Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels

Favorite discoveries or tips:

Had a wonderful time at De Garre (Bruges) taking in the local beer culture. A little tricky to find but worth the effort.

Catherine Fox in Saratoga Springs, NY USA 10/26/2009

The Aviodrome flight museum in Lelystad http://www.aviodrome.nl/english/

The Spoorwegmuseum Train Museum in Utrecht http://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/en/index.html

The Archeology Museum in Bruges. Went in on impulse with my three day card. Unexpectedly fun little place. Some interesting exhibits. Stuff there for kids too.

De Krijtberg church in Amsterdam, another impulse find. Very pretty RC church with some extremely unusual symbols inside.

Charles in Darien, IL USA 10/22/2009

Our favorite experience was the Gay Pride Parade in Amsterdam, first weekend of August. This parade is a huge party, with judged floats along Prinzengracht canal on Saturday afternoon. However, that's not the best part. The floats were for the most part rather tame. What impressed us was the atmosphere surrounding the entire celebration. From late morning, people flocked to the canal, wearing pink clothes and accessories. It was a non-stop party, and the floats seemed almost a distraction. Boats were moored two and three deep on both sides of the canal, leaving just enough room for the floats to pass. The streets were completely filled as well. Everyone was just so mellow and friendly. There was a lot of drinking, music, eating, partying, but -- and this is what really impressed us -- NOT ONE incident of belligerence. No fighting, no raised voices, no shoving, nothing you would expect to see in such a crowd. Just a good time for all.

Margaret Plotkin in Philadelphia, PA USA 10/17/2009

The Hermitage Amsterdam is outstanding! As you note in the 2009 edition, it moved into new quarters in June. We liked it better than both the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum. It deserves much more prominence in the next edition.

The present exhibition is about the Russian Czars and the Russian court. In March of 2010 there will be a completely new exhibition, of French art if I recall correctly. We found the audio guide to be worthwhile.

Ken Brown in Toronto, On Canada 10/13/2009

Just returned from Amsterdam and discovered the public library and the wonderful cafeteria "La Place" on the top floor of the library. The library and the cafeteria have great views of the Amsterdam skyline; the architecture of the library is worth noting; and the cafeteria has fresh and reasonably priced food with terrific views. Located very close to the Nemo science museum.

Susan Gibb in Santa Ana, CA USA 10/09/2009

The Hermitage Amsterdam was phenomenal. You mentioned it in the book, I think, but it is worthy of a Rick Steves tour, like the other major museums.

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

I've been checking the rates in Bruges for next summer (august), and most of them are nearly double the amounts mentioned in your guidbook.

Steve B in San Diego, ca USA 10/09/2009

tervuren belgium if you need a break from the city take tram 44 from brussels & in 40 minutes be a world away beautiful grounds, forrest & small town gives you a break from all the flemish cities on the usual tour route tho lovely they are only 1/2 the story see where & how the locals chill hiking & bike rentals avalible for museum fans the congo museum is there as well lovely local church & sidewalk cafes many english speakers as there is an english school there as well also del rey chocolates in amsterdam near the train station amazing pastries as well as chocolates & cookies try the lemon herb finger food YUM!!!!!!! the best thing i tasted & as you know in belgium the competation is stiff

freddy boon in richmond, va USA 09/28/2009

I highly recommend the Vondelpark Museum B&B, Vossiusstraat 14, Amsterdam. Great location, adjacent to Vondel Park, short walk to such as Van Gogh museum, Rijksmuseum, and canal boat stops. Very friendly, helpful mother and son. Arranged for a reasonable taxi ride to airport; purchased our transport tickets; recommended good, inexpensive restaurants; gave us browniesl and offered the use of their washing machine. A great value!

Susan in Ledford, MT USA 09/21/2009

Restaurants in Brugges!!! Maggie from Royal Stewart B&B is an angel of recommendations!

Den Voerman Maalsesteenweg 2 8310 Sint-Kruis Brugge Tel: 050 35 82 88 www.denvoerman.be

This restaurant is on the edge of town, near the windmill ring. We took a taxi (we were tired and its a small walk from town). It was totally worth it! A very "local" place to eat with a daily menu. 30 euros per meal. The staff was small and amazing. I had Flemish asparagus with local Salmon and potatoes. sooo good! Homemade ice cream was brought to us on the house. They liked us -- 2 ladies from America! Go early to avoid the late night dinner crowd.

Gruuthuse Hof Mariastraat 36 8000 Brugge tel 050/3306.14 www.gruuthusehof.be (since 1955)

Another recommended by Maggie at Royal Stewart. Ask for Phil! Charming, very clean and stylish. 35 euro each for lunch -- a big lunch! My friend had rack of lamb and I had a big steak. It was amazing food and very close to the square.

Delft - has a lot of touristy places in the mail square. Of course. Just down a few streets is...

Spijshuis de Dis Beestenmarkt 36 2611 GC Delft tel 015/2131782 www.spijshuid de dis.com

The owner was our server and chef! It was absolutely packed in this restaurant. Mostly dutch people. tidbit: The chef's parents live in San Luis Obisbo, CA...near my home. Chef Chris(I think that was his name) makes traditional Dutch dishes with a new flare. Rabbit Stew was amazing. His son is also a chef there and does amazing desserts! Great wine selection. This was THE BEST AMAZING restaurant we went to in Delft. I'll say it again -- AMAZING!!

Carla in Hollister, CA USA 09/17/2009

Jan de Clerk Chocolaterie in Brugges. (near Royal Stweart B&B) Hand made and sold by Jan himself. It was the BEST!!

Carla in Hollister, CA USA 09/17/2009

In Brugge, try the Sacre Coeur Restaurant, in the Bauhaus Hostel. Great food, great prices, and an amazing selection of Belgian beers.

George Allen in Ann Arbor, MI USA 09/09/2009

I just returned on August 23rd from a 2 week trip to the Netherlands. Celebrated my 60th birthday with another friend from Minnesota. Had a fantastic week-long bicycling/boat trip through the province of South Holland. Needed a massage badly--found a legitimate and very therapeutic place called "Sabayjai Massage" in Schiedam. The full address is Rotterdamsdijk 409 A Schiedam. The web address: www.sabayjai.mysites.nl The proprietor was a Thai woman who kindly directed us to the Western Union store to make phone calls. (We found it difficult to exchange currency (banks would not do it) and to find public phones on our travels through the country). Otherwise we found the Rick Steves guide to be MOST helpful in planning our travels. Loved the Cafe 'tSmalle in Amsterdam. Thanks for all the help!

