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love_cab_chard 
Master of Wine
Posts: 12714
 | | 11-02-2005 05:57 PM |
| Planning 4-5 days in the that area of the world.
Probably 3 days in Amsterdam & 2 days in Belgium, Brussels.
I would appreciate advice on hotels, what area to stay in both cities as far a location & “must” tourist spots to hit.
Also, would appreciate advice on restaurants/dining: breakfast, lunch, & dinner. I would love to visit 1 or 2 of the “musts” restaurants in both cities for fine dining.
Thanks as always! | | |
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Blair Ridley
Wine Steward
Posts: 7719
| | 11-02-2005 07:04 PM |
| Would I be out of line if I were to suggest you skip Brussels? I was there 10 years ago (granted, much can change in a decade) but won't go back. Simply put, not much to see or do there and the city isn't exactly beautiful either.
Amsterdam, on the other hand, is a great town. Friendly people, lots of museums (check out the Sex Museum for kicks), "coffeehouses", Anne Frank's place, and beautiful countryside for bike riding (I rented cycles in town and went on a long ride including a picnic). I'd love to go back there.
As it was 10 years ago and I was staying in rat hole hostels ($50 US was my daily budget all in), I can't recommend places to stay or eat at this point. | | | |
| whiner
Second star to the right, and straight on till morning
Wine Thief
Posts: 2875
| | 11-02-2005 07:06 PM |
| lcc,
I believe there is a **Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam. Ask Raybanz about it.
For me, personally, the town of Bruge (Brugge?, Bruuge?) in Belgium is so beautiful, I could not think of spending time in Belgium and not hitting it for a day, or, at the very least, an afternoon. In fact, personally,I would prefer to hang out there rather than in Brussels.
a | | I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland.
-- Woody Allen | |
| Chicago Wine Geek
Chicago Western Suburbs
Wine Steward
Posts: 7103
| | 11-02-2005 08:52 PM |
| Went to both on business about 5 years ago. Amsterdam twice, Brussels 4X. Enjoyed them both for different reasons. I had some outstanding Chinese food in Amsterday, but don't remember where. Go to The Grasshopper, just to say you did. | | | |
| ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 11-02-2005 10:43 PM |
| Christophe is the top food in A'dam according to Zagat. The food is excellent, and the staff is both friendly and professional. The place is sort of bland and I have thought in the past it gets a little loud for my tastes (although the tables are not crowded, which is excellent). The wine list is very good, especially if you like Bordeaux. La Rive (in the Amstel Hotel InterContinental, Professor Tulpplein 1) is probably the most classic fine dining stablishment. Totally posh and very good (but not earth-shattering) food. More expensive than Christophe, but a more impressive overall experience (but probably not better food). Also, La Rive is the only restaurant in the city I know of that requires a jacket. Cafe Roux (in the Grand Amsterdam Hotel, Hoogstraat 197) has excellent food and a little more casual atmosphere. They also do a regular series of food and wine dinners, which are on their website . Blakes (Keizersgracht 384) is way too snooty and trendy for my tastes, and gets a thumb's down. The places above are all definitely fine dining. I think, however, that the best meals I have had have been at some of the more casual, local places. Some of the great ones include: Caprese (italian, Spuistraat 261) is great, I go at least once on every trip. Krau Thai (thai, Spuistraat 90a) has great thai and will make it really spicy if you ask nicely. Grekas (greek, Singel 311) is mostly a carryout greek deli (they have a few tables) that has great food for a picnic lunch. Sichuan Food (chinese, Reguliersdwarstraat 35) Great chinese food and great service (but it was empty when we were there, so that is easy). Get the oysters, however they have them prepared. Lucius (seafood, Spuistraat 247) has super fresh seafood. Choose carefully from the menu, though, as some of the more creative preparations do not do the fish justice. A couple of food and drink stores worth checking out: Puccini Bomboni (Singel 184) has awesome chocolates. Definitely recommended. Geels & Co (Warmoesstraat 67) is a 500 (or so) year old coffee and tea store and is a great place to get gifts (and a great excuse to be in the red light district). De Bierkoning (Paleisstraat 125) has 1000's and 1000's beers from everywhere. I would absolutely stay near downtown (Dam Square) for a first trip to Amsterdam. If your budget allows, I would stay at the Grand Amsterdam. If not, I would stay at the Krasnapolsky (which isn't great, but is good, and is actually in Dam Square, across from the palace). I like staying at the Leidesplein, but it is a little far from the action. In terms of stuff to do - the Van Gogh museum is an easy choice. The Botanical Gardens are very cool and have any amazing butterfly greenhouse. Have a good plan before you go to the Rijksmuseum, as it is very big and can be very tedious. Seeing the red light district at night is fun (if ever-so-slightly gross and depressing). I'd check the schedule at the Amsterdam Concertbebouw as it is very cool. The Anne Frank house doesn't have much to see. I would skip the sex musuem and the hemp museum. Speaking of places to skip: Quote:
Go to The Grasshopper, just to say you did.
