Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels

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Alternative suggestion for transit into Amsterdam from Schiphol. If you will be going to the museum district/VondelPark area/Leidseplein, a quicker route, rather than the longer ride to Centraal, is the train from the Airport to Amsterdam South (WTC) - it's only one stop, and then Tram #5 from the rail station up to the most convenient stop. Note that the #5 has a zone change in this direction, so that 3 strips are required, although the trian fare is cheaper.

Larry Plotkin in Elkins Park, PA USA 10/22/2009

As with other books, better driving instructions would help, especially for entering central city locations.

Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 10/14/2009

As with other books, better driving instructions would help, especially for entering central city locations.

Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 10/14/2009

The people were extremely friendly and most spoke great English. We enjoyed spending a lot of time talking to locals everywhere we went. Could you encourage travelers to get past their fear of strking up conversations with locals?

Laralyn Sasaki in Columbus, Oh USA 10/09/2009

You might want to add the IJ Brewerey in Amsterdam. Good beer and located by or in old windmill

Jeannine Willis in Houston, TX USA 10/07/2009

It is very well researched and has a lot of useful information. Walking tours are good as are museum guides. You can get up to speed quickly in a new town. Perhaps add some more information about trains and clarify maps some.

Craig in New York, NY USA 10/04/2009

Add Café Terrastje at Genthof 45, just up the street from The Royal Stewart. Although the menu is a little bit limited, the food is great and reasonably priced. The owners, Patricia and Ian, are as hard-working as they are convivial. The vibe is cool and the music is really top notch.

Bill in Miami, FL USA 09/24/2009

Warn travelers about taxi rip-offs. Include Vondelpark Museum B&B in your recommendations.

Susan in Ledford, MT USA 09/21/2009

The description of how to find the TI in The Hague was confusing, which is unfortunate because it was perhaps the best TI with friendly staff and a small store selling items like umbrellas (that we needed). The description starts with riding the tram, but then switches mid-paragraph to describing how to find it walking from the train station on foot.

Mike in LA, CA USA 09/18/2009

maybe add a chocolate section for Brugges? There were A LOT of local tiny stores that were amazing!!

Carla in Hollister, CA USA 09/17/2009

dd information about organized bicycle/boat tours. These are the absolutely best ways to see the country, I believe. I have done four of them now, two with Cycle tours of Holland. Much of Holland is missed when traveling by train or car.

Jan Larson in Worthington, MN USA 08/26/2009

dd information about organized bicycle/boat tours. These are the absolutely best ways to see the country, I believe. I have done four of them now, two with Cycle tours of Holland. Much of Holland is missed when traveling by train or car.

Jan Larson in Worthington, MN USA 08/26/2009

In the opening pages there is a color map of Amsterdam with a legend that could be improved. In the legend the places are in alphabetical order, which is fine; people can search thru a list of names faster if it is in alphabetical order to see if something they are looking for is present.

However right next to the places are the numbers for the labeled spots on the map, and these are in numerical order. This makes things difficult to find on the map. If you find location 23 then 22 and 24 are nowhere near it, because they correspond to a place near 23 in the *alphabet* and not on the map. It would be a lot quicker if you look for a site, find out its number 23, and then scan the map until you find the 20's and know that 23 is going to be in the immediate vicinity.

Mike in Los Angeles, CA USA 08/26/2009

Spiral bind so it can be opened flat. Also consider slightly smaller size so it can be carried in a back pocket.

Richard Becker in High Point, NC USA 04/02/2009

3 updates to the Amsterdam book as of our visit in Feb 2009. 1) The Green Lantern fondue restaurant is closed. 2) The Anne Frank House is now 8.50 euros. 3) The Van Gogh museum is now a whopping 15 euros per adult ticket. You can only use a credit/debit to buy tickets if your total is more than 25 euros. But it was open until 10 PM on a Thursday, AND as an added bonus they have Starry Night on loan from NY until the summer.

Heather in London, UK 02/24/2009

Great book! The train tour from Amsterdam to Haarlem was a bit difficult to follow.

Dave W. in Seattle, WA USA 01/20/2009

MAPS!!!!!!!!!!!If it were possible to list the names of most of the streets that you pass on these walks, it would save so much time and I would not have to back track/argue with travel partner!!!! I will always use your guidebooks, they are the best of what is out there. But the maps of your walks every year that I go to Europe (four years in a row) create momments of frustration because only a few street names are listed. Meeting other travelers carrying "the blue bible" shared simular frustrations.

Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009

Went to Brussells, Bruges and Amsterdam and this book really helped a lot! My only recommendation is to "warn" travelers who are going to eat at the Pickles restaurant in Bruges to not call the Flemish corn dogs "corn dogs" in front of the proprietor (old guy, lots of character, red eyeglass frames) - he was not very pleased me when I referred to his merchandise as such! Good thing he didn't kick me out though, but for a second there I thought he was going to. The experience didn't stop us from coming back in the next day - the location was convenient, and the food good and cheap! We just remembered not to say "corn dogs" out loud and it worked out great - no grumblings from Mr. Pickles (as we affectionately started calling him, after the "incident").

Jill Fernandez in Sacramento, CA USA 09/29/2008

If there is anything that could be improved, its the granularity to the maps. Could use more detailed information and possibly a pull out version as well. I would also love to see perforated pages for the walks and museum tours. That could make life just a tad bit easier than bookmarking and having the whole book out all the time.

Trevor in Roswell, GA USA 08/12/2008

Keep doing what you're doing! All the recommendations from the book were great!

Bruce Weinberger in Tollhouse, CA USA 08/05/2008

Have always enjoyed your TV tours and made use of one of your guides a couple of years back. I was interested to see what you have on Belgium, particularly Louvain, where I lived as a student for a bit over three years many decades ago. (This was before the bilingual university, founded in 1425 or so, split into two parts and the French part moved out to Louvain-la-Neuve.)

I saw several comments by your fans recommending Leuven (Louvain in English but a sensitive matter to Flemish-speakers since that is also the French word). I concur.

The architecture of many buildings, large and small, is, I think, interesting, particularly the Town Hall (1459). The wedding cake Gothic has some interesting figures carved into building. My favorite was a sequence showing a bishop sleeping on his throne while carousing went on behind him and then the bishop being pitchforked into hell by the devil for his neglect of his flock. A warning to the hierarchy carved into stone – about 50 years before the Reformation.

Of interest to American tourists, the town also has a number of American connections. Unless they have changed the name since I was last there, you may still find Herbert Hoover Platz, which is named for the American president so reviled during the Great Depression for his alleged insensitivity to the poor and suffering. His name is there in recognition of his great effort to relieve suffering in Belgium after World War I.

If you look at the university library, you will also see embedded in the walls memorial stones with the names of American schools and educational institutions that contributed to the rebuilding of the library after WWI. The German had burned it down with its collection of books and irreplaceable medieval manuscripts in retaliation for some alleged violation of occupation rules. (Check out Barbara Tuchman’s chapter in “The Guns of August” for the importance of that event to American public opinion.)

A third American connection is the tomb and shrine of Damien de Veuster, the Belgian priest who became know as the leper priest of Molokai for his selfless ministry in the virtually abandoned Hawaiian leper colony of the 19th Century. (Check Robert Louis Stevenson’s defense of his character by clerical critics.)

Finally, if you take a short walk south from the town center down Naamsestraat, not far from the Beguignage, you will notice a building with an American Indian figurehead on a corner capital. That is the American College, which just celebrated its 150th Anniversary. It was founded to train Belgian missionaries to the New World and to train Americans for the priesthood. It still serves the latter purpose but has changed to add post-graduate training and studies for theologians and for priests and religious on sabbaticals mainly from the U.S.

Louvain (Leuven) is not Bruges but it is worth a look. Just thought some of these details might be of interest to others. I have fond memories of the place and the people I knew there.

J Boyne NJ USA 07/26/2008

Perhaps can expand on other areas of Holland for more sites: eg. Kinderdijk - rows of windmills along a stream - my local friends took me here. It takes us away from the city to see the beautiful countryside.

Beverly Lui in Thousand Oaks, CA USA 07/11/2008

Perhaps the demand isn't there for it, but I wish you had a Belgium book. We spent a couple of days in Liege with side trips to Aachen, Germany, Spa, the 3 frontiers, etc. Also Ghent, Ostende, Leuven. As I'm sure you know, so much more in Belgium than just Brussels and Bruges! We ended up having to buy Lonely Planet for this trip.

Mary in Milwaukee, WI USA 06/04/2008

Ask the locals to update your text. In fact the best way to get around is to ask the locals. They will help you read the train and bus schedules. In the Netherlands, English is spoken everywhere. Don't just stand there, ASK.

