Amsterdam, Netherlands

We visited Amsterdam during autumn when the days were cool, the leaves falling and nights long. The crisp air and ability to dress in layers made it a cozy time to visit and appreciate the slim historic buildings lining the rings of canals. The city is rife with creative restaurants and bars, vintage and design shops, has an accepting attitude and a strong coffee culture.

See the City

Amsterdam is a city that’s meant to be explored! We spent a lot of time walking along the canals, wandering deep into the neighborhoods and parks, ducking in and out of shops and observantly looking at art in the museums. One of the best ways to see the city is on a canal cruise.

Cruise the Canals

During the first evening of our trip, we took a leisurely cruise through the canals while sipping on wine and sampling Dutch cheeses. From within the covered boat, we looked out at the beautifully illuminated buildings, into countless house boats and admired how effortlessly the captain seemed to navigate through the narrow passageways and low bridges. Maybe it was the jet-lag or all the wine but the cruise eased us into a perfect state of tiredness and relaxation.

There are several ways to easily experience the canals. Here are some of the other options we considered:

Canal Cruise. Multiple companies offer canal tours and rides too and from various points around the city. All of which are competitively priced, well reviewed and routinely operating. We booked through Stromma. Outside of the wine and cheese cruise, there are traditional sightseeing options, brunch or dinner cruises and open boat tours.

Plastic Whale. Go “plastic fishing” and help clean the waterways of plastic waste that would inevitably flow into the oceans. Book here.

Salon Boat. Charter a private or small group tour on one of these elegant wooden boats. Book here.

SUP or Kayak. Paddle through the canals on a stand up paddle or kayak.

Neighborhoods

De Pijp. The neighborhood has a local vibe and attracts less tourists than more central parts of the city. It is home to one of the city’s largest markets, Albert Cuyp Market, and numerous cafes and brunch spots. We went on a cafe crawl sipping on different brews across the neighborhood.

Oud West. This expansive neighborhood is a great place to visit for its many restaurants, bars, markets, vintage and interior design shops. It’s nearby the city’s largest park, Vondelpark, and home to Ten Katemarkt Market and the De Hallen Food Hall.

Amsterdam Noord. Is a former industrial neighborhood that’s become home to a large artist community. Many former warehouses have been transformed into waterfront bars, flea markets and art studios. It’s accessible via a ferry near Central Station.

IJburg. This neighborhood is located on the east side of Amsterdam on an artificial island built over the past 25 years. As a result, all the homes and building are ultra modern while remaining reminiscent of the canal houses in the older neighborhoods closer to the city center.

Red Light District. The RLD is one of the oldest and probably most well known neighborhoods in Amsterdam. It’s famous for its historic architecture, narrow streets, sex-workers, nightly peep shows and coffee shops. Even if you’re not inserted in the scene, it’s an exciting neighborhood to walk through day or night.

Reguliersdwarsstraat & Kerkstraat. Two streets with a number of gay owned businesses and nightlife

Sights & Museums

The Canal Belt. The canals define Amsterdam branching out in semi-circles from the city’s center. The inner 4 rings are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Sight. Spend time exploring them, admiring the architecture and house boats.

Canal Houses. The narrow, ornate and sometimes slanted canal houses can be seen throughout Amsterdam.

Dancing Houses. A series of highly slanted canal houses along the Amstel
The Golden Bend. A bend along the Herengracht canal with the oldest and most stately canal houses
Twins. Look for twins, two identical houses built side by side

Museumplein. A public square surrounded by multiple museums. Come here to climb and sit on the I Amsterdam sign

Rijksmuseum. The national art museum housing Dutch works created throughout the past several centuries. The most famous pieces to see are Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. The museum is also home to the Cuypers Library, a picturesque art history and research library

Van Gogh Museum. This museum houses hundreds of the artist’s works and tells the story of his life from when he began painting until his death. If you appreciate Van Gogh’s work, this museum is truly worth visiting. Some notable pieces include a variety of his self portraits, The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers and the Wheat Field with Crows.

