Picnic time
We have selected our five favourite picnic spots for you. Take your well-filled picnic basket to one of these spots and you are guaranteed a lovely afternoon. When you arrive, spread out your blanket and enjoy a lovely afternoon in the sun. Absorb the nature or culture of the city, while enjoying your picnic.
Vondelpark
10 to 15 minutes bicycle ride
3 kilometers from the hotel
A large group of citizens bought several hectares of Grass-land and marshes at the outskirts of the city of Amsterdam. Together with architect Jan David Zocher the park was designed and in 1865 the park was opened and originally named New park. Later, in 1867, the park was renamed to Vondelpark, because of the statue of poet Joost van den Vondel. The Vondelpark is the largest public urban park with 47 hectares in Amsterdam. We advise you to take a spot near one of the lakes.
Museumplein
5 to 10 minutes bicycle ride
2 kilometers from the hotel
The Museumplein is a public open area in between three major museums, the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk Museum. From the square you can enjoy the views of these lovely museums, as well as the view of the Concertgebouw and the Moco museum. During your picnic you can look around and absorb the appearance of these beautiful buildings.
Amsterdamse Bos
25 to 30 minutes bicycle ride
8 kilometers from the hotel
This spot is amazing for nature lovers. The Amsterdamse Bos is three times the size of New York’s Central Park and entirely man-made. Spanning an impressive 1,000 hectares, the Amsterdamse Bos is among the largest city parks of Europe. It is a mosaic of wet and dry patches, grassland, reed land and open water. Each forest area has its own character and inhabitants. The Amsterdamse Bos is proud to present its very own big five: the marsh harrier, the kingfisher, the Scottish Highlander, the squirrel and the grass snake. See if you can spot them all during your picnic. You can pick any piece of grass you find to spread out your blanket, find one along the water, or enjoy the shade underneath the trees. You can easily find a quiet spot, so you really get the feeling that you are out of town.
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
30 to 35 minutes
9.5 kilometers from the hotel
Ouderkerk aan de Amstel offers a scenic refuge from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam. The village is a popular destination for bike rides from Amsterdam, just follow the Amstel river to the south. In summer, the clean waters of the Ouderkerkerplas are a popular outdoor swimming spot. The ride there is also filled with great views of the Amstel river.
A spot along the Amstel river
10 to 15 minutes bicycle ride
4 kilometers from the hotel (depending on the spot you choose)
If you do not want to cycle that far, a spot along the Amstel river is perfect for you. The Amstel river is the old river which originally was part of the river Rijn. When the Dutch started to force the water to go somewhere else so there would be more land to live on and farms to cultivate on the Amstel got disconnected. Along the river there are plenty of (old) farms, gorgeous houses and riverside grass to enjoy your picnic in this amazing scenery. In the spring and summer, you will see lots of boats passing by with people enjoying the good weather on the water.