Ack!!! DON'T go to the Grasshopper. There are much classier places to try if you just want the experience of going to a coffeeshop.
Any other questions just ask.
BTW, Amsterdam is the best city in the world to walk around in. It is flat, pedestrian friendly, and small enough to see on foot. Bring comfortable shoes (and a nice umbrella). | | | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12714
| | 11-03-2005 05:20 PM |
| Can I also throw this question out there for you guyz:
…still looking @ our options. If we stay in the Netherlands (Amsterdam) & don’t do Brussels, is there another worthwhile, “not to be missed while in Amsterdam” destination (city, etc…) that is located near Amsterdam that we can do in 1 day???
One of the options is to just stay in Amsterdam for 2-3 days & do this potential destination/excursion near Amsterdam.
Would very much appreciate the help &/or suggestion. Thank You! | | | |
| Chicago Wine Geek
Chicago Western Suburbs
Wine Steward
Posts: 7103
| | 11-03-2005 07:49 PM |
| Quote:
Christophe is the top food in A'dam according to Zagat. The food is excellent, and the staff is both friendly and professional. The place is sort of bland and I have thought in the past it gets a little loud for my tastes (although the tables are not crowded, which is excellent). The wine list is very good, especially if you like Bordeaux.
La Rive (in the Amstel Hotel InterContinental, Professor Tulpplein 1) is probably the most classic fine dining stablishment. Totally posh and very good (but not earth-shattering) food. More expensive than Christophe, but a more impressive overall experience (but probably not better food). Also, La Rive is the only restaurant in the city I know of that requires a jacket.
Cafe Roux (in the Grand Amsterdam Hotel, Hoogstraat 197) has excellent food and a little more casual atmosphere. They also do a regular series of food and wine dinners, which are on theirwebsite .
Blakes (Keizersgracht 384) is way too snooty and trendy for my tastes, and gets a thumb's down.
The places above are all definitely fine dining. I think, however, that the best meals I have had have been at some of the more casual, local places. Some of the great ones include:
Caprese (italian, Spuistraat 261) is great, I go at least once on every trip.
Krau Thai (thai, Spuistraat 90a) has great thai and will make it really spicy if you ask nicely.
Grekas (greek, Singel 311) is mostly a carryout greek deli (they have a few tables) that has great food for a picnic lunch.
Sichuan Food (chinese, Reguliersdwarstraat 35) Great chinese food and great service (but it was empty when we were there, so that is easy). Get the oysters, however they have them prepared.
Lucius (seafood, Spuistraat 247) has super fresh seafood. Choose carefully from the menu, though, as some of the more creative preparations do not do the fish justice.
A couple of food and drink stores worth checking out:
Puccini Bomboni (Singel 184) has awesome chocolates. Definitely recommended.
