Kastel de Haar in Utrecht: What is it? How to get there from Amsterdam?

Posted on March 13, 2023March 13, 2023 by Amsterdam Guide

Kastel de Haar is one of the most visited attractions in the entire Netherlands. It is located near the city of Utrecht, one of the most popular and best cities in the Netherlands. The distance from Amsterdam Centraal to Kastel de Haar is approximately 40 kilometers. How is it possible to travel between Amsterdam and Kastel de Haar? Is it worth the trip?

Many people coming to the Netherlands have read and heard about Keukenhof. That is a place everyone should visit, but you should definitely visit the magnificent Kastel de Haar as well. Why is that?

Why visit Kastel de Haar?

Kasteel de Haar, also known as De Haar Castle, is a medieval-style castle located in the Netherlands, near the city of Utrecht. The castle was originally built in the 14th and 15th centuries, but it wasn’t taken good care of. In the end of the 19th century and in the start of the 20th century, the castle was restored and expanded by the wealthy van Zuylen family, who owned the property at the time.

Today, Kasteel de Haar is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands, attracting visitors from all over the world. The castle features a stunning array of medieval architecture, including turrets, towers, moats, and drawbridges. Inside, visitors can explore a variety of rooms and halls, including the grand ballroom, the library, and the kitchen.

The castle is surrounded by a large park and gardens, which feature a variety of sculptures, fountains, and other decorative elements. Visitors can take guided tours of the castle and its grounds, and there are also a number of events and activities held here throughout the year, including concerts, exhibitions, and festivals. As you visit the area, you can buy a ticket that allows you to visit the park only, or you can buy a ticket that will give you entrance to the castle itself, in addition to the park. No matter which option you choose, you will witness one of the most beautiful areas in all the Netherlands.

How to travel from Amsterdam to Kastel de Haar with public transportation?

The easiest way to visit Kastel de Haar is with a car. You can then drive straight to the castle, park your car, and enjoy the park, the castle, and the surroundings. But if you do not have a car and don’t want to pay for a taxi, then you can use public transportation. That is, however, a little bit complicated and quite time consuming, meaning you should consider joining an arranged trip instead.

If you still want to use public transportation, this is the best way to travel from Amsterdam (or other cities in the Netherlands) to Kastel de Haar.

Travel by train to Utrecht Centraal.
Travel from Utrecht Centraal to Vleuten by train.
Ride with bus 127 from Vleuten Station to “Haarzuilens, Eikslaan/Kasteel”.
Walk from the bus stop to the castle.

Haarzuilen is a beautiful little village next to the castle, so it is a perfect location for lunch, a cup of coffee, or for a delightful dinner.

The bus connecting Vleuten Station with Kastel de Haar doesn’t ride too often (normally once per hour), meaning that you should plan this beforehand if you don’t want to end up waiting unnecessarily. This is also true about your return ride to Vleuten Station as you finish your trip to Kastel de Haar.

What to eat near Kastel de Haar?

Are you looking for something to eat near Kastel de Haar? There are places within the castle-area where you can find something to eat and drink. Would you like to eat in something reminding more of a normal restaurant? You will find several restaurants a few hundred meters from the castle in the village of Haarzullens. This is a fantastic village with a great atmosphere, making it an ideal solution if you want to eat a warm lunch or a nice dinner.

If you want to eat a delightful Italian pizza instead, travel back to the center of Vleuten. Close to Vleuten Station you can find the Italian restaurant Cucina Elena. Here you can eat one of the best pizzas in the Netherlands (that is our subjective opinion) making it worth a stop if you are in the area.

Where to live near Kastel de Haar?

Are you looking for a place to live near Kastel de Haar? Here you have a few suggestions.

The Lodge: You don’t get closer to Kastel de Haar than this. This farm-like accommodation is approximately 1000 meters from the castle, making it an ideal solution for a fantastic sleep in a peaceful environment near the castle.
Brasserie de Brouverij: This accommodation is in the center of Vleuten. It is “only” 2.6km from Kastel de Haar. You can easily walk from this location to the castle in a peaceful environment making it a good solution if you want to live a bit more central than what you do at “The Lodge.” You will find grocery stores, restaurants, and the train station close to this accommodation.

Those were some suggestions if you want to spend the night in a hotel or something reminding you of a hotel near Kastel de Haar.

Do you have any further questions or comments? Write them below!

Can I watch HBO Max in the Netherlands?

