Amersfoort – My favorite city in The Netherlands

Amersfoort celebrated its 750th anniversary of becoming a city in 2009. By pure luck I was there for the last weekend of the months long celebration. It is the second largest city in the Province of Utrecht. The railway station is one of the largest in the country because of the junction of east-west and north-south raillines. This makes Amersfoort a good suggestion as a stopping point for those of you who want to venture away from the “mainstays” often mentioned on this board.

The medieval portion of the city is still there. Two of the three fortified walls are still there (some portions gone). The footprint for the second/middle wall is represented by a ring of houses built on the foundation for the removed wall.

Some Photo's of the centruum

There is a market every Friday and Saturday.

Wikipedia has an article about the city: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amersfoort
The VVV website for Amersfoort: http://www.vvvamersfoort.nl

My goal for this thread is to show others what a great city it is. I’ll start with this initial post and then add more posts on various subjects.

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Amersfoort is the birthplace of my father and the place I think of as "home" when I think of The Netherlands. My mother was Frisian by birth and moved to Baarneveld - it is a little east of Amersfoort.

So, I do have some ties to the city. Yet once I started exploring the place I found it to be a great destination as well.

Coffee Shops:
NOTE (Feb 20, 2011): on another forum I saw that in mid-January the city shutdown some of the coffee shops, but I’m not able to confirm that comment.

SunCity (formerly Trenchtown)
Krommestraat 41
Walking Directions from Station
Streetview/map - note: Google maps is marking the address just to the right of the real door

The one I always go to. Just around the corner from the main market. The place had a new owner when I was there in 2009 and he had completed the renovations required for the non-smoking (cigarette) law. From another site I read that he has put in all new AirConditioning equipment as well. Not a huge place. The staff and customers have always been friendly.

de Schommel
– this one may be a moot point. It was also in the center of the city. But I’ve heard it was shut down when the owner couldn’t get his license renewed. Don’t have good information on this place.

de Horizon
Achter de Arnhemse Poortwal 55
Walking Directions from Station
In the center of the city, but outside the wall.

Bazar the Zoo
Puntenburgerlaan 72
Their website
Walking directions from Station
Streetview with map
This place is in part of Amersfoort that I haven’t explored much. It is North (behind) the Station, out the smaller entrance/exit for the station. Based upon reviews on other forums, I need to put some effort into getting over here in a future trip.

Alem
Schimmelpenninckstraat 2
Walking directions from Station
Streetview with map
Based upon its location (just outside of the centrum) and some reviews on other sites…probably will never visit it.

Free Time
van Galenstraat 31
Walking directions from Station
Streetview with map
In the center of the city just north of the centruum.

’t Klavertje
Amersfoortsestraat 12
Klavertje's website
Walking directions from stations - 5.4Km
Streetview with Map

The clover looks to have a liquor license … based on the photos on the website. This place is going to be a hike for the average guy on this website. It is on the outer edges of the city to the North East

So far so good. Now what about the ladies?

straight to the point neuro!? ;-)
and yes, we 2 want to know...what about the ladies? ;-)

The Ladies:

Start with the following notes:
- Of the following I have only visited Amersfoort Prive and have always been happy
- There is not an RLD
- The data below is from February 2011

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Amersfoort Prive
Vlasakkerweg 51 at the corner of Spoorstraat 15
http://www.amersfoortprive.nl - with link for English
Walking directions from Station
Streetview with map
Owned by the same people as Park118

From their website they state that they usually have 15 woman working. I remember visits with more than that working.

Hours:
Monday – Saturday 10:00 to 01:00
Sunday 12:00 to 01:00

Prices listed are:
65e for 30 min
95e for 60 min
120e for Jacuzzi and an hour
165e for VIP lounge

They offer extra’s like massage, private parties, the VIP lounge, etc

Just a few minute’s walk from the station. Walk out of the station (south entrance/main entrance) and turn left. Walk until you come to the stoplight and go right (across the street). AP will be on your left at the next block.

