Amsterdam, Netherlands
AMSTERDAM TRAVEL GUIDE
Setting the scene for Amsterdam...
My recent return visit with my travel Bestie was part of a spring trip to go cycling through the tulip fields outside of Amsterdam.
Like any city there is always too much to see and do in a single visit.
And a quick reminder I only share the places and activities I personally experienced ☺️
A couple of things before we dive in.
Amsterdam has earned the reputation of being a “party town” because of the number of stag and hen parties.
Added to that like many other popular destinations at the time of writing this guide there is a lot of noise about trying to reduce the number of tourists.
But this wonderful city still deserves to be top on your list especially if you want a dose of Europe in your travel future.
And you might be surprised its not a huge city, the population is only around ~900,000 people so it has the small big city vibe which is great when traveling solo or with a girlfriend.
Table Of Contents
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The Basics...
Power Plugs
Electricity in the Netherlands is 220 voltage vs. 120 voltage used in the US and Canada.
Power outlets usually feature a two round pins, spaced about 2 cm apart, and is the same as those used in many countries in Continental Europe.
Currency
The Euro is the official currency of The Netherlands.
Credit cards are very readily accepted but always carry cash for those smaller items.
Climate
My friend and I visited in April. We wanted to see the tulips in bloom so the best time is mid-April to the beginning of May.
The average temperature is around 10 celsius (50 fahrenheit).
But its spring so the weather can really bounce around. And do expect a mix of cloudy days, rain and sunshine days.
So layer up on the clothes front because you are in a city filled with canals on the edge of the North Sea.
That means you may experience that damp cold where it may feel a few degrees colder than what your weather app on your phone is telling you.
The wind can also whistle up the canals and between the narrow streets.
On the good news front… spring is a little quieter when it comes to the volume of tourists.
So I’ll take adding a jacket over facing sweltering temperatures and a gazillion tourists any day 😊
Language
Dutch is the official language of The Netherlands. That being said about 95% of the population speak English.
And I often joke that their accent (or lack of accent) is way better than mine whose native language is English :-)
As always I always try to learn a handful of phrases in respect to the hosts of the country I am visiting.
Hallo [hah-low] – Hello
Goedemorgen [ggguh-duh-mor-ggun] – Good morning
Alsjeblieft [als-yuh-bleeft] – Please (informal)
Dankjewel [dank-yuh-vel] – Thank you
Ja [yah] – Yes
Nee [Nay] – No
You can also recognize some basic words like
🍺 Bier [beer] – Beer
🍷 Wijn [vine] – Wine
☕️ Koffie [coffee] – Coffee
🥛 Melk [melk] – Milk
I love Google Translate and always have the app on my phone.
🔥🔥🔥Hot Tip🔥🔥🔥
I love the photo option for 👉🔗 Google Translate. Just point and click whether its a menu or museum poster or food item in the supermarket. Its you new Bestie!
Airport
Schiphol Airport is the official international airport of the Netherlands.
It is only 13 km (8 miles) from the center of Amsterdam so very convenient to get to and from.
Here’s the 👉🔗 LINK to the Schiphol Airport Website:
I also take any opportunity to download an airport 👉🔗 App if there is one available.
Now a heads up. This airport is busy!
Its the 3rd largest airport in Europe and it is one large terminal so be prepared to do some walking when you land to get from your plane to customs and immigration.
Your options for getting from the airport to your hotel are great from taxi, to Uber to train, to bus, rental car or wait for it…
🚲You can even cycle to and from the airport 🚲!
Everything is well sign posted and right outside the main doors of the terminal.
Transportation
The great news is Amsterdam is flat and very walkable and has an great public transportation system.
Along with the rest of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is know for CYCLING!!!
But brace yourself before you blithely step out the door of your hotel into the street.
As you wander the streets and canals admiring the sights you have to navigate…
Crossing roads, tram tracks and combination cycle/pedestrian paths and pedestrian only paths.
