The Netherlands

Destinations

• The College Hotel

  0 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Hotels

  The lovely stone house originally opened in 1895 in its function as a school, and has been very stylishly restored. The hotel and restaurant are managed by dedicated students from Amsterdam's School of Hotel Management. The hotel's furnishings are a modern blend of tradition and design from the 1950s. The waiting staff endeavour to provide an individual, discreet form of luxury. The bright restaurant with its elaborate armchairs and modern Dutch cuisine exudes a pleasant atmosphere.

  Address:

  College Hotel, Roelof Hartstraat 1, 1071 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Isabelle van Ouwerkerk, hotel manager
  Tel.: +31-(0)20-57115 11 Fax: +31-(0)20-57115 11
  E-Mail: thecollegehotel@franklynhotels.com

  Parking:

  Parking available for guests in the hotel's underground car park for € 45 per day.

  Opening hours:

  Open year-round; restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, Mon. - Fri. from 07:00 - 10:00 and 12:00 - 14:00, Saturday and Sunday from 07:00 - 10:30 and 12:30 - 14:00 hrs. Dinner Mon. - Sat. from 19:00 - 22:00 hrs.

  Good to know:

  Once a multi-cultural working-class area, the trendy De Pijp quarter and its colourful flea market and countless cafés and restaurants has become one of the hippest parts of town. From the hotel it is only a minutes walk.

  Further information:

  www.collegehotelamsterdam.com

• Van Gogh Museum

  5 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Museums

  No other museum in the world exhibits as many paintings by the famous artist. It provides the visitor with an impressive overview, revealing masterpieces from all his creative periods. From The Potato Eaters through to the Sunflowers from Arles through to his final works painted in the Saint-Rémy psychiatric hospital. The museum is notorious for the queues of people awaiting admission. Get there early on a morning or during the week for a shorter wait and to see more.

  Address:

  Van Gogh Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 7, 1071 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Axel Rüger, museum director
  Tel.: +31-(0)20-5705252 Fax: +31-(0)20-5705252
  E-Mail: info@vangoghmuseum.nl

  Parking:

  Parking available in the Q-garage underneath Museum Square.

  Opening hours:

  Open daily from 10:00 - 18:00 hrs; open Fridays from 10:00 - 22:00 hrs.

  Good to know:

  dults € 12.50 / youths between 13 and 17 € 2.50 / children under 12 admission free. The van Gogh Museum is open until 22:00 hrs on Friday evenings. Video projections and DJ sets provide culture enthusiasts with a lounge atmosphere in the museum to get them relaxed into weekend.

  Further information:

  www.vangoghmuseum.nl

• The "Five Sphinxes" of Huizen

  17 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  These apartment blocks designed by Rotterdam architects Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk sit in the water of Gooimeer Lake. Their characteristic form with high glass façades facing the water with large patios tapering off at the rear towards the shore, are reminiscent of the Egyptian sphinx - hence their name the "Five Sphinxes". The five blocks accommodate 70 flats in total. The façade is lined with aluminium, and the underground garages lie below the water level.

  Address:

  The "Five Sphinxes" of Huizen, Gooimeerpromenade, 1277, Huizen, Netherlands

  Further information:

  www.neutelings-riedijk.com

• Agora Theatre in Lelystad

  21 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  The Agora Theatre, which glows in an orange-reddish colour, is one of the most important buildings in the province of Flevoland. The design is by Ben van Berkel who, along with Rem Koolhaas, is one of the globally-acclaimed Dutch architects. The merged, different-coloured, multi-layered triangles which the building comprises make its functions visible from the outside.

  Address:

  Agora Theater, Agorabaan 12, 8224 Lelystad, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Jan Gras, theatre manager
  Tel.: +31-(0)320-2392 39 Fax: +31-(0)320-2392 39
  E-Mail: info@agora-lelystad.nl

  Parking:

  Parking available in the theatre's garage at € 1.50 per day.

  Opening hours:

  Open daily from 9:00 - 17:00 hrs.

  Good to know:

  The theatre is part of Adriaan Geuze's master plan for enlivening and brightening up the pragmatic, austere town centre with his modern, visionary architecture.

  Further information:

  www.agora-lelystad.nl

• Zuiderzee Museum

  37 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Museums

  The museum exhibits art and cultural heritage of the former Zuidersee area from the last seven centuries. Life from times past is re-enacted in authentic buildings including a church, a school, a fish smokehouse and fishermen's houses from the region. Visitors can watch craftsmen plying their trades dating from the last century - trades which no longer exist.

  Address:

  Zuiderzee Museum, Postbus 42, 1600 Enkhuizen, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Erik Schilp, museum director
  Tel.: +31-(0)228-351111 Fax: +31-(0)228-351111
  E-Mail: info@zuiderzeemuseum.nl

  Parking:

  Parking available at Enkhuizen train station for a fee of € 5.00. From here, simply walk to the sign-posted Zuiderzeemuseum.

  Opening hours:

  Open daily from 10:00 - 17:00 hrs.

