Visiting The Netherlands

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Visiting The Netherlands

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Post by vardar »

As the subject says, I will be visiting the Netherlands soon this summer, in particular, Amsterdam.

I have a few things that I could use help with:

1. What are some popular hostels or places to stay that have good vibes and a solid location for a traveler?
2. I am an avid food enthusiast and enjoy checking out cool restaurants and cafes that are unique and ofc, have good prices. If there are any good places, I am all for checking them out!
3. Cliche sounding but what are some solid places to check out? Anything history, art, recreational is fair game for checking out. I am not limited to just Amsterdam and plan to visit elsewhere

4. Fourth and most importantly, what are some awesome places for running? Trails, parks or anything else suitable is what I'm going for. This is probably what I am most excited about, being able to run and see some awesome new stuff

Ofc I have gone many hours online researching these things but thought I'd ask it on here and see what responses I got. Like said above, I won't be stuck in Amsterdam and plan on checking out other cities/places. Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and Den Helder are other places of interest as well as others

Thanks in advance! :chinese:
c0ns!
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by pecelot »

@Mr_Bramboy :chinese:
I was in Amsterdam, go to the Amesterdam ArenA, it's OP
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by Gendarme »

5. Nightlife guide, please!

(I'm probably visiting Amsterdam this summer.)
Pay more attention to detail.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by deleted_user0 »

For running try out the veluwe, or maybe the dunes of north holland (although its probably better for trekking instead cuz sandy paths)
Veluwe also has a big art museum called Kroller Moller.

Amsterdam ofc has the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum as well as the little sister of the Hermitage. Anne Frank house for history.

Rotterdam is the place to be for modern architecture. You can also run the route of the rotterdam marathon.

For good food tripadvisor is usually good, and you can adjust to pricerange

Utrecht has the Dom, highest church tower in the netherlands. For more stuff should ask jerom
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by dietschlander »

Are you bringing some ppl/family?
You'll hire a car to be mobile?

My suggestion would be to avoid the Amsterdam places mentioned by emeu and go daytripping to places like Leiden, Dordrecht, Delft, Woudrichem, Deventers medieval downtown is awsom ... definitely South Limburg etc etc.
Protip: visit Maastricht a day and next day Aachen (German).
Theres going to be a dam, the great dam and we'll let the beavers pay for it - Edeholland 2016
Anyway, nuancing isn't your forte, so I'll agree with you like I would with a 8 year old: violence is bad, don't do hard drugs and stay in school Benj98
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by dietschlander »

Gendarme wrote:5. Nightlife guide, please!

(I'm probably visiting Amsterdam this summer.)


go to Amsterdam ---> consume several types of drugs ---> get found in a canal next day
Theres going to be a dam, the great dam and we'll let the beavers pay for it - Edeholland 2016
Anyway, nuancing isn't your forte, so I'll agree with you like I would with a 8 year old: violence is bad, don't do hard drugs and stay in school Benj98
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by vardar »

dietschlander wrote:Are you bringing some ppl/family?
You'll hire a car to be mobile?

My suggestion would be to avoid the Amsterdam places mentioned by emeu and go daytripping to places like Leiden, Dordrecht, Delft, Woudrichem, Deventers medieval downtown is awsom ... definitely South Limburg etc etc.
Protip: visit Maastricht a day and next day Aachen (German).


I am riding this solo and am counting on public transit (the famous European) and ofc renting a bike wherever.

My only belongings will be a backpack and it is smooth crossing the border into Germany? No hassles?

I could do that and find a nice hostel in Maastricht for a night or two and branch out during the day
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by vardar »

The Red Light District will be questionable
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by dietschlander »

vardar wrote:
dietschlander wrote:Are you bringing some ppl/family?
You'll hire a car to be mobile?