Geels & Co (Warmoesstraat 67) is a 500 (or so) year old coffee and tea store and is a great place to get gifts (and a great excuse to be in the red light district).
De Bierkoning (Paleisstraat 125) has 1000's and 1000's beers from everywhere.
I would absolutely stay near downtown (Dam Square) for a first trip to Amsterdam. If your budget allows, I would stay at the Grand Amsterdam. If not, I would stay at the Krasnapolsky (which isn't great, but is good, and is actually in Dam Square, across from the palace). I like staying at the Leidesplein, but it is a little far from the action.
In terms of stuff to do - the Van Gogh museum is an easy choice. The Botanical Gardens are very cool and have any amazing butterfly greenhouse. Have a good plan before you go to the Rijksmuseum, as it is very big and can be very tedious. Seeing the red light district at night is fun (if ever-so-slightly gross and depressing). I'd check the schedule at the Amsterdam Concertbebouw as it is very cool. The Anne Frank house doesn't have much to see. I would skip the sex musuem and the hemp museum. Speaking of places to skip:
Quote:
Go to The Grasshopper, just to say you did.
Ack!!! DON'T go to the Grasshopper. There are much classier places to try if you just want the experience of going to a coffeeshop.
Any other questions just ask.
BTW, Amsterdam is the best city in the world to walk around in. It is flat, pedestrian friendly, and small enough to see on foot. Bring comfortable shoes (and a nice umbrella).
LCC, sounds like you found an expert in Ray! During my first trip my hotel was next to the Grasshoppper, so that's where I went. I got a really cool ashtray that I put cuff links in.... | | | |
| ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 11-04-2005 05:21 PM |
| Quote:
Can I also throw this question out there for you guyz:
…still looking @ our options. If we stay in the Netherlands (Amsterdam) & don’t do Brussels, is there another worthwhile, “not to be missed while in Amsterdam” destination (city, etc…) that is located near Amsterdam that we can do in 1 day???
One of the options is to just stay in Amsterdam for 2-3 days & do this potential destination/excursion near Amsterdam.
Would very much appreciate the help &/or suggestion. Thank You!
LCC, there isn't much "must see" stuff that is a daytrip from Amsterdam. If you just want to get outside the city, you can go to Haarlem and then on to the beach in about a 1/2 hour from Amsterdam. There are great bike lanes too, and that trip can easily be done by bike for a very Dutch experience. Delft is probably about an hour away. Bruges and Brussels are too far (3-4 hours) to justify for a day.
That said, I think the best bet for a side trip from Amsterdam is Cologne, Germany. I think it is about 2.5 hours by train. Its cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings I have ever seen. If you rent a car from there, you can travel down to the Mosel river valley and see beautiful scenery, cool castles, and the most famous riesling villages all in one day. If you give yourself enough time, you can even see the Roman ruins in Trier and then head into Luxemburg (but that would make for a very long day). The whole side trip only requires 1 night in Cologne, but you would enjoy it more if you give yourself two nights.
Also, London is less than 1.5 hours by plane, but that is certainly pricier and more tedious than taking a train anywhere.
Quote:
During my first trip my hotel was next to the Grasshoppper, so that's where I went. I got a really cool ashtray that I put cuff links in....
Were you staying by the one on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal? I think there are a lot of hotels by it and its not as bad as the big one. The original one is on Oudebrugsteeg right between the train station and the red light district and is pretty sketchy. Some nicer places in the city center are:
Greenhouse Centrum (Oudezijds Voorburgwal 191) - Widely considered the best coffeeshop around. Excellent, but good luck finding a table or spot at the bar during primetime.
Dampkring (Handboogstraat 29) - Near the Universiteit von Amsterdam, attracts a good mix of tourists and locals. Sort of a pub that is also a coffeeshop.
Homegrown Fantasy (Neiuwezijds Vorrburgwal 87a) serves only coffee drinks (no alcohol) and is more relaxed than the places above. | | | |
| KillerB
Barrel Racker
Posts: 1533
| | 11-04-2005 06:44 PM |
| Amsterdam is fabulous. Brussels isn't.