  Good to know:

  Admission charges: During the peak season from March to October: Adults € 13.50 / children between 4 and 12 € 7.80 / children under 4 years of age admission free. For admission charges outside of these times, please visit www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl. The museum park is freely accessible during the winter. All the buildings are closed but admission to the park is free of charge.

  Further information:

  www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl

• Koggenroute between Hoorn and Edam

  79 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Scenic

  The route sticks to the dyke or takes you just behind the dyke to the winding bends of the lakeside road along the banks of the Ijsselmeer. It is worth taking frequent stops to enjoy the view across the water. Numerous bathing beaches attract visitors in the summer.

• Edam

  111 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  The town is worth a visit, with its narrow canals, wooden drawbridges and elegant gabled houses, and of course for its world-famous round cheese. Red cheese is exported, whilst the yellow cheese is eaten by the locals. Taking a short stroll around the town, don't miss the 16th Century Grote Kerk (Great Church) with its famous coloured glass windows.

  Address:

  Touristen Information Edam, Damplein 1, 1135 Edam, Netherlands

  Parking:

  Parking available in town. Parking between 1 ½ and 4 hours is free of charge in the blue parking zone with a parking disc. Parking discs are available in the Tourist Information offices.

  Good to know:

  The Kwakel Bridge at the end of the Schepenmaker dyke is one of the few remaining single-hinged drawbridges.

  Further information:

  www.vvv-edam.nl

• Zaanse Schans windmills

  133 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  The small museum village features shops, fishermen's cottages and windmills from the region. The windmills still work, and can be viewed. Of particular interest are a mustard mill, an oil mill and a sawmill. Most windmills in Holland were used for the drainage of newly reclaimed land. The village is overcrowded in the summer.

  Address:

  Zaans Museum, Schansend 7, 1509 Zaandam, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Fokelien Renckens, museum director
  Tel.: +31-(0)75-6162862 Fax: +31-(0)75-6162862
  E-Mail: info@zaanseschans-museum.nl

  Parking:

  Parking available right next to the museum. All parking fees contribute towards the maintenance of the historical building. The first half an hour costs € 1.00. All day parking costs € 7.00.

  Opening hours:

  Open daily from March - October from 9:00 - 17:00 hrs. The windmills are open daily Mon. - Fri. from 09:00 - 17:00 hrs; Saturday and Sunday 10:00 - 17:00 hrs.

  Good to know:

  Admission charges: Adults € 7.50 / children up to 12 years of age admission free. During the winter months between November and February, most of the windmills are only open on weekends, with the only exception being the Jonge Schaap mill, which remains open daily.

  Further information:

  www.zaanseschans.nl

• Parkrand Building by MVRDV

  174 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  The Parkrand building by the MVRDV architects from Rotterdam is a council housing project in the suburb of Geuzenfeld. The idea behind was to pep up the somewhat dreary area with its high-quality architecture. The five towers are spaciously intertwined with each other around an atrium designed with sculptures. Like a shutter, the building borders the Eendrachtspark of the rather plain quarter, allowing as many residents as possible a view over the green spaces.

  Address:

  Parkrand Gebäude von MVRDV, Dr. Colijnstraat 260, 1067 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Parking:

  Parking available right next to the building.

  Further information:

  www.mvrdv.nl

• ING House by Meyer en van Schoten

  193 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Sightseeing

  The administration building of the ING Bank by the architects Meyer en van Schooten is based entirely on 16 v-shaped steel stilts. This means that it protrudes above the neighbouring motorway. The technology used for the foundations originates from the bridge-building industry. Its ship-like carcass is coated with anodised aluminium and glass. Despite its size, the building looks as if it could run off any time.

  Address:

  ING House, Amstelveenseweg 500, 1081 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Parking:

  Parkmöglichkeiten in der ING-Parkgarage vorhanden.

  Further information:

  www.ing.com

• a la ferme Restaurant

  221 km

  

  

  Countries:	Netherlands
  Category:	Food & drink

  The perfect place in which to relax following the extensive tour with its many new sights and sounds. This small French restaurant is located in the popular Pijp quarter. A three-course menu costs € 31.50, with € 19.00 for a suitable wine to accompany it. It is easy to reach on foot from the College Hotel, or you can take a taxi. Parking spaces are scarce. Reservations are a must.

  Address:

  a la ferme Restaurant, Govert Flinckstraat 251, 1073 Amsterdam, Netherlands

  Contact:

  Peter Honigh, proprietor
  Tel.: +31-(0)20-6798240
  E-Mail: info@alaferme.nl

  Parking:

  Parking available right next to the building.

  Opening hours:

  Tue. - Sun. from 18:00 - 22:00 hrs; closed Sunday and Monday.

  Good to know:

  Shopaholics can find anything from fruit, vegetables, clothing, jewellery, textiles, furniture, etc. at Amsterdam's biggest market - the Albert Cuyp market just around the corner from a la ferme.

  Further information:

  www.alaferme.nl