After the Eindhoven Marathon: Amsterdam

The Route: Eindhoven Centraal → Amsterdam Centraal → Schiphol Airport Logistics: NS Intercity, about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, several trains an hour. Trams and the metro cover the rest. Marathon Month: October Duration: 3 nights

Eindhoven Centraal ──(1h20-1h40, NS Intercity)──> Amsterdam Centraal
                                                        │
        Schiphol Airport (AMS) <──(15-20 mins, NS)──────┘

The Eindhoven Marathon finishes on Vestdijk on a Sunday in October. Amsterdam is the longest of the four trips but gives the most for three nights, because the museums have lifts and seating, and the airport train is short.

October in Amsterdam: daytime highs are around 13°C and rain is likely. Autumn colour on the canal trees peaks in the second half of the month in most years. The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum sell timed tickets, so book a week or two ahead. Many other museums close on Mondays, so check opening hours.

Dutch rail has no advance fares, so there is nothing to book early. A single is paid with a contactless card or OVpay. Check the NS planner for works. In the city, tap in and out on GVB trams and the metro with the same card.

Nights One to Three: Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum has lifts to every floor, and the Night Watch is on the first floor. Entry is approximately €25. The Van Gogh Museum, a minute's walk away, also costs around €25 and has lifts and seating. The Museumplein between them is a level lawn with benches.

A seated canal cruise of 60 to 75 minutes costs around €20 to €25 and avoids walking. The Vondelpark, 47 hectares of flat paths, is a ten-minute walk from the museums; the main loop is about 3 km, so walk part of it and turn back. The Anne Frank House needs a timed ticket booked well ahead and has steep, narrow stairs, so skip it on stiff legs.

Foodhallen, an indoor food hall in a former tram depot, gives many choices under one roof. Café de Jaren on Nieuwe Doelenstraat has a large terrace and a canal view, with seats inside if it rains.

For a room, Hotel Estheréa on the Singel is a canal-house hotel near the centre, with a lift. Hotel Okura Amsterdam, near the RAI, is a large hotel with tram links to the centre. Confirm lifts and room location when booking.

On the second day, take the metro or a tram between districts. The Hortus Botanicus, a botanical garden dating from 1638, costs around €12 and has level paths and glasshouses that are warm in autumn. The Jordaan, a district of narrow canals and small shops, is flat but cobbled, so walk a short loop. The Albert Cuyp market in De Pijp is level and open on weekdays except Sundays, with stroopwafels and cheese stalls.

For a quiet afternoon, the Rembrandthuis on Jodenbreestraat is the painter's former house, with steep stairs on the upper floors, so check access. The Stedelijk Museum on the Museumplein shows modern art and design in a level building with lifts. Dutch design is one connection back to Eindhoven, and a visit can close that loop.

On the third day, the NEMO Science Museum, a green building by the harbour, has a roof terrace and lifts, and is useful for a wet day. Check opening hours for every museum, because Amsterdam's hours change by season and some close for one weekday. Cycle lanes are heavy, so look both ways before crossing, and take the tram when the legs complain.

Getting to Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol is an NS train of about 15 to 20 minutes, running every few minutes. The airport station is under Schiphol Plaza. Check the NS planner on departure day.