recommendations for Holland and Germany

[Karin Kirk]

I am heading to Europe in 2 weeks for a vacation and I'm looking for some suggestions. The main thing I'm wondering about is if there is anywhere I can rent a decent road bike in southern Germany. My Mom lives on the Bodensee, directly across the lake from Konstanz, and a ways west of Friedrichshafen. When I was there last spring, I saw delightful bike routes along the lake, and I'd like to do some riding on this visit. Does anyone know if one can rent a bike at any shops in this locale?

Part two of my question is that we've got three days around Amsterdam at the beginning of the trip. The first day will be spent in Amsterdam, and then we've got two days open for exploring. Last year we went to see the tulips, which was a lifelong dream of mine. This year, spring has sprung earlier and I think the flowers will be mostly over. So I'm looking for other fun day trips in the Netherlands. I think it would be fun to rent a traditional city bike and ride somewhere in the countryside, but my Mom would be riding too, so the route would have to be mellow.

The third part of the trip will be in Switzerland. This will be an exploration by train and on foot, so no riding. I think my Mom already has spots picked out for this, although we travel very flexibly and tend to just go wherever the best weather seems to be.

Thanks for any insights anyone cares to share. I am super excited for this adventure!

[ada@prorider.or]

all depends of course what you want to see
but there severtal options around amsterdam
if you really want to see old historic amsterdam and srroundings i have a nice bike route for you and your mom around waterland
here is where my ancestors come from and still live there

so bike routes enough around amsterdam ,can even give you some historic back gound of some places and in amsterdam
cees

i netherlands you can rent at almost any train station a good bike



ps if you have a gps system then its even more fun
otherwise i could help you with the route's

http://www.toeractief.nl/published/tat/content/pagina/gpsroutes/gps-fiets-waterland-tac3-06.nl.html

http://www.fietspad.nl/Fietsroutes/Noord-Holland/Afstand_31-45_km/
http://www.bedstede.nl/page311.html

[zap]

Can't help you much regarding bike rentals. Have your mom call a few shops.

But I do know that there are some "multi use" trails around the Bodensee. I blasted through the area by car on one of my european business trips.

Looks like the riding there is fantastic and there is a good chance one can gain weight riding from dorf-dorf. Washington Post travel section had a write up of this area some years ago. Pick up a bicycle route map when you get there.

The Bodensee area is one of several must "biking" visits for me so I look forward to your trip report.

[michael white]

Karin,

yes probably the nicest bike route from Amsterdam is up around Waterland. This is fairly popular, and where ever you rent the bikes, probably Mac Bike or some such, they will have maps for you. I heartily suggest you take your time doing this: try to hit Moneccadam and Marken, especially during market or festival time, and just take it easy. The only problem you run into out there is the wind, which isn't consistent.

just riding around Amsterdam is its own pleasure. a few laps around the Vondelpark every day is always a delight. You can't miss.

as for the bike, a traditional Dutch bike is fine. I suggest getting one with saddlebags because you will be stopping constantly to shop. The only reason to bother with gears is for the wind, in case you go out of town. Otherwise a singlespeed is preferable.

my favorite part of town is the Jordaan, a small, very peaceful Dutch version of Greenwich Villlage on the west side of town. Not to be missed, in my opinion.

Amsterdam is my among my very favorite cities in the world, along with Florence, and it's the best bike city in the world.

there are more peaceful cities in Holland. Delft, Leiden, The Hague, everywhere is a half hour train ride.

best,
mw

[zeroking17]

I am heading to Europe in 2 weeks for a vacation and I'm looking for some suggestions. The main thing I'm wondering about is if there is anywhere I can rent a decent road bike in southern Germany. My Mom lives on the Bodensee, directly across the lake from Konstanz, and a ways west of Friedrichshafen. When I was there last spring, I saw delightful bike routes along the lake, and I'd like to do some riding on this visit. Does anyone know if one can rent a bike at any shops in this locale?

<snip>

Karin,

Here are some links to places that rent cycles in the Bodensee area.

Konstanz:
http://www.kultur-raedle.de/rad.html

Bregenz:
http://www.fahrradverleih-bregenz.at/
http://www.fahrradverleih-bregenz.at/model.htm
http://www.fahrradverleih-bregenz.at/angeb.htm
http://www.fahrradverleih-bregenz.at/kontakt.htm

Hagnau:
http://www.fahrradvermietung-bodensee.de/
http://www.fahrradvermietung-bodensee.de/preise.html
http://www.fahrradvermietung-bodensee.de/bildergalerie.html

There are a number of choices for rental bikes. Whether these meet your desire for "a decent road bike" is an open question (given what you're used to riding ;)).