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

I just returned on August 23rd from a 2 week trip to the Netherlands. Celebrated my 60th birthday with another friend from Minnesota. Had a fantastic week-long bicycling/boat trip through the province of South Holland. Needed a massage badly--found a legitimate and very therapeutic place called "Sabayjai Massage" in Schiedam. The full address is Rotterdamsdijk 409 A Schiedam. The web address: www.sabayjai.mysites.nl The proprietor was a Thai woman who kindly directed us to the Western Union store to make phone calls. (We found it difficult to exchange currency (banks would not do it) and to find public phones on our travels through the country). Otherwise we found the Rick Steves guide to be MOST helpful in planning our travels. Loved the Cafe 'tSmalle in Amsterdam. Thanks for all the help!

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

Add Ghent to the addition, it is truly a beautiful city.

Karen Greenberg in Chappaqua, NY USA 08/15/2009

Just back from Amsterdam yesterday-Prostitute Information Center was closed during stated business hours? Upon arrival to Centraal Train Station, there were no computers available to buy tram tickets. You have to go to the white GDV booth, wait in line, and buy your ticktes. I confirmed this with the woman who worked there, although you can buy ticktes on certain trams. Bought a 3 day pass for 15E. Bought ticktes online for Anne Frank house and Rijkmusuem and just walked in. Line for Van Gogh musueum not bad in the morning, about 15 min wait. Not a lot of nightlife for those who don't want to smoke or drink or walk around red light district (in my opinion). Train from Centraal Station to Schipol airport was 10 min and cost 3.8 E

Joy in Dayton, OH USA 07/23/2009

I discovered that Amsterdam wakes up *very* late, so going on a morning walk is an incredible way to see a bit city and feel like you're the only one there. Even at 9, I went blocks without seeing a soul.

Abby in Seattle, WA USA 07/09/2009

The note that average taxi fair from the airport to downtown Amsterdam should be about 40 euros is correct, but you should add that there is a different fare scale on Sundays. We were a little surprised when the fare to downtown on Sunday afternoon (with absolutely no traffic) was 55 euro. The fare returning to the airport on Tuesday morning was 39.50.

J Holland in Arlington, VA USA 06/24/2009

In the section "Advance tickets and sightseeing cards" (page 28), I would add the HOLLAND PASS (www.hollandpass.com). It's cheaper than the Iamsterdam card (Euro 34; but I paid 32.30 Eu on line) and it gives more or less the same benefits. In addition, the Holland pass lets you skip the line at several museums. The pass has 5 coupons (A to E) that can be used to visit different sites. For instance, I've used coupon A for the Van Gogh museum, the B for the Rijksmuseum, the C for a Canal Cruise, the D for a 24-hr unlimited transportation pass, and the E for the Houseboatmuseum. If I had to purchase all tickets separately, I would have spent 48Euros. The Holland pass also gives you discount to museum and a few restaurants. Totally worth it!!!

Clarissa Ceruti in Philadellphia, PA USA 06/11/2009

Page 180--eating near Leidseplein--We had a very nice, inexpensive, steak dinner "special" at Alberto's Uruguayan Steak Restaurant, Leidsedwarsstraat 26, tel 020-624-0095 (the waitress told us the beef actually comes from Argentina)

Paul Overmyer in Fort Collins, CO USA 06/09/2009

Bruges was amazing all over. Loved it so much!

Jennifer H in London, ON Canada 06/04/2009

Rick's tip about visiting the Anne Frank House after 6 pm worked perfectly! At 3 pm the line was around the building. We went back at 6:30 and there were 3 people in line.

Mary Ann in Orlando, FL USA 05/13/2009

Aalsmeer Flower Auction (FloraHolland) is a must see in my book and there is bus service from airport (ask at the information desk). Also, I recommend buying tickets for the Anne Frank House, Rijks Museum, and Van Gogh Museum online (the lines are very long).

Greg in Jackson, KY USA 04/11/2009

Haarlem, Netherlands: The ticket machines at the train station only took coins or cards - make sure you have some change!

The Hague, Netherlands: If you have a particular interest, we recommend visiting the International Criminal Court. You have to email them two weeks ahead of time, but we got a highly presonalized tour, they answered loads of our questions, and were very pleasant even though the US has not ratified the Rome Statute. We also got to see the Charles Taylor trial in action.

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

The Frites Museum (french fries museum) in Bruges just opened six months ago. It's run by the same folks who have the Chocolate Museum. Great displays, and you'll learn so much more than you ever thought you needed to know about french fries. The best part is the french fries you can buy at the end of the museum tour. I think they're the best in Bruges!

Diane in Tucson, AZ USA 11/21/2008

This feedback is of a different nature. The book is great - we loved it and used it everyday on our recent trip the The Hague, Amsterdam, Brugges and Paris. I found a new use for the book. Our first morning in Amsterdam, on the crowded, standing room only tram to the Rembrandt museum, I felt more than normal jostling at my left hip. My bag was slung from right shoulder to left hip and zipped. I looked over to see a young man pulling the zipper back and separating the bag with his fingers. Without thinking, I swung my right hand over to him and swatted him across the forearm, wrist and stomach. In my right hand was the Rick Steves book which certainly startled this young man. I yelled pick pocket; he jumped off the tram and ran away empty handed. Thank you for saving our trip. The remainder of our trip was uneventful except for no room the first night at our prepaid and reserved Paris hotel.

Sara Costner in Atlanrta, Ga USA 10/21/2008

I wanted to let you know about a new beach hostel my friend discovered in Holland. Although I have nothing to compare it to, I am thrilled with the atmosphere, rates and service here, as is my friend who is a seasoned traveller. It's called Jorplace, and it's located in the Hague in the beach area known as Scheveningen.

The rates are reasonable, especially considering it's proximity to the beach, amenities and tram. It's beach theme is prominent, from the tiki bar, to the surfboards decorating the walls, to the bamboo-laden patio. it hosts great socials every few weekends (which are fantastic for meeting other travellers) and is hosting a kite-surfing competition this weekend.

My friend and I are enjoying it so much that instead of searching for an apartment in the city, we have decided to become long-stay visitors, for which we're only being charged €450 each per month. guests are offered complimentary breakfast, bed linens and internet useage for a fee, however long-stay visitors have free access. it is a very safe location and staff are on-duty 24 hours a day. even better, there is no lock out policy AND they have an open kitchen! we have cooked up a storm every night. also, i can't begin to tell you how friendly the staff here are. they're all our age and extremely personable, great to talk to. they also have great advice on city hotspots and tourist attractions - even for other european cities! there are bikes available to rent, which is a nice option since cycling is so popular here, and coupons for various attractions and restaurants around the city.

we're a block from the beach, surrounded by friendly dutch surfers, and we get free internet and one free meal a day. as a young traveller who is new to all this, honestly i couldn't be happier. please check this place out!

Leila ON Canada 10/19/2008

Bruge recommended B&Bs were filled but Hobo B&B was suggested at 50 euros. It is in a quiet area about a 20min. walk from center. Small but friendly,helpful and comfortable.

Jan Polkinghorne in Boulder, CO USA 10/11/2008

These all refer to Haarlem, in the Netherlands.

