Mums do travel

Travel with and without teens

  • Home
  • Destination
    • UK
      • London
      • Kent
      • Northern Ireland
      • Wales
      • Elsewhere
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Gibraltar
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • USA
      • Canada
      • Carribean
      • Costa Rica
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Tunisia
    • Asia
      • Thailand
      • Bali
      • Singapore
    • Australia
  • Inspiration
    • Things to do in…
    • Things to do in London…
    • Where to stay
    • Language learning
    • Family travel interviews
    • The journey
    • Recipes
  • Published in
  • About
  • Contact
  • Travel shop
Home / Type of trip / City / Amsterdam Arena Tour – share your family days

Amsterdam Arena Tour – share your family days

September 6, 2013 by Gretta Schifano 14 Comments

Dennis Bergkamp picture, Ajax stadium.

As he sits down, my ten year old son looks mighty pleased. He calls me over and whispers: ‘This is the best seat. Can you take a photo of me?’

The chair he’s sitting in is usually occupied by Ajax football team captain and Holland midfielder Siem De Jong. We’re on a tour of Amsterdam Arena, home to Ajax, and we’re in the press room. I’m sitting in the journalists’ seating area with most of our 20-strong tour group while my son and three Brazilian guys face us in the interview seats. Anita, our tour guide, explains what happens at a press conference and then everyone has a chance for a photo in the hot seats – the Brazilians produce their national flag when it’s their turn and look quite emotional. I, a football ignoramus, can’t fathom why they’re doing this, but nobody else seems bothered.

When Anita leads us through the players’ tunnel to the edge of the pitch I can’t understand why the rest of the group is taking so many photos. It’s my first time inside a football stadium and initially all I can see are thousands of seats around a partly covered pitch. But as Anita talks about the different parts of the arena, from the leather ‘business’ seats with heaters above, to the area for away fans surrounded by a protective screen, to the lounge for the royal family, to the areas where particular groups of Ajax fans sit, I’m fascinated. The stadium looks huge to me – with 53,600 seats it’s the largest in Holland (although my youngest tells me that Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium is ‘much bigger’) and has a roof which can open and close.

Inside is an interactive players’ wall which my youngest likes – using a free app we scan parts of the wall to find out more about particular players. The security room is impressive, linked to cameras which monitor the whole arena and surrounding area. Anita says that the cameras are so powerful that they can read a text on a mobile phone screen even inside the nearby train station. My youngest is disappointed that we don’t go inside the players’ dressing rooms, but the doors are open and we can see inside them.

Our one-hour tour is in English as there are no Dutch people in our group and my son is the only child there. There are tours of the arena specifically for kids, but not on the day we visit. My son lives and breathes football and he says the stadium tour is the highlight of our three-day trip to the Dutch capital. I’m surprised by how much I enjoy it too and would definitely recommend it as an interesting family trip in the city.

Family travel lowdown: Tickets for the one-hour World of Ajax Stadium Tour which we experienced cost €14,50 for adults and €9,50 for children from 5 – 12 years. Our tickets were free of charge for the purposes of this review. Thanks to holland.com for arranging our trip to Amsterdam and to KLM for providing our flights from Kent’s Manston airport.

So have you had a good day out with the kids recently? Mari’s World had a wonderful day at a French castle with her aspiring princesses, while My Gorgeous Boys enjoyed a trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

If you’ve had a great day out with the kids, we’d love to hear about it. Join in with this week’s #familydays Linky and let us know what you’ve been up to. Here’s how:

1. Write a post about a family day out that you’d recommend, or find a relevant post you’ve already written.

2. In your post include a link to this #familydays post so that your readers can be inspired by everyone else.

3. Enter your post on the Linky below.


If you’d like the Family Days badge then grab the code below it and paste it into your blog:

Mums do travel

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

Categories: City, Family Days Linky, Netherlands, Seasonal
Tags: Amsterdam Arena Tour, Netherlands, World of Ajax Stadium Tour

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

Facebook - Twitter - Google+

Subscribe to posts by email?

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Comments

  1. Pinkoddy says

    September 9, 2013 at 10:04 pm

    I have 4 boys and a husband that don’t “do” football, but glad he enjoyed it – sounds magical to him.
    Pinkoddy recently posted…Seadoo Sea Scooter Course #MotivationalMondayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 10, 2013 at 11:20 am

      He’s taking me to an Arsenal match next – I’m pretty nervous!

      Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    September 8, 2013 at 8:44 pm

    What a nice idea for a linky. Just discovered you through Britmums.