Posted on January 14, 2021January 14, 2021 by Amsterdam Guide

Are you tired of COVID-19? Are you fed up with having be in lockdown? Are you looking for a great movie to stream, but you have seen everything available on Netflix in the Netherlands? Is there a way to get access to HBO Max and other streaming services in the United States while living in the Netherlands? Yes!

It is actually quite easy to watch HBO Max in the Netherlands. If you want a very easy guide showing you how it works, take a look at the following article in the IP Address Guide. There you can see it step by step how you can access HBO Max in the Netherlands and how you can pay for your HBO Max subscription without a payment card issued in the United States.

If you follow those instructions, you can also watch content on American Netflix (there are lots of TV series and movies available there that you cannot find on Netflix in the Netherlands), and you can even watch content on ITV and BBC in the United Kingdom, and free content on the websites of FOX, NBC, and CBS. Isn’t that cool? That should cheer you up a little bit, even if you are fed up with COVID and working from home.

Which is the best VPN for HBO Max?

To watch HBO Max in the Netherlands, you need to use a VPN. There are lots of VPN services on the market, but I believe the best might be ExpressVPN or SurfsharkVPN (based on this article). Check it out to find more information.

Let us just hope that the vaccine will help us get rid of COVID-19 as quickly as possible, and that life will turn back to normal quickly. When it does, we will once again be able to watch Wonder Woman 2, James Bond, and other blockbusters in the cinema, instead of watching it all on our screens at home! It might be cheaper to watch movies at home, but it doesn’t give you the same feeling as sitting in a cinema with a big screen and feeling the smell of popcorn from the people surrounding you!

Ready for Ajax – Real Madrid on February 13th

Posted on February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 by Amsterdam Guide

In less than a week, it will be time for the fantastic match between Ajax and Real Madrid at Amsterdam Arena in Amsterdam. Are you going to be there in person?

The people of Amsterdam weren’t to happy about getting Real Madrid as their opponent in the first stage of the knockout part of the Champions League in 2018-19. But, with an Ajax team in great shape and with lots of good results behind them, what better team to beat than Real Madrid?

Ajax will play against Real Madrid on February 12th — Ajax will play against Real Madrid on February 13th

The first match between the teams will be played at Amsterdam Arena on February 12th and it will start around 21.00. It will be an amazing game, and we truly cheer for Ajax to beat the crap out of the team from Madrid. But, it isn’t going to be easy as Real Madrid has been playing fairly well recently, and they just played 1-1 against Barcelona at Nou Camp. In addition, Karim Benzema seems to get a hold of hitting the net, so the team from Amsterdam might want to watch especially out for him.

What to expect at the Amsterdam Arena

The fantastic venue in Amsterdam has space for more than 50,000 people, and it will for sure be packed on February 13th. Did you know that this amazing stadium actually has a retractable roof, and it takes around 20 minutes to open or to close it. That is kind of cool, isn’t it? It was the first stadium in Europe to have such a roof above their stadium.

None of the players at the Real Madrid team now were present at the stadium in 1998, but back then, Real Madrid won a Champions League final against Juventus at this very stadium (1-0).

Where to watch Ajax – Real Madrid?

You can watch the match at the actual stadium (instructions on how to get there will come later). But, if you cannot be there at the stadium, the match will be shown at all the sports pubs and restaurants around town. If you’d rather just sit on your own and watch it on your computer or tablet, you can read more about how and where to stream Ajax – Real Madrid online in this article.

How to get to Amsterdam Arena?

Are you going to the match between Ajax and Real Madrid, but wonder how you can actually get to Amsterdam Arena? It is very easy!

The fastest way to get to the stadium is by taking a train from Amsterdam Central to the station named Bijlmer ArenA. This is a ride that takes around 15 minutes, and you will be just by the stadium as you leave the train.

If you want to use the metro instead, travel with metro 54 from the center of Amsterdam to the stop with the same name, and you will get to the stadium quickly (though a little bit slower than you would taking the train).

The exact address of the venue is ArenA Boulevard 1, 1101 AX Amsterdam.

Go for it Dusan Tadic, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Hakim Ziyech, Donny van de Beek and Kasper Dolberg!

These are the guys who have scored most goals for Ajax so far this season. Dusan Tadic has a total of 22 goals so far, while Huntelaar has scored 15 goals, and Ziyech following with 14 goals. That is a lot of goals, meaning that Ajax is a team that should be watched out for.

As we wrote earlier, Karim Benzema is the Real Madrid player with most goals so far this season (18 in total). Behind him comes Gareth Bale (11), and then the defender Sergio Ramos (10).

