Amsterdam… a dam good place. A land of bikes, ‘coffee shops’, stroopwaffel, big letters, museums, tulips and canals. Here’s what I found; the go and no goes, the ins and outs, the dos and don’ts.

–EAT–

Do: Eat stroopwaffel (syrup waffle) any chance you get! I hear it’s particularly amazing when fresh and warm. Two thin sweet spiced wafers with syrup sandwiched in the middle. How can you go wrong?

Don’t: Feel that you need to try every little thing. There are some Dutch delicacies that aren’t as appealing. Deep-fried balls of meat and questionable looking sausages… nah thanks. But if that is down your alley you can purchase these from a vending machine fast food chain called FEBO. Pretty nifty. But hey, it’s your call.

Frites (fries) are another one you can take or leave. Some stores are better then others too.

 

Do: Try the raw herring. Come on, live a little. The Dutch love a bit of raw fish with onions and pickles.  I must admit that I cheated though… I tried the sandwich version (broodje) which isn’t as hardcore. I enjoyed it!

Don’t: Forget to make reservations. If there is somewhere you really want to eat then make sure you plan ahead. We were lucky,  our first traditional Dutch dining option was full up but there was a place directly across the road with room. Get the Stammpot if you can. A hearty meal consisting of mashed potato, vegetables and meat. Mine came with a MASSIVE meatball and bacon bits.

Do: Please do eat a piece of Dutch apple pie! Yum! We stumbled on an absolute gem; Cafe’t Papeneiland. This is a really homey cafe with an awesome traditional decor and views of the canals. They serve the most delicious apple pie you taste buds will ever know! The question is; one slice or two?



Don’t: Go into a coffee shop thinking it’s a cafè. It’s not. You’ll get a lot more then coffee. Get one whiff and you’ll know what I mean.
Do: Have Dutch pancakes and profertjes for breakfast or any time of the day! We tried Pancakes and the Pancake Bakery. Both were great! If you’re looking for the cheaper option then just order the plain option at Pancakes. They always have a choice of toppings at each table so you can save money and drown your pancake in syrup.

–PLAY–

Do: Hire bikes! Amsterdam is made for bikes. They rule the road and will run you over. So if you can’t beat them, join them. It’s such an amazing way to explore. Most hostels will hire them out to you for about €15 for a day.

Don’t: Forget to check your bike before riding off on an adventure. I had just crossed the road to discover that my bike had a very flat tyre. My next attempt had only one peddle. Third time lucky.

Do: Bike to the park and have a picnic. Go to the supermarket, or if you’re fancy grab some cheese from one of the many Cheese Stores, and ride to Vondelpark or Rembrandt Park.

Don’t: Ride on the left side of the road.
Do: Hang out at De Hallen. One big, hip food hall of goodness. This is the Dutch answer to street food. You can get all kinds of food and drinks with a buzzing atmosphere.

Don‘t: Pay for a tour. Why would you when you can go on a free one instead? There are plenty of free walking tours to choose from. I highly recommend Freedam Tours; especially if you get Sergio as your guide! This is a good way to start your trip and get an idea about the history and layout of the city.

Do: Explore the canals.

–SEE–

Do: Do yourself a favour and go to Kuenkenhof; the tulip gardens outside of the city. It is ridiculously beautiful! There are fields with literally rows and rows of vibrant colour! The gardens are really unique and I never realised how many different types of tulips there are. You can get lost in the garden or ride around the fields. A highlight for me and a day well spent! If you want to enjoy the tulips too, then be sure to come in spring.

Don’t: Rock up late. If you are going to see the flowers it is pretty important you’re smart about it. Definitely book your ticket ahead of time. Then make sure you arrive early. We arrived at the airport to catch the express bus at 8:00ish. The gardens open at 8:00 and if you want to beat the swarms of people I suggest you get there then. When we got back from our visit we saw the hours of traffic and lines that awaited the poor suckers who had only just got there. Some people would have missed out on smelling the flowers that day.

Do: Choose one of the many museums to visit. Or, if your on a budget visit the museum shops. Choose wisely though because there are many museums in Amsterdam! Also book tickets ahead of time to avoid spending your precious time in a line.

Don’t: Go to the wrong place. Twice my friend and I had dead end moments when looking for stuff to do. The first was when we tried to go to a museum that had either moved locations or no longer exists. Then again when we tried to get a view of the city but when to the wrong library; apparently there are many.

Do: Go shopping in the 9 streets. This is a network of streets and canals that has an quirky and hip boutique shopping experience. If you’re on a budget like me, you’ll want to try to look at this kind of shopping more as a ‘gallery of pretty things I can’t buy but would like to’. But if you can afford to splash the cash you will like this very much indeed. Either way it’s a cool area and not as crowded as in the city.

Don’t: Laugh out loud when you see a quirky band or just general quirkiness.

Do: Get your photo with the I Amsterdam sign.

–STAY–

Do: Stay at a hostel. There are plenty of cool ones and all sorts of cool people to meet. You never know who will be your roommates.

Don’t: Wait till the last minute to book, especially this time of year. Due to a bunch of factors I had chosen a very expensive weekend to be in Amsterdam. Consider public holidays, seasons and special events.

Well now you can Amsterdam like a pro!
Current step count: 340, 831

Next Destination: Berlin