I'll be spending a week, or so, this September in the Netherlands. I'll be traveling solo, while my wife and a friend are hiking the Cotswold trails in England for 10 days. I'm not fond of hiking 10 miles a day, and figured it would be a great opportunity to explore Amsterdam or other places in the Netherlands. I haven't done any research about visiting there yet, but thought I'd ask you guys for some interesting recommendations. I'm sure you folks probably know of things I might not discover on the normal YouTube travel videos. What are some cool things that I should see? Your favorite places, to eat, enjoy music, art, plants, etc.
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The Netherlands
- Thread starter DancinDog
- Start date
Well you might be in luck, because I've just finished planning my 2-week-long trip to the NL, part of which will be spending a few days in Amsterdam. I've researched a fair bit, and asked a few of our NL natives on the forum, and here's the list of things to do and see so far (it's subject to change in the coming weeks, so I'll update it as necessary):
1. Explore the Jordaan district and the 17th-century canal ring
2. Visit the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum (pre-book tickets for both!), and the Albert Cuyp Market (get a duck rillettes sandwich)
3. Walk through the Vondelpark
4. Book a private boat cruise.
5. Check out Begijnhof
Food and Beverage: Try Poffertjes (mini pancakes), stroopwafels and Stamppot boerenkool met worst. Look for good Chinese food on the Zeedijk (e.g. restaurant Nam Kee). Sample various Dutch cheeses. Eat Indonesian food (Rijsttafel in restaurant Tashi Deleg)
Furthermore, the host whose apartment I booked through AirBnB was kind enough to share more ideas, which I'm pasting below for your reference if the above is not enough. Some of the things overlap with my shorter plan above, but others don't, so take what you will:
"below some ideas of things to do/see/dining:
Brunch/lunch cafes:
- Spanjer en van twist (waterfront tables)
-Pancakes Negen Straatjes
-Le Pain Quotidien
-The Lobby Nesplein
-Mortimer
- Omelegg city centre
- Buffet Van Odette
- chocolaterie pompadour (delicious croissants only on saturdays) and fancy cakes.
try "bitterballen", a famous warm dutch snack served at most cafes.
"De laatste kruimel" is a wonderful bakery with home style baked sweet and savory delights. also some vegan options. A favourite. hidden seating available upstairs if you want to sit and it looks full downstairs)
Dinner ideas:
have indonesian rice table for dinner. Long pura Indonesian restaurant or Sampurna on the flower market street. will need to book a table at either. or there are a few Indonesian places on the Utrechtsedwaarstraat.
Royal thai restaurant near the leidseplein night life area has great authentic thai dishes at fair prices.
"Golden temple restaurant" is a wonderful cozy vegan/vegetarian place.
the seafood bar on spui square is fabulous for seafood.
Restaurant Jottum has delightful european dishes with the theme of smaller dishes where you can order a few and share.
Ashoka on the spuistraat has fabulous indian/nepalese food in a cozy setting.
Leisure explore:
The monday market at Noordekerk. lovely area in the Jordaan
the Sky lounge inside Double tree Hilton hotel has a roof top terrace/cafe where you can have drinks/food and see a 360 view of amsterdam
view of amsterdam.
take the free ferry across to north from the back side of Central Station and relax at cafe plekk on the waterfront
many guests go on boat cruises. there are many types. some have themes like a cocktail cruise, dutch cheese cruise, dinner cruise etc. easier to look online at selections for canal cruises
visit the pijp area; cute cafes, wine bars near the albert cuyp market, heineken museum
explore the Jordaan. lovely walk with little streets and fun shops in that neighbourhood. mondays there's a flea market outside the noordekerk and saturday's from 9-5pm is the noordemaarkt biological market. cafe Winkel 43 in this area has been voted the best apple pie for years.
Fridays on spui square there's a book market, sundays an art market
Rosas Menagerie is a unique cocktail bar near the red light area. open from wed-sun i think. also non alcoholic cocktails
Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal near dam square is a traditional 17th century dutch jenever (gin) tasting bar with loads of flavors
The Gollem beer bar locations have loads of small brewery bottled and tap beers fun to experience
"Bourbon street" near the Leidseplein night life area has fantastic live bands: rock/soul music every night, "cafe Alto" has live jazz music nightly and "the last watering hole" is a good place for late night last stops if you're having a night out bar hopping"
Enjoy your trip, and do share some photos, as will I when I come back!