Having said that there is some nice stuff around the Grand Place in Brussels but that really is it. Amsterdam continues to be fabulous for miles. Eat in at least one Indonesian restauarnt whilst you are there.
Utrecht is not far from Amsterdam and a lot of Dutch people prefer it as being a "real" Dutch city rather than the capital. I will not judge as my only experience of Utrecht was trying to keep up with Stevie Cage's legs as we walked to and from the Rootses and the station back to Hamsterjam. It seemed like a very nice city and it contains at least three extremely nice people as a work colleague lives there too. | | | |
| scottj
Houston, TX
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1113
| | 11-05-2005 03:11 PM |
| It's been a while since I've been to the Netherlands, but two things I enjoyed were a visit to Zaanse Schans, an open air museum with several windmills and a recreation of a Dutch village from the 18th century. I bought some great mustards and cheeses there. It's just outside of Amsterdam and accessible by train from the city, as I recall. The Delta Works, a series of massive storm surge barriers intended to protect the low-lying lands from high sea waters, is also very impressive, if you're into engineering sorts of things. It' s located south of Rotterdam, so I don't know how accessible it is without a car. | | | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12714
| | 11-10-2005 03:18 AM |
| Thanks all, a lot of good info that I noted.
raybanz & all: how about these Restaurants (any info?):
Het Savarijn
Restaurant Imko Binnerts
Restaurant Lemongrass | | | |
| ojeffso
warren, new jersey
Wine Lover
Posts: 4877
| | 11-12-2005 01:12 PM |
| a few years ago i ate in a restaurant in amsterdam that in english ihas the word flies in its name. it is suppose to be a famous place, but i thought it was just ok. | | | |
| ChangeMe
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 672
| | 11-17-2005 05:43 AM |
| When in Amsterdam, I always try to do a rijstaffel , a uniquely Dutch-Indonesian dining experience. It is basically an assortment of 10-12 small dishes shared between diners (like tapas), and eaten with rice. Some dishes are quite spicy, some curried. But heat can be adjusted to your preference. Not really a wine type place, but great with a Heineken or Grolsch. My favorite rijstaffel restaurant is Long Pura , which is a 5-minute cab ride from Centraal Station, near the Anne Frank house. Have a good trip! Cheers, Otis | | | |
| juggernt
Tampa, FL, USA
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3484
|
| 11-17-2005 03:43 PM |
| My vote for one of the best Dutch cities is Maastricht, which is in the far southeast, nestled between Belgium and Germany. It's small enough to maintain its charm but large enough to have nice restaurants. And it's a university town...so there are plenty of sights to see  | | | Visit The Butcher Block at http://www.butcherblocktampa.com/ | |
| ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 11-19-2005 04:33 PM |
| Quote:
Thanks all, a lot of good info that I noted.
raybanz & all: how about these Restaurants (any info?):
Het Savarijn
Restaurant Imko Binnerts
Restaurant Lemongrass
LCC, I have not been to any of these places. I have definitely heard a lot about Het Savarijn. It is supposed to be excellent. I don't know much about the other two.
Rijstaffel is a lot of fun. It works best with a large group, so if it is just you and your wife, check that the place will let you get "the works" for a small table (most will not, in my experience). | | | |
| David Walker
Barrel Sampler
Posts: 2284
| | 11-23-2005 06:01 PM |
| Looks like I'm headed to Brussels on Dec 10th for a few days. Based on what I've read here, I'm none too excited. | | | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12714
| | 11-30-2005 05:11 PM |
| Well, I’d like to thank every one that posted suggestions for my trip. I would especially like to thank raybanz, who posted so much great info & suggestions. Overall the trip was great, had a great time, lots to do, lots to see, lots to enjoy, learn, experience, etc… A nice little country & a fun, young city is Amsterdam. Lot’s of young people.