Can I watch Netflix in Amsterdam? How does it work? What to stream?

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Amsterdam Guide

Are you coming to Amsterdam and to the Netherlands on a holiday? Worried about whether or not Netflix will work in Amsterdam or not?

In our modern world people no longer watch TV series like before. We do not watch them every Thursday evening at 21.00, but instead we like to stream our favorite TV series and content whenever we want to on Netflix. But, when you plan your trip to the city of beautiful canals and art museums, what should you expect? Will your Netflix subscription work as you arrive to your Amsterdam hotel?

Does Netflix work in the Netherlands?

Let us start answering this question first. The answer is yes! Netflix does work in the Netherlands, and you can easily visit Netflix.com or open your Netflix application, as they will both work. You will however be surprised to discover that the content available will differ, meaning that it is very possible that your favorite TV series available at home, can not be found on Netflix in the Netherlands.

Can I get access to US Netflix while in the Netherlands?

If you got really sad reading our earlier answer, then you will be happy to hear that it is possible to get access to US Netflix, UK Netflix, German Netflix, Norwegian Netflix, Canadian Netflix and some more Netflix regions while in Amsterdam. For more information on how to access other Netflix regions while in Amsterdam, visit netflix.fromabroad.org.

The best content on Neflix in Amsterdam currently

Instead of changing your Netflix region, why not explore the opportunities Dutch Netflix has to give. There are lots of content available on Dutch Netflix that can’t be found elsewhere, and thus you can use this chance to stream movies unavailable in your home country. Here you will find some suggestions from us that we believe will make you miss your home Netflix region much less.

Ps: Do not use these recommendations so much that you miss out on the beautiful canal cruises in Amsterdam, skip your visit to the Van Gogh museum and cancel your planned guided tour in Amsterdam on a bike.

Lots of Marvel movies on Dutch Netflix

If you like the Marvel universe, then Dutch Netflix is almost like heaven. It has much more to offer than any other Netflix region, which means that you can stream all the following Marvel movies on Dutch Netflix at the moment:

– Thor
– Thor: The Dark World
– Captain America: The First Avengers
– Iron Fist
– Captain America: Civil War

This should be a good start if you like the Marvel universe.

Star Wars

If you are a Star Wars fan then the very best of all Netflix regions is Netherlands without a doubt. Here you can stream all Star Wars movies from 1 to 7, with the exception of Star Wars 3 1/2, that is Star Wars Rogue One. You can in other words stream the original three Star Wars movies, the add-on three movies (which weren’t really that good), and in addition you can stream the blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens (number 7) which will receive a successor this Christmas. This is the ultimate activity for hardcore Star Wars fans, and if you aren’t crazy about Star Wars yet, then you might just be about to become a hardcore fan. Star with Star Wars: The New Hope (which is the first made Star Wars movie, but number four in the history), or start with Star Wars: The Phantom Menace if you want to watch the movies in the correct order.

Pixels

This is a great movie for those who lived and played arcade games during the 80’s. In Pixels we meet Adam Sandler, a guy who was incredibly talented when it came to video games. In the 80’s he lost a competition, but after this an arcade machine was sent out into outer space. This arcade machine was caught up by aliens who 25 years later attack earth, and the only way to save earth is by beating the aliens in the arcade games like PacMan, Donkey Kong and so.

Pixels is a typical Adam Sandler movie, and I have to admit it that I actually enjoyed this a whole lot. Not a movie that you will remember for a long time, but if you want some pure entertainment after a long day studying Rembrandt works in the Rembrandt museum, or maybe history in one of the historical museums in Amsterdam, this might just be what you need to relax.

Disney movies

Let us say that your children are just really tired after a long day walking the streets of Amsterdam. What do you want them to watch while you relax? Dutch Netflix is packed with Disney movies, and here are some of the most famous ones:

– Robin Hood
– Frozen
– The Princess and the Frog
– Peter Pan
– The Good Dinosaur
– Dumbo
– The Incredibles
– Inside Out
– Ratatouille
– Monsters, Inc.

There are lots of other movies from Dreamworks and so on, but based on these titles you will not have a problem giving your children something to watch before or after walking the streets of Amsterdam.