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Huize-Monique
Dirk Loogenstraat 3
http://www.huize-monique.com
Walking directions from station
Streetview with map

From their website they have 12 woman who work regularly and others who work some of the time.

Hours: They are open from noon to 10 p.m. and closed Sundays

They are located very near the centruum just outside it on the NNE corner.

Prices listed are:
50e for a 15 minute Fluffy ?? whatever that is
70e for 30 minutes
100e for 60 minutes
120e for a Jacuzzi and an hour
130e for a larger Jacuzzi and an hour

...............................

Diana Prive
Woestijgerweg 27
Walking directions from station
Streetview with map

May be closed. When I’ve gone past it on previous trips the place was dark. Another ‘Micer recommened calling first.

Having trouble finding additional information about it on the Dutch Language websites.

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House of Dreams
Soesterweg 271
http://www.house-of-dreams.eu
Walking directions from the Back of the Station
Walking directions from station

The website does not provide any information on hours. Another website states Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 11:00

It does say that there are 7 rooms for rent for 35e/hour and you negotiate from the woman who all work for a cooperative

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Amersfoort may not have the RLD’s of Amsterdam, den Haag, Alkmaar, Utrecht, etc… But it does have one Privehuiz that I strongly recommend. Hopefully can check out the Monique’s on this upcoming trip.

Transportation to Amersfoort and getting around Amersfoort:

Getting to Amersfoort

Obviously … check out http://www.ns.nl for updated information.

Streetview of the main entrance

Trains from many places go through Amersfoort because of the juncture of the major east-west and north-south lines.

As in much of The Netherlands the trains don’t run in the middle of the night except for select runs…

There are four trains an hour between Amsterdam Centraal and Amersfoort. From Amsterdam Centraal to Amersfoort Centraal it is a direct route (unless you catch the ICE that stops in Utrecht and it is heading toward Germany). Two of the trains are intercity (1 stop) and two are stoptrains (8 stops between).

The times below are for weekdays and they fluctuate by a few minutes earlier and later in the day/weekends:
From Amsterdam Centraal (7.60e)
- :26 and :56 are the intercity with a trip time of 35 minutes
- :05 and :35 are the stoptrains with a trip time of 48 minutes
Return Amersfoort
- :29 and :59 are the intercity
- :06 and :36 are the stoptrains

From Schiphol there are six trains an hour (9.00euro) – but only two are without a train change
:00 takes 61 minutes with a stop in Amsterdam Centraal and changing to the regular Centraal to Amersfoort train
:19 and : 49 are direct and take 45 minutes
:25 and :55 are 58 minutes and change trains in Weesp

For other cities the NS website is good.

NOTE: if you are planning on going to Leeuwaarden, Zwolle, Groningen or any of the other cities in the north (not Noord-Holland i.e. Alkmaar) you will be changing trains in Amersfoort. Might as well at least take a bit of time and look around.

NOTE: the bathrooms in the train station close at night

NOTE: when you get off the train in Amersfoort most of the people will walk to the middle of the platform which takes you into the main part of the station. When you get to the top, again most of the people will head to the main entrance/exit – others will head to the other side of the tracks and the smaller/back entrance/exit. There are stairs at the ends of the platforms and they will bring you up to street level, but you will be outside of the Station. So, just keep that in mind with my notes below. You may need to adjust based upon where you came up.

VVV

Personally I am a big fan of the VVV in every city I visit in The Netherlands. In Amersfoort the VVV is in the same building as the train station. Go out the building, turn left and it’s about a hundred feet or so.


Cash
Get off the train and realize you need some money? Walk out of the train station and turn right. There will be two ATM’s in about 25 to 50 feet. I think one is ABN-AMRO and the other is Rabobank


Getting around Amersfoort
There are the usual methods: walk, bicycle, bus, and cab. There is not a Tram system

Walking – the old part of the city (Centruum) is very walkable from the train station and you will be walking right past Amersfoort Prive.

Bicycle – a great way to see the city. Especially if you are interested in visiting parts that are not so close to the train station. When you come out of the station look to your left for all the bicycles. You will see a covered entrance to an underground bike storage/rental place. Sorry, don’t remember what the prices are.