Hope this helps.

[pdbrye]

Two weeks? Seems like plenty of time for Dave to whip you up something nice in the way of a S&S travel bike, don't you think?? :D

Have a great trip!

[jeffg]

Here is a link in Konstanz, which may be the closest city or town, but if you give me the name I can tell you for sure.

http://www.rad-center.de/main.html

Be sure to see the flower island of Mainau, the town of Meersburg (historic home of Dichterin Annette von Droste-Hülshoff) and ride to the Rhine falls near Schaffhausen. I can e-mail some itineraries if that would be helpful. I can also call the shop posted above if you want.

There is a great series of wine bars downtown and great swimming and booting on the lake (no private motor boots, if I recall correctly)

Servus!

[TimB]

the Zuiderzee Museum

http://www.zuiderzeemuseum.nl/english/

[Karin Kirk]

Great suggestions, I appreciate it!
I will check into the Waterland - sounds like a good ride. I will check into the Zuidersee museum too.

Michael, I agree with you, the Jordaan was our favorite part of Amsterdam last year and we will go back for sure. I liked that it was quieter than the parts of the city that were so full of cyclists, to the point where you felt like you might get run over! But this year it will be fun to do some riding ourselves.

Jeff and ZeroKing - terrific links, yay! Konstanz is indeed close - just a ferry ride across the lake. I am going to follow up with the shop you recommended. I'm still holding out hope that I can find a bike that is a touch sportier than a city bike. Granted, I am spoiled, but I'll be happy to do riding of any kind on these beautiful routes. Mom's place is near Meersburg. And oh, the Mainau is already on the must-do list!

The couplers idea is intriguing. It would be so sweet to have my own bike over there. Well, next year maybe.

Ride report, etc, will certainly follow when I get back.

[andy mac]

heya karin,

i lived in the 'dam for a few years and here are some great ideas for visiting tourists not ready for a spring classic:

1. de hoge veluwe national park

a stunning national park with marshlands, forests, sand dunes, free bikes to ride around on miles of beautiful paths and best of all, housing a wonderful museum - the kroller-muller museum. features work by picasso, renoir, sisley, manet (the original not our snap happy new yorker) and a stunning van gogh collection. a wonderful day trip. catch the train there then grab a free bike.


scroll down...

http://www.goworldtravel.com/ex/aspx/articleGuid.98a646d5-b248-4eb0-bf31-2fca412ccb6d/xe/article.htm


2. a pretty short gentle ride is from amsterdam down the amstel to ouderkerk past windmills, classic houses, houseboats and farms. stop for lunch or pancakes in ouderkerk then head back. or if she's out of gas, easy to turn around at any time.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Netherlands/Provincie_Noord_Holland/Ouderkerk_aan_de_Amstel-458346/TravelGuide-Ouderkerk_aan_de_Amstel.html

3. train to haarlem - beautiful close little town to explore, then ride to the coast - zandvoort.


1. and 3. are def in any lonely planet book. if i was to do just one activity i'd go for 1.

if you are looking for a wonderful restaurant in amsterdam try 'zuid zeeland' at 413 herengracht 1017BP. we used to live right above it. the food is great and the people even better. please tell the wonderful hosts jacqueline and gijsbert hi from anna and andy the old bum expats from upstairs!

http://www.zuidzeeland.nl/home.cfm


review from the NY Times on page 3:


http://travel.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/travel/12tab.html?ex=1177041600&en=82a43e00a58b3186&ei=5070


:beer:

andy

[michael white]

My favorite restaurant in Amsterdam, btw, is the Vliegende Schotel, a wonderfully flavorful funky vegetarian restaurant in the Jordaan (I'm not vegetarian). Maybe you know it? I ate there a lot during both my recent trips to Holland. (I'm writing a book about Vermeer.)
Also went a lot to The Pancake Bakery on the Prinsengracht, not far from the Anne Frank house, always terrific and cheap.


review of the veggie restaurant:

http://goamsterdam.about.com/od/whattoeatinamsterdam/gr/rr_vlieschotel.htm

[Kevan]

I'm there May 12th & 13th with two of my work colleagues and need the scoop for what to visit. Cees, are you out there? Need your suggestions sir. I would certainly welcome suggestions from the rest of our ridership here as well. I've done a search of the forum and already have many terrific ideas, but most of the ideas are tied closely to cycling and I'm not so certain my colleagues see things quite the same way as you and I do.

