Easter Open West

April 10-14th 2020

There are two Easter Open’s this one is played in the west of the country in Sassenheim, which is situated on the coast of Holland, just 25 miles from Amsterdam. In 2019 there were 128 teams from Denmark, England, Scotland, USA, India,Germany and Holland entered. Countries represented in past seasons include Belgium, Ireland and South Africa.

The tournament will be played over the Easter weekend, 11-12th 2020. The matches for the group stages will be played on Saturday April 19th, whilst on Sunday the next round games and the finals will be played. On both days your team will play their games either in the morning or in the afternoon, which means that there will spare time for other activities during the day.

Click here to access our guide to the Sassenheim area.

Age Groups:

Boys 11-a-side: U17, U16, U15, U14, U13.
Boys 8-a-side: U12, U11.
Boys 6-a-side: U10, U9, U8
Girls 11-a-side: U17 and U15.
Girls 7-a-side: U13 and U11.

Age Dispensation – In line with most countries throughout the World Holland uses January 1st to define their age groups. So, for example U17 players will be born after January 1st 2003. Please speak to us about concessions that your team may need.

Every team will receive a prize whilst the top four to teams of every age group will receive a trophy.

Accommodation The Area Getting There Send to a Friend

Accommodation

Teams will stay at VAKANTIEPARK KIJKDUIN in Den Haag which is just 19 miles from the tournament pitches, it is wonderfully located, right behind the dunes of the North-Sea beach. The resort has everything to make your stay a memorable one. For young and old, whatever the weather or time of year.

There is plenty for kids to do at this holiday park; A Pirate ship, Koos Kids Club, an extensive free sports and entertainment programme and several playgrounds.

There are many options for adults: an all-weather tennis court, a nine-hole golf course next to the park, a volleyball court, a football pitch, a beach volleyball court, and a laser game hall! You have free access to the covered pool with jacuzzi.

There is an á la carte restaurant, a Snack bar on site plus a well stocked Supermarket.

The Area

Sassenheim is on the eastern edge of the old coastal dunes where the main road from Leiden to Haarlem. Along this road many castles and estates were built, including the mansions along Sassenheim’s Main Street (Hoofdstraat) dating from the early 1900s.

One of the most interesting attractions in Sassenheim are the ruins of Castle Teylingen. This stronghold was built to guard the north-south route in Holland and later became a residence. It date from the beginning of the 13th century. Around 1570 during the Eighty Years’ War, the castle was heavily damaged but rebuilt afterwards. It was bought by the State in 1889 and restored in 1900.

Den Haag (4 miles from accommodation) In a quirky Dutchism, Amsterdam may be the official capital of the Netherlands, but it’s The Hague (Den Haag) where the government sits (along with several international courts, for which the city’s best known).

Cosmopolitan and cultured, The Hague is Holland’s third-largest town, with just under 500,000 people. Conveniently, the beach resort of Scheveningen is part of The Hague, and en route lies the family-friendly Madurodam, a fascinating 1/25 miniature display of a fictitious Dutch city.

Haarlem (35 miles from accommodation, 21 miles from the tournament area). With an abundance of historical sights, cultural attractions and hidden gems crammed into a relatively small city, Haarlem truly is a sightseers’ paradise.

There’s plenty to keep the visitor entertained, but thanks to its compact size, it’s easy to get a good introduction to the city even if you only have one day to explore it.

With its ancient buildings, cobbled streets and winding waterways, the medieval city of Haarlem is one of the most photogenic destinations in the Netherlands.

Easily reachable by train (just fifteen minutes from Amsterdam Central Station) Haarlem is often referred to as a scaled-down version of its more famous neighbour. But to think of it in such terms does a disservice to a city that beats with its own vibrant pulse and overflows with a rich history, epoch spanning architecture and a thriving cultural scene all of it sown.

Amsterdam (46 miles from accommodation, 22 miles from the tournament area) Visit the world-famous 17th century capital of Holland. Enjoy the historic buildings, beautiful museums and pleasant ambiance. Go for a boat tour on the canals, stroll through Vondelpark, and go shopping in the inner city.

Not to be missed are the flower markets, the Museum Quarter, Anne Frank House and, of course, the World famous Red Light District!

Finally for the fans of A.F.C. Ajax, special guided tours are organised to visit the ArenA.

During the tour, you will be able to see the press room where press conferences take place before each match, visit the control room of the stadium, look at the pitch from the ArenA’s highest seat and often observe first Ajax team training, depending on the actual training schedule (excluding Saturday, when training of the first team is closed to the public).

The World of Ajax Tour last 1hr 45 minutes

Getting There

Either a coach will pick up your group at your home base and stay with you for the duration of your tour. Ferry travel from Dover-Calais is included if you choose to travel by coach. We can take you by another ferry route if you wish, ask us for a costing.

OR you can fly into Holland where you will be met by a local coach that will take you to/from your accommodation throughout the weekend..

The nearest airport is Rotterdam/The Hague which is 17 miles away, however this is only served by one airline from the UK, BA City Flyer from London-City.

A better choice is Schipol which is 34 miles away. Here is a list of airlines there:

Aer Lingus from Cork and Dublin.
BA from London-City, London-Gatwick and London-Heathrow.
EasyJet from Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London-Gatwick, London-Luton, London-Southend, London-Stansted and Manchester.
Flybe from Birmingham, Doncaster/Sheffield, East Midlands, Exeter, London-City Manchester and Southampton.
Jet2 from Leeds/Bradford.
KLM and KLM City from Aberdeen, Belfast-City, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dublin, Durham Tees Valley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Humberside, Inverness, Leeds/Bradford, London-City, London-Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Norwich.
Ryanair from Dublin.
Vueling from London-Luton

Easter Open West