European Summer of Sports
My travel recommendations for Berlin, Nice, Paris, London & Rotterdam.
Euro 2024 is reaching its apotheosis, the Tour de France and Wimbledon are in full swing, and from the end of July, the focus will shift to the Olympics. In my first newsletter, I'm sharing travel tips for the key cities hosting the main European sporting events this summer.
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Euro2024 final pitch: Berlin
Last summer, I took the night train to Berlin. I know it’s only a six-hour journey by regular train from Amsterdam, but I have some shares in this company, which granted me an early booking opportunity with a discount. And I'm a huge advocate of train travel, and I believe Europe could benefit from a comprehensive rail network similar to China’s. It was a good experience, although due to construction work on the Dutch tracks (always in summer), we spent quite some time on our side of the border.
It had been a while, and I realised I missed Berlin: the creativity, the edgy roughness, the currywurst, the amazing museums, and the iconic atmosphere. When I was preparing for my stay, I contacted one of my former colleagues. She is a true Berlin regular, and we share many interests. I wasn't the only one reaching out to her; she was also creating a list (with photos, the luxury!) for some others.
To Berlin by train
Check the regular trains through Deutsche Bahn or the night train at European Sleeper (this one runs from Brussels to Prague). The European Sleeper will get a dining car in September and October this year.
Cycling & swimming in Berlin
Cycling around Berlin is fun and comfortable; the roads are wide, and the people are accustomed to cyclists. You can rent a bicycle from callabike.de (the bike-sharing service by Deutsche Bahn); with the app, you can find stations all over the city. You pay per 15 minutes; with a free account, it costs €1.
A great place for a ride is the former Tempelhof Airport. There is a lot happening there: people are running, partying, picnicking, and even surfing on a skate board. The neighbouring district, Neukölln, is perfect for a drink on a terrace (I liked Schillerkiez) or on the roof of a car park (Klunkerkranich).
I didn’t go swimming in Berlin (it just wasn’t hot enough), but there are some good options: Badeschiff in the Spree, Haubentaucher in the RAW-Gelände, or in nature near Berlin at Schlachtensee.
Tour de France finish: Nice
No cobbles of the Champs-Élysées this year, but the French Riviera for the riders of the Tour de France.
I didn’t have clear expectations of Nice; however, I was surprised by the laid-back ambiance in the city. Yes, the beach is hard to miss, but it has so much more to offer. I enjoyed the Mediterranean vibe in the streets, at the markets, and on all the terraces. I became a big fan of the Apéro with anisette (somehow it tastes better on the Côte d’Azur).
After eating a proper salad Niçoise there, you will laugh at the poor attempts in your home country (I do in the Netherlands with the watery tomatoes and cheap canned tuna). I also liked Socca, a pancake made of chickpeas, and Pissaladière, a square pizza with onions, olives, and anchovies.
For your itinerary:
Take the train to Italy, to places like San Remo or Ventimiglia. In San Remo, you can rent a scooter and go up into the mountains to see some authentic villages like Perinaldo.
Another destination near Nice by train is Menton, a charming small city with the Jean Cocteau Museum.
A highlight along the coast is Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (there is a train stop there).
I don’t understand the fuss about Monaco; perhaps I’m just not the target audience. The palace and casino were mildly interesting, but the rest is mostly a parade of bling shops and expensive cars. The best bit for me was ordering a Pernod and a Ricard from a clearly annoyed waiter just to taste the difference — there isn’t any.
Olympics & Paralympics: Paris
Paris will host the Summer Olympics for the third time this summer, after 1900 and 1924. There are still official tickets available!
Surprisingly, hotel prices are much lower than usual in the weeks leading up to the games, as well as in the weeks between the Olympics and Paralympics, from 12th to 27th August.
This period is perfect for a visit to some very cool exhibitions:
At the Collection Pinault Bourse de Commerce, the exhibition ‘Le Monde Comme Il Va’ will be on display until 2nd September.
At the Fondation Louis Vuitton, you can see ‘Matisse: The Red Studio’ until 9th September.
In summer, I also like to escape the crowds and heat in one of the many parks. Jardin du Luxembourg is perfect for people-watching from a proper Fermob chair. Another favourite is walking above the bustling city on the Coulée verte René-Dumont (also known as the Promenade Plantée). It’s fun to start in the outer area (search for Entrée Coulée Verte René Dumont on Google Maps) and walk towards Bastille.
Also, the Seine can be a great place to relax and enjoy a drink. One of my favourite spots is La Péniche Marcounet.
