Amsterdam is a seriously special city which I had taken too long to visit while living in Europe. The perfect opportunity arose when two of my best friends decided to visit me in Spain. Imagining the perfect week in the Mediterranean sun, kicking back with pintas, introducing them to the Andalucian views of mountains and roasting espetos on the beach, we knew we wanted to show them the best of Malaga. First, however, we wanted to party our American butts off.
So naturally, Amsterdam seemed like the perfect place. To add reason for our transatlantic meet up point, one of us had ancestry in Amsterdam, like many Americans of Dutch heritage. It was too perfect. I’d also heard that the food world of Amsterdam was top knotch, with the city being a contemporary assemblage of 188 different nationalities. My foodie radar was going bonkers leading up to the trip.
We didn’t have a ton of time to plan our trip – and who wants to go by a strict schedule when the most important thing is spending time together? We hadn’t seen our US counterparts in eight months! It was time to catch up over serendipitous pit stops along the canals, which was certain.
In the end, we were all really happy with the list of accomplishments we’d made over the weekend as far as sightseeing went. Amsterdam itself, is an extremely touristic city, yet we didn’t feel like we were doing anything out of obligation and the only thing that made us feel like tourists were our sad wallets by the end of the trip. The truth, however – totally worth it. There’s no avoiding high price tags on a trip to North Western Europe. We also didn’t find that street food was too common outside of the markets, nor were ‘cheap eats’. Again, no regrets. But if you’re worried about making the most of your trip in terms of money and experiences, here’s what I would recommend moving to the top of your list…
Albert Cuyp Market
I love a good market. Albert Cuyp was one of my favorites of all time. It’s the largest open air market in Holland! This wasn’t entirely a food market, though some produce vendors were scattered throughout the Albert Cuyp, along with deli-style vendors who carried Greek items, breads and roasted chickens. We were so psyched to find quite a few street food options here. Beautiful paper cones full of hot fries to keep you warm in the cold. We also saw freshly made stroopwaffels, wings, pastries, breads, paninis, egg rolls and dumplings, widening my eyes every ten feet. It was the perfect place to snack while scoping out unique items to bring home for souvenirs and for ourselves. Eventually, we stopped for coffee at a sidewalk cafe, oogling adorable dutch doggos and reminiscing on how far back our time went as friends. How wild it was to fast forward from the dreaded days of high school to a cool, sunny day in smoky Amsterdam.
Trying the classics: Stroopwaffel & Patats with mayo.
Don’t knock it – especially when it’s freezing outside! The infamous paper cones full of crispy, salty fries with silky mayo dollops will keep your satisfy your munchies AND keep your hands warm – win win, huh? Likewise, stroopwaffels were a fun tradition to sample. When they’re freshly made in a shop or at a streetcart, they’re essentially thin wafer cookies that sandwich hot caramel in between. I personally prefer the pre-made, wrapped versions you can buy as souvenirs and corner store snacks. This snack screams molasses and brown sugar, so definitely try pairing it with a hot cup of coffee!
Chinatown
Amsterdam (and the Netherlands in general) have a significant Asian demographic given the country’s history. While Amsterdam’s Chinatown is purely commercial – non residential – the district is full of varied restaurants which reflect the city’s diverse demographic originating from the Asian continent. Among them include Vietnamese, Indonesian, Surinamese, Chinese, Thai and Indian. Heck, beyond that we even encountered Portuguese, Brazilian and Dutch restaurants in the Chinatown district. It was a great place to find meals we could all agree on, given the two vegetarians in our group. Both of our dining experiences in Chinatown were excellent. Win win. I also love anywhere that you’ll find those beautiful, crispy peking ducks hanging in the windows of Chinatown shops. Across the street from the Buddhist temple, we fell in love with this district, so far from what we’re accustomed to in Malaga and Richmond.
After our late first night of drinking, I was in serious need of something resembling greasy, salty noodles from the moment I woke up (some things never change). We knew where to go. Jeff and I headed out first to find ‘breakfast’ at Little Saigon. We both fell face first into giant, beautiful, savory bowls of pho and hot Vietnamese drip coffee. Running about 13 euros a person, it was a fine start to our first day in Amsterdam.
Hortus Botanical Gardens
This may have been our mutual favorite. The Hortus Botanical Gardens was started in 1638 for medicinal plants for pharmacists of Amsterdam during the plague epidemic. Hortus Botanicus collected plants unknown to the rest of Europe from all over the world, including two small palm oil plants and one single coffee plant are regarded as the mother plants for coffee cultivation of entire continents. The gardens house three climate-controlled rooms to recreate the environments of two tropical and one desert climate. It was the most astonishing experience to step from one hot, humid room full of rainforest greenery and flowers into an even hotter, dry room full of cactus plants. The gardens also house a butterfly sanctuary, where you can look at dozens of chrysalises and become enchanted with countless fluttering beauties up close. And for the tropical plant fanatics, the palm tree house will make you feel like you’re in Dorne or some beautiful island in Southeast Asia. And it’s all right there, in the heart of the Netherlands. The entrance fee was 10 per person unless you’re a student. I’ve never felt more like I’ve gotten my money’s worth.
Canal Cruise Tour
Our take – this was totally worth it. It’s kind of hard to tell what you’ve missed when so many of the canals look (almost) the same! The tour boat we took was really relaxing and a great, educational excuse to sit down for awhile. While audio guides can be a little cheesy in some cases, it was nice to have major points of history and interest brought to our attention. We weren’t exactly brushed up on our Dutch history.
We didn’t anticipate how close of a look we would get of the million houseboats of Amsterdam. Just as beautiful, renovated (and pricey), as the curbside houses.
