3–5 vacation days
Apr–Sep
Europe
Why go
Compact and bike-friendly — easy to pair with Germany or Belgium.
Highlights
- ★Amsterdam
- ★Utrecht
- ★Hoge Veluwe
Day by day
Amsterdam — 4 nights
A doable Wednesday-to-Sunday rhythm: a slow arrival day, a tulips-and-coast escape, then museums, canals, and one good dinner.
- 1
Day 1
Arrival & old city
- Late morning
Land in Amsterdam
Drop bags, grab a coffee, get oriented on foot.
- Afternoon
Anne Frank House & Jewish Quarter walking tour
About 2 hours. A heavy but essential intro to the city's WWII history — book ahead, slots sell out.
- 2
Day 2
Tulips & North Sea coast
- Morning
Keukenhof Gardens
Get an early entry slot (10:00–10:30am works well) before the crowds. About an hour from the city.
- Afternoon
North Sea beach day
Easy day trip from Keukenhof — Noordwijk is closer and quieter; Zandvoort is bigger and has direct trains back to Amsterdam.
- 3
Day 3
Modern art & nightlife
- Afternoon
NXT Museum
Immersive digital art — a great change of pace from the classics.
- Evening
Red Light District & coffeeshop tour
About 2 hours. A guided walk is a much better intro than wandering on your own.
- 4
Day 4
Classic Amsterdam
- Morning
Rijksmuseum
Book a 10–11am entry slot. Two to three hours is plenty if you focus on the highlights.
- Afternoon
Canal cruise
About 90 minutes. Small-boat operators are far better than the big glass-roofed boats.
- Evening
Dinner at De Waaghals
Frans Halsstraat 29, in De Pijp. Vegetarian and excellent — book ahead.
- 5
Day 5
Departure
- Morning
Fly out
Allow ~45 min from the city center to Schiphol by train or taxi.
Worth a stop
Smart Shop
Worth a stop if you're curious — easy to fit in between other things.