1. Explore the Jordaan district and the 17th-century canal ring
2. Visit the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum (pre-book tickets for both!), and the Albert Cuyp Market (get a duck rillettes sandwich)
3. Walk through the Vondelpark
4. Book a private boat cruise.
5. Check out Begijnhof
Food and Beverage: Try Poffertjes (mini pancakes), stroopwafels and Stamppot boerenkool met worst. Look for good Chinese food on the Zeedijk (e.g. restaurant Nam Kee). Sample various Dutch cheeses. Eat Indonesian food (Rijsttafel in restaurant Tashi Deleg)
Furthermore, the host whose apartment I booked through AirBnB was kind enough to share more ideas, which I'm pasting below for your reference if the above is not enough. Some of the things overlap with my shorter plan above, but others don't, so take what you will:
"below some ideas of things to do/see/dining:
Brunch/lunch cafes:
- Spanjer en van twist (waterfront tables)
-Pancakes Negen Straatjes
-Le Pain Quotidien
-The Lobby Nesplein
-Mortimer
- Omelegg city centre
- Buffet Van Odette
- chocolaterie pompadour (delicious croissants only on saturdays) and fancy cakes.
try "bitterballen", a famous warm dutch snack served at most cafes.
"De laatste kruimel" is a wonderful bakery with home style baked sweet and savory delights. also some vegan options. A favourite. hidden seating available upstairs if you want to sit and it looks full downstairs)
Dinner ideas:
have indonesian rice table for dinner. Long pura Indonesian restaurant or Sampurna on the flower market street. will need to book a table at either. or there are a few Indonesian places on the Utrechtsedwaarstraat.
Royal thai restaurant near the leidseplein night life area has great authentic thai dishes at fair prices.
"Golden temple restaurant" is a wonderful cozy vegan/vegetarian place.
the seafood bar on spui square is fabulous for seafood.
Restaurant Jottum has delightful european dishes with the theme of smaller dishes where you can order a few and share.
Ashoka on the spuistraat has fabulous indian/nepalese food in a cozy setting.
Leisure explore:
The monday market at Noordekerk. lovely area in the Jordaan
the Sky lounge inside Double tree Hilton hotel has a roof top terrace/cafe where you can have drinks/food and see a 360 view of amsterdam
view of amsterdam.
take the free ferry across to north from the back side of Central Station and relax at cafe plekk on the waterfront
many guests go on boat cruises. there are many types. some have themes like a cocktail cruise, dutch cheese cruise, dinner cruise etc. easier to look online at selections for canal cruises
visit the pijp area; cute cafes, wine bars near the albert cuyp market, heineken museum
explore the Jordaan. lovely walk with little streets and fun shops in that neighbourhood. mondays there's a flea market outside the noordekerk and saturday's from 9-5pm is the noordemaarkt biological market. cafe Winkel 43 in this area has been voted the best apple pie for years.
Fridays on spui square there's a book market, sundays an art market
Rosas Menagerie is a unique cocktail bar near the red light area. open from wed-sun i think. also non alcoholic cocktails
Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal near dam square is a traditional 17th century dutch jenever (gin) tasting bar with loads of flavors
The Gollem beer bar locations have loads of small brewery bottled and tap beers fun to experience
"Bourbon street" near the Leidseplein night life area has fantastic live bands: rock/soul music every night, "cafe Alto" has live jazz music nightly and "the last watering hole" is a good place for late night last stops if you're having a night out bar hopping"
Enjoy your trip, and do share some photos, as will I when I come back!
I don't know much about the Netherlands, but the time I was there (in a school trip) I really liked 's-Hertogenbosch. They have a Hyeronimus Bosch museum with reproductions of many of his paintings (and some originals), and many "real life size" statues of the strange beings in some of his paintings. I think that museum will be enjoyable to anyone with psychedelic inclinations
My 3x in Amsterdam have all been for Tattooing!
Go to the Stedelijk Museum for a bit of Modern Art.
Go to the Stedelijk Museum for a bit of Modern Art.
