Visiting the Anne Frank museum

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 13:36

My teenage daughter is studying for her GCSE's and loves her History. She has a particular interest in the history of WW2 and has wanted to visit the museum for a while. I am going to try to plan a surprise trip for her birthday in February but need advice about a) the best way to travel to Amsterdam and b) nice hotels ( not too expensive though) near the museum. Anyone able to help please?

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 13:43

When I went to Holland, we went from Harwich to Hook van Holland by ferry(steana line) and then got the train to Amsterdan. You can get it as 1 ticket for the ferry and train.
We also did the overnights on the ferry there and back and spent a good 15 hours in Amsterdan.

If you go to the Anne frank museum there is always a Q so make sure you go there 1st thing to beat the crowd. I was gutted as the Q was massive when I went and its was absoulutly pooring down so was not Q'ing in that.

Galaxy266 · 25/10/10 - 13:49

We went to Amsterdam a few years ago by the Stenna High Speed Ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland then train to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, the High Speed Ferry no longer runs so you have to get the normal ferry which takes several hours. Of course, you could always fly instead which would be much quicker and, possibly, even cheaper!

Can't recommend where to stay but can recommend where not to stay! Don't stay in the "Delta Hotel" whatever you do, which is where we ourselves stayed. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, have a look on "Trip Advisor".

twingle · 25/10/10 - 13:56

I have family in Holland so don't need to stay in hotels.

Like another poster said there is always huge queues at the AF museum so get there early and don't forget to take hankies

. There are lots of other fabulous museums too so why not try and check those out too.

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 14:02

I think I'll fly then as we are probably only going for a couple of days. Thanks for the advice about the hotels as well - particularly noted where not to stay !!
I think you can buy tickets for the actual museum online so I think I'll do that beforehand.

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 14:06

I'd fly if I was in your position OP- I went last year on Easyjet and it cost £55 for a return!

Can't help with hotels I'm afraid as I stayed in a hostel.

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 14:15

saintly666 wrote: »

I'd fly if I was in your position OP- I went last year on Easyjet and it cost £55 for a return!

.

Can I ask how easy it is to get from the airport to the centre of Amsterdam?

eluf38 · 25/10/10 - 14:28

I went to Amsterdam in Febuary and stayed at the Hotel Nadia, which was literally just round the corner from the Anne Frank House. We could see it (and the Westertorten clock Anne mentions in her diary) from our bedroom window.

http://www.nadia.nl/gallery_location.php
http://www.nadia.nl/index.php

It's a standard 3-star hotel, clean, comfy and the staff are the most welcoming of any hotel I've ever been in - complimentary drinks, excellent breakfast, free maps and tourist guides of Amsterdam... It's also in a nice district for families - not a red light to be seen anywhere.

There's an excellent indonesian restaraunt close by to the museum called Long Pura. Delicious food, well worth a visit.

You have to get to the Anne Frank House early. We got there 40 minutes early and there was a queue! But it's well worth it to be the first in the house as there are so few people in the rooms it gives you a much better chance to appreciate the atmosphere of the place.

eluf38 · 25/10/10 - 14:30

scornedwoman wrote: »

Can I ask how easy it is to get from the airport to the centre of Amsterdam?

The train station is underneath Schipol airport. Buy a one-way ticket (6 euros) to Amsterdam Centraal - it's a 20 minute journey. You can walk from the train station to the city centre in 10 minutes.
I'm an anxious traveller, always worried about getting lost or getting on the wrong train, but it was really easy to find our way there - much easier than navigating London Euston!

[Deleted User] · 25/10/10 - 16:09

eluf38 wrote: »

The train station is underneath Schipol airport. Buy a one-way ticket (6 euros) to Amsterdam Centraal - it's a 20 minute journey. You can walk from the train station to the city centre in 10 minutes.
I'm an anxious traveller, always worried about getting lost or getting on the wrong train, but it was really easy to find our way there - much easier than navigating London Euston!

I agree with this, it's really easy. Once you're in the city centre you can just hop on a tram!

The best thing about going on the train is that they're double decker trains- never seen anything like it here!

technologist · 25/10/10 - 16:49

saintly666 wrote: »

I agree with this, it's really easy. Once you're in the city centre you can just hop on a tram!

Buy a Chip card - their version on London Oyster - there is a place by the canal to the left of Centraal Station as you are leaving it ...( just beyond tram 4, 25 etc) http://www.gvb.nl/english/Pages/default.aspx lots of maps on this site

But Most places are a short walk away ...

Anne Frank - I just say have a large box of tissues available - it is really so emotional.

Other Museums - The Historisch museum http://en.ahm.nl/
is a very good story of Amsterdam ... it is in the central area Tram stop Spui or Dam.

There are lots of others http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/

Amsterdam is a nice city - but if you are a pedestrian be very very aware of where the bicycles are!!
(or hire them yourself!)

