Planning for your holiday is always a fun and exciting endeavour, but there’s nothing worse than showing up at the destination only to find you are forced to stand in queue after queue at each attraction you visit. These line-ups can drastically impact how many attractions you’ll manage to visit.
If you’ve got a trip planned for Amsterdam in the near future, then you’ll want to make use of these handy tips that can help you avoid those rather unpleasant long queues at the top attractions.
Book in Advance Whenever Possible
Booking in advance can save you all kinds of headaches. Take, for example, your hotel. You can use HotelsCombined to find a top hotel in the city and have the peace of mind that you’ll have a place to stay when you arrive. Booking in advance can save money, too, as many attractions, hotels, and even car services give discounts for advance bookings.
Some people shy away from advance booking since it also requires advance planning, but the fact of the matter is that it can help you avoid some rather long lines so that you won’t be missing out on things you want to do and see.
Research the Attractions in Advance
It’s also a wise idea to make a list of the must-see attractions, and then do a little research on each one. As you will discover, some attractions are now using a new ticketing process that actually allows you to go online, pick a time slot that you wish to arrive, and then purchase your ticket online. This means you won’t have to worry about waiting in line.
In Amsterdam there are a number of museums that offer late hours, such as the Van Gogh Museum that doesn’t close until 22:00 on Friday evenings. If possible, show up later in the evening, or at dinner, as the queues tend to be much shorter than at peak hours of the day.
Another tip to remember is that the majority of museums (and other types of attractions) close the entry gate 30 minutes before the actual closing time. What this means is that just because you’re already standing in line, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get in. Closing time is closing time.
Visit during Off-Season
Perhaps one of the most useful tips, not just for Amsterdam, but Europe in general, is to visit during the off-season. This is the time of year that sees a slow-down in tourists, which means queues almost disappear. Off-season starts in late September and continues through to early April. During these months you won’t see the endless lines of tour buses and hordes of crowds, giving you more opportunity to enjoy the attractions.
Making the Most of your Time
Doing your research and taking the steps to plan and book ahead can save you a lot of time and hassle while you explore Amsterdam, giving you a chance to see all those top attractions you are interested in.
*This is a collaborative post*
Leave a Reply