My first interrail experience

From my initial exploration I knew that I was going to like Amersfoort old city In particular, the human scale of the place with very little traffic - apart from bikes - and lots of lovely houses in cobbled streets nestled between canals.

When I woke up after the best sleep I’ve had since leaving home, I discovered that the market was already set up and doing business. I didn’t hear a thing! A mix of double glazing and earplugs did the trick.

Market in the Hof outside my hotel

Unlike the other hotels I’ve stayed at, Hotel Gaaper had a kettle so I could make a hot drink first thing. The shower was hot and powerful so a good start to the day. I’d googled good cafes and found one called Livingstone which was about 3 minutes away. The cafe was very pleasant and I chatted to the barista who told me that she’d had an incredibly busy day the day before. I had a piece of banana bread to go with my flat white. She had added some sort of a jam and banana to the slice which is quite unusual but nice.

Livingstone Cafe

Flat white and banana bread at Livingstone cafe

The good thing about staying right in the centre of a small city, is the ability to pop back to the hotel very easily for rest or toilet breaks or just to pick up and drop things off. My next stop was the Tourist Information office which is close to the big tower - more of that later. They sold an booklet in English with a walking tour - the organised tours were in Dutch. The day was unsettled so I definitely needed my umbrella.

The start of the walk is at Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren the tower which was built after a ‘miracle’ took place in December 1444. You can climb the 346 steps to the top with a guide and I rather foolhardily booked a place for the 3:30pm climb.

The imposing Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren

There are various important sites that the guide highlights. The first main stop after the tower is the Amersfoortse Kei - a massive 1,157 kilo boulder which has a story attached to it concerning a bet made by Count Myster. I walked through the park alongside the river and passed the former Marienhof Convent which is now an upmarket wine bar. Not long after is the Monnikendam watergate - a beautifully preserved building built as part of the city wall and its defences. I did a slight detour over the canal to get a better view of the watergate from the main road.

The Amersfoortse Kei - boulder

The Waterpoort Monnikendam

The Waterpoort Monnikendam

The route then takes you back into the city where there are lots of examples of pretty houses, some of which were built to form part of the city wall itself. Close by was the Mondriaan House which was on my list of must-dos. It was very interesting to see how the artist progressed from fairly traditional painting to modernist art, leading to the style that most people would recognise as a Mondriaan. The museum is organised in an inventive way that makes the best use of quite limited space. Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in art and the life of Mondriaan in particular.

A reconstruction of Mondriaan's modest living quarters

Projection of Mondriaan cooking

Activity Centre where visitors can make their own lego Mondriaan

Great use of space in the museum

The next part of the walk took me to the Dieventoren - a medieval prison tower which is a square brick built building alongside the nearby wall houses. There are so many landmarks in Amersfoort like the statue of a bull - The Riet -and last remaining land gate called the Kamperbinnenpoort but the next notable one for me was the Koppelpoort, a very well preserved medieval entrance gate which combines a water and a land gate. By now I was getting hungry and stopped at a cafe called DIEP for a hot chocolate and cheese toastie. It was getting close to the time for the tower climb so I went back to the hotel for a rest and comfort break. The rest of the walk would have to wait.

Dieventoren - old prison building

View of Koppelpoort from outside the old city

View of Koppelpoort from inside the old city

De Stier Statue - the Bull

DIEP cafe

I hadn’t quite prepared myself for the reality of walking up 346 steps to the top of the tower! There were small children who seemed to be able to race up but I find spiral staircases with very little light quite hard going. Luckily there are several places where we stopped en route. The guide only spoke Dutch so I had no idea what he was saying but was aware of the miracle that led to the tower being built and how it remained standing after the church accidentally blew up. Up until now I had no idea what a Carillion was but the tower is famous for having two carillons that can be played simultaneously.

The two carillons in the tower

The carillon is a musical instrument consisting of (at least) 23 bells which ‘ring out’ when played on a keyboard. The keyboard is similar to a piano or organ and each ‘key’ (or baton) is linked to a bell with a different pitch. Apparently the carillon has an important role in Dutch culture and the school for learning the carillon is in Amersfoort.

Carillon bells

Bats in the belfry?

19th century graffiti

The tiled dome at the top of the tower

I was quite worn out when we finally made our way to the top but it was worth every step as the view is pretty amazing if somewhat terrifying.

