Articles - Trot Op!

Amsterdam-Noord: 11 great tips for a visit to the trendiest neighbourhood in Amsterdam

Posted on April 6, 2024

Over the past few decades, Amsterdam-Noord evolved from a district where nobody wanted to be seen into one of the hippest neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. Trot Op! crossed the IJ on the ferry and visited all of the coolest attractions in Amsterdam-Noord. In recent years, Amsterdam became one of my favourite cities. It’s photogenic, exciting and innovative and there’s always something new to discover. Perfect material for a city trip, but unfortunately this isn’t exactly the world’s best-kept secret. The Dutch…

Asia City trip Culture Featured

Discover the 10 most beautiful sights & attractions in Shanghai

Posted on March 12, 2024

Right before the turn of this century, Shanghai started a transformation that turned it from a faded old glory into China’s main economic powerhouse. Today, it stands as an overwhelming metropolis, where there’s always something new to discover. Trot Op! had the opportunity to visit the city multiple times in the past twelve years and poured all those experiences into a list of the ten main sights for a Shanghai city trip. When I arrived in Shanghai in April 2011,…

City trip Culture Cycling Europe Featured

The Vaucluse & Avignon: cycling in the shadow of Mont Ventoux

Posted on March 5, 2024

The Vaucluse is a dream destination for cyclists. Here, you’ll ride through fantastic landscapes and ancient villages; you can conquer the mythical Mont Ventoux and if you’d like to have a break from the bike, charming Avignon is nearby. Trot Op! put on his tightest pair of cycling pants and went exploring. Looking to grind some miles on a cycling holiday? Then you’d best pick a place as photogenic as possible. After all, spending six hours a day on a…

City trip Culture Europe Featured

What to do in Duisburg: 7 top sights in the Ruhr Area

Posted on February 13, 2024

A few decades ago, Duisburg was a waning industrial city in the Ruhr Area. Its economy was virtually at a standstill and tourists were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, they decided to do something about that. Today, Duisburg’s industrial heritage is protected, several vacant sites have been transformed into tourist attractions, and nearly abandoned industrial areas were revitalised. Duisburg is alive again, and Trot Op! planned a weekend to experience its rebirth first-hand. There’s a real chance that if you…

City trip Culture Europe Featured Road trip

The ideal Scotland road trip: 10 Highland stops from Edinburgh to Glasgow

Posted on February 9, 2024

Few places in Europe are as wild, wide and unspoilt as the Scottish Highlands. Endless roads lead you from panorama to panorama through landscapes of green valleys, dark lakes and weathered castles. Trot Op! took a road trip from Edinburgh to nearby Glasgow, but made a small 750 mile detour through the rest of Scotland. Scotland, dear friends, is one of my favourite European destinations. Apart from the occasional sunshine, some skin pigmentation and the decency to wear a pair…

Europe Featured The Netherlands

What to do in Noordwijk: from the beach to the cosmos in 7 steps

Posted on February 5, 2024

Noordwijk aan Zee is more than just a charming coastal town near Leiden. It’s also home to ESTEC. This is the European Space Research and Technology Centre: ESA’s largest research facility. As a result, you can not only get a tan on the beach here, but you can try and unravel the deepest secrets of the universe as well. Trot Op! took the weekend off and made an attempt. Do you know which destination – in my of course completely…

City trip Culture Europe Featured Gastronomy

Island hopping in Croatia: a road trip to the 9 most beautiful sights

Posted on January 9, 2024

A trip to the Adriatic coast of Croatia is in some way an all-inclusive holiday: nearly everything you’d want is there to enjoy, no matter your interests. A patchwork of hundreds of islands awaits you, all with their own character. Trot Op! picked out four of the prettiest with Rab, Krk, Cres and Lošinj, and put together a road trip to explore them to the last hidden corner. Croatia is the EU’s newest addition, and has been for ten years…

City trip Culture Featured The Netherlands

Recharge your batteries in Friesland: 8 great Frisian activities to try out this winter

Posted on November 16, 2023

Friesland might just be the most unique province in The Netherlands. The Frisians speak their own language, have their own traditions and four out of five Wadden Islands are considered Frisian soil. Trot Op! drove all the way up north, spent the weekend in and around Leeuwarden and went looking for the best things to do. Frisians are a special people. Not only do they speak their own completely unique language, but according to all sorts of studies they feel…

City trip Culture Europe Featured The Netherlands

A weekend in Brabant: 5x in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh

Posted on November 2, 2023

The province of Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands is all about Vincent van Gogh these days. This is where the world famous painter was born, where he made a lot of his works and where he left all sorts of tracks to go and discover. Trot Op! hopped across the border and went searching for the artist himself. Imagine being a mind-boggling genius at something, without getting even the slightest nod of appreciation for it. This isn’t only the sad story…

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