Dug Waggoner in El Cerrito, CA USA 05/12/2008

Add Ghent to the book.

J Mason in Powell, OH USA 05/12/2008

We are avid followers of Rick's travel books. We've used 4 of them very extensively on our European trips. This one we felt was one of the weakest in terms of accuracy & updates (museum tours not corresponding to exhibits, etc). Chez Leon should be changed from a recommendation to an "avoid at all costs".

Winston & Suzie in Seattle, WA USA 05/11/2008

These additional excellent,reasonable restaurants:

Meneer Pannekoek, Raadhuistraat #6

DePrins Cafe, Prinsenstraat #124

Lust, Runstraat #20

De Twee Griecen, Prinsenstraat #20, which was absolutely fantastic..a lamb chop dinner came with five lamb chops!

We carried your book with us daily on our April '08 trip and it was a really super trip...many thanks for all you do.

Clint Robins in needham, ma USA 04/25/2008

Make more mention of the fact that very few places accept credit or debit cards from non-Dutch people. Only the museums and one or two shops did, with minimum purchase requirements. You're basically forced to carry cash, and with all the warning signs posted everywhere about pickpockets, it's disconcerting as a tourist to have to carry cash around (even with a money belt).

Mary in New YOrk, NY USA 03/23/2008

would it be possible to include some of the other Dutch cities (Rotterdam, Haarlem) in this book?

Craig Oren in Cherry Hill, NJ USA 03/21/2008

I think adding a section on Maastricht would be a great idea - a wonderful town, and if traveling to or from Belgium or Germany it may be directly on the traveler's path. I preferred it to Haarlem, although I like Haarlem as well! Would be nice to have guidebook info as the Rick Steves guides are the best way to travel in my eyes.

Gary Hilliard in Dover, DE USA 01/10/2008

There are so many restaurants out there it is hard to determine where to go. More examples would be good (especially near Leidseplien) or a good restaurant guide website to determine where you would want to go. Don't forget to describe what is the difference with Brasseries and Tea Rooms. For Americans, remind them that you need to ask for the check and if the restaurant requires reservations, typically that means you have that table for the night, the eating experience is not like that in the U.S.

Mark Adams in Maple Grove, MN USA 11/12/2007

Re the Aalsmeer Flower Auction (p.244 in 2007 edition): for drivers it would be helpful to include the Dutch name used on road signs (Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer).

G.Harms in Dallas, OR USA 11/03/2007

Add the Pink Bear Bike Tours (Miki also has a small B&B that she operates near her bike garage), and delete Nathan and his non-tour.

George Cody in Franktown, CO USA 10/28/2007

In belgium, include Wittamer as a must stop for pastry lovers and include Pierre Marcolini for chocolate lovers

Marianne Hendarman in Moorpark, CA USA 10/26/2007

I got lost trying to find the Hotel Egmond. I missed the turn off for the bridge and couldn't find the turn off. The sign for the Hotel Egmond is very very small and on a very obscure street. I was saved because we were there on a Sunday with little traffic and I met a bicyclist who had a GPS who was able to guide me to the hotel.

Tell people when they are looking for the Hotel Egmond to carefully watch for the correct bridge turnoff and ask for directions. There sign is too small to see. The directions on the website appear to be clear, but do not match the confusion because the turnoff street signs are too small to see.

Roger Goppelt in Cottage Grove, Wi USA 08/22/2007

We loved the book- used the walking tours and really had a blast however a more detailed map of just the recommended walks would have been helpful.

Maura Tepper in Stamford, CT USA 08/19/2007

Rick, you need to give the Adriaan windmill in Haarlem at least one triangle...a very interesting and impressive sight. If you take the short tour, you can see the mechanism work from the inside, and standing on the outside platform and seeing the blades whoosh by a few feet away makes you realize how powerful the windmill is...it looks so gentle from a distance. And from the outside the mill is amazingly beautiful, especially the view from across the canal. How can you go to Holland and not see a windmill, for goodness' sake? Also, I think the Coorie ten Boom house tour in Haarlem deserves at least one triangle...fascinating and inspirational, and a good complement to what you learn at the Anne Frank House.

