Amsterdam
Amsterdam wasn’t on my first-round travel bucket list but my boyfriend really loves Holland, so who was I to say no? Prior to my trip, my preconception of Amsterdam was: prostitution and frolicking the streets with open bottles and weed.
I will assure you that the city has proven to be much more than that - most notably, it’s clean (thanks to the zero emissions law) and the people are friendly. They speak very good English and are pleasant to tourists. It’s become a city I absolutely love!
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
If you’re coming from the US, you WILL need a universal power adapter. The Netherlands use the European-style of outlet plugs.
The Netherlands is on the € euro
No visitors Visa necessary (if trip under 90 days).
Most locals can speak very good English
Thursdays: everything stays open til 9 pm - only night of the week (usually it’s 5:30 pm closing times)
Food to try: Italian, Thai, Dutch food (pancakes, chocolate, cheese, beer, FRIET - fries like the ones from Mannekenpis)
SIM cards
I started my journey in London and purchased a Three SIM Card (£0.99) and loaded it with £10 in credit to get me about 2.5 gigs of data for my trip.
Tip: Choose Three if you’re doing travel across Europe, as most EU countries are a “Go Roam destination”, meaning you won’t have to keep switching SIM cards and can use your same plan or credits at no extra cost!
TRANSPORTATION
OV-chipkaart
We purchased it right outside the Amsterdam Centraal station, but there’s many purchasing points throughout the city, including at the Sloterdijk Airport.
This covers all bus, tram and metro transportation within central Amsterdam. Trains are not included.
The nice thing is that the ov-chipkaart clock starts upon first check in and runs for a 24-hour period (or more, if you bought a longer period of validity), not by calendar date.
Rates:
€13.50 Period of validity: 2 days (48 hours)
€19.00 Period of validity: 3 days (72 hours)
€24.50 Period of validity: 4 days (96 hours)
€29.50 Period of validity: 5 days (120 hours)
€ 33.50 Period of validity: 6 days (144 hours)
€36.50 Period of validity: 7 days (168 hours)
THIS will explain everything.
(We ended up not making good use of the ov-chipkaart, so definitely calculate ahead of time if this is worth it, otherwise just buy single-use tickets as you go along, for €3.20 each).
Trains
This wreaked havoc on our budget, since we stayed outside the city (about 11 miles/18 km south in Weesp). Depending on where you’re going, it can be about €10 round trip additional per day. It all adds up quickly.
P+R
A very complex system that I decided was not worth trying to understand. The €1/day sounds appealing but the rules and technicalities were not. Everyone from friends who have been to Amsterdam to locals all recommend just biking and walking everywhere.
Buses
The bus system in the city center is really good. Either purchase single use tickets for €3.20 or the ov-chipkaart for all GVB transportation.
Bikes
In Amsterdam center and even on the outskirts of the countryside where we stayed (Weesp), biking is the default mode of transportation with bikers getting the right of way above cars and pedestrians. Even on the few nights in the countryside when we biked in Weesp at midnight there were other people also out on their two-wheelers!
Uber
It does exist, but we didn’t hear about it much. It’s a bike-dominated and very walkable city, not much need for an Uber.
GROCERY STORES
Dirk & Jumbo
Use Apple Maps to find your nearest Dirk or Jumbo, they have locations littering the city. For two days worth of food (stretching 5 meals), it was about €30 for groceries at Dirk.
HIGHLIGHTS
Friendship Amsterdam
The going rate is about €16 for an hour tour. You can either book an open ticket in advance (select the date and time, but the time is flexible and tours embark every 15 minutes or so) or do a “walk-in”.
I chose Friendship for its open top boats, open ticket options and great reviews on TripAdvisor. Also loved that the tour route contrasts exploring one of the main outer canals and then a smaller one on the interior (Amsterdam canals are shaped in an onion-layer).
Our boat caption was awesome - we learned a lot about the history of Amsterdam as we sailed along. Drinks and snacks are also on board for purchase.
We came fresh from the airport and were able to bring our small carry-on luggage with us on the boat.
A’Dam Lookout
One of the highlights! Tickets for the lookout and to ride the swing are separate. We chose early ticket times so it wouldn’t be too crowded. An elevator with fun digital graphics takes you to the top, from there you’re able to watch educational videos, take in the view, enjoy a drink at the bar, and take advantage of some major photo opps.
If you do the A’Dam swing, it’s a full minute of swinging. They film you the whole time and take photos that you can purchase later. They also take photos of you when you first arrive, also for purchase.
It’s a digital world, so don’t let them sell you the hard copy photo prints at the end. The digital option comes in a package along with the video of your swing time. (they only tell you that after you buy the hard copy prints).
The most unique dining experience of my life! Regardless of your budget, DeKas is an absolute must. Read: absolutely necessary. (And actually quite affordable for a Michelin star restaurant, coming in at €65 per person for a six-course meal).
