Holland

Organised Tours

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Trip Report by Crystall II

I just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and Belgium yesterday. Sure wish it had been a longer holiday! The Netherlands and Belgium is a great Spring trip!

I spent two nights in Haarlem (15-minutes from Amsterdam by train). Haarlem is a great city with a beautiful market square, a great church (the Grote Kerk), a small red light district and fun nightlife. During my first day in Haarlem, I took the train from Haarlem to Leiden and a bus to Keukenhof. Round trip bus fare from Leiden to Keukenhof, with admission to Keukenhof, cost 16 Euro per person. Plan for at least 2-3 hours at Keukenhof. It's a beautiful place. I went to Amsterdam the following day. I toured the Sex Museum on Damrak, walked through the city to Leidseplein, walked through the Joordan and visited Anne Frank House. Anne Frank is open until 9pm. The line is rather short anytime after 7pm. There is a nice little pub across the canal from Anne Frank where you can sit for a drink and watch the line grow shorter.

I returned to Amsterdam for two nights after Bruges and continued to tour the city. Of course, you will want to stroll through the Red Light District. Be sure to visit Amstelkring in the Red Light District (a hidden church in an attic), the flower market, and Spui for nice restaurants and pubs. Leidseplein is fun for nightlife. As far as Amsterdam museums, the Rijksmuseum is currently under construction. Most works are now located in the Phillip's Wing. There is also an exhibit at Schipol Airport. The Van Gogh and Dutch Resistance Museums are worth a visit. The Heineken Experience is a bit cheesy, but does give you three beers and a free glass. Consider an Amsterdam pass for one, two or three days. It covers admission to all museums, except Anne Frank and Heineken, and allows use of the bus, tram and metro system.

Delft, Den Hague and Kinderdyk are all perfectly situated day trips from Amsterdam. You might like Rotterdam as well. The city has great architecture and you can ride along the River Maas in a water taxi. There is a good shopping district in Rotterdam. The Block Houses in Rotterdam are worth a peek. Check out Bazaar, a very good restaurant...Indonesian, I think. Zenne, a nice Turkish restaurant is located along the river across from Hotel New York. Hotel New York is a historic hotel in Rotterdam and worth the splurge.

Have fun planning! There is so much to see and do in tiny Holland!