Amstelveen Off The Beaten Path

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The Broersepark is situated between the museum-railroad from Amsterdam to Bovenkerk, the Parklaan (entrance), the Amsterdamseweg (main entrance) and the Molenweg (entrance).

The park houses several free and caged birds.

There is also a playground with a little swimmingpool for children in the Broersepark. The pool is filled with water between 08.00 and 12.30, when the weather forecast is sunny and 21 degrees Celcius or higher. The swimmingpool is emptied again between 18.00 and 20.00.

A 1 km walk through the park is described here (in Dutch, but with a map. Search for "Broersepark"): http://www.natuurwegwijzer.nl/

The parks De Braak, the Dr. J. Landwehrpark and the Thijssepark are on walking distance. On the website of the Thijssepark a 1.5-2 h walk though the Thijssepark, De Braak and the Landwehrpark is described in Dutch. However, you can also find a map there that might useful.

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This nice pool / small lake lies to the west of Amstelveen and is part of the forest "the Amsterdamse Bos".

It is possible to walk around De Poel, it takes about 1 hour. Convenient entrances are close to the city hall (Laan Nieuwer-Amstel 1) and at the Urbanus church in Bovenkerk (Noorddammerlaan).

There is also a "blossom park" along the way with a 175 m bamboo bridge and a picknick area with cherry trees.

In the winter, De Poel used to freeze over and was a popular place for ice-skating. However, it did not freeze over the last couple of years...Global warming?

The wooden shoe factory and tourist gift shop "Ratterman" can also be found at the Noorddammerlaan, as well as cafe/restaurant Silversant, a good place to relax after this enjoyable walk. See my other tips for more info.

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Officially this park is called "Dr. Jac. P. Thijssepark", designed by C.P. Broerse.

The park can be reached with bus 166 (stop "Oude/Nieuwe Karselaan from direction Amstelveen and stop "Prins Bernhardlaan" from direction Amsterdam). By car/bike you can find the entrance at the Prins Bernhardlaan.

The parks De Braak, the Dr. J. Landwehrpark and the Broersepark are on walking distance. On the website of the Thijssepark a 1.5-2 h walk though the Thijssepark, De Braak and the Landwehrpark is described in Dutch. However, you can also find a map there that might be useful.

Close to the park "De Braak" one of the four intact banning poles ("banpalen" in Dutch) of Amsterdam can be found. See my tip on that if you are interested.

In the weekends a ferryboat connects the North bank of the Nieuwe Meer (Oude Haagseweg near McDonald´s and the beaches) with the South bank (close to the pancake house Boerderij Meerzicht, see my other tips).

A fast and exciting way to reach the Amsterdamse bos from Amsterdam West, or to reach the beaches of the Nieuwe Meer from the Amsterdamse Bos.

Single trip only 1 euro for adults and 0.50 euro for kids (5-12 years), bikes and buggies. Free for kids under 4 years.

15 April - 15 Oktober, every 15 minutes on: Saturdays 12.00-18.00h, Sundays and holidays 11.00-19.00h.

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Great combination of water and swamp-like nature.

On the website of the nearby Thijssepark (see below) a 1.5-2 h walk though the Thijssepark, De Braak and the Landwehrpark is described in Dutch. However, you can also find a map there that might useful.

Some more info, in Dutch, can be found here: http://www.ivn-amstelveen.nl/

There are several entrances to the park:

Close to Amsterdamseweg 220, between the houses Amsterdamseweg 252-244 and through the Prinsesselaan.

The park can be reached with bus 166 (stop "Oude/Nieuwe Karselaan from direction Amstelveen and stop "Prins Bernhardlaan" from direction Amsterdam).

Close to the park "De Braak" one of the four intact banning poles ("banpalen" in Dutch) of Amsterdam can be found. See my tip on that if you are interested.

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The Amstelpark is a big park in the south of Amsterdam, enclosed by the Europaboulevard, the highway A10 and the river Amstel.

The Amstelpark offers a broad diversity of things to do, for adults but also for children. A wide variety of trees and and flowers can be found here, as well as several kinds of animals like squirrels.

