With non-stop flights from many cities in the US, Delta, United, and KLM make for an easy trip to Amsterdam. In addition, Schiphol airport is a great gateway for onward journies all over the world. Amsterdam's northwestern location is also a convenient drive or train ride to nearby countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, and even Denmark (where you can get to Copenhagen via one of the longest bridges in the world or a car ferry).
The weather in Amsterdam can get quite chilly at random times throughout the year. Keep that in mind as you plan for a great canal cruise, which is most enjoyable when it's open-air. When we went in late June the temperature was delightful, even in the evenings.
Amsterdam is a major city - you could spend months here. But if you want to hit some highlights and then visit other areas in the Netherlands, 3-4 days could be plenty. I am looking forward to returning to visit Giethoorn. Here is the itinerary from my 4-day trip:
Day 1
KLM, the national carrier, has an excellent business class product. As part of SkyTeam, it is easy enough to get comparable seating on
flights run by Delta Airlines and Air France. You definitely do not need a car in Amsterdam (and beware that some roads have cars, bikes, and trams all in the same lane!),
but we had plans to do an excursion out of the city and then planned on driving to Belgium afterward. After picking up a nice BMW X6 at Sixt (note you can find a Sixt office in
downtown Amsterdam if you wish to rent only on your way in or out of the city), we drove to the by Marriott, which is a popular, and high quality hotel in Reykjavik. Rooms are comfortable and clean, if a bit small compared to US standards. Valet parking is available on-site.
After a large coffee to help with jetlag, we walked across the street to the opera house, Harpa, where we joined a walking food tour. Getting our bearings around Reykjavik while enjoying samples of local cuisine was a great way to jump on the correct time. The surprising variety of foods, from traditional seafood to modern takes on lobster to Bill Clinton's favorite hot dog, the tour was engaging and filling! We ended with trying fermented shark and Brennivín liquor.
Since we were tired (and full!) we took a trip over to the Perlan Museum. It's a quick drive and parking is plentiful. The museum exhibits a great deal of history about Iceland, glaciers, and the local wildlife. There's even an ice cave inside, so bring you jacket.
Day 2
Today we traveled INSIDE a volcano. The tour offers convenient pick up and drop off service throughout Reykjavik, but we decided to drive so we could spend some time enjoying the countryside of Iceland. Upon arrival, we met some of the fellow tourists and guides, and then had a leisurely walk approximately 2 miles across a vast landscape to the only free-standing volcano in the world (that is extinct!). Normally, the peaks of volcanoes break down after an eruption but this one has remained for centuries. Along the way you cross over the North American tectonic plate and onto the Eurasian one. You can look down in the rift and hop from one continental plate to the other. If you do not wish to walk the 2 miles (in each direction), we can arrange for a helicoptor to transport you. Once at the volcano we received a safety briefing, given a hard hat and harness (to clip into the special elevator), and off we went to the peak. Descinding down into the volcano was something straight out of a James Bond film. After the 7 minute ride, you are free to walk around the innerds of the volcano, and can even see the lava tubes where magma came up from the earth's core. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!
If you're having a leisurely day, the tour includes a nice bowl of soup and minor snack before returning you to the city center. We raced off to get to Snaps for a late lunch at the French bistro. While parking was a challenge, it was worth it for the great food and to be in a different neighborhood to experience more local culture. Dinner was at La Primavera, one of the best Italian restaurants in Reykjavik, and a nice walk from The Edition hotel.
Day 3
A visit to Reykjavik can't be a success without visiting the Golden Circle. A 155 mile loop of endless beauty, waterfalls, geysers, Viking villages, farms, ice cream, and more. You can't see it all in a day - you could spend 3 days or so visiting everything. For us, we did a private full day tour (visiting in the winter? combine it with snowmobiling!). To squeeze in some more fun, I drove the car to Sky Lagoon (less crowded than the famous Blue Lagoon) and had the tour pick me up there.
At the end of our phenomenal tour, we were dropped off at Sky Lagoon for a cocktail in the water and the heavenly Skjól Ritual which involves the hot springs, a cold plunge, a salt scrub, and a hot sauna. Great, convenient restaurants are nearby for dinner.
Day 4
Time to experience a truly unique Icelandic adventure: horseback riding with an Icelandic pony. The breed was brought to Iceland in the 9th & 10th centuries by Norse settlers, and are famous for their 5-gate. Trotting along a path in the countryside it felt as if I were floating rather than riding a horse. We took a nice private ride out through meadows and a valley, up to a river. Not a soul was around amidst all the beauty of Iceland. What a way to unwind!
A late lunch at Islenski Barinn to try some local delicacies such as reindeer, puffin, fin whale, and shark. If you're not as adventurous, there is salmon, and traditional salads and hamburgers in a cozy pub setting. Skál!