Amsterdam visit

Trip Log: Amsterdam

Members: 2

Start time: 5:00 PM, Friday, 19th Apr, 2013

End time: 9:30 PM, Monday, 22nd Apr, 2013

Duration: 2 days + 1 night stay + 2 nights travel(bus)

Total travel: 18 hrs bus travel, 4 hr ferry travel

Timezone diff: 1 hr

Total walk: approx 8 km/day = 16 km

Trip Type: Leisure Trip

Total expense:

GBP 420, inclusive of bus travel, ferry, accommodation, food, museum entries, entertainment, transport

What went great:

- Beautiful city-walk

- Red Light District

- Anne Frank

- Comfortable stay

- Sunny

Bad:

- Heineken experience missed :(

- Late day start

- Lack of time

Weather: Sunny and pleasant weather

Day 1: 19th Apr - Ugly travel!

Beckton, London(home) -> Victoria Coach station, London (by Tube) -> Dover(UK) by bus (Eurolines bus services) -> Sea Ferry -> Calais (France) -> Day 2

Day 2: 20th Apr- Explore!

Amsterdam (Netherlands) by bus (same Eurolines bus) -> Hotel (Jordaan) -> Noordermarkt -> 9 streets -> Westerkerk -> Homomonument -> Dam square -> The Begijnhof -> Anne Frank Museum -> Leidseplein -> Museum quarter -> Red Light District -> Hotel

Day 3: 21 Apr - Short trip. Goodbye!
Hotel -> Centraal -> Leidseplein -> Amsterdam airport -> Keukenhof garden -> Heineken experience -> Hotel (checkout) -> Amstel coach station -> Calais(France) -> Sea Ferry -> Dover -> Victoria (London) -> Beckton (home,next day morning)

Itinerary planned before trip:

Travel day	Things to do	Notes	Fee	Notes
Friday, 19th April	Take evening coach to Amsterdam			Departure: 7 pm. Reach 60 minutes early. Victoria Coach Station, london
Day 1	Things to do	Notes	Fee	Notes
Saturday, 20th April	Reach Amsterdam early morning. Check into apartment. Quick change and breakfast.	Van Limburg Stirumstraat 8 apt. d, 4th floor Westerpark Amsterdam, Noord-Holland 1051 Netherlands                                       Paul's Contact no: +31 6 41901007		Arrival: 7 am. Eurolines Coach Station, Amstel Station, Amsterdam. Take the metro towards Central Station, change at stop Weesperplein and take the tramline nr. 10 direction van Hallstraat, take stop van Limburg Stirumstraat. It's a 2 minutes walk from there to the apartment.
10.00 am	Noordermarkt, Jordaan	20 mins walk from Westerpark	No	On Saturdays, a popular organic farmers’ market is held at the Noordermarkt.
	Head down to De9Straatjes--The 9 Streets	The streets are within easy reach. They are located in the canals and connect Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht together. 2 minutes away from the Royal Palace.	No	The streets are thus at the heart of UNESCO's World Heritage. 9 pieces full of picturesque monuments, full of history, culture, the most special restaurants, and galleries: a unique range of small, specialized and mostly authentic shops .
	Damrak/Dam Square	11 mins walk from 9 streets	No	Koninklijk Palais (Royal Palace) to the west side and the National Monument to the east. Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) next to the Royal Palace. De Bijenkorf or "The Beehive".
	Westermarkt		No	Homomonument, Westerkerk
	The Begijnhof	a hidden courtyard of cottages originally built in the 14th-century for a group of pious, charitable women (the Beguines). Gedempte Begijnensloot (alley just off the Spui) -- Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.	No	Drop into the Begijnhof courtyard at Spui to see the Netherlands' oldest timber house. The handsome wooden house at number 34 is one of only two that survive below the river IJ.
	De Wallen or the Red Light District	Don’t miss the vibrant Nieuwmarkt square, the gothic Oude Kerk or a walk along the centre of Amsterdam’s Chinatown, the Zeedijk (also home to an impressive Buddhist temple). Another site not to miss in this area is in the Oudezijds Armsteeg. There are six beautiful restored Delft Blue houses in a row.	Oude Kerk: € 5, I amsterdam card holders free
	Lunch break	Nieuwmarkt square
4.00 pm	Anne Frank Huis	Prinsengracht 263	Yes --Booked	20 mins walk from Nieuwmarket
	Leidseplein, Old South or Oud Zuid--Museum quarter	Amsterdam neighbourhoods	No	eat rijsttafel at Sama Sebo or Blauw Amsterdam (Vondelpark), one of the top Indonesian restaurants in the city. Rijsttafel, which literally means "rice table", is like tapas on overdrive: a feast of small Indonesian dishes, plus rice, that tests even the heartiest appetites.                                          Cobra Café BV | Hobbemastraat 18 | 1071 ZB
	De Pijp	Amsterdam neighbourhoods	No
Post 10.00 pm	De Wallen or the Red Light District	Look for the "Pimp Free Zone" stickers on window brothels for responsible fun.	No
Day 2	Things to do	Notes	Fee	Notes
Sunday	Morning as early as possible: Keukenhof Gardens (Tulip Festival)	8.00 am-7.30 pm	Yes  15 euros pp Combi-ticket: 27.5 euros pp	3-4 hours+1 hour transport
	Heineken Experience	11.00 am-8.30 pm	Yes 16 euros pp	1.5 hours
	Rembrandt Square	Sunday art market
	Back to Amsterdam. Take coach back to London	Depart: 9.30 pm		Eurolines Coach Station, Amstel Station
	HOLLAND PASS-7 tickets
	Tulip	Keukenhof		Departure locations:
	Tulip	Keukenhof		Schiphol Airport bus line: 858 (It is also possible to take the bus from Amsterdam City Centre, Leidseplein busnr: 197 to Schiphol Airport and from there you take the bus to Keukenhof)
	Tulip	Heineken	20% discount	Leiden Central Station bus line: 854
	Windmill	Keukenhof transport		Amsterdam (Damrak 34): Keukenhof Express departs 5 times daily. Within 50 minutes, Tours & Tickets takes you per luxury touring car to Keukenhof (maximum stay: 3 hours).
	Windmill	Keukenhof transport		MPORTANT: Your Holland Pass ticket (Windmill) needs to be exchanged at the following locations to get the round-trip bus ticket to Keukenhof; GWK Travelex Amsterdam (Central Station, Damrak, Kalverstraat, Leidseplein), GWK Travelex Schiphol Airport, Connexxion/Arriva desk (arrival hall 4) at Schiphol Airport, GWK Travelex Leiden Central Station or Visitor Centre Leiden.
	Windmill			You cannot use the Windmill ticket directly for the bus!
	Windmill	Can exchange windmill for one 24 hrs public transport pass
	Transport	48 hrs unlimited public transport for one person