Day 1 - Amsterdam

Saturday, April 4th    

4:30pm   Arrive at Airbnb.  Unpack.  Wander to market, have dinner, settle in.  Lynne to Mass?

Sunday, April 5th - AUDIO Tours all day   (Easter Sunday)

9:00am  Dam Square - Begin Audio tour and be taken around Dam Square, past 15 striking buildings. You explore the area in an individual way, supported by a digital map and some current and historical photos per building. At each stop you can listen to approximately 5 minutes of explanation about the architecture, but also about the history of the institutions and companies. The narrator is a local architect and architectural guide who shares his experience in an accessible and well-researched way. He knows how to tell a story about every project.

11:00am Royal Palace with Audio Tour beginning at 11:30am 

12:30pm Begin Rick Steve's Audio Walk - Jordaan  Resume Audio Walk - Stop at Molsteeg Street or Torensluis Bridge for a break. Over the bridge, there are quiet cafes with a view.

12:45pm  Resume Audio Walk

  • Oude Leliestraat - charming street of restaurants
  • Herengracht - 
  • Leliegracht 
  • Keizersgracht 
1:30 Westerkerk - Free entry (open 11-3 M-F).  Peruse through the 17th century, tallest church in Amsterdam.  We'll see the Burning Bush chapel, the Duyschot Organ, the Rembrandt's burial site, and the famous tower.  The tower of Westerkerk has often been the subject of Amsterdam folk songs and is  mentioned several times in Anne Frank’s famous diary.The owner of the tower is de City of Amsterdam. At this moment it is not possible to visit the tower.

3:00pm 
  • Anne Frank House - Here we stop for a tour of the Anne Frank House.
4:30pm 
  • Prinsengracht - Walk the street of Prince Canal 
  • Nieuwe Leliestraat
  • Heart of the Jordaan
  • St. Andrew's Hof
6:00 Dinner - Hard Rock Cafe

7:40 Walk (5 minutes) to dock in front of Rijksmuseum

8:00 Sunset Canal Cruise  - Tickets here (booked through Trip Advisor)

   Golden hour in Amsterdam, typically occurring in the hour before sunset (8:21pm on April 5th), bathes the city’s 17th-century canal-side architecture in a warm, romantic glow of orange, pink, and purple.   This site (SunsetHue)  tells you exactly what to expect when.  The sun reflects off the canals (Grachtengordel), creating a, serene "gezellig" atmosphere, making it ideal for photography and sightseeing. The city slows down as the light softens, with streetlights in canal houses beginning to turn on, enhancing the romantic, quiet, and magical, ambiance. The "blue hour" occurs in the 10-15 minutes after sunset, offering a deep, cinematic, blue sky that contrasts with the city's lights.
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