Since our amazing trip to Utah last spring (I’ll post a throw back soon as this was one of my most favorite places) we decided to do a family trip in May again. After checking the weather (and sadly taking Bergen,Norway out of the count with the prospect of 100% chance of rain for 10 days!) we chose the Netherlands. We’ve been to Amsterdam about 10 years ago when the boys were younger, but decided to travel and see more of Holland this time, and anyhow who would ever be unhappy about going to Amsterdam?! We were very fortunate to get great weather, the tourist crowd was still manageable and the trouble paralyzing Shiphol airport so far this whole summer was just beginning. We were even lucky to get Polaris Business seats on the flight back to top off another fabulous vacation!
We divided our time between Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. The 3 biggest cities in the Netherlands, not too far in distance from one another, are each their own. I challenged myself to find 3 words that would best describe each city and here’s what I came up with: Amsterdam- charming, busy, touristy; Hague- historic, traditional, young spirited; Rotterdam- spacious, artistic, modern. (Check out my posts about The Hague and Rotterdam)
AMSTERDAM: No matter how many times I visit the city I am always mesmerized by it’s beauty! The old European charm, traditional Dutch houses, canals, the thousands of bicycles, the flowers at every corner, window and door, the North African food influences, the art museums,.. they all make this city so interesting, unmistakable and romantic.
Whether it’s your first time or a hundredth time, take a boat ride on the canals, relax in the gardens of the Rijksmuseum, if you’ve never been inside, check it out – it holds some world class masterpieces. If you want to indulge in more art, go to the Van Gough museum right next door, or the Stedelijk museum of modern art and design just few steps away. If you are interested in shopping, the Albert Cuyp Market is a good place to spend some time. There you can find some souvenirs and try some really good street food. Among other popular attractions are the Anne Frank house, The Royal Palace, Hourtus Botanicus Amsterdam, not to forget the Heineken experience. Whatever you decide to do, don’t overpack your itinerary, it will be impossible to see everything in few days, so better enjoy yourself. Walking along the canals without any particular destination is the best way to explore Amsterdam, so no matter if you end up in the Red Light District, the Basilica of St.Nicholas or by the Munttoren tower and flower market you are sure to have a memorable time!
GETTING AROUND:We traveled between the cities by train. Anyone who has used the trains in the Netherlands knows how excellent, reliable and efficient their system is! Although not super cheap, it still could be the cheapest option if you consider the number of travelers, car rental prices, prices of gas, parking, etc. All train stations are works of art (or in the process of becoming one) and easy to navigate. Tickets are easy to buy from any machine. If I could give you any advice it would be to have a picture of the map route or the app, surprisingly there was no information inside the train, other than the announcements, none of which were in English. My second advise is to keep your ticket until you complete your trip, you’ll need the ticket not only as you enter the station, but as you exit at your destination.
FEW THINGS about Holland I have forgotten and impressed me again: -Be prepared to pay extra at the hotel, even if you booked and paid for your stay in advance. There’s an additional city charge pp/pn as well as a city tax served to you at checkout (slightly different amount in every city). I was jokingly reminded by the very friendly hotel staff everywhere that we are in Holland, and there’s nothing the Holland government loves more than their taxes!
-On the upside, no tip is expected from you at restaurants! Of course no American will ever do that, but is good to know it’s at your own discretion.
-if you shop at a grocery store for water and snacks (Albert Heijn is the main grocery chain), keep in mind that you are charged extra for recyclable containers. You have the option to return your recyclable container to any store for credit (something like 25c per bottle ), so don’t throw away your empty water bottles, just take them to the store. If you are traveling with school aged kids, this could be a fun lesson in recycling and “local” experience (a machine recognizes which container is recyclable , so kids love feeding the machine and watch the € amount grow)
And as always, follow me for more adventures!
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