I fully recommend the Coach House Inn (http://www.thecoachhouseinn.eu/; Gedempte Oude Gracht 34; 2011GS Haarlem; 023 5312760). This is a cozy bar/eetcafe in an old building in the center. I have eaten there twice; recently and about a year ago. The jovial barman/waiter/cook was the only visible employee each time. The food was good, with a typical Dutch eetcafe selection (steaks, fish, sate, served with salad and fries); with a better presentation and quality than usual in that price range (around 10-15/main). The premises are clean and cozy, with a resident cat, Tommy.

While it may be too small for inclusion, the b&b "Haarlemse Hofdames" is very nice. (http://www.bedandbreakfast.nl/presentatie/4841/4). We stayed with them in the spring and again last weekend, and the ladies are friendly and helpful. The breakfast and decoration are definitely a cut above the usual. They run two places; a building with two rooms at Lange Margarethastraat 46 and a studio appartment. I strongly preferred the rooms over the studio, as they are in a great central location an in an old building.

JAE in Groningen, Netherlands 09/29/2008

Rick, I recently had a great two-week vacation in Brussels/Bruges/Amsterdam. This was my 10th vacation in Europe and my first time using one of your books. Your book was excellent. Thank you. I have two suggestions for you related to Amsterdam:

1. In the “Eating” section, you absolutely have to include a beer cafe called “ ‘t Arendsnest “. This bar is in a great location along the Herengracht. They specialize in beer – and what makes them really special is they serve only beer made in The Netherlands. They currently have 350 Dutch beers available, including 23 on tap. The bartenders are exceptionally knowledgeable about beer. All in all, it is a fabulous place and you would do your readers a big favor by including it in your book. See http://www.arendsnest.nl/english.php for more information.

2. In the B&B section, I recommend that you include a B&B called “Sunhead of 1617”. The B&B owner is Carlos Cecilio, and he recommended the bar I mentioned above (I would not have gone to ‘t Arendsnest without his recommendation because I would never had known it was there!). Here is why I recommend Sunhead of 1617: -- Great location along the Herengracht. -- Very beautiful building -- Fabulous breakfast including fresh-squeezed orange juice and eggs cooked to order. -- My room (the Sunflower apartment) was very large (quiet bedroom at the rear of the building and a large separate living room on the front side of the building). It had two large windows overlooking the canal. -- This B&B has been in business since 1994. Carlos told me it has been in business as a B&B longer than anyone in Amsterdam except one other B&B. -- This B&B got the Michelin seal for 2008. -- Ironically, this B&B is located at Herengracht 152, which is RIGHT NEXT DOOR to the building you mention on your Jordaan walking tour (Herengracht 150, which you point out to your readers as a good example of a narrow but deep building). -- Carlos explained to me that he plans to upgrade all of the rooms. So Sunhead of 1617 will get even better than it already is.

See http://www.sunhead.com/ for more information.

Thanks again for a great tour book. I hope you find this information useful.

Cheers, Tom Haser Annandale, VA

Tom Haser in Annandale, VA USA 09/27/2008

We stayed at Hotel dePauw in Bruges and it was great! The owners of the hotel also run a restaurant around the corner that was excellent. The restaurant is not in the book, so I am recommending it as an addition to the guidebook. The name of the restaurant is "Oud Handbogenhof".The address is Baliestraat 6, B-8000 Bruge. The telephone is 050 33 19 45. The owners are Phillipe and Hilde. Thanks for the great quidebooks. We use them on every trip, and I hope you will add the new restaurant. Sincerely, the Frasers

Kay in Fraser, CA USA 09/18/2008

De Verloren Hoek Restaurant, Carmerstraat 178, 8000 Brugge, Belgium. Tel050/330698. If you want good local food cooked in the flemish style this is the restaurant for you. We have eaten here on many occasions and have always found the food, service and atmosphere eccellent. The owner and wife are very helpful and friendly and I would definatley recommend a visit.

Chris Wyatt in Bournemouth, England 08/26/2008

Day trips from Amsterdam to the smaller towns is a must. Purchase tickets in the front left of the train station at the yellow line. Tickets range from about 3 to 6 euros roundtrip. I loved traveling to Delft (where we saw a huge town graduation celebration including camels, elephants, and more), Haarlem (where we heard the organ that Mozart and Handel played - amazing), De Hague (a visit to see the Girl with a Pearl Earring is a must for Vermeer fans), Leiden for all it's old world charm, and Utrecht which was amazing. In Utrecht we ate the best meal right next to the Dom Cathedral at Lokaal de Reiinie (amazing food). We took the advice of a previous submission and contacted Max (maxman@tiscali.nl) for a private canal ride in Amsterdam and had one of the most romantic times ever.

Tennessee travelers in Murfreesboro, TN USA 08/16/2008

Restaurant in Bruges: El Greco Sint Jacobsstraat 48 Tel: 050 33 02 96 info@el-greco.be www.el-greco.be

Excellent food, not far from the main square. The owners were welcoming and helpful. The owner is from Corfu, where he will be going back for a visit in September -- with their youngest child, born this summer. Our group of four tried various Souvlakis, pastizio, etc. and all were well prepared with excellent ingredients. On our first visit we were seated over to the side; when we returned, we got the front window and made to feel very special. Lots of locals in and out both evenings we were there. Convenient to our hotel (Hotel Lucca).

Nancy in San Carlos, CA USA 08/14/2008

Victor Horta was an architect and designer and early originator of Art Nouveau in Belgium. Her designed many homes, hotels, and some public buildings. The museum is a pair of adjacent homes which he combined; he lived and worked in them personally. It is exquisite, small, and in excellent condition. It is said to be crowded on weekends, but during the week is easy to get into -- as we found. Rue Americaine is near Tram #92, stop Jason.

When we asked the young man at the door if he spoke English, he said, "Better and better every day, but with a Boston accent." 7 Euros; 3.5 Euros for seniors

Horta Museum 25, rue Américaine 1060 Bruxelles (Saint-Gilles)

Tel.: + 32 2 543 04 90 Fax: +32 2 538 76 31

e-mail: info@hortamuseum.be

Nancy in San Carlos, CA USA 08/14/2008

We stopped by the Friethuis de Vlaminck in Haarlem for fries. When the owner saw Rick's book, he laughed and said "he was just here yesterday". Talk about a small world! Thanks Rick for working so hard to keep it updated!

Trevor in Roswell, GA USA 08/12/2008

Great eetcafe.... We went to Cafe Restaurnat de Reiger.. but they only took cash and the local atm was busted. We then walked to Cafe Restaurant de Zageril on Westerstraat 182 in Jordaan. It was fabulous and the rack of lamb was superb in every way. And they take credit cards.

Joel in Jericho, NY USA 08/06/2008

A new B&B in Waarland, Holland: De Boereplaats B&B: owned and operated by the Stoop family; long time residents of the area. Jonkerstraat 31 1738 BP Waarland www.deboereplaats.nl 0226.422.096 info @ deboereplaats.nl They have 2 rooms, a dining hall with full kitchen/chef for big parties and a special building called the Haystack. The Haystack is a romantic suite on the bottom floor and a private hayloft on the top floor with a beautiful view of the countryside. A car is recommended for enjoying the most of the Waarland countryside. The nearest citites are Alkmaar and Schagen. We loved our time visiting the Dutch countryside!

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

spent a month living in an apartment on the Herengracht. Used the book extensively. Guide Ab Albert was wonderful. Biking was the way to go, but I think you could add a bit about how to get started and surviving on the bikes.Prisengracht mucc easier route because the intersections don't go through.There is so much biking needed that more tips would be helpful. The Ferries behind Central Station open a whole new world. The Concertgeboux is a must.

Steve Roddy in Penn Valley, CA USA 07/18/2008

The best waffles, referred by locals, is Laurenzino Waffles on the corner of Sint-Amandsstraat. Take-away waffle for a good price - 1.85 euros. Please, check it out. It was crowded with locals each time I visited. Fresh batter made several times a day. Truly, outstanding quality.

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

The Singel hotel on the SIngel canal, only 10 minutes walk from Centraal station was very nice, and had an elevator! The exterior is typical but the rooms are decent as is the breakfast, but it's a bit pricey on weekends - 169 euro for a double - drops to 139 on weeknights. The staff is very friendly and helpful

Peter & Maureen in Ridgeland, MS USA 06/21/2008

Go to the Anne Frank house in the evening, there wasn't a line, and it wasn't crowded. Keukenhof!! Go it is an amazing garden.

Rebecca in W. Lafayette, IN USA 06/16/2008

The Zinneke Parade in Brussels, which is held every other year at the end of the month of May is fun and fantastic. Very creative costumes. This year it was a pleasure to experience this multi faceted event.

Paul Hofman in Saint Louis, MO USA 06/09/2008

Amsterdam's GVB transit info office was wonderful! The woman who helped us even remarked that she wished all of the customers she had were like us. I guess that should be attributed to you, because we read your book and did our homework before we stepped into the office.

Stacy in Freiburg, BW Germany 06/04/2008

On the Spuistraat in Amsterdam, restaurant November, very near the easy to remember "Five Flies", excellent food and value, less crowded than better known nearby options,

C.F. Ward in San Diego, CA USA 05/27/2008

BBIJ Brewery in Amsterdam...best beer I had in Europe abd very cheap! The brewery is located in an old windwill along a canal. The line up at the Ann Frank House was still very long in the evening. Luckily we booked our tickets in advance.

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

My wife and I visited Bruges in April 2008 and found another internet cafe called Bruges Cyber Cafe at Katelunestraat 53; The price for internet access was very reasonable;

Doug Shannon in Molalla, OR USA 05/19/2008

Kroller-Muller Museum

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

We stayed in Ghent and spent day in Brugess and Brussels. Ghent was much quieter and the people were so nice. We loved Ghent much more than Brugess.

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

1. In Amsterdam, the Museumkaart is not always worthwhile. We happened to be there during the weekend of April 5 & 6, 2008 (using the latest book, released in 2008 without the year in the title). This happened to be "Free Museum Weekend" in Amsterdam, which I understand to be an annual occurance. I had purchased a museum pass on Apr 4, and only attended the Maruitshuis that day. Subsequent days (5 & 6), museums were free (eg Frans Hals only charged $2.50, the cost to enter the special collection currently on display). The Van Gogh and Rijks did not participate. The Amsterdam Historical was half-price. At any rate, covering those 4, it would have been cheaper for me not to have purchased the pass.

2. Den Djiver was a great restaurant in Bruges. The lunch special is very reasonable, for the quality and courses served. Many locals also came in for it.

3. There is a market certain mornings in Bruges' Market Square. There is a chocolate stand there named "Tante Ann", which has very good quality chocolates, at about 2/3rds the price of Dumon. Though we did consider Dumon to be creamier and slightly better quality. We purchased several kg of Dumon to bring back as gifts, but would have saved some money with minimal loss in quality if we waited for this.

4. Consider adding Luxembourg to the book. We visited because we have a friend there. The Bok is a very interesting location, and Luxembourg has a unique history and atmosphere.

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

Keukenhof!

Amy in Anoka, MN USA 05/01/2008

EATING IN BRUGES: We found a nice sandwich shop in Bruges, just down the street from the Chocolate Line. Venice Corn sandwich bar (Mariastraat 15, 8000 Brugge, tel 050 612 512) has delicious, reasonably priced gourmet sandwiches. We had goat cheese with juicy sun-dried tomatoes and pesto on whole-wheat baguettes. Yummy.

Linda Durfee and Paul Henneberger in Morgantown, WV USA and Barcelona, Spain 04/29/2008

Hotel Sint Nicolas,Spuistraat1,located near the Central Railroad Station,elevated 4 floors,2 stars,full breakfast,friendly,young staff,internet access.150Euros for double room, very clean and neat.

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

RESTAURANT--The Taj Mahal, Amsterdam. Great East Indian food, especially the 'butter chicken'. Friendly staff, nice music, clean and quiet. Located behind the Heiniken Brewery. We ate there in 2006, liked it so much we went back for seconds in 2008!

HOTEL--Mercure Amsterdam Frommer, ***s, Noorderstraat 46, 31-20/6220328, in 'downtown' Amsterdam (not the one by the airport). Great 'old' atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff, has a lift, within 2 minutes walk of Wettering Circuit/tram stop, nice (if pricey) variety of food for breakfast, about 10 miles from airport (need a taxi, no shuttle), limited tv, in-room safe, small fridge, has non-smoking rooms. Our view was of local daycare, so was fun to see parents biking their kids to school. Bartender, Amin, originally from Pakistan, has lived in Amst. for 30+ years, worked at this hotel for 20+ years, loves to visit with tourists.

BRUGES--Tourist shop, Lace Paradise, has the usual, PLUS a limited amount of small hand-made bobbin lace items, as opposed to the usual machine-made lace. Staff very friendly and patient.

Margaret Ferguson WA USA 04/16/2008

The Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam is a must-see.

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

Bruges was one of the best places to plan a relaxing "break" for yourself on a whirlwind tour of europe. We really loved the laid back atmosphere, relatively inexpensive cost, and great activities to enjoy the Belgian lifestyle. We followed the (obvious) recommendation to eat a bucket of mussels, ate tons of chocolate at the Dumon chocolatier off of the little plaza, and rented bikes to ride down the canal and along the countryside to the next town over. It was a perfect flemish painting, a romatic escape from the bustle of the cities before and after (Berlin, Amsterdam) on our trip. If you need a break from sightseeing and just want to slow down, this was the place.

Michelle Smudde in Saint Louis, MO USA 02/06/2008

Maastricht!