So to make it easy, what 2 or 3 things would you recommend doing while chasing windmills and sightseeing this city? What restaurants would you recommend?

Thanks for your help in advance.

[michael white]

Kevan,

it might be different for you, but for me it's a pretty easy question.
The most popular attraction in Amsterdam is the Anne Frank house. This popularity is entirely deserved. It is a deeply affecting shrine to the human spirit.

The second thing, if you like art at all, would be the Rijksmuseum. This is among the three or four greatest museums in the world, by many accounts, and esp if you're interested in the art of Northern Europe. It's an absolute must, even if you don't care about art. It's smaller than the Louvre, but is a concentrated treasure of old masters.

The third thing gets complicated. If you like modern art, it's the Van Gogh museum. If you're more a Golden Age art lover, the Rembrandt House. If you're a music lover, perhaps a concert. If you just like hanging out with the enlightened locals. go to the Vondelpark and chill, you'll be in heaven for hour upon hour. Don't miss the flower market. The most beautiful church is the Westerkerk. There are of course countless wonderful other distractions, but for me those are the essentials. Most tourists go for canal tours, and drink lots of beer in the squares, and of course that's fine too.


mike
mw

[Kevan]

Thank you so much for your detailed response. I wasn't too sure how this business trip was going to work out, but it seems our scheduling allows us this weekend romp. I'm very excited to see this part of Europe I've never been to before.

If I can take advantage of you one more time...as for Amsterdam's culinary triumphs, what would be some of the foods to look for at the restaurants there? Pancakes?!

I actually just found out about this visit so will go to my library too to gain more knowledge.

Thanks

[ada@prorider.or]

Cees, are you out there? Need your suggestions sir. .
well if want any info you can pm me or skype me
hence skype is the most easy way we just can talk then but its up to you

and if you need help inside amstedam or area of course i can help you there its up to you

any way hope you have nice visit in amsterdam

and anymac you live nice there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Karin Kirk]

Lucky for you Kevan!
Too bad our visits won't overlap. Thanks Michael, for more great tips. I always thought the frites were the local culinary specialty, but I somehow didn't eat any on my last trip, so I'll make a point to indulge this time.

I dunno if you like flowers or need to bring home gifts for any garden-minded folks, but the Amsterdam tulip museum is right across from the Anne Frank house and was a surprise find on our last trip. It's more of a little shop than an actual museum, but we loved it.

[Kevan]

That would have been a hoot bumping into one another there of all places.

Frites and beer...I can do that.

[michael white]

one other culinary suggestion:

if you are in a good market. Say the Albert Cuyp market on the east-central side (not far from Museumplein). . . Try the fresh herring. Don't be scared off by the fishy smell of the fishstall.

the actual fish, if it's fresh, is simply delicious. Eat it with chopped pickles and onions.

btw there's also usually a great fryshack at that market, and it's the best place I found in town to buy hunks of cheese etc.. I went there a couple times a week, each trip.

kevan, don't get in too much trouble.

if you do get sore from riding, one last recommendation is the Deco Sauna. Real old-world deal. . . kind of unbelievable. Look it up, it's very central (not far from the station)

[TimB]

I too would suggest the herring...I enjoyed mine with pepper and onions and a piece of bread...

And of course, patat pinda.

[Dekonick]

Kevan,

it might be different for you, but for me it's a pretty easy question.
The most popular attraction in Amsterdam is the Anne Frank house. This popularity is entirely deserved. It is a deeply affecting shrine to the human spirit.

The second thing, if you like art at all, would be the Rijksmuseum. This is among the three or four greatest museums in the world, by many accounts, and esp if you're interested in the art of Northern Europe. It's an absolute must, even if you don't care about art. It's smaller than the Louvre, but is a concentrated treasure of old masters.

The third thing gets complicated. If you like modern art, it's the Van Gogh museum. If you're more a Golden Age art lover, the Rembrandt House. If you're a music lover, perhaps a concert. If you just like hanging out with the enlightened locals. go to the Vondelpark and chill, you'll be in heaven for hour upon hour. Don't miss the flower market. The most beautiful church is the Westerkerk. There are of course countless wonderful other distractions, but for me those are the essentials. Most tourists go for canal tours, and drink lots of beer in the squares, and of course that's fine too.


mike
mw

+1 on the Rijksmuseum. You could spend 2 months there and not get enough. One of my favorites.