The Proposal

For those who want a romantic evening in front of the TV with some great laughs included, The Proposal might be what you are looking for. In this movie Sandra Bullock plays an annoying boss who does anything to get her way. As she is about to be sent out from the US due to lack of VISA, she takes one of her employees (Ryan Reynolds) and claims him to be his fiance. This will save her job, and she forces Ryan Reynolds to do as she says, if not… The first weekend they have to spend in Alaska with the family of Ryan Reynolds, and this weekend is gonna be full of surprises.

If you want more movies like The Proposal, then Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Ugly Truth and What Happens in Vegas could be good alternatives to The Proposal.

What are you gonna watch tonight?

We would love to hear about your plans in Amsterdam and what you would like to stream on Netflix. Use the comment field beneath and share your thoughts. We really look forward to hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, feel free to write down those as well.

Can I access Dutch Netflix abroad?

If you reading this list understand that you really want to access Dutch Netflix, also when you get home, then you can read more about how to access Dutch Netflix outside the Netherlands in this article.

Now you can shop from Amazon.de in Dutch

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Amsterdam Guide

By a coincidence we recently bumped into the news that Amazon.de (German Amazon) is now also available in Dutch. If you prefer shopping in the German Amazon Store, but still in Dutch, then you can do so now.

It was in the following article that we read about how you can visit Amazon.de in both English and Dutch. This is brilliant in many ways. Since Germany has a population near to 80,000,000 people there are lots of people there who do not speak German, or at least before their home languages to German. That has been fixed by Amazon.de recently as they have added support for both the English and the Dutch language. In that way you can read more about the different products in both Dutch and English, and you can get instructions on shopping and much more in your own language.

What should you buy on Amazon if you do so? And why shop from the German Amazon store instead of the Dutch Amazon store? If you live in the Netherlands you should probably by from your local Amazon Store. But, there might be some products that you can not get access to in the Dutch Amazon Store, which you however can buy in the German store. If that is so, then this will come really useful for you. Then you can also forward your packages from Germany to the Netherlands easily (if that is needed as Amazon.de does not send all sorts of deliveries to other countries), and in a few minutes from now you can have ordered your first package from Amazon.de in Dutch and get it sent to your home address in the Netherlands.

We have not tried this ourselves yet, but it seems to work very well, so go ahead and visit the German Amazon store in Dutch to give it a try.

Is it cheaper on Amazon.de than on Amazon.nl?

The products available in both stores normally run with the same prices. But, if you visit Amazon.nl you will simply suffer, as there are so few products available. You can not buy lots of Amazon products (like Fire Tablets, Amazon Echo), you can not buy the most modern cell phones (Samsung Galaxy S7) and so much more. And that is why you will want to visit Amazon.de in Dutch and shop from there instead.

What do you think? Will you try to shop from Amazon.de in Dutch?

Christmas presents to buy in Amsterdam

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Amsterdam Guide

Christmas is almost here and everyone is trying to find the best presents for Christmas. In this article we will list some of the best gifts you can get in Amsterdam during a holiday.

The good thing is that Amsterdam is one of the most interesting and busiest cities in Europe and it has countless shops and markets on every corner of the city. Around Christmas in the city like in the other big cities in Europe you can find the Christmas markets where you can buy the usual Christmas gifts all the handmade knitted accessories such as scarfs, hats, gloves, crafted chess boards and sets, wooden toys for children, wooden kitchen accessories, all kind of lamps, various metal and glass works, leather bags in different sizes, various Christmas decorations and so on, but if you want to get something more special and personal we recommend you to try the small boutiques such as Cottoncake and Jan where you can get the nicest presents for your loved ones and even have a coffee as well.

Cottoncake is a small shop located between the Sarphatipark and the busy Albert Cuypmark. The boutique sells all kind of women clothes, home and living accessories and jewellery as well. The items of the store are coming from all over the world and they were inspired by travel adventures which makes all of them really unique and special.

Jan is a small concept store where you can find all kind of presents for Christmas for your loved ones. At the store you can choose from various unique jewellery, coffee table books, gadgets for girls such as leather bags, home accessories and so on. Apart from these there are plenty other stores you can find in Amsterdam with almost the same quality and prices.

If you want to know more on Amsterdam check the following site for more information.

What Dutch TV channel will broadcast from the World Cup 2014?

Posted on May 6, 2014October 24, 2017 by Amsterdam Guide

I am a big fan of football and would love to watch the World Cup. What Dutch channel will broadcast from the World Cup, and is there a way in which I can watch this online?

