Amsterdam
Amsterdam is famous for its canals, bicycles, architecture, and history. With many incredible museums, restaurants, and easy day trips to choose from it is the perfect destination for any traveler whether seasoned or new to the area.
This spring, we visited Amsterdam for the first time to experience the city during the renowned tulip season. Here’s how we spent 3 days in Amsterdam.
Day 1: Getting acquainted
Our first day in Amsterdam consisted of a handful of activities to power us through the day and adjust to the time difference. Our flight landed early in the morning, so our first stop was breakfast. We enjoyed French toast and eggs benedict from Ouef in De Pijp. The food and atmosphere were fantastic, getting the trip off to a great start. After breakfast, we explored the De Pijp area. Our afternoon started with a visit to the Van Gogh Museum. The museum takes you through the life and works of Van Gogh through a series of floor levels corresponding to different periods in his life. From here, we went to the Heineken experience. To finish off our activities for the day, we enjoyed cruising along the canal, learning about the history and fun facts of the city with our canal cruise through Flagship Amsterdam. We had dinner at The Pantry, a restaurant serving traditional Dutch meals. I highly recommend adding this spot to your itinerary - make sure to have a reservation well in advance.
Day 2: Exploring the City
We began our second day at the Anne Frank House. This is a must-do while visiting to learn about life in Holland during WW11, the way the Frank family lived, and how their friends risked their lives to hide them. After our visit, we grabbed coffee and apple pie from Winkel. This is a famous spot for apple pie in the city, and it did not disappoint. For the remainder of the morning, we wandered about the city to see some of the big sights: Dam Square, Royal Palace of Amsterdam, Oude Church, Red Light District, Bloemenmark, and Begijnhof. After all of the walking, we picked up a snack at Vlaamse Frites to power us through our afternoon at the Rijksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is dedicated to Dutch history and arts. We spent a few hours here perusing the exhibits. We grabbed dinner at Foodhallen outside the city center. This is a great spot but be warned it gets very busy.
Day 3: Day Trip
The highlight of our third day was a trip to Lisse, home of the Keukenhof Botanic Garden. Each year 7 million flowers are planted, drawing visitors globally. Keukenhof is easily reached via public transport or through a tour company. The gardens are quite large, so I would allow for a couple of hours to walk them. There are food stalls throughout the garden to eat at during your visit. If you have additional time, make your way outside to the bike rental station. You can rent bikes for 3 hours or for the day to ride around the town to see the various flower fields.
When you are back in Amsterdam, hop on the train to grab dinner at Brouwerij 't IJ. This brewery is next to the De Gooyer Windmill, the tallest windmill in The Netherlands.
If you are not visiting Amsterdam during tulip season or prefer an alternative experience, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Gouda are all about an hour outside of the city.
Verdict:
Amsterdam is a fantastic city with itinerary options for any traveler. Public transportation is easy to navigate and reliable. The food scene is incredible - variety galore. From traditional Dutch dishes to Asian options to burgers, there are tasty options for all. Every meal we had in Amsterdam was delicious. The locals are friendly and welcoming. English is widely spoken. The city felt safe day and night. I would love to visit Amsterdam again and venture to other parts of The Netherlands.