Daytrips from Amsterdam into Germany
 

Hi,

What town within 2.5 hours by train of Amsterdam, would you recommend for a daytrip in Germany?

Not a big city, but a nice walkable town with art galleries,cathedrals,shops,
bars & restaurants.

Cant walk far like before.

thanks

We took a day trip to Cologne from Amsterdam. You get out of the train station in Cologne and the cathedral is literally right there. I can't say I'd recommend it, because it was a lot of travel for just the cathedral (which is amazing) and some lesser museums. Walking the shopping area was interesting, but in retrospect I would have gotten more out of that day in and around Amsterdam. Just MHO though...

I should add that we will be on a canal boat in Holland for 1 week from Sneek to Strand Horst. Then in Amsterdam for a week.

We would like to get out of Holland for at least one daytrip.

When are you going?

For Germany, Duesseldorf is my favorite for bars and restaurants.

You can also enjoy Haarlem, just up the road from Amsterdam. It is 1/3 Amsterdam. I lived there.

Maastricht, Den Haag, and Utrecht are all sweet. Again, when are you going? It makes a big difference.

>>Not a big city, but a nice walkable town with art galleries,cathedrals,shops,
bars & restaurants<<

Two options:

1. Düsseldorf, 2:12 from AMS
2. Köln, 2:38 from AMS

Düsseldorf is nicer regarding art galleries, shopping, bars and restaurants. It boasts two excellent baroque churches (including the church where Robert Schumann and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy where organists). It is very walkable with the riverbank and the Königsallee.

Köln hat the gorgeous gothic cathedral (Dom), 12 (!) romanesque churches, Roman ruins, outstanding art museums (both medieval and modern art) and is also a very attractive city.

Hard to decide.

What you can do: Start in AMS early in the morning. Visit Köln in the morning. In the afternoon, arrive at Düsseldorf. Spend the evening in DÜS and take the last train back to AMS. DÜS has an exceptional nightlife.

For train connections, see:

www.bahn.de

we will be there sept 2009

thanks for replies so far

ttt

Monschau is very beautiful, I think is about 2.5 hour drive from Amsterdam, l really love that place.

Monschau looks wonderful. May just be what we wanted.

FODORS IS THE BEST FOR TRAVEL INFO.