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

If you haven't already, you must check out Fort Amsterdam B&B http://www.fortamsterdam.com/ They just went into business this year, and from what I've seen and read, they're getting great word-of-mouth. I, along with several others, left a review on tripadvisor.com which you might want to read. I HIGHLY recommend this tiny (2 rooms), charming b&B.

Arlene Pelayo in Minneapolis, MN United States 01/06/2008

When visiting Amsterdam in August, my son and I took the two hour train / bus ride to Apeldoorn (80 km east of Amsterdam) and visited Apenheul, the monkey zoo. I think that we may have been the only Americans there that day but everyone speaks English anyway. Loved sitting with the monkeys and especially the lemurs who run free among the visitors. While sitting on a bench taking pictures, I had a red ruffed lemur walk onto my lap and start licking my fingers and camera lens. I don't think that there are many zoos in the world where that can happen. If you want to see squirrel monkeys, spider monkeys and lemurs through smudged glass, you can go to a run of the mill zoo. If you want to sit on a bench next to a whole family of lemurs, go to Apenheul. This place is the best kept secret in Europe. By the way, I first heard of Apenheul in this "favorite discoveries" section of Rick Steves' website.

Rick Kobylinski in Warminster, Pa USA 12/08/2007

Brussels Guesthouse Aline & Alain Moignot Chausée de Haecht, 31 Brussels www.brusselsguesthouse.be Large, comfortable rooms with great breakfast and hospitality at a reasonable price. Near the North Station which you use to take the train to other cities.

Laurie Guitteau in Santa Barbara, CA USA 11/20/2007

I wanted to let you know about the very positive experience that I had with Frederic and his staff from Frederic's Bike Rental. Although I didn't rent a bike, I did use Frederic to find local accommodations. When I travel abroad, I prefer to stay somewhere that isn't a hotel where I can be treated like an American within their refuge. I have found that most of the fun traveling to Europe is immersion in the local culture. Frederic rented us a Houseboat on the Bloemgracht for quite a reasonable price. Our homebase, nestled into a local neighborhood, had a kitchen, laundry, and a geese (or were they swans?) to feed in the morning who tapped on our windows to make their presence known. I highly recommend using Frederic to anyone who prefers to stay this way. www.Frederic.nl

that is already set up to make me forget

He and his staff were very friendly,

Andrew Clifford in Scottsdale, AZ USA 11/14/2007

1669 Bed and Breakfast, Brugge, Belgium (Sint Salvatorskerkhof 16, B 8000 Brugge, Belgium) (www.1669.be) Olivier and Cynthia are wonderful hosts and have created one of the nicest B&Bs we have ever stayed at. Their B&B is exceptionally cozy and wonderfully decorated and they have paid very close attention to every detail. Each room has it's own character. We stayed in the "Loft" which had plenty of room and a great tub. (one note, they are working on Sint-Salvator Cathedral and the jack hammering starts at 8am, the "Sint-Salvator room" and "room with a view" could be bothered by this noise, "the Loft" is on the back side of the house so you do not really hear it.

Den Dyver (Dijver 5, 8000 Brugge) (www.dyver.be) was one of the best restaurants we ate at. This place is highly recommended for people who like beer, they are able to match beer to the menu like the French can match wine.

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

Bruges: For a wonderful and very reasonable fresh sandwich, we discovered a little "walk in" shop near the Markt Square. Very good quality, all hand made and tasty. Most of the customers were local merchants popping in and out for their lunch! Not that it is a worthy comparison, but the concept used is similar to Subway franchises in the U.S. The shop is called Pane Pane, and is at Sint-Jakobsstraat 2 - just a short walk from the Markt Square, and a welcome relief from the tourist joints. Jojo Ver Kempinck owns the shop - a delightful lady! She started the restaurant after 15 years of raising her daughter - who we met as we ate our lunch there! This low key atmosphere and good food was just what we needed. Please have your tour guides check this one out - and say "Hi" to Jojo for us! PS: her E-mail is jojoverkempinck@hotmail.com

Phil Lapin in Boring, OR USA 11/06/2007

Tip: For some reason, none of my ATM cards worked in the Brugges machines. The banks couldn't explain why. Thank goodness for the bikes at the Hotel Adornes. My wife and I borrowed two and pedaled to Sluis, in the Netherlands (about 12-15 miles each way) and tried their ATMs. My cards worked there. We had a lovely time in Sluis. Great day-trip.

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

In Brugge,Belgium, i stayed in Martin Hotel for 3 nights (friday - sunday). The hotel seems new and the room was very clean. We paid 75 euro per night for king size bed with bath per night without breakfast. The hotel provides free parking for cars and bikes (we followed your recommendation on renting bike from coffebountje for 3 days)

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

Just wanted to provide a very pleasant dining experience, right down from Hotel Aspen in Amsterdam: it's Sara's Pancake House(www.saraspancakehouse.nl) Raadhuisstraat 45

Johanna Ehlhardt in Seattle, Wa USA 10/24/2007

We were told at the Heiniken Beer Experience that they will be closing this month for renoviations and will not be open until next June, and the price will then be 15 Euros. I, personally, think one needs more than one hour to see even a fraction of what the Amsterdam History Museum has to offer. This is an outstanding museum!!! One certainly isn't going to see much of the architecture of the "Centrall Station" with all the construction going on around it. It really is "covered up".

Tom Kilroy in San Diego, CA USA 10/14/2007

Bruges B&B Rick's choices were all booked, but upon the recommnendation of one, we book am/pm B&B. Convenient to the town center area, it is an amazing modern renovation of an old home. It provides a beautiful view, very nice breakfast and the host/hostess make you feel welcome.

Eileen in Hammond, LA USA 10/10/2007

The bike ride from Bruges, Belgium, to Sluis, Holland was a great way to spend an afternoon. It took my wife and I 5.5 hours and that included having lunch in Sluis and a stop in Damme to see the church, walk around and buy chocolate. We rented bikes in Bruges from a guy who has a shop on Gentportstraat for only 5 euro a day. It was by far our most fun day in Bruges. area. You get to see beautiful countryside, canals and windmills.

Also, I would consider writing a chapter on the Wallonia region of Belgium (in particular, the Ardennes). The French in this region are very friendly, the cuisine is delicious, there are plenty of castles, caves,interesting festivals, WW II monuments, hiking trails, and bike paths to explore.

James Kovacs in Troutman, NC USA 10/01/2007

We planned our own Best of Europe in 23 days trip, and it was wonderful! Thank you Rick and staff! Our first stop was Amsterdam, and we tried to book several of Rick's recommended hotels over 6 months in advance, with no luck. I happened to come across a recommendation for Boogaard's B&B so we booked it. It was LOVELY, and only 90 euro a night. We ate some of the best breakfast of the trip, and Peter the owner was incredibly kind and helpful. He even gave each of us little porcelain clogs as a departing gift. I know he is currently relocating to be closer to Central Station, but I am sure his new place will be just as wonderful. I don't know what determines your recommendations, but if "clean, homey, helpful and reasonably priced" are adjectives you look for, please, consider putting Boogaard's into your book.