My suggestion would be to avoid the Amsterdam places mentioned by emeu and go daytripping to places like Leiden, Dordrecht, Delft, Woudrichem, Deventers medieval downtown is awsom ... definitely South Limburg etc etc.
Protip: visit Maastricht a day and next day Aachen (German).


I am riding this solo and am counting on public transit (the famous European) and ofc renting a bike wherever.

My only belongings will be a backpack and it is smooth crossing the border into Germany? No hassles?

I could do that and find a nice hostel in Maastricht for a night or two and branch out during the day


In Maastricht you can stay in a StayOkay hotel for abt 50 euro's. You will have a beautiful time cycling through the hills of Limburg. Every town has hostels and cafés next to the roads. Not sure if Aachen is too far to cycle to tho.

There are no border controls anymore. I guess it is like crossing a state in us. Don't know if it matters you're a foreigner.
The German Police did have a habit confiscating Dutch bicycles... but the'll ask nicely "AUFSTEICHEN!!"
Theres going to be a dam, the great dam and we'll let the beavers pay for it - Edeholland 2016
Anyway, nuancing isn't your forte, so I'll agree with you like I would with a 8 year old: violence is bad, don't do hard drugs and stay in school Benj98
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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dietschlander wrote:Are you bringing some ppl/family?
You'll hire a car to be mobile?

My suggestion would be to avoid the Amsterdam places mentioned by emeu and go daytripping to places like Leiden, Dordrecht, Delft, Woudrichem, Deventers medieval downtown is awsom ... definitely South Limburg etc etc.
Protip: visit Maastricht a day and next day Aachen (German).


honestly why would you go to leiden or dordrecht... those places are so boring =_=

sure the museums i mentioned are touristy and crowded, but they are for a a reason :P nobody ever goes to leiden or dordrecht, also for a reason XD

definitely go to the veluwe tbh! and if the weather is nice you can try beaches in Zeeland or the Wadden eilanden (dutch islands both)
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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Theres going to be a dam, the great dam and we'll let the beavers pay for it - Edeholland 2016
Anyway, nuancing isn't your forte, so I'll agree with you like I would with a 8 year old: violence is bad, don't do hard drugs and stay in school Benj98
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by BrookG »

I will go too, but I'll stay for a bit more.
Correlation doesn't mean causation.
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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Post by Mr_Bramboy »

vardar wrote:1. What are some popular hostels or places to stay that have good vibes and a solid location for a traveler?

I have no idea. I don't ever stay in a hotel in Amsterdam. You should search a hotel within your budget online.

vardar wrote:2. I am an avid food enthusiast and enjoy checking out cool restaurants and cafes that are unique and ofc, have good prices. If there are any good places, I am all for checking them out

Dutch food is great, though we're extremely multicultural (especially Amsterdam!) so you'll find food of any kind here. I personally love Turkish and Chinese food, but you can find anything here. Funnily enough, we have some of the best Chinese, Indian (after Britain), and Italian restaurants here.

Traditional Dutch food? This might belong in a new thread but I'll give it a try.

[spoiler=Dutch Food]
  1. Image
    Bitterballen -- One of my favorites. Usually eaten a few hours before dinner with a few beers, these fried crispy meatballs will be one of the best things you're ever going to eat. Bitterballen are traditionally served with mustard. You can find these at any cafe or pub.
  2. Image
    Stroopwafels -- Stroopwafels are a type of waffles with syrup in between them. You can find these in any market or bakery.
  3. Image
    Belgian Frites -- Belgium is basically a Dutch province, don't let the fake news media tell you otherwise. You can find these anywhere in the city. Belgian frites are much better than the American or French variants.
  4. Image
    Broodje Herring -- Not my personal favorite, as I dislike fish. But it is a Dutch specialty, which you should definitely try. You can find these in any fish stand in the city.
  5. Image
    Kibbeling -- Fried fish. Amazing. Try it. Fish stand @ city.
.. and much more, I might create a thread later lol.

