We loved the Netherlands but it is expensive. We would 100% come back to explore more of the country.
Cost Per Day
$146.71
Number of Days On Trip
6
Total Trip Cost
$880.25
Because the Netherlands is so expensive, we cooked most meals in the airbnb. We also brought sandwiches for lunch on days out. We did have amazing pizza but it costs as much as our entire grocery bill. We also had burgers that cost an arm.
The dutch are very kind but also tell you how it is. We embraced the bike culture by using our bikes to travel all around Utrecht.
We felt extremally safe, comfortable, and welcome here. There are stores for everything you need.
The Netherlands was one of the easiest countries to navigate. The train system is clear, on time, and well established. Bikes make life so much easier too!!
Itinerary
After leaving London, we took the Eurostar to Amsterdam Centraal. From there, we took a intercity train to Utrecht Overvecht station which was a 5 minute walk from our airbnb. This costs about $11 per person for a 50 minute journey.
Once we got settled into our airbnb, we took the bikes that came with the airbnb to the Albert Heijn Grocery store nearby to grab food for the week.
We adventured around Utrecht on our bikes, just like everyone else in the city. It was amazing to see that there were two sets of two way bike lanes lining the single car lane. It was out of the norm for us! bikes had the right of way and even had a dedicated space to wait at every traffic light.
We did take the train back into Amsterdam but we did not bring our bikes. We probably should have because it was a public holiday and there were very few bikes riding around. However, there is a €7.50 fee to bring a bike on board a train. But anyways, we walked everywhere around the city including passing through the Red Light District, the Anne Frank Haus, Begijnhof courtyard, and Vondelpark. We took the free city ferry across the water to Amsterdam Nord. There wasn’t much to see, so we just went for the free boat ride I guess.
A few days later we took the train to The Hague or Den Haag, as the dutch call it. It was more of a workhorse, political, urban city then we expected. Although buildings like the Noordeinde Paleis (The Kings Palace) and the Peace Palace make the city shine. We regret not doing more research on things to do in Den Haag because there is a lot of hidden things we found out later. For instance, indoor ice climbing….who would have thunk.
Before reaching Den Haag, we just had to stop in Gouda to grab some cheese. We also finally got up close and personal with a typical dutch windmill!
After our stay in Utrecht, it was time to head to Belgium! Checkout that expense report here.
Unique Opportunities and Experiences
We highly recommend finding an airbnb with free bicycles!!!! It is the highlight of our trip. Having bikes helped us get places faster, cheaper and the local way. Without them, the train costs would have eaten us alive. The most unique place that wasn’t historic was the mall Hoog Catharijne in central Utrecht. The canal runs under the mall and it even has a dock for small boats to drop passengers off. you can even view the canal from above in the main mall concourse.
Trip Expenses Breakdown
| Item | Category | Cost |
|---|---|---|
|
De Bierkelder Utrecht |
Restaurants |
$21.27 |
|
Amsterdam Centraal |
Public Transportation |
$33.85 |
|
TFL Travel |
Public Transportation |
$4.25 |
|
Aldi Utrecht |
Groceries |
$51.37 |
|
Reimbursement |
Hotel |
-$48.54 |
|
TFL Travel |
Public Transportation |
$4.25 |
|
Vegitalian Deli |
Restaurants |
$39.06 |
|
Albert Heijn |
Groceries |
$25.62 |
|
Albert Heijn |
Groceries |
$2.43 |
|
Brouwerij De Prael |
Restaurants |
$5.14 |
|
Reimbursement |
Hotel |
-$83.33 |
|
Pickles Utrecht |
Restaurants |
$43.85 |
|
Albert Heijn |
Groceries |
$8.84 |
|
Kaash Kees Van Donkers |
Restaurants |
$6.93 |
|
AirBnB Netherlands |
Hotel |
$651.09 |
|
Eurail |
Transportation |
$114.17 |
Cost Saving Opportunities
Take Bikes! Seriously. The trains are so expensive in the Netherlands! If you can, try to eat lunch at restaurants instead of dinner. if you plan to stay in the Netherlands for awhile, I would buy a monthly or season pass from the NS website because it will save you a fortune.