The Floating Flower Market
This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I have a serious love for gardening. This makes the Floating Flower Market a must on my list. The massive selection and sheer number of vendors selling bulbs was mind blowing. Keep in mind that it isn’t likely you’ll get your bulbs back through US customs, but you can check with the shopkeepers about any permitted varieties available. If it’s not worth the risk or hassle, this is a great place for flower-themed souvineirs.
Another place to scope out the green goods (still talking about tulips, folks), would be the Amsterdam Tulip Museum. We didn’t have time to go through the actual museum, but its storefront was fabulous. I overheard employees giving the best information for serious tulip shoppers regarding the selection and what products could go through customs.
The Cheese Museum
We were overwhelmed (in a good way) with choices and difficult decisions in the cheese shop. I had never seen most of these flavors/infusions with cheese before. And we were able to sample nearly ALL of them. From numerous truffle goudas to green and red pesto gouda to smokey and sweet goudas – all were delicious. We even got to sample the best voted gouda of 2018. I ultimately decided to purchase a neon blue gouda infused with blueberries and lavender. Most of the easy-to-transport pieces were about 10-15 euros. I was informed that I could bring my cheese purchase into the US (as long as I declared it) because it was vacuum sealed. We’ll see in a few weeks! Cross your fingers for me. Americans need to try this cheese.
Waterloopein Market
Our first market stop! Jeff and I popped over to this market to see what it was all about. Mostly, it was vendors selling antiques, clothes, records etc. Not a food market and not too many artisan booths. We still had fun and stopped in a coffee shop nearby. This market is near the botanical gardens and has a metro stop a few minutes away.
Vondelpark
I read about Vondelpark and it was sort of the ‘what could we do next?’ after crossing major sights off of our list. I’m so glad we didn’t skip it. It could be a bit of a hike if you don’t plan properly, but the park was a beautiful and massive space, perfect for relaxing and kicking back when you need a nap in the sun. Tons of people scattered across the lawn were enjoying herbal refreshments and taking in the good vibe of Amsterdam. People watching, lighting up, trading Dutch snacks, petting dogs, posing with tulips and chasing ducks in this fairytale-esque park without a worry in the world was a memory I’ll hold dear for the rest of my life.
Coffee Shops
Even if you don’t partake, the coffee shops of Amsterdam are a unique experience worth enjoying while you’re there. In case you didn’t get the memo, the term ‘coffee shop’ in Amsterdam refers to alcohol free establishments where cannabis and hash are legally sold used to those over 18. It’s pretty surreal to walk into a place where you could smoke if you wanted, right there in the open. Now most are alcohol free, but we managed to find a couple that permitted alcohol and marijuana use inside – double win for a big group. The establishment was called Kings Cross, for you party scoundrels out there. This place was a party of a bar, and we visited three times. It’s only a street over from the Red Light District, so you can have a little visit of your own. On the note of coffee shops, we did take a look at the shops strictly for purchasing goods, rather than lounging. The options were wild. We even found an incredible, affordable CBD option for the few of us who prefer it. Amsterdam really does have it all.
Red Light District
The Red Light District wasn’t exactly as we imagined. I think I had some crazy Bourbon Street-type image in my mind. The reality is, it’s the norm for Amsterdam natives and it’s actually a quiet area. The golden rule is important to know before you go – no pictures or videos. Keep your phone away while walking through the area. AND don’t forget to check out Red Light Records – a killer record shop sandwiched between many, many boobies.
Enjoy Public Transport
It’s not exactly sightseeing, but it was really fun for us to see what public transportation was like in Amsterdam. We stayed a ways out from the central city and had to take the metro in and out every day, but throughout the trip, we also loved using trams and water taxis. The entire time we were exclaiming “It’s so clean!” “It’s so efficient!” “It’s so safe and cheap!” Really makes you reflect on good old DC…
Catch a show at Melkweg
Melkweg, a central venue of Amsterdam is worth a visit if you can find an artist performing while you’re there! We were I was dying to hit a club of some sort and dance my butt off while we were in the legendary city. We were fortunate to find Liondub was playing one night while we were there. It was an awesome DnB experience – especially because we got to see how the Dutch get down. It’s always fun to see a crowd in another country as enthusiastic about a genre as you are!
Strolling through the beautiful streets and canals
It’s so easy to enjoy Amsterdam by simple strolls through the city. Especially if you pop in a coffee shop here and there before hand. The unique Dutch architecture, romanticizing about a life of our own in Amsterdam one day, dodging top speed bicyclists and grabbing actual cups of coffee to keep our hands warm.
All in all, we loved this city. It was the perfect place to go with a group of friends. Plenty to do, see, eat and feel relaxed. The big things to know before you go: 1) Amsterdam is HUGE, so plan to use public transport frequently – this can be intimidating, but don’t be afraid to get a little lost. It’s totally worth it and learning to use trams and water taxis is an accomplishment in and of itself. 2) Amsterdam is a pricey city and there’s not a lot of avoiding it. You even have to pay to use the bathroom at most establishments, so have those coins and cash on you at all times. Even with cheap eats, you’ll want to do things that involve entrance fees, so come through with a hefty paycheck under your belt. 3) Amsterdam surprised me. I expected it to be a crowded, wild, party city. This, however, was a misconception. There are a lot of fun things to do in Amsterdam. There are a lot of parties to be found, but generally speaking, this is one of the ‘nicest’, cleanest cities I’ve ever visited. You can tell the Dutch care about the well being of their city and take care of their surroundings. Find the appropriate place to unleash your party monster, show respect in public and enjoy it all.