Included in the Zaanse Schans Card is entry to the Zaans Historical museum--they require you to put…read moreyour things in free lockers and hang your coats in free racks. You can get a free audio guide in your preferred language. From the museum to the biscuit/chocolate factory experience (a separate building connected by bridge) it takes about an hour. We enjoyed learning about all the different industries that have thrived in the Zaanse area. The interactive displays are interesting for families with children as well (especially ages 6 and up). You get a free biscuit sample--I tried coffee and my husband tried chocolate. The mechanized biscuit factory machinery display was impressive. I played the game at the end that tests whether you are good enough to be a Verkade girl--fast enough to pack at least 15 biscuit tins with 3 stacks of 3 biscuits, but only perfect ones, and as you fill each tin, the conveyor belt moves faster. It's a touchscreen and you move the biscuits with one finger. I tried just right handed or alternating right and left, but it's harder than it sounds. If you let too many good ones break by falling off the conveyor belt, game over. It was strangely gratifying. At the gift shop I bought some Verkade chocolates to bring back for coworkers. Fun museum overall!

Save your Euro,this is a Good location, good site.Surrounded by the most beatiful water,and…read moreWindmills, The cheese is great, the jams are great we tasted quite a bit.Unfortunately the other people in there, acted like they were having dinner and would not leave the lines. So unfortunately, the staff had to continue to tell people, to move on as they would sit there and try five pieces of cheese and literally walk in circles to basically eat everything in one sitting. The building is actually nice on the inside, but not really worth the cost of entry. We had a free entry due to tripadvisor credit. THANKS TripAdvisor !! That is the only reason I went other than that, I personally would have saved my euro €.. Zaans Museum

Our first stop in Zaanse Schans, a well curated little museum about the history of clocks and…read moretimepieces. The pendulum clock was invented in the Netherlands, which greatly increased their accuracy. The staff in the front office was nice, helping us with our official paper Zaanse Schans Cards to take to each museum/experience to check in. Though sometimes I wish that our modern lives were not so regulated by clocks and time and being on time, I can't imagine things otherwise. In the Netherlands, timeliness is highly valued so buses and trains tend to run on time or even early. I enjoyed the 30 minutes we spent here.

This is a tiny but interesting museum on clocks. Worth a quick stopover while you are in the area.read more

Yelp Review 2023 #93:…read more Belle - French word for beautiful. December 17 - International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers Right outside Oude Kerk (Old Church, originally a Catholic Church at the Red Light District) which is now an art center is a small statue called Belle, a sex worker aka prostitute. Installed in 2007 after a Hungarian sex worker was killed, and a Romanian sex worker was killed in a hotel room. It's to commemorate all prostitutes around the world. Prostitution is one of the oldest profession in the world and also the most punished "crime" simply because society still looks down upon women no matter how progressive we think we are. It is a reminder that sex workers are humans - despite the kind of service they provide. If there's no demand, there won't be supply. If unloved weirdos didn't exist, there won't be prostitutes. If these men knew how to treat a woman properly, there won't be prostitutes - especially dead ones.

"Respect sex workers all over the world."…read more It's funny how just wandering aimlessly around Amsterdam, I ended up walking past the Oudekerk and spotted this statue. Yes, this is the famous red light district but it's also next to the oldest building in Amsterdam, the Old Church https://www.yelp.com/biz/oude-kerk-amsterdam. The sculpture is the work of artist Els Rijerse and has been here since 2007. It depicts a prostitute standing in the doorway of a brothel. It is a landmark of Amsterdam and certainly Insta-worthy. [Review 16871 overall - 72 in Netherlands - 384 of 2022.]

Running through the heart of Utrecht, the Oude Gracht ('old canal') is the major artery of the…read morecity. It's lined with many shops at street level and bars and restaurants at the level below. It also hosts a weekly flower market on Saturday morning. Yes, it can get a tiny bit seedy at night with rowdy students ('bralapen') and it isn't always as clean as one would like, but this all adds to the charm. It's truly a wonderful place to hang out any time of day or year. The oude gracht was built in the 1100's by upgrading and taming a former branch of the River Rhine. The mooring level (accessible by steep steps from road level), where goods would be loaded and unloaded, gives access to deep tombs / caverns that extend below the road and under the shops above. In the old days used for storage, they have now mostly been transformed into bars and eateries. It's hard to miss the oude gracht when you're in Utrecht as many of the city's landmarks, including the Dom tower / church and various museums are located close by. Enjoy this place. It's awesome. But, be careful of bicyclists as you stroll around; you'll likely have your eyes on façades or the water below!

Wow! So much more than I expected. Tour is about 75 minutes. The stonework is, hands down, the…read moremost impressive I've ever seen. Absolutely incredible and worth every penny of the 13.50 euro entrance fee. It was pretty busy and the tour was a little confusing, but don't let that keep you away.

I started my Amsterdam trip with a tour of Koninklijk Paleis. The Palace is located in Dam Square…read more Tickets are €12,50 and I was able to walk up and purchase a ticket at the main entrance. They have a free coat check which was useful. I did the self guided audio tour and I think I spent about 1.5-2 hours. The palace was built in the 17th century and it initially served as the town hall until Louis Napoleon claimed it as his palace. Now it's used for state visits. The palace is one of three residences of the royal family, however their primary residence is in The Hague. The architecture is beautiful. I really enjoyed Citizen's Hall. The self guided tour focused on the art and architecture while giving a history of past monarchs. It was kind of crazy walking through a room where executions were once carried out. I would have liked more information about the current royal family (King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima). I learned on a different tour that he is a pilot and occasionally flies for KLM. I didn't enjoy this tour as much as I thought I would. If you're short on time, I would recommend skipping the Palace.

I am so bummed!! After being there for 5 hours, I still failed to make it to the 1700-1800 and the…read more2000s zones!! This place is HUGE! I now understand why tourists would plan an entire day there. Unfortunately, I had 2 other stops that day that I couldn't miss, so I had no choice but left at 2pm. I am soo glad I made it to the main hall first to see Rembrandt's Night Watch (granted it was through a piece of glass due to the restoration process). I would've been devastated if I couldn't. Love the info cards for almost all of the major art pieces to explain in detail on how it was created. Some tips: Buy your ticket ahead of time. Get there 15 minutes before your entrance time to get in line and for bag check. No water inside the exhibits. The coat check is your only option if you don't show up right at when they open. The lockers filled up within minutes. Don't be fooled by the opened ones because that means the lock is broken. Definitely worth a stop at the gift shop. (Like I said above) Plan to spend the whole day there.

Beautiful museum... Incredible Rembrandt and other masters…read more Love the architecture... And the café