Couple of weeks ago I realised I had a week booked off from work, which I somehow totally forgot about! Because of having such a terrible memory I didn’t get round to planning what I was going to do with my time off!
I’m not the kind of person who can take time off work and just sit around and relax…its just not me, I’m a workaholic and have always got to be doing something! So, I started to think of what I could do and I decided a last-minute road trip to Amsterdam with my bestie! Even though this was going to be my third time visiting Amsterdam in the last couple of years, I knew I’d still enjoy my time and find things to do as I love the City.
I love last-minute spontaneous trips and road trips are a great way of getting away at short notice. Amsterdam has to be one of my top 3 places to visit in Europe. Remember there is more to Amsterdam than coffee shops and the red light district. The city has a lot of history, culture and beautiful architecture to offer. I will have another blog post soon about what to eat and do in Amsterdam.
If you are planning on going on a road trip around Europe I have a little checklist.
- Be comfortable with driving on the right hand side of the road in a right-hand drive car. I find the roundabouts confusing for the first hour or two but driving on the other side somehow just comes becomes natural.
- Check that your car insurance covers you to drive in Europe. If it doesn’t most insurance companies charge you a small amount to add it onto your cover.
- Please click here, which will direct you to the AA Europe checklist and check the legal requirements for your trip, for example GB sticker on the car, headlamp converter stickers, first aid kit to name a few . Some of these are compulsory and you could end up with an on the spot fine, it’s really not worth it. All the items are usually on sale on the ferry but may be more expensive, so you’re best of picking them up at your local Halford or eBay. Also if you are going to Amsterdam remember you will required to drive through France for a short while so be sure to check what’s required there.
- Ensure you take all the relevant documents required, driving licence, insurance certificate. original registration document (V5c). Please check the country you are visiting for their requirements.
- Swat up on road signs, speed limits etc. before you leave.
- Plan your journey and decide if you will be stopping off to see the sights en route.
Now that you’re comfortable with them its time to book your ferry, hotel and hit the road!
I booked my ferry via DFDS seaways and hotel via Expedia and 2 days later I was off on my way to Amsterdam. To get to Amsterdam you can book a ferry from Dover or Folkestone to Calais or Dunkirk. I prefer to go from Dover to Dunkirk when i go to Amsterdam in particular, as it seems to be cheaper and it’s closer to Amsterdam. The prices can vary but I have managed to get a return for £50 in the past. The drive from Dunkirk to Amsterdam is about 3 hours 40 mins for me and the ferry across is about 2 hours and this is where I have a little nap and recharge. Once you get to the other side you can take your time and travel through to your final destination. The drive from Dunkirk to centre of Amsterdam is about 4 hours drive without any stops.
Now onto the hotel. If you’re planning on driving to Amsterdam be careful when booking as not many of the hotels located in the centre offer free parking. Most offer self-parking which comes at a cost per day and it’s usually pretty steep! This is my 3rd visit to Amsterdam and I always stay near the airport as the hotels usually offer free parking. That way I can visit the centre but always drive and explore little villages and locals that you tend to miss out on. If I do want to go to the centre its a short 20 mins drive into central. A great parking spot I would recommend for price and location in the centre is the Oosterdok centrum car park. If you’re parking there for more than 5 hours in one go it’s 13 Euros. Be warned that any less, it’s 1 euro every 12 minutes so works out at 5 euros an hour. If you want to explore Amsterdam by bike, you park up your car and rent a bike from the ground floor of the car park. I love bikes but its a little scary cycling on the wrong side of the road in a foreign place, so please be careful and don’t just do it because everyone else is, Its dangerous stuff. I skip the bikes and tend to walk everywhere, that way I don’t miss out of anything or get the odd tram here and there.
I hope this post was helpful in planning your trip. I look forward to hitting the road again. Maybe a little trip is needed towards Christmas for the amazing Christmas markets in Europe.