Carly Bean in Moscow, ID USA 09/22/2007

Recalling that Rick thinks nearby Haarlem is almost more attractive than Amsterdam, I want to put in a vote for Antwerp over Brussels. It's cleaner, more prosperous-looking, yet still has 20 city-operated museums (48-hour card, with transit, 20 Euros) and a quiet riverfront (because the huge port moved downstream.) There are several trains to Brussels each hour (12 Euros) and it's closer to Bruges and Ostend. Art high points: Mansion of Peter Paul Rubens, turn-of-the century Belgian artists James Ensor and Rik Wouters at the Royal Museum. Food high point: Made-to-order streetfront waffles at Desiré de Lille, Shoenmarkt 12. Equally good fresh Smoutebollen, like Quarkbollen in Germany!

Timothy Buchman in Wyckoff, NJ USA 09/19/2007

The 5 museum pass for 15 Euros in Bruges is a great deal. Since the major museums are 8 and the tower is 5 you pay for it quickly. We also found we were willing to go into some we hadn't planned on because by that point they were free to us.

Julie in Provo, Ut USA 09/04/2007

The Pageant of the Golden Tree! This is a medieval parade that only happens once every five years in Bruges, and we were lucky enough to be there on the right weekend. We didn't really understand the story the pageant was supposed to be telling, but we really enjoyed it nonetheless. The city provides grandstands in Markt Square (this unfortunately detracted slightly from our visit) and benches along some of the streets. But many businesses also put out chairs and sell them for €5 or so. We did the latter and it worked out great--all of the dancing and "scenes" seemed to happen right in front of us! So if anybody happens to be going to Bruges in 2012, consider the end of August!

Also, we loved the 2Be store on Wollestraat. Their fliers boast the largest selection of Belgian beer in the world, which I believe, but what was really cool were the displays, the chillout music, and the mazelike rooms (don't miss the basement, this is where all the beer is). It felt like shopping in a posh club!

Stephanie Dosch in Madrid, Spain 08/31/2007

Mac's Bike in Amsterdam proved to be friendly and reasonable. The Tea Room in Brugge served food all day-almost all restaurants only serve drinks between 2:30 - 6:oo pm. Delicious fare and the sweetest people working there.

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

As an American who has visited the Netherlands many times over a twenty-one year period, and with my wife's family there, my wife and I have two key items of significance to provide that should be added to your book:

(1) The city of Leiden (Leyden} on the Old Rhine River(easy to reach by train): With many lovely canals,it is a wonderful old university city, the oldest university in the Netherlands (1575); Einstein taught there; Rembrandt was born and raised there; the De Valk Windmill (1743) is right in town and only one block from the railroad station ... one can visit it and it a very good example of windmills; the Lakenhal Museum is interesting because it showcases the town's rich history; St. Peter's {Pieterskerk} Church, a large Gothic church with very American connections. The Pilgrims, from England, first went to Leiden under the leadership of John Robinson for about 25 years before they returned via Delft to England to then sail on the Mayflower for the new world. In Leiden they had been given many freedoms, including religion and a free press. Inside and outside the church there are several tributes to the Pilgrims. A Pilgrim Fathers Museum is nearby with objects and documents regarding the Pilgrim Fathers, printing press, theological books and a scale model of the Mayflower. As an American I never learned in school (that I remember) of this "Dutch connection". It is always a worthwhile visit to this lovely small Dutch city.

(2) Boat trip through the "Green Heart" of South Holland (a MUST in my opinion): a few kilometers north of Leiden (direction Amsterdam), starting point in the village of Warmond at the harbor on Jan Steenlaan, and across from the House of Jan Steen (a most famous Dutch painter). Tour boats by Rederij van Hulst; many different day trips from a couple of hours to a full day to Amsterdam and return. Mostly in spring to fall season. These lakes and canals region, called "de Kaag", is a large wonderland of water where it seems that almost everyone has a boat, many of which are moored at islands with camping, swimming, etc. Much sailing goes on here, and some of the most expensive and luxurious yachts are built here for the World's wealthiest! You will be able to see cows grazing on polders (areas below water level by about 6-7 meters and protected by dikes). My favorite saying is, "What is South Holland without water?" You won't be disappointed.

Gordon A. Mundy in Reno, NV USA 08/18/2007

Malcot Hotel in Melchem , 20 kms from Brussells Airport. We stayed at this hotel to be close to the Brussels airport. The hotel is 20 minutes away. The hotel is used by business and pleasure people. The rooms are large and immaculate. The owners love horses and Americans. They cooked a nice ham and egg omelete. They were willing to drive us to nearby restaurants. The other gem is town of Melchem has a very wonderful sqaure. We had great mussells for only 13 euros. The bars are very exciting and fun. This hotel and the town are a great place to stay if you are waiting for a flight or just want to stay outside of the city.

Roger Goppelt in Cottage Grove , Wi USA 08/16/2007

Wonderful bike trip from Brugges to Damme by Pink Bear Tours. This is owned by 2 local ladies who were born in Brugges and they offer a very personable and local flavor - even point out the hospital where they were born. Its an easy 14 KM trip with a lunch stop in Damme and you pass by a working windmill in Damme. The price is reasonable (about 19 Euros)and they have excellent Trek bikes (overkill on these flat roads). No appointment necessary - the tour meets every day at 10:30 AM under the Bell Tower. Look for the lady with the pink clipboard.

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

Netherlands…We have used Rick Steeves guidebooks for over 15 years now and have been in and out of the Netherlands for the same amount of time. Having spent so much time exploring Amsterdam we have since started exploring other parts of the Netherlands. It is so easy to explore this country by train, car, boat, bike or foot. Visitors are missing out by not seeing more of the country. This last vacation we explored Groningen, Zwolle, Kampen and Deventer. We loved Deventer so much we plan to spend New Years Eve there.

In the past we have checked out Leiden, Delft, Hoorn, Edam, Haarlem, Keukenhof, Arnhem, Enkhuizen, and Maastricht. It is easy to catch the train from Amsterdam to most of these towns. Once there you can rent a bike at the train station and then head off exploring. Enkhuizen has a wonderful walk through the city. You can pick up a walking tour map at the VVV. Maastricht was just lovely place. The one thing about visiting places like Deventer, Maastricht, and Zwolle is the lack of English speaking tourist. Not that there is anything wrong with them, we are English speaking, but it just makes you feel like you truly have discovered a “back door to Europe”. We cannot wait to explore further North, and more along the coast of the Netherlands.

We will still go back to Amsterdam. The city is just beautiful. If you visit Amsterdam and do not find it lovely then you truly haven’t seen Amsterdam. You have spent way too much time walking around the area near the train station. The area you should be in is the sections by the canals, which are just spectacular at night. The only time we have really seen garbage all over the place is when the garbage men all went on strike.

