“A Day in Gouda” is a first in a series of posts about The Netherlands beyond Amsterdam.  As many of you know, I’m married to a Dutchman and he’s very, very proud of his orange roots. Many Americans travel to The Netherlands but they opt to stay in Amsterdam. Sadly, they are missing out. Whether it is the modern architecture of Rotterdam or the fairy tale like town of Giethoorn, there’s so much to see beyond the fabled canals of Amsterdam. This summer I had the opportunity to spend a day in Gouda, a small city south of Amsterdam. Beyond the cheese and the charming architecture, Gouda is a quaint city with friendly people and it gives you a snapshot of Dutch culinary history.

Getting There:  It’s easy to spend a day in Gouda.  It’s only a 50-60 minute train ride from Amsterdam Centraal Station. Check out my transportation guide to The Netherlands for more details on how to get there.

Dining Traveler Guide to a Day in Gouda:

Where to Eat:  

Even if you’re going to spend one day in Gouda, make sure to make space for good food!  What I love about the city is that you can really experience the history of some of the food items the Dutch revere most without the crowded shops you will see in Amsterdam.  One Dutch beloved food item is the stroopwafel.  These thin wafers filled with caramel are a favorite of the Dutch and every visitor who encounters these little treats immediately falls in love with them. Head to Bakery van Den Berg (Lange Groenendaal 32) just walking distance from the city center. There, you can get stroopwafels fresh off the production line (they are still made by hand in the back), a selection of desserts made with stroopwafels, and even stroopwafel liqueur!

We enjoyed our lunch at Chocoladefabriek. Don’t be fooled by the “Chocolate Factory” name. This cool cafe and bookstore concept was filled with locals catching up, taking their lunch break, or simply immersed in their books sipping some coffee. I had a fun menu with small dishes all inspired by Gouda cheese: a slider smothered in cheese, a quiche, and cheese soup. Delicious.

Dining in Gouda:  Gouda is filled with cozy, small restaurants. We dined at Viejee’s a cute restaurant owned by a lively young couple who serve as the hosts, managers, and even waiters.  The service is very personalized as we could observe the owners socializing with the diners around us.  Although they have a menu of small plates, their specialty is a chef’s table with a sampler of some of the chef’s favorite dishes. We enjoyed the savory seared meats, grilled veggies, and the delicious bread (another food item the Dutch excel at!) with our dinner service. A must dine if you spend a day in Gouda (or a week for that matter!).

What to do:

Gouda Cheese Museum:  One of the first things that people associate with Gouda is cheese as it is one of the most popular products coming from the city.  If you are a fan of mature, hard cheese, you will love Dutch cheese. I will admit, one of the first words I learned in Dutch was “kaas” (cheese).  If you’re going to spend a day in Gouda, your first stop should be at the Cheese and Craft Museum. This historic building was a weighing station for all the cheese traded in Gouda. There, you can also purchase a large selection of cheese, go for a guided tour and tasting, and learn about the history of one of Holland’s most renowned product.

Walk it off:  Between the stroopwafels and the bread, one must workout after all the amazing food. The great news is that Gouda is tiny so you can literally experience the whole city by foot. Take a stroll along its maze of cobblestone streets and alleys.  Go on a tour of Sint Jan Church, an immensely beautiful Gothic church in the city center. The beautiful collection of stained glass windows is one of its kind.  If you really want to go local, rent a bicycle to explore more of the city.  Here’s a list where you can rent a bicycle.

Shop:  Stock up on cheese at a local cheese shop such as ‘t Kaaswinkeltje (Lange Tiendeweg 30, 2801 KH Gouda) and local beer and Dutch genever (a traditional spirit) at the local owned Beer House Den Gouwen Aar. If you come by car, I highly recommend going to Kaasboerderij Jongenhoeve, a family owned farm which produces raw milk cheese. We took a free tour of the farm where we got to meet the hardworking cows, witness the cheesemaking process, and the best part, buy tons of cheese.