And, the cycle / pedestrian paths are shared with e-bikes and mopeds.
So do be extra careful and aware of your surroundings.
The Tram system is also an efficient system and great way to get from Point A to B and…
Taxis are readily available and you will clearly find taxi stands within the old part of the city and my friend and I also used Uber.
Clothing
The Dutch a very practical culture. So the dress accordingly.
The weather is highly changeable during the day and they also cycle everywhere so they tend to wear uncomplicated, casual, comfortable, relaxed clothing…
And they will wear the same outfit from work to an evening out.
This is great news when it comes to building your travel wardrobe. Keep it relaxed, casual and comfortable and you will fit in easily.
Most importantly take a layered approach.
For a spring trip I had sweaters, a vest and a rain coat.
And last but not least very practical shoes.
You will be doing a lot of walking and its easy to twist an ankle on the cobbled streets, tram lines running down the road or have to move between being on a narrow sidewalk and stepping off onto the street to let or get by people
Given it was spring my "go-to" shoes were favourite black Allbird sneakers 👟👟.
They are made with wool to keep my feet warm!
If you would like to check 👟👟 them out tap the link 👉🔗 HERE.
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Accommodation
If you’ve read any of my other blogs you know when it comes to hotels I am a Marriott girl through and through.
Marriott are you reading this haha ;-)?
My friend and I chose to stay at the 👉🔗 Amsterdam Marriott Hotel.
The exterior is a little bland but don't let that put you off, once you step inside it is a totally different experience.
I did a lot of research to land on this particular hotel.
I hadn’t been to Amsterdam for decades as a Backpacker so I couldn’t remember the layout of the city that well.
I chose the Amsterdam Marriott Hotel for a couple of reasons.
- We were only Amsterdam 3 days and we did a day trip outside of Amsterdam on one of those. So we knew that we were going to be on the go and not have a lot of down time.
- This hotel is a great location to be able to walk down the street to the museums and go the other direction in to the heart of the old part of the city.
- This property has an excellent Marriott “M Club Lounge” which given our loyalty status we had access to so we were able to grab breakfast and snacks etc. even for an evening quick meal
I had considered two other Marriott properties and now having been I would definitely take a good look at them if you would like a stay that has a bit more character.
Originally I thought they were a little too far out but that is not the case and both of them are on a tram line so if you don’t want to walk you can always jump on tram.
Both hotels are in the museum district which is great and plenty of shops and restaurants .
The 👉🔗 College Hotel Amsterdam (another Marriott property)I really looked long and hard at this property. It was originally a school so has oodles of character.
The 👉🔗 Sir Albert, Member of the Marriott Design GroupIts right on a tram line so if you don’t want to walk just jump on a tram.
Cycling
I think cycling deserves its own section in this guide given it is an essential part of Dutch life.
The ability to “wander and meander” the streets of Amsterdam is a total misnomer.
As mentioned above you will be encounter regular sidewalks, shared cycle/pedestrian paths and when crossing a road it may have tram lines running down it.
Bluntly put pedestrians are the lowest on the transportation food chain. It’s up to you to keep your wits about you watching out for bicycles, trams, and mopeds…
They will be moving at speed and while the Dutch are lovely people they tend to have a bit of cycle rage and will not hesitate to ring their bells and shout at you to get out of the way.
And lets not forget the canals.
Did you know that 12,000 - 15,000 bicycles are dredged out of the canals each year!
🔥🔥🔥Hot Tip🔥🔥🔥
I would definitely NOT recommend cycling in the inner city of Amsterdam.
Most of the cyclists are going about their regular day, to and from work, out shopping etc.
There is a sea of cycles at during commute hour and either you’re going to fit in or most probably NOT.
My best advice is get outside the city or into the outer suburbs to attempt any cycling.
And here's a *** BONUS TIP***
I am 5’ 3” and I did cycle outside the city through the tulip fields but I ended up downsizing to the tallest children's bike.