See more here http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/w ... -amsterdam[/spoiler]

vardar wrote:3. Cliche sounding but what are some solid places to check out? Anything history, art, recreational is fair game for checking out. I am not limited to just Amsterdam and plan to visit elsewhere

Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, Anne Frank House, Hermitage, Amsterdam Museum, Van Gogh Museum, Scheepsvaartmuseum ("Maritime Museum"), Rembrandt Museum.

All of these are in Amsterdam. You can visit any city in the country and get back within a day. We're not that big.

vardar wrote:4. Fourth and most importantly, what are some awesome places for running? Trails, parks or anything else suitable is what I'm going for. This is probably what I am most excited about, being able to run and see some awesome new stuff

The Vondelpark in Amsterdam is pretty big and ideal for running. You'll be able to find plenty of parks, though.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by vardar »

Ahh, sweet. I'll make sure to take note of the foods. I'm on a 3500 calorie a day routine so there is plenty of room for stuff :ugeek: @Mr_Bramboy

I'm especially looking forward to the breakfast foods
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by deleted_user0 »

dietschlander wrote:Dordrecht ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ThPDHOK9uU


kinderdijk is full of chinese tourists, not the best place to avoid the crowds hehe :/ oh well, to each their own.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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Post by XeeleeFlower »

Not sure if you're into art, but I'm going to The Hague at some point and will visit Mauritshuis, and, if there's time, the Gementeemuseum. I'll let you know how it goes.

We do plan on going to Amsterdam for a day, maybe a night so I can let you know what we end up doing there.

Also would like to visit Leiden, if theres time.

As one American to another, be prepared for very different opening hours for stores and restaurants. I was surprised to find that some places don't open until noon, others close at 6, and some just don't open at all on certain days. Google is not always correct on when things are open. Also, eating out is a very different experience. You have to ask for water if you want it, servers don't breathe down your neck waiting for a plate to be cleared or to refill your drink. You have to ask for your bill. I actually quite enjoy it. It's relaxing. Meals are more than just meals. It's a time to socialize and relax, whereas in America, people are expected to wolf down food and drink, then quickly leave.

There are quite a few other differences, but nothing really negative. Just different.

Eat cheese and drink milk! It's simply divine here!
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by Gendarme »

Xeeleeflower wrote:You have to ask for water if you want it, servers don't breathe down your neck waiting for a plate to be cleared or to refill your drink. You have to ask for your bill. I actually quite enjoy it. It's relaxing. Meals are more than just meals. It's a time to socialize and relax, whereas in America, people are expected to wolf down food and drink, then quickly leave.
:ohmy:
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by momuuu »

XeeleeFlower wrote:Not sure if you're into art, but I'm going to The Hague at some point and will visit Mauritshuis, and, if there's time, the Gementeemuseum. I'll let you know how it goes.

We do plan on going to Amsterdam for a day, maybe a night so I can let you know what we end up doing there.

Also would like to visit Leiden, if theres time.

As one American to another, be prepared for very different opening hours for stores and restaurants. I was surprised to find that some places don't open until noon, others close at 6, and some just don't open at all on certain days. Google is not always correct on when things are open. Also, eating out is a very different experience. You have to ask for water if you want it, servers don't breathe down your neck waiting for a plate to be cleared or to refill your drink. You have to ask for your bill. I actually quite enjoy it. It's relaxing. Meals are more than just meals. It's a time to socialize and relax, whereas in America, people are expected to wolf down food and drink, then quickly leave.

There are quite a few other differences, but nothing really negative. Just different.

Eat cheese and drink milk! It's simply divine here!

This thing about opening times dont seem to match my experiences at all :o

I'll write some stuff about utrecht in a bit. Its totally worth visiting.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by XeeleeFlower »

Jerom wrote:This thing about opening times dont seem to match my experiences at all :o


I suppose it could just be location dependent...

