The third stop on my journey through Europe by train was Amsterdam. Having kicked off this entire journey in Copenhagen, it only seemed appropriate to visit another canal city – in addition to the fact that Amsterdam had been on my travel list for quite some time. Like Bruges and Copenhagen, Amsterdam is often referred to as “The Venice of the North” because of its waterways.
It was love at first sight.
From the minute I exited Amsterdam Centraal, I immediately fell in love. The energy of the city is contagious and I knew instantly that this was a city I could one day call home. Are you gathering that I had been in the city for all of five minutes and I already wanted to move there.
I spent the next four days getting lost in the city of bikes. Literally, everyone has a bike. In New York City, you walk (or take the subway). In Amsterdam, you ride a bike. It became easy to spot a tourist from a local. A local always had a bike. So naturally, I got a bike. A great place to rent (or even do a tour) is from Mike’s Bike Tours.
I went on a Museum Marathon!
I spent days visiting countless museums. There is a plethora of museums in Amsterdam – enough to keep you busy for days. Here are the museums not to be missed:
- Anne Frank House: An iconic museum in the heart of Amsterdam. The line is unbelievably long and people actually start queueing up an hour before open. Either way be prepared to wait at least an hour to get in.
Self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh in Rijksmuseum - Rijksmuseum: This museum houses masterpieces like Rembrandt’s “Night Watch,” as well as several paintings by Vermeer, van Dyck and Jan Steen. An absolute must-go!
- EYE Film Institute in Amsterdam: The EYE is more a temple of cinema, than a museum or cinémathèque. There is a lot to see and to do: permanent exhibit in the basement and art installations are fun, selection of movies is great, while the museum’s restaurant on the waterfront is an ideal place to rest after a busy and tiring day in the Old Amsterdam center.
- Van Gogh Museum: A visit to Amsterdam is not complete without visiting this museum. It houses the largest collection of works from Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. Note: the famous self-portrait is actually in Rijksmuseum.
- FOAM Photography Amsterdam: The museum rotates its shows on a regular basis (every 2-4 months) to give the audience a chance to view work by both world-famous artists up-and-coming talent. This can either be great or a complete bust. Then again it all comes down to what you like. When I went, it was completely bizarre and I was not impressed so be sure to check the exhibition calendar.
- Stedelijk Museum: One of the most innovative and interesting museums of modern art in the entire world. Do not miss this museum!
- Museum Amstelkring: The attic of this bourgeois house conceals a secret Catholic church, known as Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Dear Lord in the Attic), originally built in 1663, when Catholics lost their right to workship in their own way.
- Amsterdam Museum: The history of everything Amsterdam. From the city to it’s people, this museum offers a great way to learn about the city’s history.
- Rembrandt’s House: The former home of Rembrandt. High suggested for fan’s of the artist who want to understand more about Rembrandt’s everyday life, his living quarters, and his workshop.
Insider Tip
There are a few options to grant free or discounted access to museums in Amsterdam. One is the Amsterdam Card which costs €47 for 24 hours, €57 for 48 hours and €62 for 72 hours. The Amsterdam Card offers free admission to several museums as well as free public transportation. Another option is the Museumkaart which is an annual pass for free entry into museums. It is valid one year and it costs €54,90 for adults and €29,95 for youngsters up to 18 years of age. I never once took public transportation while in Amsterdam and if you are going to be there for more than a day, I’d actually suggest getting the Museumkaart as it is less expensive than a two-day Amsterdam Card. You can go to a larger number of museums for free and it’s good for a year!
While the museums of Amsterdam are impressive one of my favorite things to do in the city was roam around – both on bike and on foot.
On bike, I road through the beautiful Vondelpark, the largest city park in Amsterdam and the Netherlands’ most famous. Vondelpark is huge, totaling 47 hectacres, and it is bustling with life. There are also a few restaurants, like Groot Melkhuis, where you can enjoy a bite in a picturesque setting.
I also spent some time on foot as well by taking a small walking tour (despite the fact that I had a bike) in order to get a more “slow-paced’ view of the city. You end up missing a lot when whizzing around on a bike but nevertheless it is the best way to get around Amsterdam.
I found my way to the Bloemenmarkt, the world’s only floating flower market in the respect that it is a flower market and not simply a floating market as there are countless floating markets in Thailand. The flower shops are very beautiful but the area is flooded with tourists and the area caters to touristic-type souvenirs.
While wandering up and down Singel, the road where the floating market is, do not miss the cheese shops. They have tons of samples and it is a cheese lover’s paradise. I was in heaven!
The shopping along the canals is incredible. I found my way to a less touristy area with quaint little shops selling antiques and other fun things. One store that I absolutely loved (pictured above) was Van Stapele. Like any other major city in Europe, Amsterdam has all the usual suspects – Zara, H&M, Mango and several other luxury icons like Louis Vuitton. I’ll have to admit… I did do some damage shopping in Amsterdam!
While Amsterdam is synonymous with diamonds, flowers, finance and art, there is one area in particular that Amsterdam is definitely known for and that is…
The Red Light District!
No, I was not going there to partake but I decided to take an organized tour through the infamous Red Light District. It was incredible, very informative, a little wild (our guide took us to a “show”) but overall it was a great way to see the area and learn about it’s history.
There really is something for everyone in Amsterdam. Whatever your fancy, you are sure to find it here!
I only spent a day in Amsterdam because I had a long layover on the way to Nairobi, but that was enough to make me fall in love with the city. It’s such a COOL city haha and I would love to go back and properly explore it. 🙂
Wow! Nairobi?! That must have been quite an experience. Yes, Amsterdam is an amazing city and some place that I’d love to call home for a bit! A girl can dream 🙂
It definitely was! Kenya is beautiful 🙂 And a girl can definitely dream! I have at least 4 cities in my hopefully-I’ll-live-there list haha