You see a little known fact is the Dutch people are the tallest in the world.
And a lot of the rental bikes are for well… tall people.
So don’t be a Raewyn!
I took an adult size bike from and even with the seat lowered to the lowest position I was still on my tippy toes when I stopped and yes, you guessed it I did tumble 🙄.
Hence, my wounded ego and pride went to Plan B to hire a children's size bike.
Shopping
I’ve detailed below specific shops and shopping areas that I have personally visited and why.
9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes)
Right out of the gate I highly recommend the 9 Streets (De 9 Straatjes). This is a quaint set of 3 x 3 streets over 4 canals.
If you traveling solo or with a friend you will love spending popping in and out of the independent stores that truly have something a little bit different and great quality.
I’ve included the official website 👉🔗 HERE.
🔥🔥🔥 Hot Tip 🔥🔥🔥
They are also very close to the Anne Frank House and they have a selection of cute little cafes and restaurants including Jansz a personal favourite (see details in the Eating section below).
De Bijenkorf Department Store
De Bijenkorf is a chain of high end department stores in the Netherlands.
Check it out before your visit 👉 🔗 HERE
Now I mention this for a couple of reasons.
Would you agree ladies, that sometimes its just fun to check out the shopping in other countries?
It's right across the square from the Royal Palace.
Sooo, its a great place to pop over to after a visit to the palace where you can sit down and take a bit of breather and enjoy a coffee, drink and quick bite to eat…
And of course while you’re there you might just want to check out the shopping - just saying!
👉🔗 LINK to the Restaurants and Bars in the De Bijenkorf
🔥🔥🔥 Hot Tip 🔥🔥🔥
I always like to know if there is a good department store handy to rest or get out of the weather if it turns on you.
Its wonderful to be able to sit down in a food hall or restaurant and… to find a clean bathroom!!!
Kalverstraat and Leidsestraat
These are the two most well known streets that you are bound to walk in getting to other sights and events.
They contain a mix of chain stores like H&M and Zara to a mix of independent and more one off stores including the Rubber Duck Store…
Yes, even a store full of every kind of yellow rubber duckies 🐥🐥🐥!
Step inside, if nothing else it will put a smile on your face.
You will also find the Amsterdam Flower Market crosses Leidsestraat (see details in the Things I Saw And Did section below).
Magna Plaza
👉🔗 LINK to Magna Plaza website
The Magna Plaza building used to be the Amsterdam Post Office building and has a gorgeous interior.
In particular if you are stuck for ideas on what to buy the men in your family (or friends) make sure you find your way upstairs to the MC 92 Store.
Both the quality and uniqueness of their selection and the amazing customer service are worth experiencing.
Eating
People tend to have the impression that Dutch food is pretty bland and made up of potatoes, vegetables and meat served with gravy NOT TRUE…
There is so much more to eating in the Netherlands.
The Dutch were historically great explorers and one of the things they bought back to the Netherlands were spices and the Dutch are one of the world leaders in sustainable agriculture.
So absolutely try out and enjoy traditional dutch food including:
Apple tart, french fries with mayonnaise, bitterballen (deep fried balls of meat gravy), pannekoeken (crepe like pancakes) to dutch licorice, pickled herring and the famous stroopwafel (caramel stuffed cookie).
But WHERE do you eat?
I share below places that my girlfriend and I ate at and I would feel comfortable eating at the places if I was traveling solo.
Cafe de Balie
👉🔗 LINK to Cafe de Baile website
Let’s start with being out and about and wanting to grab a coffee and quick bite to eat.
This was by far my best accidental find.
The cafe is in the heart of a lot of the tourist activities just off Leidseplein Square housed in a former Courthouse but surprisingly not full of tourists.
People can easily overlook this little gem because it's home to debates, seminars, theatre productions and films.
