Sassafrass wrote: "DD and I had a big discussion about that once. She insisted Ireland had no mountains. I said it did and presented the heights which qualified for mountain status. She reminded me she had just moved from Switzerland and was not impressed by such small numbers."

You just tell her that Ireland beats Switzerland for coastal scenery.

kelsey, you might want to check out

http://strandhuisjes.info/

they're very popular, so book early! (like, now)

I disagree with PalenQ and think Zandvoort is dull and tatty. For the downhome surfer experience, head to Wijk van Zee, for the well-heeled, elegant experience try Noordwijk.

Padraig, DD knows. She did love the West Coast of Ireland, very dramatic! She lived in Ballina, County Mayo for several years. She lived in the DR for a year, Switzerland for 4 years, Ireland for 5 or 6 years and now St Kitts in the Caribbean. Her favorite is Switzerland, but I like visiting her in St Kitts.

Honestly, I think the circumstances of my trips to Ireland colored my feelings, but also, I like hot countries like Spain.

I might have encouraged the OP more towards Ireland except that she does not plan to drive.

For the OP and others, differences, of course based only on an outsiders brief visits, between Ireland and the Netherlands is, IMHO

Ireland is mystical and the weather is misty and cool. Gray/blue skies. Saw rainbows nearly every visit. The landscape is natural and wild looking, windswept, low brushy growth with old stone cottages, stone walls, narrow lanes, sheep, etc. Looks perfect for loose watercolor paintings. Pubs for music and friends to gather.

The Netherlands is downright postcard pretty with stepped roof buildings and carefully laid out farms and perfectly designed gardens bright with vegetables and bulbs, laced with canals and dotted with windmills. Old city squares for markets and people to gather. Think Van Gogh and Vermeer paintings.

What you have in the Netherlands is centuries old landscape design. That's something you either warm to, or you don't. As a landscape it's not self-explanatory: it has its layers of history and it can help if you have some historical info.

One has been essential to western literature, the other western art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VDYzY0CV1A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAwDfaL4hLo

Menachem, thank you for the videos! Incredible, really.
Interesting that they are helping in other parts of the world, including New Orleans. Perhaps the Dutch should be in charge of saving Venice.

You can enjoy Ireland without a car. I certainly did. I went on a solo trip in 2009 and used buses to get around. Mostly Bus Eireann, but also a couple of organized daytours. It's been a few years since then, of course, so I don't know if those daytours still exist. And I had 18 days, well, 16 of you don't count arrival and departure days.

I was in Amsterdam in 2013 for about a week. I took a couple of daytrips, by train and with organized tours. I also bought the Museum Card and used it a lot.

If you want to see beutiful natural scenery I'd say Ireland is better. If you prefer cities, with museums etc. I think Amsterdam is better.

If you do choose Amsterdam as a base, try to visit Maastricht and Aachen also, two lesser visited cities, both very interesting. Maastricht: ancient Roman city and university town. Aachen has Charlemagne's Palatine Chapel, now part of the cathedral.

This is exactly why Utrecht as a base would be so much more convenient. Maastricht is beautiful, cities like Arnhem or Nijmegen offer much to a visitor, but are somewhat off the beaten path. If you visit Arnhem, do visit the Hoge Veluwe and Museum Kröller-Müller as well. I visited recently and was moved to tears by their Van Gogh paintings.

Sassafras, I was quite struck by the part where the H+N+S lead architect describes the Netherlands as a "prosthesis", the Dutch have fashioned for themselves.

I have been in both places and unless you are planning many side trips, there isn't enough to do in Dublin for 8 to 10 days. Amsterdam on the other hand is fantastic for enjoying the city and for doing great day trips. The transportation is easy, you can get to many places (train or bus trips from less than 30 minutes and many places can be reached in an hour - hour and a half.)
You can easily get to everywhere in Holland by public transportation but Ireland is better with a car.....