Amsterdam or Haarlem?

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Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
Currently in the early stages of planning my next bikes and beer holiday.
As part of it, was originally thinking 2 nights in Amsterdam but wondering if Haarlem might be better. I have been to Amsterdam a couple of times before. Never been to Haarlem.
Anyone stayed there? What is it like compared to Amsterdam?
 

kapelmuur

Veteran
Location
Timperley
It depends on your preferences. Mrs K and I like the culture and facilities of big cities but we like to stay somewhere smaller and quieter.

Last year we stayed in Leiden which is just a few stops on the train further from Amsterdam than Haarlem. We passed through Haarlem without stopping to look around but it looked attractive. I would choose there in preference to Amsterdam.
 

CharlesF

Guru
Location
Glasgow
Haarlem is lovely, enough shops and restaurants to cover all you need. Leiden is also great, more compact, again great small places to eat, and drink. Both are far, far nicer than Amsterdam which is now just another big city.
 

Slick

Guru
We stayed in a cracking hotel in Haarlem, although I did fall out with a mouthy wee barman but I may have been a but tired and grumpy as it wzx the hottest day of the year.:shy:

Cracking facilities for storing the bikes as well.

https://www.hotelhaarlem.nl/
 
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Julia9054

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
Thank you - that has helped make up my mind. Haarlem it is. Airbnb flats in the centre of Amsterdam are more expensive than Haarlem and if we decide to spend the day in Amsterdam, it’s only 20 mins by train.
Full itinerary will probably be cycle to Hull, ferry to Zeebrugge, cycle to Ghent, stay two nights, cycle to Zierikzee, stay 2 nights, cycle to Haarlem, two nights there and then to Rotterdam for the ferry back to Hull. a mix of cycling, sightseeing and beer!
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Cycling infrastructure geek tip: The cycleway under the east foot of the Buitenrustbrug near junction 85 has its surface below water level IIRC. Not as picturesque as the one in Limburg but still unusual!
 
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Julia9054

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
Central Ghent is always worth a stay
Yeah - we went there for the day on our last bikes and beer tour. We were staying in Bruges and cycled there but had to get the train back because a brewery happened!
Intend to stay there 2 nights this time so we can explore it properly
 
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Julia9054

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
All booked now.
Hull - Zeebrugge. Zeebrugge to Ghent - stay 2 nights. Then on to Zierikzee on the Dutch coast where we are staying on a boat for 2 nights. Al didn’t fancy the really long ride up to Haarlem so we are staying in Delft and probably going to cycle over to The Hague for a day trip (youngest was there several times last year on a joint university project and recommends) then returning to Hull from Rotterdam.
Booking the ferry was interesting. Had to phone up as 2 bikes instead of a car and two different sailing routes is too much for the online booking system.
Woman on phone “how will you get from Zeebrugge to Rotterdam without a car - you realise there are no transfers?”
”We are cycling”
”No, you can’t do that. It’s impossible - it’s too far”
Took quite some persuading to get her to believe me and actually book it!
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Woman on phone “how will you get from Zeebrugge to Rotterdam without a car - you realise there are no transfers?””We are cycling””No, you can’t do that. It’s impossible - it’s too far”Took quite some persuading to get her to believe me and actually book it!
Difficult to know whither to laugh or cry in such circumstances:smile:.
I had the greatest difficulty finding a route from Stratford to Harwich one time during unplanned rail failure. I didn't have a map and the responses from the general public were, well they were unhelpful. One man earnestly assured me it would be impossible to cycle such a distance because my tyres would wear out and burst:biggrin:.
Have fun on your tour!
 
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Julia9054

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
Difficult to know whither to laugh or cry in such circumstances:smile:.
I had the greatest difficulty finding a route from Stratford to Harwich one time during unplanned rail failure. I didn't have a map and the responses from the general public were, well they were unhelpful. One man earnestly assured me it would be impossible to cycle such a distance because my tyres would wear out and burst:biggrin:.
Have fun on your tour!
We ended the phone call with her as my new number 1 fan as she clearly thinks I am some sort of crazy superhero!
 
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