Barbella · 25/10/10 - 18:57

I took my son to Anne Frank's house a few years back ( in February) when he was doing GCSEs. There is also the Jewish memorial which is near one of the flea markets ( i seem to remember), and canal trips can be interesting in terms of what happened to the Jews if you get a driver who has good historical knowledge.

We also took a day trip by train from Amsterdam to Cologne in Germany to the museum in the former Gestapo headquarters there ( sorry can't remember its name). You can go down into the cells were prisoners were interrogated and the walls of the cells are covered in wartime graffitti from the prisoners ( mostly in Germand and Russian). It was absolutely chilling, but very illuminating ( even if it was all in German).

Flying to Amsterdam is definately the way to go, train into the city centre and then its either trams or walk. Its and easy and very pretty city to get around, and IMO, safe for teenagers to wander around on their own if they want.

Elanor · 25/10/10 - 19:09

Amsterdam is lovely! I loved it, and the Anne Frank house (agree with the recommendations to get there early!). We stayed in a little hotel on the Herengracht, which is two canals away from the Prinsengracht where the Anne Frank house is; it was only a short walk away and there seemed to be lots of nice little hotels in the area - all in old houses on the quaysides. Whatever you do, don't stay in the red light district!

I really recommend the canal boat tour things - we hopped on and off all over the place, you can get day tickets and just get on and off as many times as you like.

If your daughter's into history she might also like the Rembrandt House, which was really interesting but also small enough that it wasn't overwhelming and only took an hour or so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rembrandt_House_Museum
As she's especially into 2nd World War history, I'd really recommend the Dutch resistance museum, it's fascinating:
http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/verzetsmuseum/

If you're adventurous eaters, have a Rijstafel meal at one of the Indonesian restaurants where they just bring out loads of different things in little dishes so you can have lots of tasters of lots of things. We asked some locals where they recommended for Indonesian, and they suggested Kantjil en de Tijger, and it was fabulous.
http://www.kantjil.nl/
http://www.kantjil.nl/documents/menukrteng_WEB_26-10.pdf

I loved Amsterdam - would go again tomorrow if I could. We went in Febrary too, and it was lovely.

sesmo · 25/10/10 - 19:50

I took my niece to the Anne Frank House earlier this year. I bought the tickets on line before we went as we didn't have long in Amsterdam so wanted to make sure we got in. The queues were HUGE! If you buy the tickets online you ring a door bell next to the main entrance and get let straight in. No queuing or having to wait. It was great.

Well worth a visit- was a very emotional experience.

Shadow27 · 25/10/10 - 20:41

Anne Frank Museum is incredibly emotive - we went at the end of a weekday and it was quiet - the weekends are terribly busy.

Do consider the train though - it's a nice trip and you can see out of the window plus it's so much more nicer to the environment.

Swarfega · 26/10/10 - 00:53

For starters, you don't have to be in a hotel particularly near the museum. Amsterdam isn't that big and very easy to get round.
Also, forget queuing for the AF museum. Yes there will be a queue but if you book online and print off your tickets there's a fast track place, so no waiting. When I went, I got the hotel front desk to do it for me. Very easy indeed.
If you want ease, then fly. More expensive than sailing but it's an hour long flight. And getting to central Amsterdam couldn't really be easier. Under the airport is the station and it's a direct line to Central Station.

SecretLifeoBees · 26/10/10 - 01:20

Oooh I've just come back from a weekend in Amsterdam. Absolutely love the city. If you are into it then I can highly recommend the minicruises that P&O ferries run from Hull to Amsterdam. They are doing a 2 for 1 offer at the minute which generally runs up to about the end of March each year... means that you can go for as little as around £35 each for two people (or around £60 each if you throw meals in). There's loads of entertainment onboard too. You only get a day in Amsterdam, but it's worth it (around 5/6 hours there) and I think there is an option to stay overnight. We went last Christmas and visited the Anne Frank Huis. Got there early and there were hardly any queues (apparently it's quicker to get in during winter because not so many tourists are around) but by the time we got out around dinner time they were starting to snake around the block.

Oh and if you are looking for somewhere nice to eat I'd reccommend Nam Kee. I had an absolutely gorgeous meal in there this weekend.

I agree with what people have said about getting a card to use the trams. Ours were €7 for 24 hours but you could use them on trams and buses anywhere in the city.

I absolutely adore Amsterdam.:D

[Deleted User] · 26/10/10 - 02:36

Its a bit depressing. I wouldnt take my kids.

[Deleted User] · 26/10/10 - 13:28

You've all been really helpful.
I now plan to fly, get the train to the City & stay at one of your recommended hotels.

As for it being sad, of course it is - but my daughter will be 15, is learning about it at school and I do think it is important that the future generations learn about that whole era.

Thanks again everybody.

Goodwin · 26/10/10 - 13:46

To the OP, I expect your daughter has already been to the Imperial War Museum but if not then well worth visiting. It does have a permanent Holocaust exhibition which is very detailed and very sad too.

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