Your guide in visiting Amsterdam, Netherlands
How to get to Amsterdam?
Where to stay in Amsterdam?
What to do and see in Amsterdam?
Where to eat in Amsterdam?
Going to Keukenhof Gardens?
Amsterdam, the Capital city of Netherlands, is often associated with cannabis coffee shops and the red light district but Amsterdam is one of the prettiest city I’ve visited in Europe. Its one hundred kilometers of canals with ninety islands and one thousand five hundred bridges is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Amsterdam is an extremely walkable city and one of the pleasure is to stroll around the three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, and its tributaries.
HOW TO GET TO AMSTERDAM
Most people will fly direct into Amsterdam Schiphol Airport which is around 10km from the city center. If you are coming from another location in Europe, taking the train into Amsterdam Central Station is another option. The Thalys trains takes you from Paris to Amsterdam in around 3 hours. If you are flying in from Schiphol and depending on the season, it is worth to visit the Keukenhof Gardens which is a short bus ride from the airport. More about the Gardens at the bottom of this article.
From Schiphol, it is a short train ride or taxi ride into the city center. Depending on the location of your hotel, it may be easier to take a taxi if your hotel is far away from the Amsterdam Central Station. The tram system is extremely efficient in Amsterdam and other than walking or biking, will be your main mode of transport within the city.
Dam Square is the central point in the city and around the vicinity of the area is quite touristy. I personally would avoid that area and stroll around the lovely bits of town which are the quaint canals and real coffee shops that lines some of the canals. However, there are still the tourist landmarks that one may be interested in Amsterdam.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN AMSTERDAM
The most visited tourist attraction in Amsterdam is probably the Rijksmuseum which is the Netherlands national history and art museum. The museum undergone a long period renovation but was completely reopened in 2014. It is the most visited museum in the Netherlands. The Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House is probably the second the third most visited attraction in Amsterdam. The Van Gogh Museum holds the largest Van Gogh collection in the world. The Anne Frank House always have a lineup outside the building. The building doesn’t really standout from others along the canal but it is famous for housing Anne Frank where she hid in secret rooms from the Nazi during World World II.
Yes, these top 3 attractions is a most likely on the to do list for most tourist and be prepared to spend at least 2 full days just to appreciate all three of them. Be prepared for long lineups during peak seasons. However, I fell in love with Amsterdam because of its charm unlike any European cities.
The Canal Cruise Blue Boat Tour is a good way to get you introduced to the charm of the canals from a different vantage point. The boarding area is very close to the Rijksmuseum and the tour is 75 minutes long.
Why I fell in love with Amsterdam.
I did not know what to expect when I’ve first visited Amsterdam. The area of Dam Square part of the Old Center was full of tourist and commercialism like any major European cities. Although the Rijks, Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House gave you a sense of history to the city, it doesn’t speak to my heart like the charm of the neighborhoods once you walk out of the Old Center.
The Joordaan neighborhood is an example of such. Everytrail.com have a great walking tour of the neighborhood. Lovely shops line the tightly packed street and inter-winded with the tributaries of the main canals.
If you are into furniture, interior, and lighting design then you must have heard of the dutch designer firm Moooi. Moooi have a huge showroom in the Joordan area.
A perfect day in Amserdam for me would be to wonder around the tributaries of the three main canals. Areas of highlight for me would be the Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal which gives a nice view of the Basilica of St. Nicholas. The corner of Reguliersgracht and the Keizersgracht cancal is also a famous location for photos especially at night when the bridges lit up. Although it is just as charming during the day and the irregularities of the building is extremely pronounced here which I believe is the image for Amsterdam for me. Below are a number of photos I’ve taken while strolling around the neighborhoods.
WHERE TO STAY IN AMSTERDAM
Sir Albert Hotel
I’ve stayed at the Sir Albert Hotel during my stay at Amsterdam. It was lovely and I highly recommend it. My review of the hotel on TripAdvisor. The hotel is located just outside the Canal Ring but very convenient having a tram station in front of it. It is 5 minutes walk to the Albert Cuyp Market which is a lovely food market.
WHERE TO EAT IN AMSTERDAM
Albert Cuyp Market
This food blogger shares my same experience of the Albert Cuyp Market.
The Herring and Stroopwaffls stall is fantastic and they are probably the two most famous street food in Amsterdam.
Restaurants
I would give two restaurant recommendations in Amsterdam for now. This list will grow with my next visit to Amsterdam.
1.) Restaurant De Kas. Lovely restaurant in a green house where they grow their own herbs and vegetable on site. Absolutely wonderful.
2.) Resturant Blauw. Fantastic Indonesian dishes in Amsterdam.
GOING TO KEUKENHOF GARDENS
If you like flowers and depending on the time of the year, Keukenhof may be the most beautiful garden you will ever visit. One of the advantages of flying into Schiphol is to take advantage of the close proximity of the gardens to the airport. Schiphol airport have free shuttle buses to the gardens throughout the day. It takes around 15 minutes from the airport to the garden.
My flight arrived early into Schiphol so we stored our bags in the left luggage lockers in the terminal and took the free shuttle bus to Keukenhof gardens. The tulip fields in spring is absolutely stunning and the photos here will only tell part of the story. I strongly recommend a visit if it is something you are interested in and have time to spare. The garden is huge so be prepared to spend at least a couple of hours or the whole morning to walk through the gardens.
