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Five days with nothing to do!

Posted by (San Francisco, CA, USA) on

Originally posted in Trip Reports

Hi all!
My husband and I, along with my parents will be traveling for three weeks starting June 20. We arrive in Paris, head down to Nice, over to Naples and the Almafi, and the up to Rome. My parents are going on to Assisi and Venice to visit family. My husband and I are left with five unplanned days with no idea what to do before my folks meet up with us in Amsterdam (our final destination). I have travel extensively throughout Europe, and want to go somewhere new (especially since most of the places on this trip I've already seen). My husband lived in Italy for a bit, so he doesn't want to stay longer than we already have. I'm looking for some suggestions on where we could spend a five days before jetting to Amsterdam. We had thrown around Oslo/Stockholm/Copenhagen but I've heard mixed things about Stockholm and Oslo. I head the Norway in a Nutshell is amazing, but I think I'd like to savor my time in Fjords and do an overnight in Bergen.

So, the goal: spend 5 days somewhere new, but where we can get a direct flight to Amsterdam

Places I've been: London (and most of England), Edinburgh (and most of Scotland), Paris, Nice, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice, Frankfurt, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna, Prague, Brussels and Amsterdam.

Loves: history, food, wine, beer, tours, churches, museums...you know the usual ;)

Thanks so much!

Posted by
7175 posts

Fly to Berlin, then easy train ride to Amsterdam.

Other options that come to mind...
Budapest
Dubrovnik + Split
Athens + Mykonos

Posted by
265 posts

For something completely NEW and different go the the Berner Overland in Switzerland.

Also for somthing new take a train from Interlaken to Amsterdam. Or you can fly to Amsterdam from Zurich.

Posted by
2487 posts

Or fly to Munich and slowly work yourself by train towards Amsterdam. A lot of beautiful and interesting cities on the way.

Posted by
2768 posts

Lisbon? Athens? Both are far but should have direct flights.

Posted by
11636 posts

Robert took my first thought: Switzerland. The Berner-Oberland is great, but even Luzern could be a nice choice if you don't particularly want outdoorsy time.

Although it is in Italy, the Dolomites, in particular the Val Gardena, is completely different from anything you have mentioned. You can fly out of Munich to AMS.

Posted by
1633 posts

Looks like you could spend some more time in France. Provence and Burgundy are regions full of history, great food and wine, wonderful churches and museums. I LOVE the area around Beaune. Flying into Basel/Mulhouse and then taking the train or driving to Beaune is easy. I would then rent a car and truly experience the entire area.

Posted by
2085 posts

If you love Italy, I would consider more time in the Regianno-Emilia area. The cities of Bologna, Modena, Emilia and Parma are all wonderful with great historical sites and museums, excellent food and wonderful wine. They are all on an easy train route. Also, there are direct flights from Bologna to Amsterdam for about $218 via KLM or Airitalia.

Posted by
873 posts

history, food, wine, beer, tours, churches, museums

I second/third/whatever the suggestion for BERLIN! It has all of these things and more :)

Posted by
7777 posts

I also first thought of Switzerland - not mentioned in your list of previous destinations, and on the way between Rome and Amsterdam.

Flanders was also mentioned, in western (Flemish-speaking) Belgium, Including the cities of Ieper (Ypres) and Brugge (Bruges). For beer, you're in the right spot, and for (expensive but great) food, history, churches, museums, oh my!

However, for food, history, churches, museums (including the Bayeux Tapestry in Bayeux and the outstanding war/peace museum in Caen), how about Normandy and the D-Day beach sites in northern France. Beer's available there, but it's really hard cider (cidre) and pommeau country! We had 3 days and 2 nights and could have used more time. With 5 days, you could do things in Normandy up right!

And how long are you staying in Amsterdam, and are you planning to see more of the Netherlands while there? Otherwise, beat your folks to Holland and first see more of the Netherlands (Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam, etc.), then meet up in Amsterdam.

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