Well you might be in luck, because I've just finished planning my 2-week-long trip to the NL, part of which will be spending a few days in Amsterdam. I've researched a fair bit, and asked a few of our NL natives on the forum, and here's the list of things to do and see so far (it's subject to change in the coming weeks, so I'll update it as necessary):
1. Explore the Jordaan district and the 17th-century canal ring
2. Visit the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum (pre-book tickets for both!), and the Albert Cuyp Market (get a duck rillettes sandwich)
3. Walk through the Vondelpark
4. Book a private boat cruise.
5. Check out Begijnhof
Food and Beverage: Try Poffertjes (mini pancakes), stroopwafels and Stamppot boerenkool met worst. Look for good Chinese food on the Zeedijk (e.g. restaurant Nam Kee). Sample various Dutch cheeses. Eat Indonesian food (Rijsttafel in restaurant Tashi Deleg)
Furthermore, the host whose apartment I booked through AirBnB was kind enough to share more ideas, which I'm pasting below for your reference if the above is not enough. Some of the things overlap with my shorter plan above, but others don't, so take what you will:
"below some ideas of things to do/see/dining:
Brunch/lunch cafes:
- Spanjer en van twist (waterfront tables)
-Pancakes Negen Straatjes
-Le Pain Quotidien
-The Lobby Nesplein
-Mortimer
- Omelegg city centre
- Buffet Van Odette
- chocolaterie pompadour (delicious croissants only on saturdays) and fancy cakes.
try "bitterballen", a famous warm dutch snack served at most cafes.
"De laatste kruimel" is a wonderful bakery with home style baked sweet and savory delights. also some vegan options. A favourite. hidden seating available upstairs if you want to sit and it looks full downstairs)
Dinner ideas:
have indonesian rice table for dinner. Long pura Indonesian restaurant or Sampurna on the flower market street. will need to book a table at either. or there are a few Indonesian places on the Utrechtsedwaarstraat.
Royal thai restaurant near the leidseplein night life area has great authentic thai dishes at fair prices.
"Golden temple restaurant" is a wonderful cozy vegan/vegetarian place.
the seafood bar on spui square is fabulous for seafood.
Restaurant Jottum has delightful european dishes with the theme of smaller dishes where you can order a few and share.
Ashoka on the spuistraat has fabulous indian/nepalese food in a cozy setting.
Leisure explore:
The monday market at Noordekerk. lovely area in the Jordaan
the Sky lounge inside Double tree Hilton hotel has a roof top terrace/cafe where you can have drinks/food and see a 360 view of amsterdam
view of amsterdam.
take the free ferry across to north from the back side of Central Station and relax at cafe plekk on the waterfront
many guests go on boat cruises. there are many types. some have themes like a cocktail cruise, dutch cheese cruise, dinner cruise etc. easier to look online at selections for canal cruises
visit the pijp area; cute cafes, wine bars near the albert cuyp market, heineken museum
explore the Jordaan. lovely walk with little streets and fun shops in that neighbourhood. mondays there's a flea market outside the noordekerk and saturday's from 9-5pm is the noordemaarkt biological market. cafe Winkel 43 in this area has been voted the best apple pie for years.
Fridays on spui square there's a book market, sundays an art market
Rosas Menagerie is a unique cocktail bar near the red light area. open from wed-sun i think. also non alcoholic cocktails
Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal near dam square is a traditional 17th century dutch jenever (gin) tasting bar with loads of flavors
The Gollem beer bar locations have loads of small brewery bottled and tap beers fun to experience
"Bourbon street" near the Leidseplein night life area has fantastic live bands: rock/soul music every night, "cafe Alto" has live jazz music nightly and "the last watering hole" is a good place for late night last stops if you're having a night out bar hopping"
Enjoy your trip, and do share some photos, as will I when I come back!
Wow, I wasn't expecting such a quick and detailed reply. That gives me plenty to check out and plan around.
When is your trip planned?
After I reconnect with my wife in England we're planning to rent a narrow boat to cruise the canals there for a few days. It's cool how there are so many waterways to explore in Europe. So many of the rivers in the US are dammed for hydroelectric. But, at least we get to enjoy the nice lakes.
June, so pretty soon
June, so pretty soon
I can't wait to see your pics and hear about what you enjoyed the most. Two weeks is a nice amount of time.
