Quick: What comes to mind when you think of Amsterdam? We’ll hazard a guess that it’s marijuana and prostitution, both of which are legalized in some capacity here. And perhaps, related to that: hordes of backpackers, stag and hen (bachelor/bachelorette) parties, frat groups. (Poor Amsterdam.)
It may be the city’s famous liberalness that attracts the lion’s share of its annual visitors, but that’s just one teeny facet of what makes the Netherlands’ capital so special. Take, for instance, those gorgeous manmade canals, born of necessity when it was decided, some 700 years ago, that a trading city should be built on soggy marshland. The resulting labyrinthine urban landscape—all cobblestone streets and watery channels, crossed by quaint bridges and backed by soaring row houses—looks straight out of a fairy tale to the visitor, a sprawling, picturesque museum brought to crashing life by bicycling locals merely getting about their daily business.
And then there’s Dutch food, which hasn’t exactly inspired the poetic waxings of many. Much like in London, you’d do well to be discerning when confronted with Amsterdam’s dizzying array of international and “traditional” restaurants. But while any culinary exploration here must include the historic Dutch dishes like meat-and-potato stamppots, sweet stroopwafel, and streetside herring—which we love—it also cannot be without the city’s spicy mashups from Indonesia and Suriname, its unique jenever-distilling tradition and incredible local craft beer, and its ever-growing crop of season-driven locavore-centric restaurants working to reinvent modern Dutch cuisine.
Nor can it fail to consider Amsterdam’s inspiring market sensibility, which plays out in both big street affairs and small local corner shops, where neighborhood residents crowd on weekends to get the freshest sausages and cheese. There’s a fuller picture to paint here. A’dam may lack the gastronomic pizzazz of some of its European brethren, but make no mistake: You will eat well here.
What: We love traditional Dutch broodjes (sandwiches)—your kaas (cheese), roast beef, kroketten, eel, ossenworst, etc.—but this Suriname-inspired take is a Read more >
It may be overshadowed by its two famous beer-producing neighbors—Belgium and Germany—but don’t underestimate Dutch brewing: There’s some terrific beer Read more >
What: Chances are, you’ve already had your fair share of Dutch cheese: The Netherlands has long ranked among the top Read more >
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Activity Tips
How to Burn It Off in Amsterdam
WALK
Amsterdam is one of those picture-perfect fairy-tale cities made for walking—and getting lost in. Serpentine canals, cobblestone streets, stunning 17th-century row houses, leafy parks: best to get to know them all on foot. Spend a day exploring Museumplein—between the excellent Rijskmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the square itself, you’ll quickly burn off the previous day’s stamppot and stroopwafel. For an outdoor break from art, join the dog walkers, joggers, and skaters in Vondelpark, the city’s largest park, located just west of the museums.
When you have a sense of what’s what in Amsterdam and get tired of walking, you bike.
BIKE
If your hotel or apartment doesn’t offer bicycles, check out Frédéric Rent a Bike (Brouwersgracht 78, map), well located about five minutes from Central Station near Jordaan; bikes go for €15 per 24-hour rental (there are shorter and longer rental periods available, too). It takes a while to get used to cycling with the locals in town—especially when pedaling up those cobbled bridges—but stay alert (i.e., out of their way) and you’ll master it in no time.
Better than pedaling in the city, we think, is to head out of it. One easy route we recommend is taking the pretty Amsteldijk canal down about 10.5 km (6.5 miles) to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel (approx. route map)—the windmills, waterfront farmland, and relative stillness convey something of the gorgeous Dutch countryside, even though you’re still in the suburbs. Of course, there’s great food along the way (see broodje pom and bitterballen); once in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, don’t miss the elaborately carved tombstones of Beth Haim, the oldest Jewish cemetery in the Netherlands, dating to 1614.
Accommodations
Where to Stay in Amsterdam
The budget-minded might consider the Aalborg Hotel (small doubles from €55; Sarphatipark 106, map) in De Pijp: modern rooms, hip (if not the most central) neighborhood, free wifi, bikes for rent. In the gorgeous Jordaan area, near the unmissable Anne Frank House and countless great-food options, Hotel van Onna (singles from €45; doubles €65; Bloemgracht 104, map) has stark but clean rooms with a basic breakfast and free wifi included; many offer lovely canal or city views. In another central part of town, history and charm are aplenty at the reasonably priced Hotel Brouwer (singles €60; doubles €95; Singel 83, map), situated in a restored 17th-century house with eight unique rooms and expansive canal views. (If it’s a cheap, clean hostel you’re after, consider the two Shelterhostels (multiple locations including Barndesteeg 21, map), though keep in mind they have single-sex rooms only.)
For a trendier vibe, check out the high-concept citizenM Hotel (Prinses Irenestraat 30, map), with extra-large beds, free wifi, handheld “MoodPad” room controls, and a pleasant location near pretty Beatrixpark, south of De Pijp; the compact but stylish rooms start around 90 euros. If money is no object, there’s The Toren (Keizersgracht 164, map), a luxurious 38-room, multi-building boutique hotel dripping with elegance, romance, and lavish rooms, not to mention history—housed in a 1618-built mansion, it was part of VU University from 1889 to 1967 and used as a safe house during WWII. Its location between the Jordaan and Dam Square is ideal. Room rates vary, but expect to pay around €150 for a double.
Amsterdam is a fantastic city for renting out a small apartment or houseboat, particularly if you have a small group/family or are staying for more than a few days. Check out the listings on VRBO; we can’t say enough good things about the cozy apartment we personally stayed in: accommodating owner, affordable price, ideal Jordaan location around the corner from the Noordemarkt and the best appeltaart in town.
For more houseboat-rental listings, check out this site.
