After the Enschede Marathon: Amsterdam

The Route: Enschede → Amsterdam Centraal → Schiphol Airport Logistics: NS train, about 2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes, often with a change. Trams and the metro cover the rest. Marathon Month: April Duration: 3 nights

Enschede ──(2h-2h20, NS)──> Amsterdam Centraal
                                  │
   Schiphol Airport (AMS) <──(15-20 mins, NS)──┘

The Enschede Marathon finishes in the centre of Enschede on a Sunday in April. Amsterdam is the longest of the four trips and gives the most for three nights, with museums that have lifts, a canal cruise and the chance of spring flowers.

April in Amsterdam: daytime highs are about 12°C, with showers and sun in turn. Crocuses and daffodils are out in the Vondelpark by early April in most years, and cherry blossom in the Amsterdamse Bos is usually in the first half of the month, though the timing depends on the weather. Keukenhof, the bulb garden near Lisse, normally opens in late March and runs into May, and the tulips are at their best from mid-April in most years. Check keukenhof.nl for the dates and the current flower report, because a cold spring delays everything. The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum sell timed tickets, so book a week or two ahead.

Dutch rail has no advance fares, so there is nothing to book early. A single is paid with a contactless card or OVpay, and the same card works on GVB trams and the metro. Check the NS planner for the connection, because the journey from Enschede often needs a change.

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.

On the second day, a Keukenhof visit by bus from Schiphol or Leiden is a day out of about six hours with a lot of standing and walking on paved paths, so go only if the flowers are out and the legs agree. The Hortus Botanicus, a garden dating from 1638, costs around €12 and has level paths and warm glasshouses, which is a gentler alternative. The Stedelijk Museum on the Museumplein shows modern art and design in a level building with lifts.

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.

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

On the third day, a boat or tram to the NEMO Science Museum gives a view over the harbour, and its roof terrace is open in spring. 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 and Saturdays, with stroopwafels and cheese stalls.

The Rembrandthuis on Jodenbreestraat is the painter's former house, with steep stairs on the upper floors, so check access. The Hermitage Amsterdam on the Amstel hosts changing exhibitions in a level building with lifts; check the current programme. The tram runs frequently, so use it between districts rather than walking.

Cycle lanes are heavy throughout the city, so look both ways before crossing, and stay off the red-paved lanes. If you have an early flight on the last morning, go to Schiphol the evening before, or take the first train after a coffee, because the Centraal to Schiphol line runs every few minutes.

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.