Amsterdam. A city of striking contrasts that everyone seems to fall in love with, and we are certainly no exception. World-renowned art and history institutions co-exist with risqué sex clubs and cannabis shops, venerable and lavish mansions lie side-by-side with sordid alleyways of the Red Light District, and environmentally-concious sustainability along with progressivism somehow coincide with legalized prostitution and the city’s dark stain of sex trafficking.
A city as fascinating as it is imperfect, it’s easy to fall under Amsterdam’s captivating spell. There is so much to see, do, eat, and experience in this free-spirited and good-time metropolis, and that’s exactly what every traveler should do here. Do all of the things. Relish in its culture, history, beauty, and seediness, because there’s truly no place in the world like Amsterdam.
Yes. We are those people.
We spent 4 days in Amsterdam, including a day trip to the spectacular flower gardens. Because of the compact nature of the city, it’s easy to cover a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of time. The city is extremely walkable and easy to navigate. In general, Amsterdam is safe and locals are friendly and welcoming.
Below is a travel guide to the incomparable ‘Dam.
CULTURE
Because Amsterdam is so much more than just coffeeshops and the Red Light District. Although those are both pretty great, and super fun, too.
Rijksmuseum
Considered the museum of the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum tells the history of the nation through art dating back to the Middle Ages. The museum is spacious and quite impressive. Unless you’re the type of person who enjoys spending your entire day at an art museum (2-3 hours is typically our max), I’d recommend following their Highlights Tour so that you don’t become too overwhelmed by the extensive number of exhibits and displays.
Rembrandt’s The Night Watch
Tip: Highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance to avoid long lines at the ticket counter. Purchase your online tickets here.
Van Gogh Museum
Another must-visit on any Amsterdam itinerary, the Van Gogh Museum is a beautiful and informative depiction of the complex artist’s life, art, and ingenuity. His incredible work is expertly dispersed among four floors and truly offers intriguing insight into the artist’s life, relationships, and brilliance. Similar to the Rijksmuseum, it’s wise to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long queues.
Anne Frank House
What can I possibly write that will convey the overwhelming sadness that inevitably sweeps over you while walking though the halls and rooms of the Anne Frank House? As a visitor, you can’t help but feel sick to your stomach as you tour the somber home and view the rooms where its occupants hid and Anne Frank found refuge. To say that touring the house is moving would be a vast understatement.
Tip: Following the trend of ordering your tickets prior to your trip, online tickets are available exactly 2 months in advance. I cannot recommend purchasing your tickets ahead of time enough. When we were there, a line wrapped around the block. There is way too much to do in Amsterdam than spend your precious hours waiting in line. Buy your tickets in advance!
CANALS, PARKS & BIKES
It’s no question that Amsterdam is a vibrant city filled with world-class museums, innovative art institutions, and fascinating, albeit devastating, historical sites. It’s also a city blessed with stunning 17th century canals, charming cobble-stone alleyways, wide-open green spaces, and tranquil urban park oases.
Like many places, when you visit Amsterdam can make all the difference between a good trip and a great one. We visited Amsterdam in early April, when the weather was still a bit cool, but the flowers, and most importantly those gorgeous tulips you’ve most likely heard all about, were in full bloom.
To read about our wonderful day trip to the famous Keukenhof Gardens and the magical healing powers of Dutch tulips, click here.
While the city’s distinctive architecture, characterized by its Dutch red brick charm and uniquely traditional canal houses, is certainly worthy of praise, Amsterdam’s carefully-crafted preservation of natural beauty and boundless greenery is what makes this city so damn attractive.
Below are some ways to take advantage of one of Europe’s greenest cities.
Beer & Bike Tour
In a city where there are nearly as many bikes as there are residents, exploring Amsterdam by bike is one of the best ways to see and experience the city. Amsterdam is a model city for what it means to successfully create and maintain a bike-friendly urban transportation network. Similar to the canals, bike tracks and lanes permeate the city streets and nearly every street is designated for bicycles. In fact, many of the streets have limited or no car access. Just another reason to marvel at Amsterdam’s “green” reputation.
Of course, spending countless hours on a bike (okay, like two, but still) is even more enjoyable when there’s a reward at the end. Our bike tour concluded with a fun visit to De Bekeerde Suster, a historic bar and brewery located in the heart of the city center.
Check out Viator for a variety of Amsterdam bike tours.
Enjoying some locally brewed beer with our guide, Blondie.
That’s right. Blondie is his name and beer and bike tours are his game.