Vondelpark. The city’s largest park and green space. It’s a calm area for picnicking, bicycling and escaping the energy along the canals and streets.

Begijnhof. A small grassy oasis surrounded by brick row houses.

Homomonument. A series of three triangular monuments built into the square to honor the LGBTQ+ people persecuted during the Holocaust. Next to it is the Pink Point, a resourceful gay tourist info center.

Anne Frank House. Visit the home where Anne Frank and her family hid from persecution during WWII.

Food & Drink

Stroopwafels. Thin waffle crisps with caramel layered in-between. Use them to cover your hot coffee until the inside gets gooey. The best place in town to buy them is Van Wonderen Stroopwafels. Outside of the classic version, they top and decorate artisan batches with coconut, marshmallows, chocolate, nuts and sprinkles.

Deep Dish Dutch Apple Pie. A classic dessert but even more special when baked deep dish. Check out Wenkel 43 or look for cafes serving it.

Pickled Herring. Raw herring served with pickles and onions. It can be found at street carts around the city, one of which is Haring & Co.

Frites & Mayo. Another street food, look out for Wil Graanstra Friteshuis. Order them twice fried!

Gouda. One of the most well known Dutch cheeses. Fromageries around the city liberally hand out samples of the different favors and ages.

Bitterballen & Kroketten. Two versions of a potato, sauce and meat mixture fried in a ball or cylinder.

Poffertjes. Dutch pancakes. They are fluffy, tiny, yeasted and buckwheat pancakes covered in powdered sugar.

Gin and Tonic. Almost every bar offers their own take on this classic cocktail by infusing the drinks and offering creative mixes.

Restaurants & Bars

There are endless options when it comes to dining in Amsterdam. Whether along a canal, in a historic building, near a windmill or simply on the sidewalk. We never had a bad meal anywhere we dined. One thing we quickly learned is that you need a reservation for dinner at most restaurants at least 24 hours in advance, especially on weekends! Here are number of a favorite spots enjoy a meal or drink.

Bakers and Roasters. An amazing brunch spot with all types of eggs inspired by different cultures, several fruit dishes, vegetarian meals and strong coffee. We went for the banana nut French toast and eggs royal.

Van Speyk. A romantic brick walled restaurant with glittering chandeliers, Dutch classics and North Sea seafood.

Balthazars Keuken. A tiny homestyle restaurant with a daily three course menu. Make a reservation!

Cafe Restaurant Stork. A waterfront restaurant within a warehouse style building serving a variety of seafood.

IJ Brewerey. A brewery and beer garden located next to a 16th century windmill.

Pulitzer's Bar. A dark and moody reading room-like lounge offering high end cocktails and small bites

Café ‘t Mandje. A very eclectic and welcoming gay bar that’s been around since 1927.

Venus & Adonis. A cozy restaurant and cocktail bar specializing in craft gin & tonics

Cafes

Before visiting Amsterdam, we read somewhere that the Dutch consume more coffee per person than any other country in the world. As avid coffee drinkers ourselves, we decided to visit a number of cafes while in town. Here are a few of our favorite spots to sip on a coffee at any time of day.

Scandinavian Embassy. Slow and drip brewed coffees with cinnamon rolls.

Trakteren. A great spot for cappuccinos with cute latte art.

Lot Sixty One. House roasted coffee and tasty sweets.

Koffieschenkerij. A cafe located in the the historic sacristy of the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building, with a spacious outdoor cafe.

Back to Black. A corner cafe with a bohemian feel and an array of sweets.

Quartier Putain. A two level cafe located on the edge of the Red Light District.

Shopping & Markets

There are many opportunities to shop and visit markets in Amsterdam. The city is filled with small business and shops tucked into the first floors of the canal houses. Almost every neighborhood hosts its own market, whether it be mostly produce, clothes, antiques or a combination of them all.