Thank you for the brilliant question, and we are big fans of football ourselves. Hopefully the Holland team will enjoy greater success during the World Cup 2014 than during the European Championship in 2012, and that will make it far more interesting to watch the matches both on TV and online. In Holland the channel that will broadcast from the World Cup 2014 is NOS. You can find their website at www.nos.nl and what makes things even better is that they will broadcast all matches online at their website. The only requirement for you to watch the live broadcasts online is that you have a Dutch IP address, and you can easily get that if you want to watch the NOS World Cup broadcast from outside the Netherlands. Here you can find some useful links that will give you more information on the World Cup 2014 and NOS.

Enjoy the World Cup, and may the best team with Robben and the other stars win it all!

Which is the best five star hotel in Amsterdam?

Posted on April 10, 2014April 11, 2014 by Amsterdam Guide

We are currently writing a series of articles on which is the best five star hotel in different cities, and now the time is here to discuss which is the finest and best five star hotel in Amsterdam.

So far we have written small articles on the best five star hotels in Krakow and the best five star hotels in Budapest.

In our eyes a hotel need to be central to be the best, and that is why some five star hotels in Amsterdam are not even close to be considered the best five star hotel in town, simply based on its location. But, using your legs a bit does not hurt anyone. The definition of central in Amsterdam is the Dam Square, the very heart and center of Amsterdam, together with the central station.

If you just want luxury and a great five star hotel just in the center of Amsterdam, at the Dam Square, then the decision is easy to make.. All you need to do is to book a room in Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. However, based on general feedback and user reviews this is not the very best five star hotel in Amsterdam, even though its location might be the best. There are two other hotels known to be even better, and those are Sofitel Legend and De l’Europe Amsterdam. These hotels both smell and taste of luxury, and in Sofitel you can even find the Michelin starred restaurant Bridges. This hotel is also located near the Van Gogh museum, so if you plan on spending time near the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum and the Dam Square, this is it!

The other favorite is De l’Europe Amsterdam. This is located a bit closer to the Dam Square, so while Dam Square is a 10 minute walk from Sofitel, it is only a five minute walk from De l’Europe Amsterdam. If you like fine dining, then this hotel in fact has a restaurant with two Michelin stars, Bord’Eau, making this one of the finest places to dine in all of Europe. In fact they also have free wireless Internet available, which is a big pro with both this hotel and with Sofitel.

All in all we would probably not mind very much whether we stayed in Sofitel, Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky or De l’Europe Amsterdam. We would just visit booking.com and book a room in the hotel with the best prices for our dates!

What is the distance from Anne frank museum to Haarlem?

Posted on February 10, 2014 by Amsterdam Guide

What is the distance from Anne frank museum to Haarlem?

Hello, and thank you for the question!The distance from the Anne Frank museum in Amsterdam to Haarlem is about 20km. There are several ways of getting there, but one of the easiest ways is to walk from the Anne Frank museum to the Central station and just jump on a train that will take you to Haarlem. It is easy, quick and should work perfect.

Which is the best VPN provider in the Netherlands?

Posted on December 5, 2013October 24, 2017 by Amsterdam Guide

I noticed that you wrote an article about how to get a Dutch IP address. My question is which VPN provider is the best for the Netherlands? I am going to stay there for seven days in a hotel with free wireless Internet connection, but heard that it is not safe really to use such a connection, so which VPN provider should I use to secure my Internet connection and privacy while staying in Amsterdam? This is also important because I will do some work during my stay, which means I will have to use my credit card online, and I would rather not have anyone stealing that information as I use the open networks and hotspots around. Thanks a lot for your help!

That was a brilliant question, and as you said, very important to protect your information and privacy even while out traveling using WiFi in hotels and restaurants. This is not really our subject, so I will just write an answer based on information I have been “stealing” from the IP Address Guide in their article on how to get a Dutch IP address. In their article they tested several VPN providers for their speeds and also amount of servers and IP addresses in the Netherlands, and based on their results I would say that the best VPN provider in the Netherlands is IPVanish. It might be surprising as the article itself recommends the usage of HideMyAss, but as I see their speeds can be a bit unstable, so I would rather go for IPVanish which seems to have a stable download speed and is very easy to use. You can of course use HideMyAss as well, since they are the biggest provider with several servers and several thousands IP addresses in the Netherlands available, so you will always find server with great speeds, but it might require quite a lot of connecting and disconnecting and trying the different servers before you find the right one, so that is why I believe that IPVanish might be just as good.

Not sure if this information will help you or not. If you want to know more about one of the services, read the IPVanish or the HideMyAss review written by Christine Wilson.