I'll be ending a two-week tour of England in London and would like to take three days on my own in either Amsterdam or Paris. I'm a woman in my 50's who is not inexperienced with solo travel in Europe. I'd like any input and ideas on which city you'd choose for those three days in September. I already know and love Paris and have taken the Eurostar from London into Paris. How would you compare travel to Amsterdam from London? Would three days be too much (or not enough?) to be alone in Amsterdam?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
1525 posts
Three days would be perfect for a good taste. Be warned though, Amsterdam lacks the "punch" of Paris. It's charms are in the canals, low-key architecture and quirkyness of the culture. There is plenty to keep you occupied for three days, but it is nothing at all like London or Paris. That could be taken as a compliment...
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9106 posts
3 days is the perfect amount of time in Amsterdam for a first time visit. Amsterdam isn't a business center like London or Paris, so it's much more laid back; it's got a very relaxing vibe. It's also very compact, a lot of it is walkable...you won't be hopping on and off the metro all day. In terms of getting there, it's a very short flight from London about 90 minutes; checkout easyjet.com. But the train is also an option: Eurostar from London to Brussels. Thalys high-speed train from Brussels to Amsterdam. Check schedules fares at http://www.nshispeed.nl/en When you factor the time and expense to get to/from city centers to/from the airports, the train really doesn't take much longer.
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
As stated above, Amsterdam is very low key. The charm of Amsterdam is wandering along the canals, looking at house boats and houses. Very different from all the "must do" sights in London or Paris. Three days is doable. One advantage, if you find it a little slow, you can always take a day tour by coach or train to Delft, Bruges or the windmills or fishing villages of Nethrlands
Posted by
Philadelphia
655 posts
We had three nights in Amsterdam and loved it. If, by chance, you are traveling in April or early May be sure to include Keukenhoff for the beautiful gardens.
Posted by
Pacific NW
116 posts
Three days in September would be perfect to enjoy Amsterdam. Since you have been to Paris I would recommend trying something new. There are cheap flights from London to Amsterdam--Schiphol is a welcoming airport with direct train to Central Station downtown. Or take the Eurostar to Paris and then the Thalys train on up to Amsterdam. The train tickets can be quite reasonable when purchased in advance. The Dutch are very friendly so it is an easy city for the solo traveler to connect with the locals and feel at home. The historic core has a small town, cozy feel to it that is easy to explore on foot and there are also many public transportation options to explore further. The Anne Frank house, world class museums, Vondelpark, canal walks, bike tours, great eateries, are just some of the fun things to check out. Go, you'll have a great time.
Posted by
St. Louis, MO USA
1976 posts
I agree that 3 days is a great amount of time for Amsterdam. It's a true walking city so you can enjoy just getting from one place to another. People are very nice and helpful and it seems like everyone who works in a business speaks very good English.