jmcmanus427

My wife and I have plans to travel to Amsterdam, this Dec. 18 through Dec. 25; we're healthy, late-50s, and enjoy walking cities, taking in museums and culture, enjoying people, and food.

We have flight and well-located accommodations set. We're looking to put together our plans for the days there.... we'd be grateful to hear from you on two or three of our challenges.

1. We've gotten a lot out of guided tours (of the Louvre, Uffizi Gallery, Prado), and we'd like your thoughts and suggestions for a tour of the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh (by the same tour guide, perhaps). We've done preliminary research and heard about one or two, but we'd appreciate hearing more of your thoughts.

2. do you have a suggestion about a day trip, Delft, perhaps. Is it reasonable to spend a day getting to and from and taking the time out of activity in Amsterdam to make this trip?

3. finally, as far as we can tell from websites, postings, etc., museums like the Rijksmuseum,... they're open everyday, including Christmas day. Does anyone have a source of reliable information on what museums may be closed on Christmas, Christmas eve, etc.?

Thank you

John & Marsha

stevewith

Transportation in that area is so good that is worth considering day trips that might interest you, but for that time of year, give equal consideration to ones that involve indoor sites, rather than walking outdoors sightseeing. It can be wet and blustery that time of year, and the low level of light can make it feel even chillier.

There are fine attractions of art and history in Haarlem, Den Haag, Delft and Utrecht. I wouldn't frame it as "day trip" vs. checking off the entire list of sights in Amsterdam. I quite like Amsterdam, and there are easily more than a month's worth of things to enjoy there. But if you have a particular interest in something "out of town," the train trips are so short, you wouldn't think of it as a "day trip" if you were traveling the same distance to see something in London or Madrid. I wouldn't hang around Amsterdam doing things of marginal interest to you if it would mean something for you to see the great church in Haarlem or Teylers or the the museums and sites in Delft while in the area.

Dukey1

Unless you absolutely HAVE to have somebody telling you about the art works I wouldn't bother with a human guide for the Van Gogh; the Rijksmuseum is another story since it is much MUCH bigger.

Here's a site which might be of interest to you:

http://www.amsterdam.info/events/christmas/

jmcmanus427

Thank you stevewith and Dukey1. Both comments are helpful, and the Christmas day information is terrific. Hopefully, we can get sorted out on a great guide for the Rijksmuseum and we'll be happy campers.

jmcmanus427

thanks for responses. Still curious as to thoughts, if you could pick one -- Haarlem, Den Haag, Delft and Utrecht -- would you say which one would be your choice?

PalenQ

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ite-things.cfm

Been going to Amsterdam at least annually since too far back to want to admit - spent weeks there on business off and on... of those four cities I think you cannot go wrong - Haarlem is as nice IMO as any and so close - 20 mins by train - it could be a half-day trip and then visit the fascinating Zaanse Schans gaggle of working windmills on the way back - easily done by train.

I was there one day in early January and folks were out in mass skating on the sluitjes or small canals - but even in winter one windmill will be working and the Zuider Zee Museum will be open - that long in Amsterdam you should both get the National Museum Kaart (covered in my thread I gave at the top) is a no-brainer - just three major museums in Amsterdam cover the cost and you can for one year come and go in any of hundreds of Dutch museums and sights.

http://www.zaanseschans.nl/

hetismij2

My vote would probably be for Delft. You could have an enjoyable day there and a pleasant evening too. Remember it gets dark early at that time of year which cuts down on sightseeing time outside.

The chances of any skating on canals or slootjes is minimal in December. Cold spells meaning skating are usually in January/February. It's not completely unheard of, but very unlikely.

If I were you I'd keep things flexible and, after picking a couple of possible trips decide which one to take while you are here, depending on the weather and how you feel.

jmcmanus427

These are terrific suggestions, PalenQ and hetismij2. We travel during this december period almost every year, and invariably fail to remember how short the days are, and how intemperate the weather can get. I'll review your thread on "favorite things," PalenQ, and i'm sure we'll wind up getting the Kaart, and keeping our plans flexible for our little trip. Thank you all!

PalenQ

An ineral part of the Delft day trip to me is to visit the Porcelene fles workshop where authentic Delftware is made - lots of imitations sold all over Holland - it is a few miles out of the city center, on a main canal - nice enough walk or city buses go there.

There is a museum of old and new Delftware and the chance to buy direct from the shop and seconds as well but to see the demonstrations of how they do it is amazing.


http://www.royaldelft.com/index.asp?lang=2

Elizabeth_S

We did a very interesting walking tour in Amsterdam in March - the subject was WWII and the Holocaust in Amsterdam. It started at Anne Frank House and finished at the Resistance Museum (it doesn't include these sites so we did them separately).

http://www.historywalks.eu/

G_H

Depending on the weather, try a bike tour with mike's Bike Tours.

PalenQ

There are usually some large skating rinks set up on the Leidesplein where you can rent skates if that is your bag.