taking suggestions for paris and amsterdam!
we've got a couple hotels in mind for our trip, but i knew you guys would have some wonderful suggestions.
hotel, restaurants, shopping, etc. in paris and amsterdam... what do you recommend?
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ummm... ENJOY. I love love love everything about Paris, just don't do the red bus or other tour buses, take the tube and explore on your own. When you are in Amstradam don't forget to go to the Anne Frank museum, it is just lovely and a must see. Good shopping everywhere!! Have a wonderful time and I will be expecting pictures!!!
ReplyDeleteI lived in Amsterdam for 6 months and loved it without limits, so I hope you enjoy yourself. This time of year has unbelievable weather, too, so I hope you get some of that famous Dutch light...
ReplyDeleteI would recommend that you rent a bike and have fun exploring! The city center is great fun, as is the 9 streets district. There's a great pannenkoken restaurant there called Pancakes on Berenstraat. And my favorite pub was an Irish one called Mulligan's on the Amstel, right behind the Rembrantplein. They have amazing live music!
And you'll certainly want to take your bikes through the Amsterdamse Bos, the Amsterdam forest, which is beautiful and unreal and involves a ferry trip. In the center is the best pannenkoken (pancake) restaurant and I saw a buffalo. No joke.
Lastly, don't forget to go to the outdoor markets, like the Albert Cuyp Markt in De Pijp (the south side of the city). Also, if you can get to more of Holland, Den Haag (The Hague) is a really great city to explore and houses the Panorama Mesdag, which you kind of have to see to believe, but is basically the 18th century version of IMAX theatre.
Oh man, I got so excited! Have fun and tell us all how it goes.
How about what NOT to do? Have you seen this post:
ReplyDeletehttp://hpals.blogspot.com/2009/06/what-not-to-do-when-you-visit-amsterdam.html
I've been to both places and adore them both, so I will go over it a little and try to think of some things I love do when I'm there.
could i have any better readers? i don't think so.
ReplyDeletegreat ideas, guys. thanks!
Nice cities! More pratical advice: be prepared for changing weather (sunny 25-30°C and 1/2h later pouring rain 12-15°C then again sunny ...). The Pijp in Amsterdam is great as a market. If you go to the Anne Frank Museum, be sure to get there early, the queue can be quite long. Just wander in the city. I don't know the Jordaan very well, but it's defintly the next place I'll visit overthere.
ReplyDeleteIn Paris there are markets about every day (but in different places of the city). Montmartre is very cute but a little too touristic (lots of them), I like the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés very much,...
What do you like to do on holidays because there're are a lot of different activities (museum, old houses, castles, parks, shopping, going out, ...)
amsterdam is great! the rijksmuseum and the stedelijik museum (modern/contemporary art) are not to be missed! and if you can find it they have a wagamama there - best cheap noodle bar around when you're traveling.
ReplyDeleteJust came back from Amsterdam a month ago and loved it! Visit the Jordaan neighborhood and the "nine streets" for cute cafes, boutiques, and thrift stores. Eat at Envy http://www.envy.nl/ (trendy, tapas style) or Blauw aan de Waal for fine European dining.
ReplyDeleteIn Paris last spring, we stayed at the Hotel Bastille de Launay and they were great. Small, understated rooms, but decently-priced, quiet and really helpful staff. We really liked the neighborhood too - lots of good, cheap places for breakfast and people-watching. It's more neighborhood-y and less hustle and bustle of any arrondissement closer to the big tourist spots.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, don't miss the Louvre - and the view of the city from the top of Notre Dame and Sacre Couer are amazing! The Metro is one of the greatest public transports I've ever been on, but be sure to walk a much as you can to see the most of the city.
Shopping is incredible, but terribly expensive (I couldn't find a pair of shoes for under $300, or in my size, for that matter!). I would bring money for one big, designer splurge and let the rest go. My favorite shop in Paris? La Maison du Chocolat! It's only sold in Paris and NY and is the best chocolate ever! Be prepared to spend a bundle here if you like chocolate (like everything else in Paris, it's quite expensive) and bring your best French, as when I went, they spoke no English.
Enjoy Paris!
I love paris! While i love the louvre, it was overwhelming in size. I actually enjoyed going to Musee d'Orsay more. And do not miss the Rodin Museum 00 the garden is gorgeous and you can see the thinker!
ReplyDeleteAs for Amsterdam -- I loved Rembrandt's house and the Van Gogh museum. When we where there we stayed at this crazy place called Lucky Duck (or something...) It was outside the city but on a subway line. I did like it because it was on some great waterways and they have canoes and kayaks for rent, which was fun.
I have some suggestions up on my blog, and there are a few good ones here as well:
ReplyDeletehttp://rubypr.com/blog/2009/05/29/mes-amies/
Bon chance and enjoy!!
ooh! paris... i posted a few goodies on my blog recently. also, a post is in the works on where we stayed in paris. you're going to have a wonderful time. i miss paris every single day.
ReplyDeleteYou need to go to Angelina's. It is the best cafe in Paris! It serves the best chocolat chaud and little yummies! It's right next to the Tulleries Gardens, so it's a great place to visit before or after the Luvre.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, there are queues, but trust me, it's well worth the wait.
all of you are wonderful! i have written all of these suggestions down and am beginning to lose track of them. but please keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeletei created a spreadsheet of all the places to visit, eat + shop. there's SO much great stuff to take in! and to second leslie - yes, go to angelina's. have their legendary hot chocolate and a mont blanc. beyond yum! gah, i wish i was still there. can you take me with you? :]
ReplyDeletei recommend renting an apt in paris :) but here are some other (mainly cheap) ideas: http://pretavoyager.blogspot.com/2009/04/dormir-to-sleep.html
ReplyDeleteand if i haven't passed it along yet, here's my paris guide i wrote: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/02/paris-design-guide.html (p.s. i'll be living there starting sept!)
anne
this is so strange i just got back from the netherlands and paris! i rented an apartment in paris and stayed with my friends in the hague and amsterdam and i think that's way way better than getting a hotel.
ReplyDeletewhen i was in paris i would sleep with the window open beside the bed and hear the church bells every morning. that is worth not having some one turn down your bed for you!
have fun!
I'm from NYC but live in Paris. Just went to Amsterdam. A few of my faves:
ReplyDeleteKitchen Kitsch in Amsterdam. www.kitschkitchen.nl
Sandro in Paris. Cool clothes www.sandro-paris.com
Pierre Herme in Paris. Macaroons.
Frenchie restaurautant in Paris. deliciousness x 10.
restaurant* oopsies..
ReplyDelete