Amsterdam

Two days in Amsterdam

Spending 48-hours in Amsterdam is what I would call the “hors D’oeuvre” vacation. You get a “taste” of the highlights but you remain hungry and cannot wait to return for the main course.

Getting around the Netherlands and specifically Amsterdam is pretty easy for someone who despises public transportation in the United States. Arriving in a luxurious ferry in Hoek van Holland from Harwich, United Kingdom, we took a Dutch train to Amsterdam Centraal upon arriving at around 7 a.m. Our first stop was Rotterdam. We took advantage of the short distance (75-minute train ride) between Rotterdam and Amsterdam to enjoy the sights in Rotterdam. After spending a half-day in Rotterdam, we arrived in Amsterdam at 4:30 p.m. That left plenty of time to check-in to our hotel and enjoy Amsterdam in the evening.

Arriving in Amsterdam

Our first jaw-dropping experience when we got off the train was when we ventured outside to catch the tram. Much to our amazement, we found ourselves looking at this magnificent train station (the trams are in blue in front of the train station). It was designed by Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, also known for his design of the Rijksmuseum, and first opened in 1889.

Amsterdam Centraal is the Dutch capital’s main station, located right in the heart of Amsterdam, easy walking distance from most of the city’s sights and hotels.

Finding the tram was fairly easy. We had booked the Park Plaza Vondelpark in Amsterdam for a couple of reasons. In the first place, it was family-friendly. They did not charge us for having a child and the room also came with a pull out sofa. Furthermore, the hotel is fairly inexpensive compared to being in city center. We were on the tram line so distance was not too important plus we could hop on the tram and be in the center in five minutes or so. We were also 1.5 km from Rijksmuseum, and just 5 km from Amsterdam Centraal train station. The tram made our life easy. We could buy tickets on the train from the conductor and exact change was not necessary.

Preparing for the Rijksmuseum

After spending the remainder of the evening exploring some of the city center area, we prepared for the Rijksmuseum in the morning. We toured the museum just three months after the main building was reopened by Queen Beatrix following a lengthy nine-plus year renovation. Visitors are in store for quite a treat as the museum houses thousands of great pieces of art and history, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer.
I would recommend spending at least 4-5 hours at the museum. Take your time. There is plenty to see along with comfortable benches to sit and enjoy the fine details of the art. There is a reason why the Rijksmuseum is the most visited museum in the Netherlands, drawing a record numbers of visitors. Quite simply, it is a world-class museum. This is The Merry Fiddler by Gerard van Honthorst.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam features The Merry Fiddler.

Enjoying Freshly Baked Bread

Make sure that you do not order breakfast from the hotel. About 200 meters away, on the street that the tram runs on, keep going away from city center and you will run into Broodbakker Simon Meijssen. This is simply the freshest and the best breads that you will find for a morning delight. The walk to this bakery first thing in the morning will give you a chance to wake up properly, view the bicyclists headed to work, and take in the architecture of the flats as you walk through the quite neighborhood.

Amsterdam Centraal has a Left Luggage facility, which means that it is a secure storage room for your luggage. My son and I took our luggage to the train station early that morning and then took the tram back to the Van Gogh Museum to meet up with my wife. We made sure that we got there about 30-minutes before opening. We wanted to maximize the time inside the museum and still leave time to visit the Anne Frank House and the nearby Westerkerk Church.

The Van Gogh Museum

Vincent Van Gogh Self Painting at the Van Gogh Museum.

First, the Van Gogh Museum. The Van Gogh Museum has the largest Van Gogh collection in the world. It comprises 200 paintings, 400 drawings, and 700 letters by Vincent van Gogh. It is one of the top 25 most popular museums in the world.
This is another museum to enjoy, take your time, and take in the beauty of the masters.

We were able to comfortably complete the tour in a little over three hours. We then left and made our way to the Anne Frank House. But first it time to grab a quick bite to eat. There is no shortage of restaurants, from fancy sit downs to the casual outdoor eateries.

The Anne Frank House and Westerkerk

On the way to Anne Frank House, on the bank of the Keizersgracht canal and near the historic Westerkerk church, we spotted the Homomonument. It is a memorial to commemorate all gay men and lesbians who have been subjected to persecution because of their homosexuality. Opened on September 5, 1987, it is the first monument in the world to commemorate gays and lesbians who were killed by the Nazis.

We chose to visit the Anne Frank House first before stepping inside Westerkerk. Please note, the taking of pictures is not allowed inside the house. The tour is a bit of a let down given the large number of people and the small size of the house. There really is not much room to move around and view all of the writings and pictures. Still, I would recommend seeing and putting up with a line to enter that can take an hour or more.

Westerkerk is brilliant. You don’t have to pay extra for the paid tour. Just venture inside and enjoy the spectacular architecture. The history of this church goes back more than 350 years. From Rembrandt being buried on the grounds to the marriage of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus von Amsberg. And it is where a memorial statue of Anne Frank stands outside the church.

Westerkerk is a Protestant church and the largest of its kind in the Netherlands. Since first opening to parishioners in 1631, the Westerkerk has borne witness to countless historical moments over the centuries.

Saying “Vaarwel” to Amsterdam

In sum, The Van Gogh Museum, the Homomonument, the Anne Frank House, Westerkerk Church, and the vibe of Amsterdam and its canals as you walk to all of these places will finish off your day and leave you time to take a relaxing four-hour train ride from Amsterdam Centraal to Koblenz, Germany. Why Koblenz? Because it is the starting point for a spectacular trip down the Rhine River. Oh, and don’t forget your luggage that you checked in earlier in the morning.