Amsterdam by train from London

Amsterdam is a city built around its people, in fact the tourist board slogan is I Amsterdam. It doesn’t have an Eiffel Tower, an Empire State Building or a Shard to capture people’s attention (it may be thankful of the latter). What it does have is a free spirit, an undying pride in its civil liberties; a great heritage and community, all of which combine to provide an atmosphere that make it one of the most unique cities of the world. When you throw in the gloriously woven canals that surround the city centre, the unashamed yet surprisingly tasteful red light district and almost endless list of bars, restaurants and cafés that line the streets, it makes it a great city to visit. If you don’t like the idea of a two hour check-in or the uneasy feeling that you’re next in line for a full body search, then the journey under the Channel and simple onward connection from Brussels make Amsterdam a pleasure to visit by train. The fastest and most luxurious way to experience this is via the Thalys service between Brussels and Amsterdam. This modern, high speed train is pure comfort and upgrading to first class (for which you will receive a meal on board) is well worth the minimal increase in cost. You’ll also pass some fantastic scenery and arrive right in the heart of where you need to be. When you arrive it is imminently noticeable that this is a city where young meets old and business meets pleasure, it is steeped in history and extremely proud of its roots yet has a modern day swagger. Youthful cyclists swarm the roads while those with less forgiving joints catch the tram. It’s filled with museums and galleries celebrating heroes of the past such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt and it even likes to remind the great US of A what a large part the city played in providing the financial backing for their fight for independence. In fact the deeper you look into the history, the more clout and dominance in Europe you realise Amsterdam held in centuries gone by. It’s also extremely proud of its exports, especially those that give the world that bit of Dutch courage. Tours such as the Heineken Experience and Bols Genever cocktail sampling are a must for those with a taste for the stronger stuff or visitors looking for an excuse to warm up for the night ahead. With this much to offer, Amsterdam is used to catering for an odd tourist or two and as such has many a hotel to accommodate for these visitors. One of the ideal locations is right by the Amsterdam Centraal station alongside the port and banks of the North Sea Canal. Here you can find the Doubletree by Hilton, a 4 star all mod cons hotel. Each room is accompanied by an Apple i-mac and has free high speed Wi-Fi. On the 11th floor you will find the Sky Line bar which offers unrivalled views over the city, perfect for relaxing in with a signature cocktail on a nice summer’s evening. However, if you would prefer to be slightly away from the mêlée yet within a 10 minute tram ride of the centre, the Vondelpark provides the perfect escape and hotels such as the Roemer or Vondel are a short walk from here. Though not as close to the very centre, cultural reference points such as the Rijksmuseum are within walking distance. I happen to know all this because I am fortunate enough to have just returned from this beautiful destination. I had the opportunity to spend two days discovering the sights but feel that I barely grazed the surface of what Amsterdam really has to offer. I would implore you to go look for yourself, to take home some of the experiences I have had and tell your friends to do the same. If you would like to tell them to book the trip through Railbookers, then even better.