Casa di Leo
👉🔗 LINK to Casa di Leo Restaurant website
In the same area as Cafe de Baile which is handy to the museums we found an Italian wine bar/restaurant with outdoor seating overlooking the canal.
Their pizzas were light with fresh ingredients.
The wine and service were great and we were able to have a leisurely lunch.
Jansz Restaurant
👉🔗 LINK to Jansz Restaurant website
The restaurant is part of the Pulitzer Hotel in the hear of the 9 Street district.
I would seriously consider staying in this hotel on my next visit.
Again this was an accidental find. We had been walking the 9 Streets and had some time to kill before our visit to the Anne Frank house…
And it started to rain.
Like I said some of the best travel experiences are those that you stumble upon.
So first off the restaurant is on a corner over looking the canal and with big bright light airy windows.
Now the food was DELICIOUS!
It could have been because we were tired, wet and hungry but it was all about the naturally locally sourced ingredients.
Added to that the bathrooms were wonderful and you get a great sneak a peak at the hotel on your way there and back!
Sama Sebo - Indonesian Restaurant
👉🔗 LINK to Sama Sebo Restaurant website
Sama Sebo was recommended to us by a Guide on an out of town tour we took, so we had to check it out.
It is a small restaurant and would recommend making sure you have a reservation before you arrive in Amsterdam.
Our Marriott Concierge (told you your hotel Concierge is your BFF when traveling solo or with a friend) managed to make it happen with only 48 hours notice!
So right in the heart of Amsterdam is this amazing Indonesian restaurant, in fact the oldest in the Netherlands.
Note: This really is a restaurant that is better if you are traveling with a friend or friends than solo.
It is a traditional “rice table” menu which means its a feast of small shareable Indonesian dishes served with rice.
The food and service is amazing and it is very cozy so you get to know your fellow diners and is popular with the locals.
Things I Saw & DID
The activities, places etc. that I share in this section are ones that I have personally experienced.
I typically start my visit to a city with a Hop On Hop Off bus tour on my first day.
Its a great way to get oriented and beat the jet lag…
If you’ve arrived early in the morning after an overnight flight its an easy way to spend the day without getting stressed and still feel like you got to see and do things.
However, that being said I would NOT recommend the Hop On Hop Off bus for Amsterdam.
The inner part of Amsterdam is filled with canals and very narrow streets so the bus can only fit on the larger roads further out from the historical core.
Canal Cruise
Instead I recommend a Canal Cruise.
Now there are many to choose from including Hop On Hop Off to cruises in small and large canal river boats with a guide.
You will also find that many of the cruises include some snacks and drinks.
We took the advice of our Bestie the Marriott Concierge and chose the…
Captain Jack River Boat Cruise - 👉🔗 LINK to Captain Jacks website
It was less than 2 blocks from our hotel, a smaller open canal boat and our Guide was really personable and highly informative.
I really liked the smaller boat because it can manoeuvre into the smaller canals and with fewer people it was easier to hear the guide and just a more intimate experience.
And a little laugh at our expense. We did this cruise the day we landed after both having made flights from Canada and the US overnight.
Clearly we were more tired than we thought because we struggled to find the location until a kind couple told us to look up doh 🤣🤣🤣
Again this was spring so layer up, it can get a little breezy and chilly being out on the water.
The Royal Palace Amsterdam
Now we took a chance on this and did not have advance reservations and decided on our first day that we did want to visit the palace.
The great thing with many European palaces, castles, museums etc. is that you can make your reservation online.
Yes, you can still stand in a line on the day and buy a ticket but that chews up time so we made the online reservation and were lucky enough to get in.
This is a working palace where the Royal family host state visits and special royal occasions so be aware when planning your visit in case it is closed for a special event.
👉🔗 LINK to The Royal Palace Amsterdam website
And after your visit at the Palace you can always nip across the square to the De Bijenkorf Department store for some retail therapy and a relaxing drink 😉
Van Gogh Museum
My husband is an artist and Van Gogh is his favourite artist.
