Back from Amsterdam and Paris
Mar 31st, 2006, 05:50 AM
#21
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Thanks, everyone!
Firstmmo- The night bike tour and the segway tours have completely different routes. The night bike tour is on the left bank almost the entire time, I think. They both go to the Louvre courtyard and that is about the total overlap. The night bike tour had a lot of young people and the segway tours are more mixed. I honestly would do both.
We went to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, but I don't know if the big 400th thing had started yet? We did see all of the available art in the Rijksmuseum (very limited due to construction). There was one exhibit about possible/fake Rembrandts and how they discovered that they weren't his work.
grantop- I haven't seen Charade. I thought someone mentioned that the first Sabrina movie was filmed there?
CDG is a total disaster!
Firstmmo- The night bike tour and the segway tours have completely different routes. The night bike tour is on the left bank almost the entire time, I think. They both go to the Louvre courtyard and that is about the total overlap. The night bike tour had a lot of young people and the segway tours are more mixed. I honestly would do both.
We went to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, but I don't know if the big 400th thing had started yet? We did see all of the available art in the Rijksmuseum (very limited due to construction). There was one exhibit about possible/fake Rembrandts and how they discovered that they weren't his work.
grantop- I haven't seen Charade. I thought someone mentioned that the first Sabrina movie was filmed there?
CDG is a total disaster!
Apr 3rd, 2006, 04:09 AM
#23
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Now THAT was a good trip report!
We were in Rotterdam the week before your trip and ran into that weird weather, too. We did get lucky with good weather for an Amsterdam day-trip.
We're returning to Amsterdam in early May, spending 4 nts on an Amstel River canalboat in De Pijp, somewhat close to the museum area. Your experiences in that general area are a great primer.
Also, I concur that both NW Air and Airbus 330s are excellent.
I noticed that your Zaanse Schans visit was pretty brief. We're taking our kids (9 & 13) and had counted on that sidetrip to be a highpoint for them. Am I misguided?
We were in Rotterdam the week before your trip and ran into that weird weather, too. We did get lucky with good weather for an Amsterdam day-trip.
We're returning to Amsterdam in early May, spending 4 nts on an Amstel River canalboat in De Pijp, somewhat close to the museum area. Your experiences in that general area are a great primer.
Also, I concur that both NW Air and Airbus 330s are excellent.
I noticed that your Zaanse Schans visit was pretty brief. We're taking our kids (9 & 13) and had counted on that sidetrip to be a highpoint for them. Am I misguided?
Apr 3rd, 2006, 06:38 AM
#24
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dtstahl-
Thanks for the compliment. I value trip reports when planning my trips, and hope that my report helps others.
De Pijp is a great neighborhood-- actually the Indian restaurant we visited was in De Pijp.
Zaanse Schans does not warrant any more than 90 minutes IMHO. You can visit the cheese shop, the wooden shoe shop, and the windmill. After that, it's touristy shops just like in Amsterdam. I think your children will enjoy it, but I wouldn't count on spending more than a half day total.
Have a great time!
Liz
Thanks for the compliment. I value trip reports when planning my trips, and hope that my report helps others.
De Pijp is a great neighborhood-- actually the Indian restaurant we visited was in De Pijp.
Zaanse Schans does not warrant any more than 90 minutes IMHO. You can visit the cheese shop, the wooden shoe shop, and the windmill. After that, it's touristy shops just like in Amsterdam. I think your children will enjoy it, but I wouldn't count on spending more than a half day total.
Have a great time!
Liz
Apr 3rd, 2006, 10:28 AM
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Tim and Liz:
Two comments and a question if you have the time.
You compared Amsterdam food to Paris, and I am glad you added that you did not really try serious restaurants in Paris...I could give you a few hundred, but my take is that you were trying to eat reasonably...and at crepe stands, etc....tourist areas are notorious for bad food in Paris...
The aeroport at CDG that most airlines use is the old one, and terrible. If you flew Air France, it is much, much better...
The question: I read that you stopped in Versailles with you bikes...did you have a lock or was a lock given to you, considering all of the tourists around and the possibility of theft?
Two comments and a question if you have the time.
You compared Amsterdam food to Paris, and I am glad you added that you did not really try serious restaurants in Paris...I could give you a few hundred, but my take is that you were trying to eat reasonably...and at crepe stands, etc....tourist areas are notorious for bad food in Paris...
The aeroport at CDG that most airlines use is the old one, and terrible. If you flew Air France, it is much, much better...
The question: I read that you stopped in Versailles with you bikes...did you have a lock or was a lock given to you, considering all of the tourists around and the possibility of theft?
Apr 3rd, 2006, 11:11 AM
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orval-
We went to Versailles on a bike tour through www.fattirebiketoursparis.com
Our guide had an extremely extremely long cord-type bike lock that locked all 30 bikes together at once. I definitely think a lock is necessary.
Liz
We went to Versailles on a bike tour through www.fattirebiketoursparis.com
Our guide had an extremely extremely long cord-type bike lock that locked all 30 bikes together at once. I definitely think a lock is necessary.
Liz
Apr 11th, 2006, 11:01 AM
#27
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Liz,
I am off to Amsterdam on May 3rd. I was caught up in the Rembrandt-Caravaggio fever and booked the hotel package at the Hilton before really thinking through what I was doing. I otherwise surely wouldn't have stayed there but oh well. I have a couple of questions. How can I figure out which trams run near there so that I can connect from either the Central Train station or the Zuid WTC for the easiest way to get to the hotel from Schiphol? Also can you explain more about the 72 hour unlimited pass? Is that only within Amsterdam proper and what does it include? Would it apply to a trip to visit Zaanse Schanse? Could it be used to get to Keukenhof garden? How much did it cost? I want to leave the city for a day trip and would have preferred to rent a car to leave the city and then return it to the airport but it looks like you need a 3 day rental if you want to do that.
