travelers the fact that English is spoken - by nearly every Amsterdammer the tourist comes in contact with - usually quite fluently - makes travel here a bit easier than in some cities in other countries where English is much less spoken.

ANYWAY - ORGANIZING YOUR TIME

MUST SIGHTS (not my personal ones but what i think are consensus must sights that one does not want to leave Amsterdam without having seen or done)

THE CITY ITSELF - Like Venice Amsterdam to me is one whole visual feast in the historic core - featuring several rings of canals, all lovingly lined by ancient Flemish-type facades, and uniquly also trees - often Dutch elm trees it seems.
For Individual Sites: RIJKSMUSEUM, VAN GOGH MUSEUM, ANNE FRANK HOUSE & MUSEUM, TAKING A CANAL BOAT TOUR, THE REDLIGHT DISTRICT (OK may revolt some but it is still called one of Amsterdam's most popular things for tourists to see) and the FLOWER MARKET. And for many, even for folks not imbibing, at least peeking into one of Amsterdam's famous Coffee Shops is 'high' on the list - no pun intended.

Other MAJOR SIGHTS INCLUDE:

Waterlooplein's Flea Market
Albert Cuyp Straat Market
The Heineken Experience (just re-opened after renovation)
The Stedelijk (Modern Art) Museum
The Royal Palace & Dam Square
Vondel Park
Centraal Train Station's Facade - one of Europe's best, architecturally
Museum Plein

And a host of other sights that could be of interest to many - such as the Troppen Museum, the Hermitage (of St Petersburg) Museum branch here, Our Lord in the Attic museum; the Jewish Museum; the Dutch Resistance Museum, the Zoo, the Botanical Garden; the Watefront east of Centraal Station - rapidly being redeveloped into one of Europe's most unique waterfronts - hop the Ijs Tram that rolls along it -

I think three full days is leisurely enough to take in the main sights - again central Amsterdam is surprisingly compact. And the trams are also so so efficient in re-locating quickly from any spot to another.

So i hope to work thru the above list and also cover essentials like the National Museum Kaart - unlimited visits to hundreds of Dutch museums in Amsterdam and all other cities and Using the Tram and Tram Pass, Strippen Kaarts, etc.

Tot Ziens - Back Soon

And i would really encourage folks with experiences and opinions of Amsterdam to add their input - have different takes, etc. this is really a forum on Amsterdam and not just a trip report.

Oops forgot the Rembrandt House as a near-must sight. And walking along the canals as an absolute must!

The Begijnhof is worth a detour, along with it's churches.
http://www.begijnhofamsterdam.nl/index_engels.html

You will need help with transport passes - Strippenkaarten are on their way out. http://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/?taal=en explains the new OV chipcards.

Danu u very wel, hetismij - i was posting off the top of my head so knew i would miss a gem like the Begijnhof - a quiet oasis right in the heart of Amsterdam - i also enjoy the City of Amsterdam Museum, housed in the complex i believe.

Well good riddance to the Strippen Kaarts IMO - any type Oyster Card (London) that would be easy to use and reload would be a big improvement - tourists used to be perplexed with say how many zones to self-cancel when entering trams.

Yes, now you just have to remember to check out when you leave the tram/bus/train.

I still find the new OV chipkaart sort of confusing. I know it's new, and I've read all the options. Which would be the best choice for a first-time visitor?

Thanks for the thread!

My husband and I just got back from Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago. We bought the 96 hour ov-chipkaart and loved it. We were staying far enough from the main part of the city, that we knew that we would be taking the metro at least twice a day, and as it turned out more than that. You have to do the research before going so you know what is best for you. The card covers all transportation and is so easy to use. You just pass it over the sensor coming and going and you are good to go. We did not end up taking any trams or buses, but I would think it would be just as easy to use. We arrived in Amsterdam at Central Station and walked across the street to the information center to buy the cards. It was a little overwhelming to find about 40 people ahead of us (you take a number and wait your turn), but a lot of sales windows were open and it only took about twenty minutes. Later we found you could go downstairs to the ticket office in the metro itself and buy them there. It was very nice to just hop on and hop off transportation, quickly coming and going to where we wanted to be. We found the people at the GVB Ticket and Information Center, where we bought our chipkaarts, to be very nice, efficient, and willing to help with any questions.

Unless you are planning on being a regular visitor to Amsterdam there is little point in investing in an OV chipcard that you can reload, better to use the disposable ones, valid for a set length of time, as grace44 suggests. You need one card per person, unlike with the strippenkaart.
And until fully implemented by NS it is better as a tourist to just buy regular train tickets.

I wish I could be a regular visitor to Amsterdam!

In the meantime, is it possible to buy the disposable OV card at the airport, before we take the train from Schipol to Centraal Station? Or is that the train you're referring to?

We also plan to take the train to Haarlem for a day trip.

Buy a train ticket at Schiphol - you will have to go to a ticket window unless you have coins. Same for the train to Haarlem, as I don't hink disposables ov Chipcards can be used on the train (yet).
On arrival at Centraal Station go over the road to the GVB building and buy your disposable OV chipcards there. They will advise you on which one to buy. You can always ask them if you can use it on the train too.