Where to stay:

We stayed at Guesthouse the Utrechtsche Dom, a tiny guesthouse on a small side street in the city center. The room was comfortable, friendly service, affordable (less than 90 EUR a night), and the breakfast was good. We loved its location as it was walking distance to all of the attractions of the city. Bonus: you must go to the hat shop Hoedenhuis ‘t Matelootje, located across the street from the guesthouse. The ladies who work there are the sweetest, I bought the most beautiful hat for a wedding I was attending in Sicily for just 25 Euros during their summer sales.

The Verdict: If you want to experience authentic Dutch hospitality, great food, and culture without the crazy crowds, this city is for you. Whether you spend a day in Gouda or a weekend, you will feel more acquainted with Dutch culture. I most certainly did! This trip is ideal for: couples, friends (I went with my friend Maribel, and families.

Disclaimer:  My one day in Gouda adventure was facilitated by Visit Holland during my summer media trip. 

The post Beyond Amsterdam: A Day in Gouda appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

Flying to Holland

As an American, you don’t need a visa to go to Holland if you plan to stay for 90 days or less. You can find more entry requirements for the Netherlands here. Most large carriers like KLM, United, Delta, and American Airlines have plenty of direct routes from the major American hubs, and they arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol, the country’s main airport. If you’re traveling to other European destinations from The Netherlands, look at flying into smaller airports like Groningen, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven, where you can get great deals from low-fare carriers like WizzAir, RyanAir, Transavia, Nordica, and others.

Dining Traveler Tip: all of these airports are easy to get to via train or bus.

Taking the Train Through Holland

Trains offer the easiest and most affordable way of getting around in Holland. The Dutch train system is incredibly efficient and it gets you to your destination quickly. This is especially true in the Randstad, the area that covers the most populated Dutch cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. Trains are also a great way to get to neighboring countries like Belgium, France, and Germany. You can get from Amsterdam Schiphol to Brussels in less than two hours and to Paris in less than four.

Dining Traveler Tip: GoEuro has a great train guide that incorporates all of the rail systems associated with the destination. The website also offers a price and schedule comparison with other services, such as buses and planes.

Driving in Holland

Getting around in Holland can be quite tricky. The driving itself isn’t an issue, but parking can be incredibly expensive in big cities like Rotterdam and Amsterdam, where it can cost as much as 10 euros an hour. However, having a car can give you the flexibility to discover off-the-beaten path destinations that are oh-so charming. For instance, you can buy fresh Dutch cheese straight from the farmer near Gouda, discover the charming town of Giethoorn, or eat fresh seafood off the coast of Zeeland.

Dining Traveler Tip: If you’re looking to discover the country by car, look into staying in smaller towns that have local hotels with free parking.

Biking and Taking Local Transit in Holland

When traveling within the city, there are plenty of ways to get around by city bus, tram, underground, and bike, the Dutch-preferred mode of transportation. If you get confused, there’s always someone at the station willing to help you out. Don’t despair, since most Dutch people speak English.

If you really want to go native, rent a bike and truly discover the cities like a local. There are many delightful little alleys in cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague that you can easily find by bike. It’s normal to feel a bit intimidated at first, so read a local guide to cycling to get your bearings.

Getting around in Holland and beyond is easy, affordable, and fun. Traveling across the country is safe, and people are friendly and helpful. I recently traveled across the country for two weeks at seven months pregnant and felt very safe. Have you traveled across Holland? What are your tips?

Disclaimer: this post was sponsored by GoEuro. As always, opinions are my own

The post Getting Around in Holland appeared first on The Dining Traveler.

Flying KLM Business Class:  I was fortunate enough to fly KLM business class from Washington-Dulles to Amsterdam Schiphol.  It all starts with the lounge before departure:  KLM and Air France share a lounge at Dulles.  I am used to the cramped space at the United Lounge at the same airport and must say this lounge was a breath of fresh air… literally.  The space was bright and neat with a wide selection of warm and cold snacks, a full premium bar (that at 6 1/2 months pregnant I couldn’t enjoy… boo), and most importantly it was not as crowded as the other domestic airline lounges at Dulles.

