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As an American who lived in NL for 7 years and is headed back again in a month, my $.02
Some of the smaller cities will feel similar so maybe you could skip some of them ... I wouldn’t be able to recommend which ones. Have a great trip!! |
Originally Posted by Weespxx
(Post 17019851)
https://www.everfest.com/e/koningsdag-amsterdam-nh Things I wanted to see were closed for the holiday. I did have my pre-purchased Anne Frank House tickets. It was very weird to be in that quiet place with partiers carrying on outside the walls. Good advice to be ready for crowds. I just checked the dates for Easter 2020 and it will be on the 12th. Easter week last year was very crowded in Amsterdam. Paris was not a problem. |
"That is VERY true. I was there this April and the museums were crazy crowded."
All the museums or only the most famous ones? I was there in May 2014 and visited the maritime museum(Scheepvaartmuseum) and the Allard Pierson Museum(archeology museum). The maritime museum was not crowded at all, the AP museum was a bit crowded, because there was an exhibition of Crimean treasures, but it was sill enjoyable. I know there are a lot more tourists in Amsterdam now than 5 years ago, but most of them don't go for the museums. I haven't been to the Rijksmuseum, but I'm pretty sure most visitors gather in front of the most famous pieces and leave rooms with less hyped artefacts free of really bad crowds, like it happens usually in the most visited museums like the Louvre. |
Originally Posted by BDKR
(Post 17019934)
All the museums or only the most famous ones?
I haven't been to the Rijksmuseum, but I'm pretty sure most visitors gather in front of the most famous pieces and leave rooms with less hyped artefacts free of really bad crowds, like it happens usually in the most visited museums like the Louvre. I did not do an analysis of all of the museums in Amsterdam during Easter week. Sorry. But I do agree with the previous poster that April can be very busy. That was my experience this April. Paris was not a problem that week. |
"My "skip the line" ticket for the Rijksmuseum was a joke. That line was longer than the one to buy tickets."
That's good to know! Why did you have to queue if you had a skip the line ticket? Security control? |
Originally Posted by BDKR
(Post 17019994)
"My "skip the line" ticket for the Rijksmuseum was a joke. That line was longer than the one to buy tickets."
That's good to know! Why did you have to queue if you had a skip the line ticket? Security control? It was HORRIBLE. I considered standing in the buy a ticket line (and pay twice) but realized it would be crazy crowded if I ever got INSIDE. I skipped the Rijks, even though I had a prepurchased ticket. Worse than Disney on a holiday. |
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7bc2f39c5f.jpg
Arrival at the museum - April 25, 2019 - Thursday - noon https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...80cf8b22c0.jpg Shocked at the "Skip the Line" line https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2351fa5662.jpg I thought I took a photo of the shorter "buy the ticket line" on the opposite side, but evidently didn't. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...49a8b64a45.jpg The "skip the line" line was all the way downhill, almost to the Cobra Cafe. I did not wait. I skipped the museum. Money wasted. Worse than lines at Disney. |
This was probably during the recent Rembrandt exhibition. I am in Amsterdam quite often, and sometimes just go to the Rijksmuseum to wander around. I always go to the 'honour gallery' with the most famous paintings. It's not my experience that it is that crowded. I have always just walked in. We will be there this weekend and have booked a time-slot for the Rembrandt/Velasquez exhibition. We have a museumcard, but for that exhibition had to book a timeslot. I'll see how busy it is.
Museums like the Tropen Museum, and Amsterdam Museum are often very quiet. |
Originally Posted by starrs
(Post 17019995)
Because more people bought "skip the lines" ticket than people who didn't.
It was HORRIBLE. I considered standing in the buy a ticket line (and pay twice) but realized it would be crazy crowded if I ever got INSIDE. I skipped the Rijks, even though I had a prepurchased ticket. Worse than Disney on a holiday. |
Originally Posted by menachem
(Post 17020314)
People feel they HAVE to see "the Rembrandts". Other parts of the museum, like its wonderful Asian art collection or its History section are always nearly deserted.
I just wanted to get in the museum. Not going happen on that weekday in April without a LONG wait in the "skip the line" line. |
Originally Posted by starrs
(Post 17020375)
I wasn't there for the Rembrandts.
I just wanted to get in the museum. Not going happen on that weekday in April without a LONG wait in the "skip the line" line. |
Originally Posted by menachem
(Post 17020459)
Towards King's day it always gets more crazy.
Keukenhof was crowded because it was the last week of good blooms. I drove up north to Harlingen and it was not crowded at all. King's Day was crazy. I wish I had moved to Delft for that day instead of Amsterdam. |
This morning (Saturday) there was no queue at all at the Rijksmuseum at 10 am. We walked right in. Just a few people in line at the ticket desks, but no queues outside.
The Rembrandt/Velazquez exhibition is stunning. Busy not not excessive; it was easy to view the paintings at leisure. Hermitage exhibition of jewels also no queue, 2 people ahead of us at ticket desk (Hermitage requires you to buy a 2,50 ticket even with Museumcard) So it's not always crazy crowded. |
Originally Posted by Tulips
(Post 17023221)
This morning (Saturday) there was no queue at all at the Rijksmuseum at 10 am.
...So it's not always crazy crowded. I think the OP's trip is in April. It was crazy crowded when I was there in April. It may have been a combination of Easter week holiday and the days before King's Day. Weespxx shared (in post #21) that it can be crowded in April and I shared my April experience in agreement. "As an American who lived in NL for 7 years and is headed back again in a month, my $.02...
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April is peak tourist time because of the tulips so everything in and around Amsterdam on the normal tourist trail is packed to the gunnels.
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good itinerary
Originally Posted by kimbohannon
(Post 17017764)
Planning a trip to Netherlands in April 2020 (17-26) and this is the current itinerary. Looking for feedback on the schedule, hotels and any other recommendations:
Day 1: Arrive at Schiphol around 10 am. Museums, Canal boat ride, walk around city Day 2: Anne Franke's attic, Hidden church, more museums Day 3: Pick up car, Zanse Schans, tulip fields, beach Day 4: Leave Haarlem, Go to Hague, Delft, then drive to Kinderdijk - spend night in this area, need recommendation. Day 5: Leave Kinderdijk drive to Brugges, Belgium Day 6: Stay in Brugges Day 7: Leave Brugges, drive to Ghent have lunch and sightsee, then drive to Dordrecht spend night there Day 8: Leave Dordrecht drive to Geithoorn, spend night in area Day 9: Return to Amsterdam area, return car, train to Haarlem to see Flower parade. Day 10: Fly out that afternoon for the Hague day the pier walk is lovely and a must see for nature lovers is the (google it as a url is not allowed) opens in April Clingendael’s Japanese garden |
Also in the Hague: Panorama Mesdag. Please, please visit it.
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Looks very interesting. Will add to our itinerary. Thanks for the suggestion.
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kimbohannon I think you will be surprised at how small Amsterdam is, size wise. I tried to find a comparison to Paris but think of NYC and Cambridge, Mass. The central area is very small and yet Amsterdam sees millions of tourists a year. The Amsterdam Museum has never been busy when I was there and I love it! I’m glad someone else brought that up. The biggies will be packed - I’m going in a couple of weeks and dread the Van Gogh lines inside and out. April is crazy time.
It is a lovely city- try to get out of the fray if you can. |
There won't be linnes at the van Gogh now. book online for a timed ticket, get ther on time and no problem.
Did you used to live in Weesp Weespxx? |
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