2020-05-01_Lonely_Planet_Traveller

PHOTOGRAPH:

MARK

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AsAprilturnsto May,withtulipbloomsandmemoriesof

King’sDaystreetpartiesbeginningto fade,springin the

Netherlandsentersa lessfrenziedphase.Fortravellers

bytrainfromBritainit willalsobethefirstchanceto enjoy

smootherjourneysto andfromthecountry,withthestart

of directEurostarservicesfromAmsterdamto London

(a lackof suitablebordercontrolsat AmsterdamCentraal

stationmeantUK-boundpassengerspreviouslyhadto

changetrainsat Brussels).Whetheryou’reaimingto get

themostoutof a flight-freeweekend,or canstayin town

forlonger,it’sanopportunityto takethetimesavedonthe

returntripandinvestit in venturingfurtherfromthecentre.

TheNoordhollandschKanaalleadsthewayout

throughthecity’snorthernlimits,pastthe1790s

D’Admiraalwindmill(pictured).To brush

uponthefinerpointsof Dutchmills,

takea shorttraintripoutto Zaanse

Schans,anopen-airmuseumwith

eightof themin canalsidepastures.

London Amsterdamfrom£70return;

begins 30 April;eurostar.com

Milling

around

SHORT BREAKS BY TRAIN