Netherlands
Batavia Stad, Fifty Minutes Away
The closest outlet to Amsterdam, a replica seventeenth-century East Indiaman next to the car park, and a half day rather than a full one.
Batavia StadNetherlands
The route from Amsterdam
~58 km, about 50 minutes each way. For comparison, roughly 1 hour 20 by train and bus via Lelystad.
Batavia Stad sits on the water at Lelystad, about fifty minutes from central Amsterdam. It is smaller than Roermond — around 250 stores against roughly 200 at Roermond but on a tighter site — and considerably closer, which makes it a half day instead of a full one.
Next to the outlet is the Bataviawerf, where a full-size replica of the 1628 East Indiaman Batavia is moored and open to visitors. If you are travelling with someone who does not want to shop, that solves the afternoon.
Why take a private driver
Same argument as any shopping day: the vehicle is the boot. You drop bags between shops rather than carrying them, and you leave when you are finished rather than when the bus goes. At fifty minutes each way this is the cheapest version of that we offer.
A sample day
This is how we would plan it. Nothing here is fixed — the point of a private day is that it bends to you.
Pickup at your hotel
Later than a full-day tour, because this one does not need an early start.
Arrive at Batavia Stad
Parked on site. Bags go back to the vehicle whenever you like.
The outlet
Around three hours is what most people use. The site is open streets rather than an indoor mall.
Lunch, or the Batavia ship
The Bataviawerf is a few minutes' walk. The ship is worth forty minutes even if you had no intention of looking at a ship.
Drive back
Fifty minutes.
Back at your hotel
Door to door, with the afternoon still in front of you.
What is included
- Private vehicle and driver for about 6 hours
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Amsterdam
- The vehicle stays with you for bags
- Fuel, tolls, parking and all road costs
What is not included
- Anything you buy
- Bataviawerf entry
- Lunch and drinks
- Gratuity
Questions
Batavia Stad or Roermond?
Roermond is larger and has more of the big luxury names, but it is an eight-hour day. Batavia Stad is six and closer. If you want a serious shopping day take Roermond; if you want a half day, take this one.
Is the Batavia ship worth seeing?
Yes, and it surprises people. It is a full-size replica of a 1628 Dutch East India Company ship, built by hand over a decade, and you can go aboard.
Can we go on a Sunday?
Yes, the outlet opens seven days a week. Sunday and Saturday are the busiest.