George Mole' in Bronx, NY USA 08/18/2007

Rick - we are a family of 4 and these days it's too expensive to rent 2 hotel rooms. We rented apartments online for 1 week in Paris and 1 week in Amsterdam - but it was a gamble. They turned out fine, but I wasn't sure there would even be an actual address when we showed up. Why don't you review apartment rentals or rental websites - I would feel a lot more comfortable if they were "Rick Steves" approved. Regards, Arnie Goldin

Arnold Goldin in Redington Beach, FL USA 08/16/2007

Have one for The Netherlands and one for Belgium, to include Antwerp - well worth a couple of days'visit. (We'd recommend a superb B&B: het Singelhuis (www.singelhuis.be)

Stephen & Pippa West in Exeter, England 08/14/2007

Maps are frustrating, I'd prefer non hand drawn.

Cindy in Shurleff, Wa USA 07/13/2007

Please add information about parking regulations in The Netherlands. We parked our car in Delft and didn't see anything about fees, etc. Then, when we returned, we had a ticket and discovered that there was a parking permit kiosk across the street halfway up the street. We had no way of knowing to look for it. None of the guidebooks gave us a clue.

Dorothy Day in Queen Creek, AZ USA 06/26/2007

Additional guides to consider buying: Amsterdam City Walks, has 50 separate walks around Amsterdam, can be used as bike tours instead. Additonally, the Frommer's day by day looks like a good companion to Rick's book, we got it after our trip but it would have been awesome to have on our trip. (We are giving it to my father-in-law for when he goes over)

Centraal train station does not provide schedules if you go to a person at the counter. I requested it several times and they don't have them. They also cannot provide connection information. If you want schedules use the Deutsche Bahn German rail site ahead of time to get a range of leaving and return times. The NS Dutch Railways (www.NS.nl) site is OK, but harder to navigate, I used the German rail site to figure out the stops and schedules and then verified on the NS site.

In Antwerp, if you are changing trains to get to Brugge (Bruges)--or anywhere really--it helps to know that you most likely will not make your connection. There are no fewer than four escalators (long ones) between trains, that tied with the major construction in Antwerp station. And for Brugge station you need to have your own copy of schedules, everything is currently in major disarray. If this is your first time using the train system in Europe, it will take you some time to get used to it, as reading the schedules is something which someone from the US would not be that familiar with.

Rick glosses over the train system in Europe, saying that it is easy to use. It would be helpful to have more detailed information about getting around by train through the different countries. As Amsterdam shows, there are quirks to each country that can throw new travelers off. A more detailed guide on the train system would be helpful.

Stephen Heverin in Oreland, PA USA 06/19/2007

By far the biggest improvement on our Brugge trip would have been not renting a car. Just have a cab pick you up at the train station & take you to Adornes. Having a car in the city is a negative. I would also recommend June for the month. No lines for anything ever boats, carriages, tours, meals.

Dave Huthwaite in Leesburg, VA USA 06/07/2007

Overall I thought the book was excellent and plan on buying Rick's books for any future trips!

Bill Schmidt in Norfolk, VA USA 05/22/2007

The book is wonderful. Especially the museum information. I knew exactly which paintings I wanted to see.

Evelyn Clark in Montain View, Ca USA 05/21/2007

You might want to explain more about Queen's Day--the pros and cons, especially since it takes place in tulip season. Very crowded and noisy, no public transportation, can't get into or out of Amsterdam. A lot of tourists, especially those on a tight schedule, are very upset by it. We had a ball (literally) though. We had 11 days in Amsterdam and Queen's Day was the highlight--and by the end of the day I could pronounce it in Dutch.

Jack Kashtan in Sacramento, CA USA 05/21/2007

I wish the maps of the hotels, restaurants, etc included all street names, not just the major avenues.

Regan Turner in Kailua, HI USA 05/07/2007

I would love to see a section on Ghent!

Beth Platte USA 05/07/2007

My daughter and I attempted the Art Nouveau walk in Ixelles. Better siting and numbers of some buildings would have proved helpful.

Marcia Weisser in East Williston, NY USA 05/05/2007

Include The English Theatre of Bruges!

Edward Avila in Blackpool, UK 05/04/2007

Add more driving information. Inform people that, in Europe, you pay for sitting down in a restaurant or cafe and for being served. You can eat very well and much, much, much cheaper by buying food in the wonderful shops and grocery stores. We even bought a coffee pot, ground coffee from a grocery, cups and some sugar and saved about 8 Euros per person per day by making our own coffee.

Dorothy Day in Queen Creek, AZ USA 04/30/2007

BIGGER PRINT!!

Gayle Alston in Ozark, Ar USA 04/03/2007