Kyle & Tina Pakka in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 08/14/2007

Amsterdam…a fantastic must do is to email Max before you go to Amsterdam so that you can set up a private boat trip of Amsterdam. Max has a small canal boat, which holds at most 6 people, that he uses to give private tours to “friends”. In order to become a friend you have to email him. The city of Amsterdam has stopped locals from giving private tours of the canals, so it is hard to find someone who is willing to give you such a unique glimpse of the city.

We took Max’s “slow food” organic dinner cruise. The tour started with strawberries and cream, then on to homemade soup, next the main course of salad and lamb sausages. Of course all of this is accompanied by alcoholic beverages, which you and Max can work that out beforehand…we chose wine. The meal was just fantastic. At the end we had some coffee while all the while watching the city of Amsterdam slowly float by. The dinner meal changes depending on what he can find to make. Max will also ask if you are allergic to anything. As Max is very open minded he does allow his friends to smoke on board.

We did not feel that the price was that expensive considering what the other small private boat tours cost, plus you get a chance to see Amsterdam as a friend of a local and not on one of these big bus-like-boat cruises. The cruise lasts about two and half hours long, which is longer than most cruises.

Max is just a wonderful person, as is his wife Caro who rode along on our trip to help him out. During the day time Max works for a foundation that organizes music performances in children’s day-care centers. Max enjoys giving boat rides to friend of this project. Max’s email is… maxman@tiscali.nl

Tina & Kyle Pakka in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 08/14/2007

Great NEW Lumina Domestica museum in Brugge

http://www.luminadomestica.be/ info@luminadomestica.be

This is one of the best small museums I've seen anywhere in the world. The history of artificial and domestic lighting from Fire to LED's. An amazingly interesting display of the process of development of a technology we all take for granted. Will interest non-techies as well as engineers and scientists--maybe especially students of technology and the history of technology development.

NEW (just opened July '07) addition to Choco-Story Museum (good--OK actually--also.) Same building but in an addition which is likely the most (hidden but) strikingly modern structure built inside the walled city.

A PURE WOW! A major FIND!

Jim McCoy in Menlo Park, CA USA 08/06/2007

From the book: The archeological museum in the bottom of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Brugge; this was a great & interesting retreat from the rain!

Tory Van Wie USA 07/15/2007

We stayed at Hotel Hoksbergen, on the recommendation of Hotel Brouwer, when they were full. info at: www.hotelhoksbergen@wxs.nl. Was 98 Euros a night for double with good breakfast. Best part was location right at Singel 301, 2 minute walk to Dam or Spui. Hold historic canal house. Rooms could be decorated nicer, but all amenities are adequate, they are helpful and friendly, and itis quiet. can book by email; cash discount

Cindy in Shurleff, Wa USA 07/13/2007

Best bike rental: Bike City in the Jordaan section. Very nice, reasonable prices. Good bikes w/o any tourist markings. Best bike trip: Taking the person ferry to the north of Amsterdam and just riding around the countryside along their very well marked bike routes. Even got mistaken for a local a few times!

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

Getting the tickets for the Anne Frank Muesuem at the Tourist Info Center by the Central Station. The ticket was for the late afternoon/early evening tours and cost 8 Euros but we walked right past the line the went around the corner and straight in! It was perfect!

Amanda Krug FL USA 06/09/2007

If your destination is Brugge and are flying into Amsterdam, I would recommend NOT renting a car. The train is much cheaper/easier.

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

The Dollar to Euro exchange rate has decreased significantly since the 2007 guidebook was written. Rather than add 20% onto the Euro price, you need to add about 50%. This was a big surprise to me, although it was my fault I did not check the exchange rate before leaving the US. If you plan on exchanging US currency for Euros, all the banks and travel services charge a tranaction fee of around 5.7 euros each time you exchange money. So exchange all your cash at once or exchange at one of the GWK Travel Centers at the Train Stations/Airport. They provide a coupon with your first exchange which waves the transaction fee for a 2nd exchange at their offices.

The International Callking Card the GWK Offices sell is also the best deal for calling the US: a 5 euro card provides approximately 60 minutes of calls to the US.

I also bought a museum card that saved me a lot of money. It costs 35 euros, is good for a year, and can be purchased at any museum.

If you are going to ride the public buses or trams, make sure to buy a stripcard before boarding. It will save you a lot of money; waiting to buy your ticket on the bus will cost you 30-50% more.

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

In Amsterdam consider renting a houseboat.The one we found was at www.amsterdamhouseoat.nl It was a nice alternative to small hotel rooms.

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

Leiden – A quiet gem

Stayed here because there were no rooms in Zandvoort or Haarlem Due to car races. Very nice university town, has a great atmosphere, Very pretty canals and many old 17th century buildings. Quiet and no tourists when I Was there.

Early one Sunday morning I saw a rowing team on a canal which was Quite small turn down a much smaller side canal. These canals could’ve been In a movie they were so beautiful and seeing the rowers topped it off.

I think it was about an hour on the train from Haarlem maybe less. Did not see a big main square but many many canals with nice restaurants And ambience.

For a change of pace to see a place not recommended by Rick that you would Otherwise miss completely try Leiden. There also some historic buildings I did not have time to visit such as art museums and I think a very old school.

William Canada 05/21/2007

Delft has a new Vermeer Museum that just opened in April. It is not completely up and running yet, but my group enjoyed the exhibits. www.vermeerdelft.nl

Melissa in Maryville, TN USA 05/10/2007

We spent three days in Bruges and had a fantastic time. Our best discovery was the restaurant <'t Gezelleke> which had fantasitc seafood and local dishes all at very reasonable prices (8-15 Euros). It is only a block from the Hotel Adornes in Bruges at Carmersstraat 15 and run by a very hospitable husband and wife. Not touristy at all, highly recommend it!

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

I'm living in Europe temporarily with the US military and have been using Rick Steve's book EXTENSIVELY -- I have a whole shelf full of them! They are great and rarely fail me on anything. Two suggestions -- (1)It's time for a country book on the Netherlands. There's more to the Netherlands than Amsterdam and Haarlem. For starters there's a delightful concentration of wind mills at Kinderdijk with great walking/bicycle paths for exploring the area. ALso --(2)I agree with MA from Plano Texas. There need to maps to go with the walking tours. Sometimes the "turn right - turn left" directions don't seem to work right.

Nancy in Heidelberg, Germany 05/07/2007

The English Theatre of Bruges located at Kuipersstraat 23 was an excellent night out. High quality entertainment, only 10 euros for a ticket, open all year round, and all shows are performed in English. Wonderful.

