cynthia2009

My brother and I (both in our 40's) are planning a trip to the Netherlands this spring. We would like to go in April. I've been doing a lot of websearching and there is just so much to choose from. A few things:
- we would like to see Amsterdam
-our parents are from Friesland - my Mom from Suameer
- we do not plan to rent a car - but would prefer to use the trains. I was reading a 'thread' on the Europass - are they worthwhile?
- we would like to see Belgium and Austria.
I thought Keukenhof would be very pretty and I saw a site for "Mikes Bikes" in Amsterdam - where you could rent a bike for a day and have a 4hr guided tour.

Any suggestions for a possible itinerary would be great. I don't want to be so scheduled that I can't just enjoy the days...

Thank you

cynthia2009

Sorry, forgot to mention that we are planning to go for 2 weeks.

Saraho

Better hurry up and book hotels.

jetsetj

we were in Friesland while on our self drive boat trip last sept.
we loved Langweer. The whole area is beautiful.

do you plan to stay in hotels/apt or do you have relatives there?

hetismij

Suameer (Sumar in Fries) is not far from Leeuwarden. There are various ways of getting there by public transport involving several changes on buses and trains. It will however take nearly 3 and a half hours to get there.

Driving would be much quicker and more enjoyable too I think if you only plan it as a day trip. Look into staying around Leeuwarden, Borgum, Suameer area. You could hire bikes up there to explore a bit, but I personally think if you are going to Friesland you will see much more of the lovely countryside and interesting towns and villages with a car. Hire one for a couple of days and explore.
There is another thread in the Netherlands forum about visiting Friesland by car where I have made some suggestions of places to visit.
If you do decide to hire a car then head back to Amsterdam via the Noord-Oost Polder where there are actually more bulb fields than in the traditional area around Keukenhof. Do visit Keukenhof too though.

You will ned to book your accommodation in or around Amsterdam pretty quickly - April/May is the peak time for visitng because of the bulb fields.

amazingview

Definitely visit Keukenhof! It's one of the highlights of visiting The Netherlands in the springtime.

Mike's Bikes is a good time too. You can either do a tour, or you can just rent a bike and ride out into the countryside, which is really enjoyable.

You're right that taking trains is easier than hiring a car. I recommend sticking with rail transport since it's very good in Holland.

Palenque

but would prefer to use the trains. I was reading a 'thread' on the Europass - are they worthwhile?>

Well it depends on what your actual itinerary will be -if just in Holland then definitely no but if you do go also by train to Austria and Belgium then by all means investigate both the Eurail Select Pass good in Benelux (belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg), Germany and Austria - a 3-country pass or if just dipping into Austria, say to Salzburg then consider the cheaper Germany-Benelux railpass that is valid on trains in Benelux countries and Germany - it will take you to Salzburg, austria (one of europe's most sublimely gorgeous cities IMO) as for the pass purposes that is deemed a German train station though it is a few miles inside Austria - you could return to Amsterdam via the Rhine gorge - do the K-D few-hour Rhine cruises thru the most gorgeous part of the fabled Rhine Gorge (Lorelei)- passes are valid in full on the boats (www.k-d.com). For loads on rail travel in those countries and passes, etc i always highlight these fantastic info-laden sites: www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check out their free online European Planning & Rail Guide that has lots of rail maps and suggested itineraries(; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com

illnative

We went to Keukenhof using public transportation from Amsterdam- it is wonderful in mid-April. In the parking lot there you can rent bikes to take a ride around the actual flower fields in the area. I would highly recommend that.

vanderveldenton

Wherever you go, DO do a bid on www.priceline.com (or www.priceline.co.uk), as 4 and 5 stars in Amnsterdam are quite cheap if booked that way. It will be usually a hotel in the centre, if area 2 selected. Info at www.better-bidding.com (or www.betterbidding.com if I am mistaken).
Also see threads at www.tripadvisor.com about this

Palenque

You can also walk around the flower fields, the actual flower fields, that surround the Keukenhof to the north.

In fact i took a train to Hillegom, on the Haarlem-Leiden line and from Hillegom did a lovely few-mile stroll on side roads that sliced right thru the heart of the flower fields - a kaleidoscopic pulchritudinous walk to be sure - ending at the gate of the Keukenhof, from where you can take a bus to Leiden or back to Haarlem

TommieG

I don't know if I would include Austria on your 2 week trip. It is a rather long drive/rail from Amsterdam. It would take up at least two days tot get there and get back to A'dam.

If you take 'base' in Amsterdam, you can make a lot of easy day-trips to surrounding areas (Keukenhof, Haarlem, Delft, The Hague, Leiden etc). To get to Friesland (Suameer), a car would probalby be better (as hetismij already said). Our trainnetwork is good, but to places like Suameer, it does tak some time.

Belgium is directly connected by train tot Antwerp/Brussels (about 2 hours or so). From there you can easily go visit Bruges and Ghent.

Some of the beautiful Germans cities are also very easy to reach (Cologne for instance).

If staying in the Netherlands, you could also visit some more places in the northern part. Or you could go south towards Maastricht, from there you can go very easily to Germany (Aachen) and Belgium (Liege).

Dukey

keukenhof is absolutely spectacular in April..at least it was last year..and it is really hard to describe the EXTENT of the beds.

You can easily take the train to the airport and get a bus to the gardens from there which is what we found easiest to do..the place was jammed (we went on a Sunday) so consider which day of the week to do it..but definitely DO IT!

cynthia2009

thanks for all your helpful suggestions. Due to work issues, my brother is not able to take time off till the middle of May. I hope there will still be flowers as it will be the last weekend for the Gardens. You are correct about Austria - that would be a separate trip... but Germany and Belguim would be nice to include. We are planning to stay in Amsterdam for a few days, then do a bit of other travelling.