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I have done a lot of traveling and these would be my suggestions.
1. When you say "an hour and a half flight" you are forgetting about packing up, checking out, getting to the airport, going through security, waiting for the flight, flying, getting your bags and getting into the city. It pretty much takes a whole day to fly anywhere, even somewhere close.
2. TOTALLY agree with the open jaw ticket. Into London and out of Rome for instance.
3. Consider an overnight ferry from London to Amsterdam. I have done this a couple of times. The ticket includes a train ticket from the London area to the ferry, a cabin for the night, and then a ticket to anywhere in the Netherlands. Because you don't waste a DAY traveling and it's cheaper to sleep on the ferry than in a hotel:
4. No need for TOO early of a train to Paris ex Amsterdam. We left around 10 and got there at 1 and still had a lot of time and weren't overly tired from the early morning.
5. Skip Barcelona. It's too much travel for one day there. I love LOVE Venice. Although you know that July is going to be pretty crowded everywhere. Or skip Venice and just do Barcelona and Rome.
Because you are doing this on your own, which I applaud, it's harder to do what you'd do on a tour bus where you just have to sit there and watch the world go by. This itinerary will just make you tired an only see airports!
PS. I think PLANNING a trip is part of the fun, so enjoy!
It is a great city for that.. I've been at least a half dozen times (and going again in May)... My best recommendation (other than the Anne Frank House) is to do the Hungry Birds Food Tour.
Van Gogh museum is my Amsterdam #1. I did the Anne Frank House maybe 25 years ago. Not a do-over.
The Indonesian food is really good. And Heineken that doesn’t taste skunked. Who knew? Lol
Van Gogh museum is my Amsterdam #1. I did the Anne Frank House maybe 25 years ago. Not a do-over.
The Indonesian food is really good. And Heineken that doesn’t taste skunked. Who knew? Lol
Loved the Van Gogh Museum, though the Rijksmuseum is a must as well. They're close by each other and the contemporary art museum, the Stedelijk. Not sure I'd go back to the Anne Frank House a second time either, but it's a must to see once.
And yes, a meal at an Indonesian eatery is a must. Rijsttafel, sort of the Indonesian smorgasbord equivalent, is a great choice.
This time around I really enjoyed the Rijksmuseum more than the Van Gogh. It's been remodeled and not nearly so dark. The architect that designed it also did the Centraal Train Station. At the time the two defined the parameter of the city.
IF you are going to either musuem or the Ann Frank Museum (which can have lines that are 2 hours long) you should get tickets online in advance. Easy to do. Some are 'timed' for a certain window and some aren't. But going in the summer, it's a must!
I thought the Ibis hotel right next to the train station was OK. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done and the location near the train station is great. All the trams start and end there (mostly) and then you're right there for your train trip. Also, cheaper to book your train ticket online. Tickets are on sale 3 months out. 2nd class not that much different than 1st class. Just slightly wider seats.
This time around I really enjoyed the Rijksmuseum more than the Van Gogh. It's been remodeled and not nearly so dark. The architect that designed it also did the Centraal Train Station. At the time the two defined the parameter of the city.
IF you are going to either musuem or the Ann Frank Museum (which can have lines that are 2 hours long) you should get tickets online in advance. Easy to do. Some are 'timed' for a certain window and some aren't. But going in the summer, it's a must!
I thought the Ibis hotel right next to the train station was OK. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done and the location near the train station is great. All the trams start and end there (mostly) and then you're right there for your train trip. Also, cheaper to book your train ticket online. Tickets are on sale 3 months out. 2nd class not that much different than 1st class. Just slightly wider seats.
Yeah, and the Anne Frank ones come out I believe 2 months ahead, you need to get them ASAP or they will be gone.
Re the Van Gogh museum, we walked up and stood in line about two minutes to get tickets. This was May of 2017.
While you are there make sure you ask a native how they pronounce Van Gogh.
I'm trying to remember directions for a pancake place we went to. We had full plate pancakes and "real" Coke in a glass bottle made with sugar. I forget how good Coke was before they started adding all the fake sweeteners to it.
If you enjoy Tapas we ate here. Got lucky and sat at a table outside. Met a wonderful couple who lived around the corner and had quite a pleasant conversation with them. Great food. The conversation started because we had finished our wine and I spotted our waiter going into the restaurant. I held up my glass and two fingers. The man next to me said I was fluent in Spanish.
The "trail" on that page is from our hotel to the restaurant. We stayed at the
Re the Van Gogh museum, we walked up and stood in line about two minutes to get tickets. This was May of 2017.
While you are there make sure you ask a native how they pronounce Van Gogh.
I'm trying to remember directions for a pancake place we went to. We had full plate pancakes and "real" Coke in a glass bottle made with sugar. I forget how good Coke was before they started adding all the fake sweeteners to it.
Better be sure that the canals in Venice have water in them. Now, there's just mud!
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