Edward Avila in Blackpool, UK 05/04/2007

We stayed at Huyze Hertsberge in Bruges and it was spectacular. Located on a canal between the town's oldest bridges, it has been completely restored to its original interior design. Owned by the same family since 1910. Beautiful rooms and a marvelous hostess (Caroline) who gave us great "through the backdoor" recommendations on restaurants and shops. Website: www.huyzehertsberge.be

Mike Scholtens in Gig Harbor, WA USA 05/02/2007

There is no reason not to rent a car to travel in the Netherlands, especially now that GPS systems are available. We rented a car in Amsterdam and used it for two weeks. We would have been very grateful for information regarding parking. We parked alongside a canal in Delft and took a walk to find someplace for lunch. When we returned, we had a parking ticket. After searching around, we finally found a blue box halfway up the street on the other side that was meant for a "parking card." We had no idea. Please add this information for those people who prefer to drive than take trains.

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

We're a family from Texas living in the UK for 2 years, following Rick's books religiously as we travel Europe and the British Isles on weekends and holidays. We have a 15 month old who was born in London and another one due in August.

We just got back to England after an Easter / long weekend train trip to Ghent, via the EuroStar. We couldn't find much info on your website for Ghent, so wanted to relay what a nice time we had. We had been to Brussels and Bruges last year, so we opted to try Ghent this time and found it very nice. A bit like Bruges' big brother. The same cobblestone streets, water canals and bridges, 50 some-odd churches, wonderful architecture, and food... just on a larger scale. We stayed at a small B&B called Bonifant (http://www.bedandbreakfast-gent.be/en/ggg_detail.php?id=19) in typical Rick Steves style. We were pleased with the comfortable quarters, and the €60 rooms, run by our hospitable hosts 'Anne & Frank'.

Things that stood out for us most during our stay at the Bonifant were: the proximity to the Castle and central part of the Old Town, where most of the sights are; the low prices; huge bathroom with a super nice shower; and the top floor breakfast/reading room, with adjacent rooftop terrace.

Steve Elkins in Basingstoke, UK 04/09/2007

Bruges has now replaced Salzburg as my favorite European city.

Bob Gallagher in Indianapolis, IN USA 04/04/2007

You were so right about the Hotel Adornes in Bruges. The people (Nathalie and Rik) were so wonderful and accomadating, from laundry, to reservations and even getting us set up at the post office to mail things home. My only regret was that we didn't spend enough time there. On a return trip, I will definitely make reservations far enough in advance to stay at the Hotel Adornes. Thanks for the information! You are so right on!

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

Bad Bentheim ....Tried a visit

Someone on the GW recommended BB so I went there from Amsterdam to try it out. Very different than I expected. Almost missed last train back and got stranded at night. Ran full tilt a mile to catch the train.

Nice park with castle on hill. Went in late fall, cold and no tourists at all, just locals. For a change of pace give it a visit. No special sights but Germany over the border two inches. The draft beer was good at an outdoor table even though it was chilly. Rick would probably agree that this IS off the beaten path, definitely a Back Door.

Thanks to the original poster for the idea.

Bill Canada 03/18/2007

Need to add Maastricht to the guidebooks somewhere - similar to Haarlem but near to Koln, we found it friendlier and we will return! It had much of the charm of Haarlem and less - less crowded, less graffiti. Every restaurant had an English menu and we were treated as though the people genuinely wanted us there. I will be back! Fits well into a best of the Rhine, Koln, Maastricht, Mosel driving circle. Your guidebooks are great - we must own 10.

Gary in Dover, DE USA 03/13/2007

For those visiting Arnhem, Netherlands, a suggestion to take the short bus ride to the nearby WW2 "Bridge Too Far" museum in Oosterbeek, NL. This memorial to the many who fought that battle is basically maintained and run by veterans of the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. The building housing the museum is an ex-manor house and was in fact the HQ for the 20,000 U.S. paratroopers that landed in the area. The nearby cemetery for those US, UK and Polish servicemen who lost their lives is very moving. I have been to many war museums in North America and Europe and this is one of the best small ones I have had the honour of visiting.

Geoff Warren in Powell River, BC Canada 02/11/2007

Hello! My husband, Jose, and I just got back from a 2 week trip to Europe- 5 days in Amsterdam and 8 in Madrid (Jose's from Madrid, so we visit family and friends every year). We brought Rick Steve's Amsterdam guide and I must say it was a great tool! Our entire experience was wonderful. My only recommended addition to the guidebook would be to add the 420 Cafe to your list of coffeeshops. It is located close to Centraal Station at Oude Brugsteeg 27. The phone number listed on the website (which doesn't at all reflect the atmosphere of the cafe) is 6234848. It was a very mellow, comfortable setting with a gorgeous bar and the age range was perfect for us- mostly folks in their 30's- 40's. Soft music, friendly staff, great atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Stacey Mazuelas in Saint Paul, MN USA 01/18/2007

Tips for Bruges: I know Bruges is very commercial but it is also very quaint. We took Rick's walk but we also went to one of the windmills in the Notheast part. We took a bus from the station to the area, we followed the map we picked up at the station. There were no crowds at the windmills. It was a bit scary climbing up as the stairs do not touch the ground. But the view from top was worth it and we got to see how a windmill works from the inside. Walking back to the Main Square was interesting. At first we were the only ones walking and we saw beautiful houses and some locals. As we neared the main areas, the tourists seemed to multiply!

Devika Saletore in Olympia, WA USA 01/08/2007

We went to Amsterdam/Bruges in 2005. The guidebook that year mentioned the Amsterdam pass, but there was a "Museum Pass" for substantially less (without the free cruise). My wife said "this better be worth the money" and conceded we had saved more than the cost after the middle of the second day.

Not sure wh it wasn't mentioned in the book.

M.Daniels in Thompson, MB Canada 01/05/2007

We discovered a great hotel and Restaurant on our most recent trip to Amsterdam. Hotel Fita (www.fita.nl,email info@fita.nl) was perfect for us. It was located a five minute walk from the Concertgebow, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum. The room was great with a view of two tree lined residential streets, a very comfortable bed and beautiful bathroom. And get this. Hans, your host, offers all guests free telephone calls from your room to the USA, free internet access and he brings the portable computer to your room, free laundry service, and the best breakfast we have eaten in thirty years of European travel. I have traveled many times to Amsterdam and this is the best I have found there or anywhere else on the continent. It is a great find.

And there is a great Indonesian restaurant less than five minutes away, "Orient." We ate here twice. Michael and his staff will really take care of you. He has worked here for forty-one years. We tried two different "rice tables." For the first we were served twenty four different small portions of food and for the second we received over thirty small portions. Each portion is sized so each person at the table can have a nice serving. You get to sample a variety of dishes. Some are mild, some are spicy, and they tell you which is which at the time so you are not surprised. There is chicken, lamb, beef, pork, tofu, vegetables, and the like. Good prices, huge volumes, excellent service; what more could you ask for? The address is Van Baerlestraat 21.

Stan in biles, or USA 01/03/2007