Hi everyone, here is a chance to discover Amsterdam and some hidden gems! At first, we will spend our first day exploring Amsterdam. What best introduction than the Dutch capital? We will get to experience some of the city’s highlights such as the canals, the biggest park of the city, some museums, and markets. We will also go to Haarlem, a small and beautiful city close to Amsterdam, and to places located on the seaside nearby. If the weather is nice, the plan is to rent bikes and cycle from Haarlem to these locations (or at least one of those). In that case, we would bike through a national park. However, as the Dutch weather is known for being unpredictable, an alternative plan would be to go from Haarlem to these places by public transport if it rains, so we would still experience the Dutch seaside! In that case, we might have to skip the national park though. We could also select the day with the nicest weather on the spot and plan our trip there accordingly. I believe it is best to check the weather forecast not earlier than two days before the beginning of the journey. It means that this part of the trip is flexible, it is something I can discuss with each trip mate. Last but not least, we will visit Leiden, the city where I currently live. Like Haarlem, it is a small, pretty, and Instagrammable place. We will also enjoy some local food, including the bitterballen (Dutch snacks), and pannenkoeken (Dutch pancakes). Note: all the activities are optional and subject to discussion. They are not included. The food and drinks as well as the transport from your home country to the Netherlands are not included in the total price either. There will be some extra costs for the local transport since the plan is still flexible at that stage. For example, if you don’t want to do everything on foot in Amsterdam, we will need to pay for the tram. Likewise, the fee for the bike rental is not included, because perhaps we won’t go for this option if the weather is bad. I also didn’t include the cost of the return train ticket from Haarlem to the seaside, in case we decide to go there by train and not by bike.
My name is Sophie, I am French and I live in the Netherlands for a couple of years. Although I am not a local, I know many nice places; I have travelled quite a lot in the country. I am also used to hosting family and friends, and arranging itineraries for them. Now, I would love to share my experience with fellow travellers! My expectation of this trip is that we will all do our best to get along well and create meaningful memories together. If trip mates are flexible and easy going, I am sure we will have a great time!
We will stay in a hostel in Amsterdam in order to keep the trip as budget-friendly as possible; the Netherlands is not the cheapest country, especially when it comes to the accommodation! Therefore, the rooms will be shared. We will travel from Amsterdam to the other locations mentioned above by train. Something positive about the country is that all cities are easily accessible by train, since it is small:)
What's included?
Local transport (partly)
Accommodation (Shared rooms)
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Trip Itinerary
1
Amsterdam
Day 1-2
We will explore the city center, go to the Dam Square, walk along the canals, visit some museums (to be discussed with each trip mate, I can give you some tips), go to some markets, to the Vondelpark, which is the biggest park of the city (depending on the weather), do some (window) shopping if you would like it, and go to specific areas. I would recommend walking in the Jordaan area, for example. If you don’t want to do everything on foot, we can take the tram sometimes. The plans for the evening are flexible, you can do anything you like! Note: the earlier you can arrive on that day, the better, so we have more time to explore Amsterdam. I would suggest arriving in the morning at around 9am, if possible. I could pick you up at the airport or at the train station, and then we could leave our luggages at the hostel in Amsterdam before starting to visit.
2
Haarlem
Day 2-3
We will go to Haarlem, walk around the city on foot, do some (window) shopping, bike from there through a national park called « Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland » in order to reach the seaside in Zandvoort and/or Bloemendaal, depending on the weather. Alternatively, we could go to one or both of these places from Haarlem by public transport (train and bus). My idea is to start with Haarlem, continue with Zandvoort aan Zee, then with Bloemendaal aan Zee, and finally head back to Haarlem. Again, the plans for the evening are flexible, this is up to you! Note: we will go back to Amsterdam by train and spend the night there.
3
Leiden
Day 3-4
We will walk around the city on foot. We will go to the city center, to the harbour, to a nice park, depending on the weather, to some cafes, we will see a windmill (with the option to visit the museum, if you would like it), see churches, the city hall, do some (window) shopping, have a Dutch borrel (drinks and snacks), and go to a pancake restaurant, as an option. It is also possible to visit the botanical gardens, which I really like. Regarding the evening plans, I would suggest going to a restaurant, as mentioned above, and then we could go to a bar, either in Leiden or in Amsterdam, in order to end our trip in a fun way:) Note: we will go back to Amsterdam by train and spend the night there. I will take a train to go to work the following day from the Amsterdam central station early in the morning (on the 25th), therefore I won’t be able to guide you from the hostel to the airport or the train station if you will leave later than me. So, you will need to do the check out from the hostel and go there on your own, but no worries, I will explain you beforehand how to proceed! You are free to depart for home any time on that day.
Trip Summary
Accommodation
Hostel
4 days trip
Amsterdam, Haarlem & 1 more
Transportation
Train
What's excluded?
Transport to the Netherlands
Activities
Food and drinks
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Netherlands
Combination of cities and nature 
Local transport (partly) 
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