Yup the GVB (Public Transports of Amsterdam) kiosk just opposite the front main exit of Centraal Station is always one of my first stops - if not to buy Strippenkaarts, which now seem to being phased out - then just to get the map of the tram and bus lines - a detailed transit map showing each tram line, etc. And like most places in Amsterdam dealing with tourists English is very well spoken.

Off-hand, without analyzing the new OV card scheme but by listening to Hetismij, who lives in Holland, and others it seems the best way for most is to eschew any OV card or day ticket, etc and buy regular tickets - simply because most folks do stay in the city centre and Amsterdam is eminently walkable and very compact. Tourist sights are gathered together in a very few clusters not more than a mile or so it seems apart. I rarely take the tram in the city centre as walking here is so so enjoyable - as long as you stay out of the bike paths, which are solely the realm of Fiets and Fietsers, as the Dutch call their bikes. We'll deal with the subject of cycles, cycling and the potentially lethal bike paths in the future, hopefully. And though other European cities like Copenhagen have zillions of bikes on their streets i have never ever seen anything like in Dutch towns, where everyone it seems from toddlers to grannies rides what i call those heavy Dutch Tanks - the sturdy Dutch bikes.

Q - hetismij and others - before with a Strip Card for transit the more strips you bought the cheaper each trip became - i assume this will not only be possible on the permanent and re-chargeable OV card so when buying single tickets they is only one price and no multiple tickets at a cheaper price available?

It is still cheaper to buy say a 24 hour card than a series of one hour or 2 hour cards.
A one hour card costs €2.60, a 2x1 hour card €5, a 24 hour card €7 and so on.
http://tinyurl.com/lzleyq is the GVB page, in English with the prices.

Palenque, don't stop! Awaiting the whole report eagerly since I haven't been there for 25 years and will return next August.
I'm particularly interested in the best locations for hotels (am looking at the Eden Rembrandt Square, as one example) and the ones to avoid because they are too noisy, sleazy, or other reasons.
Thanks.
Leslie

Could we also include a list of free activities here? I found a Paris thread of the same and thought it might work here as well. Plus, our upcoming trip budget is limited, so free is good. Thanks!

LAleslie, I've stayed in the Rembrandt Square area several times, and I really liked it. However, I did read on another thread that there is construction going on at Rembrandtsplein now, so you might want to look into that issue.

BEST LOCATION FOR HOTELS?
(LAleslie's Q)
I am very partial to the hotel ghetto in and around Vondel Park and the Museum Plein - well out of the hubbub closer in but still a short enough walk from most sights. Folks will feel safe at night in this area (and would be in even dicier areas in fact but not in perception). I am not knowledgeable about individual hotels but anything in this area seems nice at least from walking by them. And there are a raft of hotels in that area. I'll have to track down some street names that are lined with hotels.
By all means avoid anything in or near the Redlight District and along the Dam to the Damrak (square) - to to the southeast of Centraal Station - this is a sleazy many will not feel comfy in at night.
But any hotel outside of this area on say one of the ring of canals, Prinsengraacht, etc. would be delightful.
I'll be back with more after some research - and as always anyone is welcome to give their ideas.

Melissa have a look at http://tinyurl.com/yl2zqwg
or
http://tinyurl.com/yh8zxhn

Not much to do for free I'm afraid, but it is free to walk around and enjoy the city, it's architecture and ambience.

http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/explore...ood=&x=15&y=13

Amsterdam Map - over view.

In theory the reconstruction of the Rembrandtplein will be completed mid December 2009.
There is a lot of construction work throughout the city at the moment due to the disastrous noord-zuid metro line.

LAleslie have a look at DeborahAnn's trip report for where she stayed recently.

FOR FREE? HOP THE TRANS-HARBOR FERRIES FROM BEHIND CENTRAAL STATION

One of my favorite things to do in Amsterdam is to go out the reach entrance of the Centraal Train Station and then hop the free pedestrian/cyclist commuter ferries that scoot across the harbor - they go very frequently and once on the other side you get a nifty view of Amsterdam's silhoutte.
These ferries carry hundreds of cyclists and foot passengers - i enjoy watching all the hudnrreds of bikes (and mopeds) gather by the front impatiently waiting for the gates to drop down and then you have a cyclists rush hour getting off. A great place to watch cyclists and their often unique bikes!
Some smaller boats, also free, go east over the harbor to a new area of town - a really neat development that i will talk about later when i describe a ride on the Ij Tram to a really neat area of a new town along the Ij (harbor) featuring nice avant-garde architecture intertwined with rehabbed old warehouses, etc.
But for a free activity you can't beat taking the free ferries across the Ij IMO
And hopefully with the completeion of the metro crossing the Ij to Centraal Train Station and Amsterdam proper these boats will not be scrapped - but that will not be for a few years out at least.

Yes, I'd read about the free ferry... one goes to some kind of artist space called NDSM(?). Also, I enjoy getting a sense of how the land connects to the sea.