How we Stayed on a Goat Farm in the Netherlands (and Toured Amsterdam in Two Days)
Boy, oh boy— I am now realizing I’ve never written about (what has now become) mine and my husband’s infamous goat farm and Amsterdam adventure in 2018, and that just won’t do. I have told so many verbal stories about this awesome part of our 2018 two-week long European excursion, but I’ve never written about it here, and that I intend to change. If you’ve ever wondered if you should visit The Netherlands (and yes, you should) and how to do it, you’ve come to the right place.
Staying on a goat farm AirBNB in The Netherlands
First of all, we have to address what became the coolest part of mine and Andrew’s adventure— staying on a goat farm just outside of the city of Amsterdam that we’d found listed on AirBNB. Off to the west of the city, this goat farm was sort of a micro-oasis in its own right, with the owner (Johannes!) being the coolest person on earth, and his many gardens and goats only adding to the charm.
Feeding goats with Johannes!
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” you’re thinking, “A goat farm?!” Yes. Johannes’ AirBNB listed a guest house on his goat farm (which was remarkably close to Amsterdam— just a short bike ride away) and for less than $75 a night we were instantly intrigued. We read a few reviews and booked two nights (without much thought, admittedly), and we did not regret it.
Upon touching down in Amsterdam (we flew from Dublin to Amsterdam on the cheap thanks to RyanAir, then from Amsterdam to Paris on that trip— more on that later—) Andrew and I were exhausted and ready to rest in our tiny oasis outside of the city-center. We took an Uber to the spot (which was hard to find at first— the place is pretty well hidden in a small suburban neighborhood, which wasn’t a bad thing actually!) and upon arrival realized it was even better than we’d expected.
Andrew and I heard (and saw) the adorable baby goats in their pin as soon as we pulled up, as well as beautiful gardens full of growing food and flower beds, lovely patio settings around the property with fire-pits galore, and bicycles (which Johannes leant to us without hesitation) abundantly placed around outside the many buildings and sheds on-site. We were truly in a tiny, suburban-oasis just minutes outside of Amsterdam (one of the coolest cities in the world, mind you), and we were blown away!
How did we book it? It goes back to some of my earlier posts on travel— use AirBNB or VRBO, always. We’ve found so many great deals (seriously, this place was amazing and less than $75 a night)on AirBNB particularly, and meeting the owners of these amazing stays tends to always be a hoot, too (especially when you also meet their goat-friends and other animal pals!)
Hanging out in Amsterdam (and how we saw it all— mostly— in two days time)
When Andrew and I weren’t on the goat farm (which we were in the mornings and by most evenings over the weekend), we were off exploring the nearby city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam, first and foremost, is among the most beautiful, clean and well-preserved historic cities I’ve ever visited. Not to mention the whole city feels absolutely electric— so full of life around every corner, in every café, and in the gorgeous canals.
While in Amsterdam, we held true to our “do it on the cheap” ways, and ate a lovely picnic in a public park for lunch (takeaway grocery deli food is way cheaper than eating out— just saying!) and found a boat tour happening on the cheap via a brand-new tour company in Prinsengracht (one of the major canals in the city.) Opting to do the cheaper things earlier on, we actually had enough money on our last afternoon in the city to do one of the larger, more established boat tours at the end of the day (which was more expensive and less intimate, but just as fun as the smaller boat tour we’d done earlier for half the price.)
Other than that? We did what we always do— walked around and took in the beautiful sights! Amsterdam isn’t all the “Red Light District” (which was something to see but not a place I’d like to hang out in regularly— way too full of drunk tourists! :P), and much of the city and its historic row-homes and boathouses have been preserved by owners and city government with great care. In Amsterdam it’s a simple thing to just walk around and find beautiful buildings, artwork, and landscaping everywhere you go— and this is completely free of charge, and just as enchanting as anything else we did on our trip there.
By using our handy-dandy friends “iPhone” and “Google” (thanks, cafés that offer free WiFi!) we were able to plot walking courses through the city both of our two days there and see so many public art pieces and historic buildings, once again, free of charge. We spent very little money in the city and only spent money when we had to (or felt like splurging), which was great.
So, once more I tell you— travel doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t have to be full of fancy meals (unless you feel like treating yourself to that sort of thing!) or five-star hotels; we had just as much fun with picnics and the goat farm, and at a fraction of the price. Looking for an amazing spot to visit in Europe that isn’t Paris or Rome? Then Amsterdam and the surrounding country it is. Seriously— the people are great (Johannes, you ruled!), the culture is rich, the landscape is beautiful and you won’t be disappointed!