De 9 Straatjes. This is probably one of our favorite areas to walk through. This district within the Canal Belt known for its picturesque streets lined with boutiques, design shops, concept stores and clothing retailers. We spent hours one afternoon walking from shop to shop, mostly looking, at all the pretty things in search of something affordable to bring home.

Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. A two block section of the street lined with antique shops and galleries.

Ten Katemarkt. An outdoor weekend market selling produce, cheeses, spices, breads, mushrooms, seafood, meats and street food located next to De Hallen, A large indoor food hall with a variety of Dutch and international cuisines, several bars offering local beers and artisan gin and tonics.

Flea Market Ij-Hallen. A large flea market with hundreds of booths scattered between two warehouses and an outdoor lot. It is a great places to buy vintage home goods, furniture, jewelry, clothing and misc items. The market is held on the second Saturday of every month.

Waterlooplein Market. A 300 booth vintage and flea market open from Monday - Saturday. The booths are filled with records, cameras, antiques and bohemian clothes. Several food carts serve Dutch favorites like stroopwafels, poffertjes, coffee and frites.

Coffeshops. Places that sell cannabis, edibles and space-cakes (cannabis infused desserts) They provide a place for people to enjoy them. Check out Boerejongens Coffeeshop Sloterdijk, a well reviewed coffeeshop located outside of the central neighborhoods and RLD.

Getting Around

Getting around Amsterdam is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore and experience the city! There are countless options from bicycling, taking a canal tour, riding the tram or simply walking.

Biking. The preferred method of transit. There are as many bikes as people in the city and a number of companies to rent from including: Ajax Bike, Yellow Bike and Mac Bike. Daily rentals range from €12 and €15, some rentals require a security deposit or minimal insurance fee incase of damage or theft.

Public Transit. The most reliable and economical option to quickly cross the city. There are multiple options that let you ride the bus, tram and metro all in one.

GVB Transit Card. Unlimited transit at on buses, trams and metros for 96 hours for €22.50.
GVB Transit Ticket. Individual 1 hour ticket for buses, trams and metros costs €3.20.
Amsterdam Card. Unlimited transit at on buses, trams and metros, includes access to the museums and a canal cruise. The pass last for 72 hours and costs €84.
Tickets can be purchased on any form of public transit (Pricing as of 2018)

Taxis and Ubers. The most expensive to get around the city. Luckily they’re almost unnecessary other than getting to/from the airport. They typically cost €45-€50 one way.

Ferry to Amsterdam Noord. Crosses the IJ River from the port behind Central Station to ADAM Tower. The ferry is free and usually departs every 15 minutes.

Tips to keep in mind

Be cautious riding bikes and watch out for cyclists when walking across streets.
Be respectful and don’t take photos of sex-workers in the RLD. This is strictly enforced.
Make reservations at restaurants you really want to eat at 24 hours in advance.
Like many places in Europe, tipping more that 10% is not required.
Avoid tourist traps near Dam Square and Central. Explore the inner canal rings and branch out further into the outer neighborhoods.

If we had more time…

The Moco Museum. Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art featuring a large collection of Banksy’s work, interactive and digital exhibits.

The Heineken Experience. Visit the Heineken Brewery, tour the facilities and cap our own bottle.

Take a Day Trip. With the countryside and multiple cities nearby: Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague. We recommend taking a day trip outside of Amsterdam if you have the time.

Hotel Inntel Zaandam. Spent a night at this uniquely designed hotel made to look like a stack of green country cottages typical of this area of the countryside.

Windmills. Also in Zaandam, see the several preserved Dutch windmills.

Visit during the Summer. Visit to the beach on Ijburg, kayak in the canals and participate in the Pride Festival.

Visit during the Winter. Visit when the Keizersgracht freezes over and becomes an ice rink.

Autumn in Amsterdam