We have visited Provence and the asylum where he was kept so even though hubby wasn’t with me I couldn’t visit Amsterdam with out visiting the museum.
The museum is in what is known as the Museum district of Amsterdam and a beautiful modern building set in a large park.
Again do buy your tickets in advance online.
👉🔗 LINK to The Van Gogh Museum website
Just show up at your scheduled time but once in the museum you can stay as long as you like.
It is definitely worth the visit!
It's bright and airy and you it didn't feel crowded even on a Sunday afternoon!
The museum shop is great and full of Van Gogh items that will tempt you in some way and there is also a cafe. So you can make this a nice leisurely visit.
And note… you are only a short walk from Sama Sebo restaurant 😉
Upside Down Museum
Ok now for something completely different and out there…
My girlfriend had to work for a couple of hours on our last morning in Amsterdam so I decided to do something completely different.
It’s kind of hard to describe and is billed as the world's largest upside down social media experience.
Think of it as a series of rooms with each room being a separate film set.
The goal is you get to take or have taken social media photos of you in the scene and many of them are designed to be an upside down photo to add to the fun and quirkiness.
There are two ways to take your photos. In each room there is a button that you push and you get a countdown and then a camera will take a series of pictures as you pose.
At the end of your visit you will get a ticket number that you can go online to download your pictures.
The second way is to have someone take pictures of you with your camera/phone.
Yes, there are lot of “younger” people who will be there but surprisingly you will find you are not the only person over 50!
The staff are amazing and go out of their way to ensure you feel welcome and enjoy yourself.
I was fine doing this solo and other visitors offered to take pictures for me.
Yes, it was fun and silly and I did feel a bit self conscious but it truly will bring the kid out in you...
So embrace this as a great travel experience and you treasure the pictures as memories too!
So I dare you try it out 😁
👉🔗 LINK to the Upside Down Museum website
Its a little further out from the centre of Amsterdam but only took me 10 minutes by Uber and it is also right on a Tram Line.
Begijnhof
If you are looking for an oasis, some solitude and reflection in the middle of Amsterdam I strongly recommend this hidden treasure.
A hofje is an enclosed courtyard and garden surrounded by houses that were traditionally provided homes to unmarried religious woman.
This one is in the heart of Amsterdam as in two blocks from the Sunglass Hut and Lush Comestics!
It is well worth the visit for the tranquility and sense of history and the women that went before us.
You really do get the feeling you have stepped back in time...
And the quiet and stillness are such a surprise given you are in the middle of the city, its truly something to savour.
It is very quit because it is a residential community with people living there today.
There is no fee to enter.
Amsterdam Flower Market
I had so much anticipation to visit the market and thank goodness a good friend who owns a Botanical store managed my expectations.
I was disappointed, it is more a collection of tourist shops and open stalls selling a lot of tulip bulbs, wooden tulips, cheeses etc.
Yes there were some fresh flowers but not the abundance I was expecting.
I point this out because if you are like me and love all things flowers and plants and have been to the Bangkok Flower Market it is a very different experience.
That being said you are likely going to be walking past the market so I would still include it on your list...
Just manage your expectations.
You can find the market at the Singel canal between the Koningsplein and the Muntplein.
Anne Frank House
A couple of things to note if you plan to include this in your visit.
Tickets are ONLY sold on the Anne Frank website.
And you have to be organized to grab the ticket for the day you want to visit.
Tickets are only made available on Tuesdays (local Amsterdam time) for six weeks in advance. So set your alarm clock because they literally go in a flash.
The website has very clear instructions so that you can avoid being disappointed.
Just a heads up, yes lades are over 50 so some of the aging aches and pains kick in on trips like this.
Do be aware that they house is made up of different levels and narrow stairs…
Plus, while the number of visitors allowed in is strictly controlled and can feel a bit claustrophobic at times.
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