On board: The seating area is comfortable and the staff pays individual attention to each passenger in the business class cabin.  The food selection has its ups and downs:  the starter of the pumpkin soup and cheese for dessert were delicious but I wasn’t a big fan of the salmon main course. I enjoyed a nice breakfast service of quiche, fresh fruit, and pastries right before we landed, which was perfect. During this flight I did not have any alcoholic beverages but noticed that it was abundantly offered.  One of the bonuses of flying KLM business class are the unique amenities: a beautiful clutch by Dutch designer Jan Taminiau and their iconic Delft blue ceramic traditional houses filled with Dutch jenever.  The best detail came at the end of the trip when the staff noticed I was pregnant and gifted me a cute KLM bib wishing me the best for my pregnancy.

Flying KLM Economy:  So we’re not always lucky to get upgrades… on my way back home from Europe I flew KLM Economy from Amsterdam Schiphol to  Washington-Dulles.  Given that at that point I was over 7 months pregnant, I decided to purchase an upgrade to their “economy comfort”.  I am grateful I upgraded the night before for $67 as they were offering it in-flight for 110 Euros (around $123).  The service again was great, the food was good for economy, and the economy comfort was as comfortable as any other airline premium economy section.  The one thing I wish both transcontinental flights offered was Wi-Fi.  I get a lot of work done when I am up in the air.  I inquired about Wi-Fi in future KLM flights and was told that is a feature they are looking to include possibly next year.  Again, what makes flying KLM special is the service.  The crew on both these flights was friendly, kind, and patient.

Flying KLM Intra European:  During our European sejour, we flew KLM from Amsterdam to Palermo, Sicily.  This flight was a two segment flight:  Amsterdam -Rome via KLM and Rome – Palermo, operated by Alitalia but part of the overall KLM ticket. I also purchased an economy comfort seat on the Amsterdam – Rome flight for $14 which was great as the flight was full, unfortunately, I didn’t have the option to do the same on Alitalia on the KLM website.  The check-in process could have been more streamlined:  I had to check in luggage, so the flight agents at Amsterdam made me go to a different counter to pay for my luggage (15 EUR) and then return to another counter to drop off my bag.  However, I learned that purchasing your ticket via the KLM website gives you a discount when checking in a bag.

Thankfully, check-in was the only snafu.  I think flying KLM and Alitalia back to back really enhances why KLM is so much better:  the aircraft are aesthetically better taken care of,  KLM offers a complimentary sandwich and drinks to all of its passengers on short haul flights, a treat in regular fare airlines these days, and the overall service is much better. A two leg trip with two completely different airlines makes a point of comparison quite easy!

What Makes Flying KLM Special:  One of the things that makes flying KLM so unique is how well the brand etches Dutch culture into every part of the flight experience.  From the Delft blue miniature ceramic houses given to Business Class passengers, to the story behind the locally sourced Dutch cheese written on the sandwich wrapper in Economy, there’s a touch of Dutch pride everywhere you turn.  You don’t see that much these days when it comes to airlines. No wonder KLM is the oldest airline still in operation…

The Verdict:  I had a great flight experience in all of their service levels during my multiple trips. I am hoping that my next transcontinental flight will offer Wi-Fi and the connectivity with KLM partners on their website runs a bit more smoothly for future travels.  My biggest takeaway from these flight experiences was the great service I received at all levels of the trip: check-in, lounge, and on board.  Definitely Dutch hospitality at its best!

Disclaimer:  My Flying KLM experience from IAD-AMS round trip was sponsored by Visit Holland. My Palermo trip and economy comfort upgrade from AMS-IAD was at my own expense.  As always, opinions are my own… 

The post At Every Level: Flying KLM appeared first on The Dining Traveler.