Cab – walk out of the station and you will see the cab right in front of you. Unless you have a lot of trouble walking you shouldn’t need either a cab or the bus.

Bus – I haven’t used the busses in Amersfoort since I was a there as a child. You come out of the station and go to the right and there will be all the busses. There are two bus companies that have stops at the station Conexxion is the one for in the city. It is ov-chipkaart compliant. To get to the inter-city busses continue walking to the right (past the intra-city busses) and between the building. There will be the inter-city busses.

Museums:

Please check the museum’s website for updated information. The hours listed below are what I found in February, 2011.

Armando Museum
Address: Zonnehof 8
Website: http://www.armandomuseum.nl
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_%28artist%29
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 11.00-17.00 and Saturday/Sunday: 12.00-17.00
NOTE: the museum is temporarily housed at Zonnehof 8 while the permanent location is undergoing repairs from a fire in 2007. The permanent location is expected to be open in 2012.
Specialty:

The Armando Museum houses the remaining works (much was destroyed in the fire) of the artist Jerman Dirk van Dodeweerd known as Armando.

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Museum Flehite
Address: Muurhuizen 76, 78 and 80
Website:http://www.museumflehite.nl/
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flehite
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 11.00-17.00 and Saturday/Sunday/Holidays 12.00-17.00
Specialty:

The three buildings that house the museum are a specialty themselves. They are part of the Muurhuizen of Amersfoort. The Muurhuizen are the wall houses built on the foundation of the second fortified wall built around Amersfoort. The museum is the historical museum of Amersfoort.

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Mondriaan Museum
Address: Kortegracht 11
Website:http://www.mondriaanhuis.nl
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieter_Mondriaan
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 11.00-17.00 and Saturday/Sunday: 12.00-17.00
Specialty:

By its name alone … you can probably figure out what the bulk of the collection is. The museum has the largest collection of Pieter Mondriaan art in the world. Additionally they have other artists on display who are of the same style as Mondriaan or compliment the works.


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KAdE – Kunsthal in Amersfoort
Address:Smallepad 3
Website:http://www.kunsthalkade.nl/index.php?
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 11.00 to 17.00 and Saturday/Sunday: 12.00 to 17.00
Specialty:
Offers exhibitions and events in areas of contemporary art, architecture, design and the general visual culture of today.


…..
Cavaleriemuseum
Address: Barchman Wuytierslaan 198
Website:http://www.cavaleriemuseum.nl
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10.00-16.00
Note: This museum is a bit of hike if walking
Specialty:

Covers the 425 years of history for the Dutch Cavalry.


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Kamp Amersfoort
Address: Loes van Overeemlaan 19
Website: http://www.kampamersfoort.nl
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amersfoort_concentration_camp
Hours: Monday to Friday: 09.00-17.00. April-September also on Saturdays/Sundays: 13.00-17.00
NOTE: you will need to take bus 19 from the train station to get there. See the website for more information.
Specialty:

Kamp Amersfoort is a memorial to the 35,000 prisoners of the German Police from 1941 to 1945.

…..

Other:
- On the third Sunday of each month they have a tour of 45 studios and 10 galleries: http://www.kunstkijkroute.nl/
- Kattenbroek – this is a very interesting area of Amersfoort for the mixed use of space. Mixing retail, apartments, lower income and nicer housing into a planned community: http://www.kattenbroek.info/. You will want a bicycle to see this area of Amersfoort.
- Vathorst – another expansion of Amersfoort using mixed use architecture/space planning. http://www.vathorst.com. There is a small train station in Vathorst.

Sounds like a good art town, especially for its size. The Mondrian place is reason enough to visit.

The House of Dreams sounds like it has an unusual setup. Here it is on Google Streetview.

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safa ... 38,,0,0.61

I agree about House of Dreams.

Been chatting with Bluto, we are going to go back and make updates to my previous posts with embedded links to streetview and walking paths from Google. From what I understand the links to streetview can be misleading because they will shift over time.

