Around the Island

I travel to The Netherlands usually twice a year. To me, Nijmegen is one of the top cities in the country to visit. Situated along two rivers and in a slightly hilly area (that being a novelty in Holland), Nijmegen offers some of the best scenic views around. Nijmegen also has a prominent history, having been a Roman fortification and later a major battleground during WWII.

Quick Tips:

Try to book accomodations early. Nijmegen, like many of the smaller cities, seems to be lacking in hotel offerings. Personally, I love the Mercure Hotel right at the train station. As Nijmegen is small, it can be seen in a day, maybe two if you want to stop at some of the museums. It could be a good idea to combine Nijmegen with Arnhem as they are about 20 minutes apart by train.

Best Way To Get Around:

Getting around "downtown" Nijmegen is best and easily done by foot. Nijmegen is hillier than most Dutch towns, so people with walking problems may have some difficulties. However bus routes connect the city very well between the city center, the central train station and the riverside walk known as the Waalkade. Buses also do well serving the farther sites, like the university, De Goffert stadium and the airborne museum.

Mercure Hotel is a chain throughout The Netherlands, in most (if not all) major cities.

The first word that comes to mind when thinking about the Mercure Hotel in Nijmegen is convenient. The main entrance is an easy walk to the Nijmegen (Centraal) train and bus station. It is also a five-minute walk to either the city center or down the hill to the Waalkade. Some hotels may be closer to these sites, but this is good if you're using Nijmegen as a travel hub or just waiting the night for a train.

The building is interesting. It is one tower, shaped in a hexa- or octagon (I forget how many sides it has). The rooms are a little small, but comfortable and clean, and maybe slightly antiseptic or unimaginative. Because of the location on top of the hill, having no buildings too close to the hotel and being taller than many buildings in the region, the hotel offers some neat views - especially if you're looking at the station building, seeing the platforms and clock tower. If train sounds bother you, you may want to keep your window shut.

The restaurant downstairs is nice and a little pricey. I had a decent salmon dish there once, although when I feel strapped for cash, I might walk into the city center (or in an extreme money pinch or fit of tiredness, I'll hit the Pizza Hut kiosk at the station).

The price I list is about what it was when the U.S. dollar was strong against the guilder and then the Euro. With the weak dollar, this place may be upwards of $100 now... Personally, I couldn't imagine spending $100 to stay here. It's a nice place, but it lacks character.

Soccer is the world's sport. In Europe, just about every little town and village has its own team. It seems that the size of a city plays a major part in how good (or how much money) a team can pay for quality talent and how many teams play in the city. Nijmegen has one team that is currently in the top league in the country. The team -- NEC Nijmegen -- plays at De Goffert Stadion, which isn't too far from the city's university. If you take the 83 bus towards Venlo, you get off when you see the windmill opposite the university and walk towards and past the windmill. Other buses run to the park as well, leaving you closer to the stadium, but bus 83 serves me best as I usually stay south of Nijmegen.

I found de Goffert to be really interesting. Soccer as a spectator sport is much different than anything Americans are used to. Many Americans think "soccer riot" when they hear about the sport. I guess with that mentality, it shouldn't be too surprising it's the security measures of de Goffert that stuck out the most to me (mind you I am a soccer fan). First off, like most of the top Dutch teams, you have to go through metal-detecting turnstyles in order to get to the seats. When you are admitted, you are, like most arenas, at the bottom of the seating area. However here you are also below field level! you enter onto a concourse which has food stands and restrooms on the outer wall and with the field above the inner wall. When you climb the stairs to get to your seats, you notice the concourse serves as a kind of moat to seperate the field from the seats and any possibly unruly fans.

The stadium only holds about 12,000 people, which is about medium-sized in the way of Dutch EreDivisie parks. To get tickets, you are supposed to be the holder of a NEC club or season card (another standard procedure for top clubs in European soccer), but I found that by sending contacting the team before-hand (I used e-mail and snail mail), the team would save a ticket for me. If you do this, you go to the customer service window instead of the ticket kiosks set up a few meters away from the park.

The food isn't great at the park. I had a hamburger and beer at the park, but I'd suggest eating in town before or after the game.