Wimbledon: London
This year, I travelled to London by train for the very first time. I have some learnings to share about the Eurostar trip. I expected the same kind of trains as the former Thalys, but I had to adjust to the British version of the international train. There is a slight difference in comfort. The seats near the luggage racks do have somewhat more legroom. There are sockets in the train; each pair of seats has a USB port, and one for that peculiar British plug (which I forgot of course).
When I left London, I took an early train, and the queue wasn’t that long. However, I’ve heard stories about long queues at St Pancras. I think it depends on your departure time and the number of travellers. An advantage of the Eurostar between London and Amsterdam is that you can change your seat in the app, even just a few hours before departure. This also provides an opportunity to check the crowd levels on the train.
Currently, they are improving the capacity of the waiting and customs area in Amsterdam. Because of this, there is a misconception that there are no trains between the two cities. There are, but until December 2024, customs will be in Brussels, and the journey will obviously be longer.
Some insights & tips
Stay updated on low fares by subscribing to the Eurostar newsletter. And I can’t stress it enough: book in advance.
You can use your contactless debit card on the London Underground.
Avoid staying at the Generator hostel near St Pancras, unless you are with your school class on a school trip.
Silo is a very interesting and good restaurant located far from the city centre. It has a zero-waste philosophy. The Crate Brewery next door is also worth visiting.
Tour de France Femmes start: Rotterdam
I have so much to share about Rotterdam, and yet so much to keep to myself. I lived there for 13 years and still enjoy visiting the city quite regularly. In fact, I was there last Saturday. I had a bit of FOMO with the very temporary opening of the construction site at the Boijmans Museum—it’s only open for 5 weeks. I combined this with a visit to one of my favourite museums, the Kunsthal, some Asian food on the Kruiskade, and a movie at Kino.
In a few years, Rotterdam will have a unique new addition: Hofbogenpark, a public park on top of the Hofbogen railway viaduct. Something similar to the Coulée Verte René-Dumont in Paris. At two kilometers long, it will be the longest rooftop park in the Netherlands.
Summer festivals in Rotterdam
Rotterdam hosts some amazing annual festivals throughout the year. In the coming months, you can visit the North Sea Jazz festival (12-14 July), the Summer Carnaval (27 July ), the Roffa Mon Amour open-air film festival (14-25 August), the classic World Port Days (7-8 September) and A Day At The Park dance festival (21 September).
Watch, read or listen
Interested in cycling? Many people enjoy ‘Tour De France: Unchained’ on Netflix, but it doesn't provide a realistic portrayal of the event. Some stages can be quite dull, making them perfect for a little nap, I reckon. According to cycling fans, the Roubaix documentary from 1976 is great. I really liked the series about the Movistar cycling Team, and I also recommend the ‘All In: Jumbo Visma’ documentary on Amazon Prime.
Need some help on your British manners? Check the Instagram account of Etiquette coach William Hanson.
Every time I go to Paris, I like to try out different restaurants and bars. As a resource, I use Le Fooding (also useful for the rest of France) and Paris by Mouth.
I was impressed by the movie ‘Challengers’, about tennis and a love triangle. The soundtrack is also attractive.
For your agenda
Be part of the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; there are many events in Berlin around the big anniversary on 9 November 2024. For example, the ‘Berlin in the 90s’ photo exhibition at OSTKREUZ will run from 14 September 2024 to 23 January 2025.
After Rotterdam and Eindhoven, the theatre festival De Parade will be held in Den Haag (5-21 July), Utrecht (26 July - 11 August), and Amsterdam (16 August - 1 September) this summer. Many shows do not require knowledge of Dutch.
From 26 October this year until 2 March next year, you can visit the ‘DIVA’ exhibition at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam. This exhibition was previously shown at the V&A (read more).
Speaking of divas, the V&A in London is hosting the ‘NAOMI in Fashion’ exhibition until 6 April 2025.
My journey as a travel writer
Part 1
The year 2024 began with me working on a travel book (in Dutch). I must admit I was somewhat naive and overly optimistic. I accomplished a lot in one and a half months, a I considered it as a good foundation. Being impatient, I sent a snippet of the manuscript along with some marketing blabla and a rather mediocre story about myself to two publishers. Guess what happened? No response.
Eventually, through a mutual connection, I met a writer who gave me some invaluable tips. I have to write more. And I have to put more me in it; because I am the one who experienced it all. Ironically, this was the material I had initially disregarded, assuming people wouldn't find it interesting.
So now, I must regard the work I've done as a proper draft towards something more substantial. And add more writing.