Amsterdam: Travel Tips

GETTING TO HOLLAND

Fly KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from the U.S. to Amsterdam:

A total of seven airlines serve Amsterdam Airport Schiphol from the U.S., but KLM offers the most frequent daily direct flights. You'll arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol- awarded Europe's best airport in 2012 and ranked among the top five airports in the world. It boasts more than 100 shops, many of which sell tax-free goods, a wide choice of restaurants, a casino, a wellness club, and lounges, where young and old can relax! And don't miss Holland Boulevard, which includes the world's first airport library, the Bols Genever Experience, Dutch-designed "living rooms," to relax in before your flight, and even a Dutch kitchen, where traditional Dutch foods like poffertjes, kibbeling and croquettes are made fresh. There's even a museum: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam Schiphol, which has a temporary collection of old masters, which changes every six months. If your travel plans include other citys, all the major ones in Europe -- including the other Gay Europe destinations of course -- are connected through a direct service into Amsterdam.

Once at Schiphol, getting into Amsterdam is a cinch. The train station is directly underneath the airport terminal building, with trains leaving every 15 minutes to Centraal Station Amsterdam, which is a mere 15- to 20-minute ride away.