May take awhile to get there. I've got more sections brewing in my head...

Thanks for the info! (Sorry for the bump ... but, I just found this thread, thanks to your link to it on another thread.)

Thanks Book!

I put a bunch of effort into the first several sections and had planned to do a section on Architecture after my trip in April ... but that trip didn't work out as I had planned.

Amersfoort initially was the place I stayed because I have so much family there. Amersfoort is now the place I stay because I have really fallen in love with the place. Easy to get around, easy to get anywhere else from there and everything is so much cheaper.

Definitely not the same as staying in the heart of the RLD! It's a totally different side of The Netherlands.

So, tossing this around between Utrecht and Amersfoort..I decided to book a hotel in Amersfoort and avoid excessive hotel fees in Amsterdam. I really don't think I'd like the Hotel Torenzicht, either. Last time I stayed north about 30 minutes by public bus. This time it is 35 minutes by train to Centraal. Should be fine. Any other info you have would be great. I'm staying at the Lange Jan.

Hey,

Any updates on Amersfoort? Going next week to visit both Utrecht and Amersfoort, and the Prive Amersfoort + House Monique seemed to have nice girls at least on their websites...

These are both still reliable and not taking extra prices, or prices when entering etc.? Should I make an appointment or just go there directly to see if I like any of the girls they have working that day? Got plenty of experience from "window shopping" in Amsterdam, but never been in these.

Thanks!

Sadly, I was only in Amersfoort for about 6 hours last fall. I was travelling with friends and spending time in Amersfoort just didn't work out well for the group - they were stuck on only seeing Amsterdam. So I zipped over to have dinner with some cousins and walk around a bit - started pouring so I stopped that short and headed to my cousins place.

I have only been to the Prive Huis close to the train station and have never made an appointment. Just walked in and had no problem finding a new best friend.

Any recent reports if the privet in amersfoort?

I have finally read through this thread but can't really see anything different about the city to any other. I am always looking for other cities to visit but with no red light district and no special feature (beach at Zandvoort for example) I can't really see the point. On top of that I am pretty sure it's where that little thief JC lives. If you didn't have personal connections to it would it still be your favourite?

The last several trips I have not spent as much time there. My family connections are dwindling as my aunts and uncles have passed away. Not as much desire on my part to spend time with them.

If you want to stay somewhere other than Amsterdam and experience more of a Dutch Experience than this is a good city to visit/stay. The train station is well connected. The cost of staying in Amersfoort is less than Amsterdam.

It is smaller and doesn't have as much nightlife as Amsterdam. But, I'm not into staying out for nightlife as I was when I first started going to The Netherlands. There are museums, a nice market, architecture, micro-brewery, privehuis, etc...

For me it is a very comfortable and friendly place to visit. Took my girlfriend with me this summer which was a whole new twist on visiting The Netherlands for me! She wasn't all that thrilled about going to Amersfoort because she wanted to stay in Amsterdam. On the train back to Amsterdam that evening she said it was a very nice place to visit.

To answer your question of would it still be my favorite if not for the family - I can't say because it is impossible for me to break the connection. Amersfoort is "home" for me.

Thanks for sharing so much Amersfoort information; I will be moving permanently to Amersfoort in November, so this topic should be very useful to me. :)

Are there any restaurants or pubs with food that anyone would recommend in Amersfoort? The only restaurant in Amersfoort I've been to is the Indian restaurant (Taste Of India) on the corner of the market square. There's a couple of pubs I usually go to here in Apeldoorn that also have decent menu and aren't expensive; I'd like to find something similar in Amersfoort if it exists (e.g. something like an Irish pub, but doesn't have to be Irish of course). Any recommendations?

A VERY nice thread thanks for posting full of information in detail sounds like a good place to visit or stay out of the main area.

I was in Amersfoort for about 30 hours during April's trip. My flight landed really late so I didn't have the time to run around like I had hoped. Pretty much from the time I got there to the time I left I was with family.

The last Google street view I looked at shows the Coffee Shop I would normally go to had been closed.