Vondelpark
A haven of tranquility, Vondelpark is a beautiful urban park that is perfect to stroll through, ride your bike, or just relax to get away from the busyness of the city. Definitely worth a visit and a much welcomed reprieve.
The Jordaan Area
A quaint and lovely quintessential neighborhood of Amsterdam that’s characterized by traditional canal houses lining narrow streets and canals. A great area to wander through to peruse quirky shops and enjoy a coffee, meal, and/or drink at any one of its numerous cafes and restaurants.
Canal Cruise
Boasting an astounding 165 canals that combine for a length of over 100 kilometers (nearly 60 miles), cruising the canals here is kind of like a rite of Amsterdam passage in the same way that riding on a gondola is a rite of Venice passage. And you know what? We didn’t really care for canal cruising in Venice, and we cared for it even less in Amsterdam.
So perhaps the biggest takeaway here is that maybe we just don’t like canal cruises?
Aboard our lame and gimmicky canal cruise
Canal cruises here are ubiquitous, so you will have no trouble coming across a tour outfitter. Of course, tours vary by length, boat size, and quality. Our cruise was an hour (short and sweet, thankfully), and tickets cost less than $10 USD per/person.
FOOD & DRINK SCENE
Make sure to visit some of Amsterdam’s amazing cheese shops.
Amsterdam has a burgeoning food and drink scene. From high-end formal restaurants, to casual bars, pubs, and cafes, Amsterdam has something for every appetite.
Vinkeles
Hands-down the best meal of our trip was at Vinkeles, an incredible restaurant that serves modern French-inspired cuisine with a bit of an international flair. Vinkeles has earned a Michelin Star every year for nearly a decade and it’s easy to see why. The cuisine, ambience, and service here are all impeccable.
Cheers to 7 years!
The intimate and stunning dining room was the perfect setting to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Both à la carte and pre-fixe menus with or without wine pairings are available.
I’ve never met a cheese course I didn’t like.
Bubbles & Wines
We loved sampling a wide assortment of wine, cheese, and caviar at this chic and elegant wine bar. The wine flights and accompanying accoutrements were all outstanding — we ordered all the things here.
Happiness is a glass of red wine and a good hair day.
Reypenaer Cheese Tasting Room
Oh the cheese in Holland is so so gouda. You know I had to do it. We took a one-hour Cheese Tasting Connoisseur class, where our witty and knowledgeable instructor guided us through a tasting of six artisan cheeses and wine pairings. All of their cheeses were divine and the tasting was fun, informative, and delicious. Tasting sessions are limited to twenty participants and online tickets can be purchased here.
Incredible Indonesian Cuisine
No, that’s not a straw, it’s a stalk of lemongrass I’m drinking out of, so quit judging.
You simply cannot visit Amsterdam without eating Indonesian food. You wouldn’t go to New York without ordering a bagel or Italy without feasting on pizza and pasta, now would you?
What’s that? You would? Pity for you, then. Be better, people.
But back to the Netherlands. In short, Indonesia was once a Dutch colony, and as a result, the Netherlands has been embracing and revering Indonesian cuisine for centuries. There is no shortage of Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam and prior to our trip, we received multiple recommendations on where to dine. I’m not sure you can really go wrong here, but I can attest to enjoying a delicious taste of Bali at Kantjil & de Tiger. Wherever you choose to dine, do not leave the Netherlands without getting your Indonesian cuisine fix.
Red Light District & Coffeeshops
As sophisticated and industrialized as Amsterdam is, the city simply cannot escape its racy and seedy reputation connected to all things sex-related: peep shows, brothels, sex shows, and the famous scantily-clad window women. Pretty much everything and anything goes here. And let’s be totally honest here, it’s amazing, fascinating, tacky, sleazy, and repulsive all at the same time. But to avoid this part of the city would be a shame, if you ask me. It’s as much part of the city’s culture as anything else. And it’s a hell of a lot more fun here.
I won’t go into detail about our experiences here, because well, I personally like my job and enjoy being employed. So here are a couple of photos of me and T drinking beer at various pubs and me sitting in a super-sized clog to fill up the awkward space.
Alas, if you have been to Amsterdam, then you know just how magical this place is.
Pure gold.
So remember, when in Amsterdam, do all of the things. Immerse yourself in its culture, bask in the beauty and history of the canals, and don’t be afraid to get a little corrupt. Your memories will thank you for it.
Happy Traveling, All!
Recent Reads: Top Ten Overrated Travel Destinations, Costa Rica, Seattle