A view of houses and gardens from the top of the tower

For my evening meal I found a vegan/vegetarian restaurant called Rozey’s which is near the Emplein just outside the old city walls. It was quite an usual offer in that you paid a set amount - equivalent to £37 at the weekend - and you are able to order as many small plates as you wish from a choice of 53. Drinks are included with an around £1 extra per drink. The food was great and a welcome change from my recent diet of cheese and bread which is not a good combination at all for me.

Rozey's restaurant near the Emplein outside the city walls

One of the delicious desserts

Several small plates including spring rolls and satay

As I wandered back I followed the bit of the self-guided walk that I hadn’t done already to take in more attractive houses, through the Appelmarkt and Groenmarkt before finally reaching the Hof and my hotel and a well-deserved rest.

It was time to move again. My next destination was Amersfoort in the Netherlands. I’ve been to Amsterdam a few times so I thought it would make a change to try somewhere different. I have quite a few Dutch friends who made suggestions and finally I settled on Amersfoort as it sounded like a pretty town with canals and picturesque streets.

My train left Lübeck at 11am so I left the apartment with enough time to stop at the Tourist Information cafe to have the obligatory coffee and pastry. This time I had a pistachio bun.

Coffee and bun at the Lübeck tourist office cafe

From there it’s a 12-15 minute walk to the station dependent on how fast you walk and/or how much luggage you have. I have used my medium sized case because I wasn’t sure about the weather and so I hedged my bets by packing clothes for all seasons. So glad I did because the temperatures have been so low. My shorts, skirts and dress have not even come out of the case so far and are unlikely to do so given the forecast.

Whereas Copenhagen to Lübeck involved just one change, the journey to Amersfoort involves two changes - Hamburg first and then Osnabrueck. The first leg is a quick journey with plenty of unreserved seating. At Hamburg I had a half an hour wait to catch the ICE train. I couldn’t see Osnabrueck on the board which freaked me out a bit but I found out later that the international trains go to so many stations they can’t fit all of the names on the board!

Random pic of some German train tracks

I had a seat reserved for both this and the next train from Osnabrueck. The second train was the first one where I found someone already sitting in my seat. I had to ask them to move as the train was busy and as I had paid for the reservation I didn’t think it was up to me to move As mentioned before, the seat reservations are clearly marked so this person was chancing it.

Lots of room for cases on the ICE train

All three legs of the journey ran to time and so I arrived at Amersfoort station on the dot of 5:25pm. The hotel is in the centre of town on the market square and easy to find. I used Apple Maps but on the day I left I realised that there are silver arrows that guide you to the centre from the station. I was focussing on my phone so much I didn’t see them.

The centre is like a small island surrounded by canals. It’s similar to Amsterdam but on a much, much smaller scale. My first impression was of a very picturesque place - I looked forward to exploring.

Canal in Amersfoort

Typical street in Amersfoort

Once I checked in I decided to go out and explore and find somewhere to eat. The Hotel de Gaaper’s location had the potential to be noisy and the management provided ear plugs. Apparently there is a market on Fridays which could be noisy when stall holders set up.

Big tower close to the Tourist Information office

I wandered around for a while but didn’t really manage to get a sense of the layout - something I’d do the next day. There are lots of cafes and restaurants - in the end I ate at Kafé Van Zantan which felt a bit more like a pub. I had a Dutch beer to go with my mushroom pita. More bread - but what can you do?

Evening meal at Kafe Van Zanten

I was pretty tired by now and made my way back to the hotel. It’s next to a church called Sint Joriskirk which makes for a good landmark to look for in the unlikely event that I got lost. By the time I went to bed I could hardly keep my eyes open. I used my own earplugs which I always carry when travelling and hoped for a good night’s sleep.

I chose Lübeck as a stopping off point on my way home to the UK because of the promise of brick gothic architecture that has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Lübeck was a significant trading city at the heart of the powerful Hanseatic League, its wealth reflected in the interesting medieval buildings within the city walls.

If I’m visiting a place new to me I try to book onto a walking tour with a local guide but there was only one in English and that was on a Saturday. I intended to walk down to the tourist office near the Holsten Gate - the first part of the city you hit if you are coming from the station. First things first though …breakfast. I’d spotted Konvent, a nice looking cafe on the same street as my accommodation so had a very good coffee and huge cardamon bun for breakfast. It was a pretty busy there with quite a varied clientele and a fair few well-behaved dogs.