I really don't mind it, it adds to the "just chill" vibe. I was just surprised, especially since so many of the stores in the US are open 24/7, or tend to have longer hours, such as 8am-10pm, even on the weekends.
Time is wise and our wounds seem to heal to the rhythm of aging,
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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XeeleeFlower wrote:Not sure if you're into art, but I'm going to The Hague at some point and will visit Mauritshuis, and, if there's time, the Gementeemuseum. I'll let you know how it goes.

We do plan on going to Amsterdam for a day, maybe a night so I can let you know what we end up doing there.

Also would like to visit Leiden, if theres time.

As one American to another, be prepared for very different opening hours for stores and restaurants. I was surprised to find that some places don't open until noon, others close at 6, and some just don't open at all on certain days. Google is not always correct on when things are open. Also, eating out is a very different experience. You have to ask for water if you want it, servers don't breathe down your neck waiting for a plate to be cleared or to refill your drink. You have to ask for your bill. I actually quite enjoy it. It's relaxing. Meals are more than just meals. It's a time to socialize and relax, whereas in America, people are expected to wolf down food and drink, then quickly leave.

There are quite a few other differences, but nothing really negative. Just different.

Eat cheese and drink milk! It's simply divine here!


It kinda depends on the restaurant (some restaurants always give you water, most don't, basically I guess because if they did, nobody would ever order water in a restaurant anymore because Dutch tap water is pretty much of the same quality as bottled XD and Dutch people are cheapskates), but yes, in general staff is expected to keep a low profile and work in the background. So usually the waiter will give you the menu at the beginning and take your order for the first drink and a meal if you eat as well, but after that, they will usually wait for your signal before approaching again. They will often ask if you want to order anything else when they clear empty plates or glasses, but if you say no, it's quite possible you won't be asked again until you signal for it yourself. The waiter will/should always pay attention to see if you need anything, so just looking at him/her will usually be enough.

but ye, in the Netherlands, and europe in general, meal time is a time to socialise and spend time with friends or family. in my family we were obliged to share meals together, not starting before everyone was at the table, and not leaving before everyone was finished (sometimes there were exceptions, but that was the general rule). It can be a drag sometimes if you are busy, but when you have some leisure time it can be really enjoyable :P if you have a nice family ofcourse haha

as for shops, it definitely used to be like that, and it's still like that in the smaller cities i think. its changing in the bigger cities, supermarkets are now commonly opened until 9pm sometimes longer in busy areas. and you can always find some nightstores, but rarely will you find a real 24/7 store in the Netherlands to be honest.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

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Post by BrookG »

Sorry if it's considered spam, but I am amazed how exciting these small differences in everyday routine of people around the world (I don't refer to other types of societies like african, oceanian etc unfortunately)
Correlation doesn't mean causation.
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by BrookG »

Where is the city centre and which other means of transport are there, apart from bike?
Correlation doesn't mean causation.
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by dietschlander »

What city you're referring to Brooke?
Theres going to be a dam, the great dam and we'll let the beavers pay for it - Edeholland 2016
Anyway, nuancing isn't your forte, so I'll agree with you like I would with a 8 year old: violence is bad, don't do hard drugs and stay in school Benj98
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by momuuu »

Public transport is pretty good, I don´t actually know if theres a good travel app for foreigners though but for dutchies there is, that one just tells you how to travel. Bikes are great too, you can probably easily rent a bike or maybe even buy one if renting is expensive and just go everywhere in a city using google maps.

As for utrecht, the dom is one of the highlights indeed, there are also some museums but I must admit I'm not that knowledgable when it comes to those. Theres the gerrit rietveld house which is supposedly really great. One of the absolute highlights are the channels though, you can find a very nice place to have dinner next to them or do a trip on a boat through them. I'd guess they have guided tours for those.
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Re: Visiting The Netherlands

Post by BrookG »

Amsterdam, just as the thread says. I'll be studying there next year.
Correlation doesn't mean causation.
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

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