The restaurant itself is set in a greenhouse, surrounded by its own oasis in the city. The ingredients for all the dishes are harvested from the produce growing in the greenhouse so it doesn’t get any fresher than that!
The courses are served with the perfect amount of pacing, so by the end of it I actually felt quite full even though everything was light. Each dish was predominantly plant based (protein included a light chicken course and a cheese course), with everything prepared and plated in extremely artistic and holistic fashion - light heat or baking, never fried.
Our reservation was at 8:15 pm and we dined all the way to about 11:00 pm. Luckily in the summer the sun goes down really late (past 10:30 pm) in Amsterdam, so we got to enjoy the sun shining through the roof of the greenhouse dining area for the duration of our meal.
DeKas rotates their menu depending on what’s in-season in the greenhouse, which can only mean it’s a unique dining experience every time (and totally begs a return visit).
The descriptions, the photos, nothing will do it justice except for trying it for yourself!
Make reservations at least a month in advance for dinner. Lunch is easier to book.
The front entrance greenhouse section
The greenhouse dining area - stunning!
Another part of the, you guessed it, greenhouse! For drinks and appetizers when you first arrive
Free ACTIVITIES in Amsterdam
Bloemenmarkt
Didn’t make it in time for tulip season, but you can still enjoy flowers in the heart of the city at Bloemenmarkt. Sitting along the Singel canal, this markt is also surrounded by other shops, restaurants and cafes where you can pick up some cheese, coffee or souvenirs (which actually turned out to be more prominent than the flowers). Despite the Instagram photos I’ve seen while searching the hashtags, the flowers weren’t as plentiful as I was anticipating.
Instagram vs…
reality!
De Wallen
The most famous Red Light District in Amsterdam (there’s a few). There’s not much to see during the day - the ladies aren’t naked in the windows waiting like I previously thought, but while you’re already strolling the canals and streets of Amsterdam, De Wallen is worth checking out.
They have signs all around De Wallen warning against photography of any kind. Even in the daytime, I saw mostly male tourists, hardly any females in this area.
All in all, no hookers for us in De Wallen, just a weed shop.
I amsterdam sign
They took down the one down by the Rijkmuseum, but rest assured, you can still get a photo opp with the one at Sloterdijk airport or against the river by Amsterdam Centraal station.
Free Walking Tour
If we had the luxury of more time, I would have loved to do a free walking tour so I could learn more about the rich history of the city beyond what met the eye.
MUSEUMS
My boyfriend is not a museum guy so we didn’t visit any (too much to do, too little time) but Amsterdam is home to a few major ones, and they’re a pretty big deal:
Most Netherland websites also kindly have an English version - dank je!
OTHER TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Heineken Experience
I was told fun but not mandatory, unless you’re an avid beer drinker or diehard Heineken-connoisseur),
Bike Tours
I’d go with the folks on TripAdvisor to narrow down the best ones! When choosing a tour, find out where the tour goes, otherwise the stops can be underwhelming.
Alkmaar
Cheesemarkt
First of all, cheese is on display on boats (super cool) and the Dutch know a thing or two about their cheese (cheese has been produced in the Netherlands since prehistorical times).
Alkmaar is the most famous, but there’s plenty of opportunity to visit a cheese market around Amsterdam (and maybe take some of your favorites home via the great invention of vacuum-seal).
Explore a Different Area
Leiden is a great, less-toursity alternative to Amsterdam city center (20 minute train from AMS Central) Lots of local pubs and restaurants, minus the huge crowds!
WEED
The important distinction - “coffeeshops” are weed shops, while cafes are regular cafes serving the expected coffee. Notable mentions:
Bulldog Cafe
On the list for being the first coffeeshop in Amsterdam, and according to my boyfriend, the flagship location is the best: Oudezijds Voorburgwal 90, 1012 GJ Amsterdam
Greenhouse Coffeeshop
Friendly budtenders, we went here to pick up a few joints on our way to dinner at DeKas. Super close distance to Amsterdam Centraal Station, with multiple locations around.
Locations are everywhere
Kush at Greenhouse
WAYS TO SAVE
Limit public transportation as much as possible. If you’re staying in and exploring the heart of the city, possibly consider the ov-chipkaart. If you’re staying on the outskirts where you’re training more than busing or tramming, it might not be worth it.
Take advantage of the free things to do in the city (see earlier section “Free Activities in Amsterdam”)
If you’re traveling a lot via bus, tram or metro in the city, consider getting a multi-day ov-chipkaart for unlimited use rather than paying for single use tickets (€3.20 per)
GIFTS
Vacuum-sealed cheese
Weed anything (weed itself, joint holders, strainers, CBD oil, lotion, chocolate, etc etc)
Vacuum-seal technology!
Options :)