Breakfast at the Konvent cafe

The tourist office has maps with a suggested walk that starts at the Holsten Gate and ends at the Town Hall with a lot of landmarks in between. The Salt warehouses - Salzpeicher - are six historic brick buildings close to the gate and next to the river. They are beautiful buildings that were used to store salt ‘white gold’ that helped to make Lübeck such a wealthy city.

Salthouses by the river

I peeped into some of the many courtyards that are hidden behind large houses. With an explosion of population in the 14th Century, windowless ‘stalls’ were built in the backyards for servants and the poor. They were nothing but shacks in those days but are now sought after residences. You can find the courtyards when you see an archway - usually with a sign above indicating the name of the courtyard and ‘gang’ which apparently translates as aisle.

One of the many secluded courtyards in Lubeck

Passage way to a courtyard

A typical entrance to a courtyard

Lubeck is known as the city of seven spires but, like the churches I have seen elsewhere, I personally don’t think the style is particularly attractive. They are big and solid with tall towers but to me they aren’t as beautiful as some of the churches we have in the UK.

Lübeck Cathedral

Astronomical clock in Lübeck Cathedral

A view of the Cathedral spires from the Konvent cafe

By the time I got to the Cathedral it was lunchtime. I ended up eating at Konvent’s second cafe which is within the cathedral premises. There is also a museum called the Museum of Nature and Environment next to the Cathedral.

A bread heavy lunch at the Konvent cafe in the Cathedral

Other notable landmarks are the Burgtor Gate and close by, the Hospital of the Holy Spirit which was set up to help the poor and needy. The rich merchants gave money for the hospital in exchange for a place in heaven, so not entirely selfless!

The Burgtor Gate

The Hospital of the Holy Spirit

Small rooms for the patients in the Hospital

Stained glass roundel depicting the Madonna

Just about every street that you walk along has very attractive houses - usually five stories high and mainly built of brick. I could have taken hundreds of photos and still not captured everything.

Lubeck Street near the river

Typical Lübeck street

Attractive houses with stepped gables

My final stop was the Rathaus - the Town Hall which is by the Market Square in the centre of the city. Most of the Hanseatic League’s meetings took place within Lübeck’s town hall.

Town Hall facade

Another view of the Town Hall from the Market Place

By evening the streets were quiet again. I wondered if it’s busy during the day because of day trippers coming in from nearby cities who then leave at the end of the day. As I’d walked around I had also been looking for a good place to eat but nothing particularly appealed. Much of the food seems to be very carb heavy with a lot of bread so not my type of food at all.

I ended up doing the old stand by - pasta and pesto - once I was back at the accommodation. Still a bit heavy on the carbs but NOT bread!

My train to Hamburg was due to leave at 12:05 so I had a bit of time to kill. Check out time at the WakeUp Copenhagen is 11:00. I bet they love slapping on a surcharge even if you went over by a minute.

I generally don’t go for the hotel breakfast unless it’s included so I researched for nearby cafes. There were two within walking distance - Origin Coffee and a place called Rug Bakery. The latter is within Villa Copenhagen on Tietgensgade close to the station. As I had time to kill I went to Rug Bakery for breakfast. Although chilly the weather was quite sunny and dry. It’s a shame we couldn’t have had this weather yesterday.

Rug Cafe inside Villa Copenhagen

Rug is a pleasant place with good coffee - the setting feels quite formal as it’s in a posh hotel. I had a tasty cinnamon bun with the coffee before going for my last wander around Copenhagen. It was quite early so very few shops were open. It seems that 10am is the norm with even cafes opening at 10am. Obviously not trying to catch the people who are on their way to work.

Pastry at Rug

After several days in the city I found it easy to orientate myself and know where I was going so I could cover a lot of ground taking in old favourites like the Round Tower and the edge of the Tivoli Gardens. As I have said before, the centre is very walkable.

Dragon statue that used to be part of the Dragon fountain in front of the Copenhagen City Hall

Dragon Fountain

Tivoli Gardens entrance

Copenhagen City Hall

I gave myself enough time to get back to check out and then went for my second cup of coffee of the day at Origin Coffee. This shop is on Bernstorffsgade so close to the station. Finally it was time to say goodbye to Copenhagen and Denmark. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the city and would love to return some time in the future.

Origin coffee

To get from Copenhagen to Lubeck, I had to travel to Hamburg first and then change trains. I have been booking seats on trains that have been identified as busy which I would recommend especially if you have a lot of luggage. Makes for a stress free experience when you know that you have a seat. Also, the display on the platform shows you where your carriage will stop which is particularly useful when it’s a very long train. The change over was pretty straightforward although the platform was different from the one I expected. It is always worth checking and double-checking. Whereas Copenhagen to Hamburg is 4 hours, Lubeck is a short journey of 45 minutes. Most of the people on the train looked like commuters going home after a days’s work. At Lubeck the walk to the apartment was easy. With GPS things are so much easier although I do tend to work out my route beforehand anyway to get a sense of a place. Also, the entrance to the city is marked by an impressive gateway called the Holstenor Gate.

The Holstenor Gate

Side view of the Holstenor Gate

After a bit of faff with keys, I got in and was faced with some rather steep and narrow steps to the first floor. I guessed then that the word mitten must mean middle as it was the one sandwiched between two apartments. It’s a tiny little studio, very basic compared to the luxurious Hellerup accommodation. It’s fine for two nights but wouldn’t be good for a longer period.

I’d bought some salad at Copenhagen station 7/11 so ate that before going out to explore. The whole town at 7:30pm was deadsville with hardly anyone about. I wasn’t sure if it was be because of the cold or what. I walked around a bit to get my bearings, bought a few bits from a supermarket and then went back to rest. It’s amazing how tiring train travel is despite the fact that you are just sitting down for a lot of the time.

It’s Monday and we have to check out. All the art galleries and museums are shut and it’s a wet and cold day. Overall, a bad combination. What does happen to be open is Rosenborg Castle, so we decided to head there as we can be inside for a while at least.

The problem with checking out when you still have a day ahead of you, is what do you with your luggage? This was the first chore we had to deal with. My friends had an evening flight and I was staying an extra night to get the train to Hamburg and Lubeck the next day. They deposited their bags at the station and I went to my hotel - WakeUp Copenhagen - to leave mine. I was shocked to find that I had to pay to leave it in a locker and pay handsomely for it. I should have left it at the station with the others.

We regrouped at Coffee Collective where I indulged in another citron pastry as they are so good. The train ticket that we bought at Hellerup was good for 75 minutes so I didn’t have to buy another ticket to get to the cafe. It was a short walk to the castle but the rain wasn’t easing off unfortunately. I’m so glad I had multiple layers and a pack-a-Mac.

Rosenborg Castle

Every tourist in Copenhagen had the same idea as us so when we arrived we had to wait about 30 mins for the next available slot. I think you can pre-book online which is good if you know your precise schedule. It was hard to find somewhere to hang out away from the rain - the locker room was full of people hugging the radiators. I walked around the gardens and noted the soldiers who were on guard. It made me think that these young men could potentially be going to Greenland to defend it against the orange menace.

Rosenborg Castle

Finally it was our turn to go in. There are four floors as well as a basement and deeper still, the treasury. Every room in the castle was pretty over the top in what I can only describe as baroque kitsch. One particular piece of furniture was probably one of the most ugly things I’ve seen in a stately home. I mentioned that Trump would be envious but someone who overheard me felt that it wasn’t tacky enough for him!

Monstrous cabinet

A toilet fit for Royalty

The Crown Jewels were pretty impressive but a lot of the stuff in the basement was a bit gaudy and much of it was stuff like guns and swords that you might find in an Armoury. Also, a huge amount of the artefacts, although beautifully worked, are made out of ivory.

Crowns

King Christian IV crown

Once out in the rain again we looked for lunch spots and found a really nice covered food hall quite by accident close to Nørreport Station on Frederiksborggade. There were lots of food stalls to choose from. The only downside was the lack of enough seating. They are probably reliant on the outside seating area when it’s good weather. Next to the food hall is the Torevehallerne Farmers’ Market.

We planned on visiting the Palm House at the Botanical Gardens but after traipsing through the rain to get there we found that it doesn’t open on a Monday until July. The whole park felt like a ghost town with a few brave souls who probably thought they could shelter in the Palm House, too.

To warm up we ended up in a Joe & the Juice - a chain that seems to be all over Copenhagen. We desperately needed hot drinks to warm us up. We still had time to kill so ended up going to the Illum department store to wander around aimlessly. It’s quite a pleasant shop especially as they have a large Muji outlet - a shop we don’t have in Bristol.

Trump is popular in Denmark!!

At long last the rain had nearly abated but it was time for us to head to the station as Helen and Mike needed to travel to the airport for an evening flight. I walked to the hotel for the second time that day to check in and finally get into my room. The hotel is one of those large modern ones that are fine for a night or two but it lacks charm and facilities such as a kettle. This seems to be a trend that I don’t like!