We had been planning this for a year. We bought the tickets, organized the trip to the Netherlands, and from that moment on this concert was the centerpiece of everything. And when the day finally came, it was one of those nights we will never forget.
Bad Bunny is one of our favorite artists. Karyna didn't grow up with Latin culture, we know that haha, but she has been a fan for years and has listened to him as much as any Latino. So when we couldn't get tickets for Barcelona or Madrid, we didn't hesitate to buy for whichever city was left, and that's how the plan came together. Then we talked three more friends into coming with us.
Of course we took the opportunity to visit Amsterdam too, but this post is about Benito's concert, so here's how we organized it.
How we got there: Amsterdam to Nijmegen by train
The concert was at the Gelredome in Arnhem, an indoor stadium in the east of the Netherlands. We took the intercity train from Amsterdam to Nijmegen, a city 20 minutes from Arnhem, where we found an apartment to spend the day and sleep after the concert. This place was gorgeous. We bought the train tickets in advance and they cost 13 euros per person, and the apartment was a six-minute walk from the station. So the location was great too, and we even had a McDonald's 2 minutes away, which came in handy before and after the concert.
If you're thinking of going to a concert at the Gelredome, Nijmegen is a good base. It's cheaper and avoids the chaos around the stadium on event days.
What we couldn't control was the heat. We were there on one of the hottest days of the year in the Netherlands and in Europe, and that was going to have consequences.
The Golden Circle VIP: yes, we paid a lot, and we don't regret it
We had Golden Circle VIP tickets. If you've had them, you know what we mean, and if you haven't, it's basically the closest spot to the stage with priority access and a little freebie included.
We arrived at the Gelredome around 5 p.m. We picked up our VIP gifts, which for us was a Concho power bank, which already has its place at home. We waited in line for a bit to get in, and once inside the first thing we saw was the little house, the covered stage Bad Bunny has on this tour.
The venue looked great. Indoors, protected from the sun, it felt like it was going to be a nighttime vibe even though it was only 6 p.m.
The catch came soon.
There was practically no ventilation. As more people came in and with how hot it was that day, the place got to a temperature that wasn't pleasant. By the time the show started, we were all drenched in sweat. Everyone. But once you're living the moment with the music at full volume, that stops mattering pretty quickly.
Chuwi opened the show and surprised us
A few minutes before 8, Chuwi came out to perform, a Puerto Rican group that collaborates with Bad Bunny on one of the songs from his latest album. We didn't know them. They won us over. The performance had energy and the message of their songs came through.
A good warm-up for what was coming.
The show: from 8 to 10:30 p.m.
Benito came out with an announcement in Dutch. Nobody expected it and the stadium went wild. He ended the announcement with a hug for mami and papi, because they really broke us, and at that moment we knew it would be epic.
The setlist is very well organized, switching between the main stage and the little house. There's a bit of everything, new songs and classics, and the stadium sang along most of the time.
There were three of us: Karyna, Pedro, and Nico, a friend of ours, while the other two stayed in a corner so they wouldn't get overwhelmed by the crowd. Three fans, three sets of expectations. And all three of us thinking the same thing: the guest. Ever since we made the plan a year ago, we'd been joking that Jhayco had to show up. That singing Holanda in Holanda was too obvious. That we were going to manifest it.
And we did.
Jhayco appeared. They sang Dakiti and Tarot. One of those concert moments you don't believe until you're standing right there.
The surprise song was 200 mph, from his early hits.
The show ended at exactly 10:30 p.m.
We sweated, we danced, we cried, and we loved every minute. Everything we paid for was worth every bit of what we lived.
What you take with you when you leave a Benito concert
There's something about Bad Bunny concerts that goes beyond the setlist. Between songs he talks, and when he talks he says things that really hit home. That night he spoke about enjoying life, being grateful for what we have, and not forgetting the little things.
In another setting it would sound like a poster quote. In there, with everyone soaked and present, it sounded different.
We left the Gelredome without remembering how much we had paid. The memories are ours to keep forever.
Getting back was an odyssey: waiting for buses, very expensive taxis, but at midnight we were back at our apartment, though we clearly stopped for something to eat along the way.
💡 Tips
🚆 How to get there Intercity train from Amsterdam to Nijmegen, 13 euros per person if you buy in advance. From Nijmegen there's a direct bus to the Gelredome. Don't complicate things with a car: parking on event days is chaos.
🏠 Base: Nijmegen is better than Arnhem Accommodation prices in Arnhem skyrocket on concert days. Nijmegen is 20 minutes away and much quieter. The apartment we booked was a 6-minute walk from the station. Book early, because the good spots sell out fast.
🎟️ Golden Circle VIP We paid quite a bit more than for a regular ticket, but priority access and being up front completely changes the experience. If you can afford it, at a concert like this it's worth it.
🌡️ The heat at the Gelredome It's an indoor stadium with poor ventilation. In summer and when it's full, the temperature rises a lot. Wear light clothing, hydrate before going in, and accept that you're going to sweat. It's the only real downside of the night.
🎵 The guest and the surprise song Try to avoid spoilers if you can. Part of the magic of the show is not knowing what's going to happen.
Have you been to any Bad Bunny concerts on this tour? Did you catch any European dates? We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did, and there's more content on our social media👇