Things to do and see in the Amstelpark:

- Playground and farm for kids (http://www.speeltuin-amstelpark.nl/).
- Midget golf (http://www.midgetgolf-amstelpark.nl/).
- Pony rides for kids.
- Tour by small train, April-October daily from 10.00-18.00, in the winter on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11.00-18.00).
- Labyrinth.
- Mill (Riekermolen).
- Glass house (Glazen Huis) with exhibitions.
- Gallery Papillon
- Rhododendron Valley with 8000 rhododendrons of 139 species.
- Garden with endangered local plants (Heemtuin).
- Butterfly Garden.
- Rose Garden (Rosarium) with 160 different species of roses.
- Dahliarama with different kinds of dahlias and other plants.
- Japanese Garden.
- Conifer Garden.
- Orangerie with exotic plants.
- Cafe De Hop.
- Reastaurant Rosarium (http://www.rosarium.net/).

The main entrance is at the Europaboulevard, opposite to the A.J. Ernststraat. The park can be reached with busses 69, 169 and 148, or by train/metro/tram to RAI station. For info about the Amstelpark: parkwachterij@zuideramstel.amsterdam.nl

From Amstelveen, take metro 51 to RAI Station, it´s just a 5 minutes walk to the main entrance.

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Four authentic "banning poles" (banpaal in Dutch) can be found around Amsterdam. In the past (around 1600 AD) these poles marked the borders of the city. The city of Amsterdam had the rights to apprehend suspects within these borders, and to ban/expel convicts from the territory marked by the banning poles.

Banning was a popular punishment for theives and beggars, but also for cursing, playing dice (gambling) or prostitution.

Interestingly, the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt made an etching showing one of these banning poles. A part of this banning pole, that has been relocated several times, can now be found in the Geuzenbos at the Spaarndammerdijk close to its original position. It is close to the water-pumping station ("gemaal" in Dutch) near Vaalmuiden/Wethouder van Essenweg. A map showing its location in the Geuzenbos can be found here: http://www.westpoortbeheer.amsterdam.nl/recreatie/geuzenbos, click on "wandelkaart".

The other banning poles can be found here:

- Sloterweg in Sloten (1794)
- Amsterdamseweg in Amstelveen (±1625)
- Near the river Amstel, Amsteldijk Noord, close to the Kalfjeslaan in Amstelveen (±1625)

The last banning pole, the one next to the river Amstel, is included in a marked 10 km walk through the Middelpolder, see my off-the-beaten-path tip.

The banning pool on the Amsterdamseweg in Amstelveen is close to the parks "De Braak", "Thijssepark" and "Broersepark" in Amstelveen and a visit to the banning pole could be combined with a visit to these parks. Please see my other Amstelveen tips if you are interested.

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This marked walk of the Dutch Touring Club ANWB takes you through a polder (Middelpolder), located south of Amsterdam and east of Amstelveen.

The walk is about 10.5 km on paved road and passes mainly through pasture and along the river Amstel.

Along the way, next to the river Amstel, you will find a so-called "banpaal", a banning pole from 1625 AD that was used to mark the territory of Amsterdam for those banned from the city. Along the Amstel there are also some magnificent country houses.

The route is well marked with hexagonal signs with "Middelpolderroute", see the pictures. You can print the map that is among the pictures for reference.

Possible starting points:

The official starting point is close to Restaurant 't Klein Kalfje (http://www.restaurantkleinkalfje.nl/), Amsteldijk Noord 355, Amstelveen. You can go here if you have a car or a bike.

By public transport, you can pick up the route at point 3 (Bankrasweg, Amstelveen) on the map. Take tram 5 or metro 51 (GVB) direction Amstelveen from Amsterdam, get out at stop Zonnestein. Follow the Straat van Messina to the east, walk via Oostelijk Halfrond and the Machineweg to the Bankrasweg, which you follow to the south.

Another option is to take bus 165 (Connexxion) and get out at stop Machineweg. Bus 165 commutes between Amsterdam Zuid Station and Amstelveen bus station.

Please note that if you are between point 1 and 2 on the map (Kalfjeslaan) you have to take the bridge to the left just after the sports fields, this is not clearly marked.

When you reach the river Amstel, you have to go left to follow the route. However, you can make a little detour by going right, to the scenic village Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. There are many restaurants in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, some of them with a nice terrace at the Amstel river.