I am off to Amsterdam on May 3rd. I was caught up in the Rembrandt-Caravaggio fever and booked the hotel package at the Hilton before really thinking through what I was doing. I otherwise surely wouldn't have stayed there but oh well. I have a couple of questions. How can I figure out which trams run near there so that I can connect from either the Central Train station or the Zuid WTC for the easiest way to get to the hotel from Schiphol? Also can you explain more about the 72 hour unlimited pass? Is that only within Amsterdam proper and what does it include? Would it apply to a trip to visit Zaanse Schanse? Could it be used to get to Keukenhof garden? How much did it cost? I want to leave the city for a day trip and would have preferred to rent a car to leave the city and then return it to the airport but it looks like you need a 3 day rental if you want to do that.
Apr 11th, 2006, 12:16 PM
#28
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sharkmom-
As far as which trams run near your hotel and how to connect from the airport, why don't you check their website, send them an email, or give them a call. You may have a tram map in your guidebook too. If you aren't familiar with public transport, it may be better to take a taxi or a shuttle instead, since you'll have luggage.
The 72-hour unlimited pass was 13Euro and was good on all trams and buses within the city proper. To visit Zaanse Schans or the tulips, you will need to purchase a train ticket from Centraal Station. I would not advise renting a car as it's easy to take the train. Finally, there are plenty of bus tours that will pick you up from your hotel to see the tulips or a windmill/cheese store/wooden shoe store.
Good luck and have a great time!
As far as which trams run near your hotel and how to connect from the airport, why don't you check their website, send them an email, or give them a call. You may have a tram map in your guidebook too. If you aren't familiar with public transport, it may be better to take a taxi or a shuttle instead, since you'll have luggage.
The 72-hour unlimited pass was 13Euro and was good on all trams and buses within the city proper. To visit Zaanse Schans or the tulips, you will need to purchase a train ticket from Centraal Station. I would not advise renting a car as it's easy to take the train. Finally, there are plenty of bus tours that will pick you up from your hotel to see the tulips or a windmill/cheese store/wooden shoe store.
Good luck and have a great time!
Apr 11th, 2006, 01:46 PM
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Sharkmom, my websurfing tells me -
From the airport you can take the train to the Central Station. When you exit the trains follow the signs for Trams (streetcars). Take tram number 5 or 24 both run to our district.
Step out at stop: Apollolaan
These instructions were on 2 other hotels, also located on Apollolaan in the 100's.
From the airport you can take the train to the Central Station. When you exit the trains follow the signs for Trams (streetcars). Take tram number 5 or 24 both run to our district.
Step out at stop: Apollolaan
These instructions were on 2 other hotels, also located on Apollolaan in the 100's.
Apr 11th, 2006, 05:05 PM
#30
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Travelnut,
Per Liz, you recommended taking the train to Zuid WTC rather than Central Station. Assuming that tram 5 runs between the 2 stations, which do you think would be better for me to get off at to catch the tram?
Per Liz, you recommended taking the train to Zuid WTC rather than Central Station. Assuming that tram 5 runs between the 2 stations, which do you think would be better for me to get off at to catch the tram?
Apr 12th, 2006, 05:28 AM
#32
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Forgive me for butting in, but there's a map at
http://www.gvb.nl/english/travellers...jnenkaart.html.
Zuid is much closer to Apollolaan than Centraal.
http://www.gvb.nl/english/travellers...jnenkaart.html.
Zuid is much closer to Apollolaan than Centraal.
Apr 12th, 2006, 08:40 AM
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In May for a couple of days, before going on to Paris...
my 'project' is figuring out how to get to a golf course using public trans (!). Otherwise, to heck with it, we'll just use a taxi.
I only know the train to Centraal from Schiphol, so glad to know someone could solve it for you.
my 'project' is figuring out how to get to a golf course using public trans (!). Otherwise, to heck with it, we'll just use a taxi.
I only know the train to Centraal from Schiphol, so glad to know someone could solve it for you.
Apr 13th, 2006, 12:32 AM
#38
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Most trains from Schiphol go to Centraal, but some go (from the same platform) to Amsterdam Zuid (pronounced Zowd) and RAI. Journey time to Zuid is 6-8 minutes (to Centraal it's 20 + another 20-25 on the tram to Apollolaan). There are indicators at the top of the escalators and again on the platforms that tell you where the next train is going. You can get train times at www.ns.nl (look for the "English" button at the top of the screen).
Apr 14th, 2006, 02:12 PM
#39
I loved your trip report. I am spending four nights in Amsterdam and four nights in Paris,leaving next week.
I am looking at other sidetrips: a bike ride through the tulip fields, a trip to Le Hauge for the museum there and/or Leiden. Any thoughts or advice? I also like off the beaten track adventures.
I am looking at other sidetrips: a bike ride through the tulip fields, a trip to Le Hauge for the museum there and/or Leiden. Any thoughts or advice? I also like off the beaten track adventures.
Dec 18th, 2006, 04:47 AM
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A late reply but I loved reading your trip report. My boyfriend and I have also done Amsterdam/Paris past November and have very similar opinions as you. I wish I had read this before our trip! We stayed in Amsterdam for 1 1/2 days and Paris for 2 1/2 days.