    Not a football family here – well not yet anyway. My wee boy is only five so I may have all this to come!
    Stephanie recently posted…Start Telling Your Own Stories Tutorial Series Part 2 – Getting StartedMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 8, 2013 at 9:33 pm

      I’m glad you like it – join in any time!

      Reply
  3. Emma says

    September 8, 2013 at 9:28 am

    Brilliant, bet he loved that! We live not too far from FC Bayern’s Allianz Arena, must try and visit that with my two! 😀
    Emma recently posted…Silent SundayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 8, 2013 at 12:47 pm

      We both really enjoyed it, it was fun.

      Reply
  4. Joanne Brady says

    September 7, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    Sobs! I have girls who are not interested. We do chocolate instead! I have linked up. 🙂
    Joanne Brady recently posted…Family Friendly Camp Site: Ripley Caravan Park, Harrogate, North YorkshireMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 7, 2013 at 9:42 pm

      Chocolate is always good. Thanks for linking up!

      Reply
  5. becky @ lakes single mum says

    September 7, 2013 at 4:20 pm

    my son not yet mad enough on football to do this!
    becky @ lakes single mum recently posted…Flowery FridayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 7, 2013 at 4:22 pm

      He’ll get there!

      Reply
  6. Actually Mummy... says

    September 7, 2013 at 3:51 pm

    Oooh how special! I’m not a football fan, but I know several young boys who would be ecstatic over this!
    Actually Mummy… recently posted…A bit different: inspiration for more interesting BBQ recipesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 7, 2013 at 4:22 pm

      It was a great tour, we both enjoyed it.

      Reply
  7. Trish - Mum's Gone To says

    September 6, 2013 at 6:45 am

    I knew you would enjoy it. We visited the Nou Camp in Barcelona a few years ago and have done a couple in the UK. We’ve always been allowed in the dressing rooms but I can understand why they might not want people tramping in and out, even when it’s empty.
    Trish – Mum’s Gone To recently posted…Climb Ev’ry MountainMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta says

      September 6, 2013 at 9:39 am

      It was really interesting. My son wants me to go on an Arsenal tour with him now = he’s already been with his Dad.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 8 great family holidays for football fans says:
    June 12, 2014 at 8:01 am

    […] but I’ve been to an Arsenal football match with him and on tours of Wembley Stadium and the Amsterdam Arena and actually quite enjoyed […]

    Reply
  2. How to enjoy a city break with kids - Mums do travel says:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:17 pm

    […] enjoy doing. My son loves football and so on our last day in Amsterdam we went on a tour of the Amsterdam Arena, home to the famous Ajax football team. This was his favourite part of our trip and I found it […]

    Reply
  3. Things to do in Amsterdam with kids | Mums do travel says:
    November 4, 2013 at 7:36 am

    […] Amsterdam Arena is home to the famous Ajax football club as well as being the venue for other sports, concerts, and Dutch national events such as a celebration of Prince (now King) Willem-Alexander’s wedding. The biggest in Holland, the stadium seats 53,600 and has a roof which can open and close. The fascinating one hour stadium tour takes you behind the scenes to places such as the press room, dressing rooms and control room as well as to sit in the stadium itself. The guides speak excellent English and are skilled at engaging with kids. […]

    Reply
  4. North Face Women's Reverence Jacket review | Mums do travel says:
    September 8, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    […] ← Amsterdam Arena Tour – share your family days […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Search site

Follow me!

Email: gretta at mumsdotravel dot com
Follow me on FacebookFollow me on Google+Follow me on TwitterFollow me on InstagramFollow me on YouTubeFollow me on PinterestFollow me on Bloglovin

You'd like posts by email?

Booking.com

Most popular posts:

  • How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
    How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
  • Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
    Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
  • Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
    Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
  • 5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
    5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
  • Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
    Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
  • What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
    What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
  • 5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
    5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
  • 60 free things to do in London with a teenager
    60 free things to do in London with a teenager
  • Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
    Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
  • How to go seal watching in Winterton, Norfolk
    How to go seal watching in Winterton, Norfolk

Recent Posts

  • How to apply for Italian citizenship: everything we’ve done so far
  • How to explore London’s top attractions from home
  • Amsterdam virtual museum & gallery tours
  • Introducing Armchair Travels
  • How to explore Florence, Italy, from home

About

  • About
  • Published in
  • Contact

Disclosure

This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

Copyright © Mums do travel 2019
Header by Suzanne Barton
Website by
Callia Web

Sign up for my free newsletter:
Subscribe to the Mums do travel mailing list... it's FREE!
You'll receive family travel news, offers and competitions. Once you sign up you can download my tips for saving money on family travel.
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
Sign up for my free newsletter: