Persons visiting the Netherlands as tourists are to include in their visa applications a probable travel plan on how they intend spending their days in the country.
You can prepare your itinerary by visiting several tourist websites that publish on Netherlands tours and attractions. I will share with you on Jetsanza.com the plausible plan I used for my first Netherlands visa application.
Before then, let’s take a look at how to prepare a Travel Itinerary.
Things to consider when preparing Travel Itinerary
Hotel
Choosing where to stay is the first thing to consider when planning an itinerary. You cannot be staying at a hotel which is 200KM apart from the tourist sites you intend visiting. Not possible to live in Accra and be visiting Kumasi daily. So make sure your quest for the cheapest hotel does not send you hundreds of kilometres away from the sites you want to visit. So choose a hotel where you can easily access all the attractions.
Call the internet a friend
The internet should be your friend when planning your travel. There are so many websites loaded with information on tourist sites and events happening during your period of visit. Read about the activities that take place at each site, entrance fees, opening times and reviews by previous visitors.
Distance between attractions
The embassy does not expect to see a perfect travel plan, and that is why it’s termed PLAUSIBLE. A little more research by you to come up with a more plausible itinerary would mean you are genuinely travelling for tourism purpose. Use Google to check the distance between attractions to confirm if it’s possible to visit two or more sites in a day, as mentioned in your itinerary. Also, consider the time you are likely to spend at each attraction so as not to push so many activities in a day.
Add References
You were guided by online resources to put together your travel plan. Credit all the websites you picked information from.
TIP: Always make sure each document you include in your visa application has your name on it if the document does not have your name written anywhere. Example is the travel plan. Write your name on as you see in the sample below. This will help Visa Officers trace them easily should it be blown away by fan or finds its way in someone’s documents.
Sample Plausible Itinerary For A Two-Week Stay in Amsterdam For Netherlands Visa Application
MY TRAVEL ITINERARY – AKESSE MOISE SANZA
In planning my itinerary for Amsterdam, I visited several websites relating to Amsterdam tourism, culture and
Transport system. Some of the websites I visited are:
www.iamsterdam.com
www.gvb.nl
www.amsterdamtourism.org
www.holland.com
www.amsterdamtourist.com
Below is how I will spend my days in Amsterdam.
DAY ONE
This is my day of arrival. I will check in at my hotel and take some rest. After that, I will take a walk around the hotel as I take note of restaurants, Internet cafes and also get my travel card/bus pass for my entire stay.
DAY TWO
I will start my tour by seeing the letters of ‘I AMSTERDAM’. I would love to sit on it and take a picture. I will also take the opportunity to see the nearby museums like the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk and the Concertgebouw.
DAY THREE
This day tour will be to the Nieuwe Kerk. I will have the chance to see the Royal Palace, which comes before the Nieuwe Kerk. At the Nieuwe Kerk, I will see the Cultural Centre, The Church of Amsterdam and The Wezenglalerij.
DAY FOUR
The following tourist attractions will be visited on this day:
• The Canal House Museum
• Gassan Diamonds to see the diamond cutting and polishing process.
• Coster Diamonds
DAY FIVE
I will be prepared for something horrible. Today’s tour will take me to The Amsterdam Dungeon. If I am not tired
and have time, I will then see the Artis Royal Zoo. I understand that there are about 750 species of animals in this
zoo, and I cannot wait to take a look at some of them if not all.
DAY SIX
Sex Museum Amsterdam is where I will spend this day. This day will be used to explore whatever the museum has to offer. Taking pictures with some of the sex arts and paintings is something too I cannot miss.
DAY SEVEN
This day falls on Sunday. As a Jehovah Witness, I will visit one of our Kingdom Halls to worship and also join in the
field service after the worship. I will also take the opportunity to visit our branch of the Watchtower Society in
Amsterdam.
DAY EIGHT
This day will be spent on the River IJ. I will take a cruise on it.
DAY NINE
I will relax at the Amsterdamse Bos.
DAY TEN
Places to visit on this day will include Madame Tussauds. Upon research, I realised that Madame Tussauds has a great line-up of live-sized, Dutch and worldwide celebrities of wax at Dam Square in Amsterdam. I cannot wait to see myself in a photo with Barak Obama and Ronaldinho. Other places to visit on this day are:
• Houseboats in the Amsterdam Canals
• The Floating Flower Market
DAY ELEVEN
This day will be focused on Museums and Architecture. Places to be visited are:
• The National Maritime Museum
• Satellite Museum of Hermitage St. Petersburg
• ARCAM
• Anne Frank House
DAY TWELVE
This day will be used to visit places in my itinerary that I could not visit.
DAY THIRTEEN
This is the shopping day. I noted Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat as the mainstream shopping streets of Amsterdam. I will also visit the Red Light Fashion District to have a look at the Red Light Fashion. The Nine Streets Area will also be visited for shopping.
DAY FOURTEEN
Tours ends today, and I prepare for departure to my home country, Ghana.
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