We stayed @ Bilderberg Garden Hotel, about a 15-20 min tram ride from center of town. A little away from the beaten path, but still a pretty good location. I would not recommend this hotel if the public transportation system was not that great. But, it is great & no big deal & no effort to get to center of town with the trains, buses, & trams. We used the trams to get around. The trams are reasonably priced & very convenient. Our hotel is very nice, good service & all that, & does the job.
Otherwise, it is best to stay in the center of all the action. Friends of ours stayed @ the Hotel Krasnapolsky, & loved it.
Dining: we ate @ the following places:
Dinners:
Vermeer (as in the Dutch painter): WOW! Top 10 dining experiences so far for me. Awesome restaurant, service, food, atmosphere, everything… Expensive, but recommend.
La Rive (recommended by raybanz): Double WOW! Thanks raybanz. Top 10 dining experiences so far for me. It was ever better than Vermeer. And, the service is best in my experience, unmatched for me up to date. Expensive, but recommend.
Casa di David: Italian place on Singel. A very nice Italian restaurant, reasonable priced, great food, excellent pizza. Recommend.
Luden: A nice place, not a must dine, but nice nonetheless. We enjoyed it overall, though a place like this is not hard to find.
Lunch: we tried some of the local dishes & dishes that Holland is known for like mackerel & waffles. I recommend to try their known, national dishes. We also ate @ Grekas (recommended by raybanz). Just as raybanz said, a nice little Greek lunch place for lunch, recommend.
Puccini Bomboni: yet another place recommended by raybanz. This is a chocolate store & just as raybanz advertised the chocolates are to die for. And, they are to die for. WOW, what chocolates & what quality, made fresh right there. You can live on such chocolate. Not to brag, but I know a thing or 2 about chocolate as dark chocolate is another passion on mine. These made an impression. An impression to the tune of about $100 Euros that I spent there to bring a box full of truffles & dark chocolates home with us. WOW chocolates & truffles, superb. WOW! You don’t often taste truffles & chocolate of that quality.
A lot of “musts” to see, as mentioned by many here: Museums galore in Amsterdam, needless to say some of the greatest artists come from Holland. Yes, the Red Light District is a must @ night. Canals are very unique & attractive. You won’t go bored there that’s for sure, 2-3 days in Amsterdam & you have the city covered pretty well.
The only thing that I would add & recommend is a 1-day excursion to Haarlem, Delft, & I forgot the name of the other small city. You can make reservations while in Amsterdam, it is called the Grand Holland Tour. You do this tour as well as 2-3 days in Amsterdam & you covered Holland/Netherlands pretty well. In Delft, you can visit & purchase the famous hand-made vases & decoratives that are made strictly in Delft. Others copy it & try duplicate, but the genuine & authentic is made in Delft.
All in all, an awesome trip! Not one thing to complain about even the climate cooperated. Not much rain, & not very cold @ all. Actually it was sunny most of the time.
The question is: where am I traveling to next???   | | | |
| jaimetown
DC area
Wine Labeler
Posts: 3553
| | 11-30-2005 05:23 PM |
| That sounded like a great trip LCC, thanks for the writeup. Raybanz, how do you know so much about Amsterdam?  | | | |
| love_cab_chard
Master of Wine
Posts: 12714
| | 11-30-2005 05:35 PM |
| Quote:
Raybanz, how do you know so much about Amsterdam?
. Hey, that saying "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" - should really be applied to Amsterdam instead. Lot's more options &/or ways to have "fun" there. | | | |
| ChangeMe
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1475
| | 11-30-2005 07:29 PM |
| I've stayed at the Bilderberg Garden Hotel before and found it to be very pleasant and relaxing (as opposed to most places in the city center). I think that is the places with whirlpools in the room that you can only use during the day, right? Sounds like a really great little trip, LCC. I'm pretty jealous that you got great weather on your first trip, though  | | | |
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