Things to do:
Maybe you are already acquainted with our beautiful city or you have read some guides to prepare your visit...
Nevertheless - here are a few tips on what we think you should not miss. Plus of course some tips for your breakfast and places to dine out. Enjoy your stay!!
Start the day with a good breakfast...
Get a good start into your day with a nice breakfast, for example at:
- Le Pain Quoditien
www.lepainquotidien.com/nl/nl/locations/oud-zuid/johannes-verhulststraat-104/
- Brasserie De Joffers www.brasseriedejoffers.nl
... but certainly without luggage!!
What a pity you will leave from Amsterdam today. For sure you do not want to carry your luggage around - here is a convenient option to store your luggage until you need to travel on, in the neighborhood and open 24/7.
Unfortunately, we can not store your luggage for you as other guests as well as the cleaning staff will arrive shortly after your checkout time.
Just click on the image below for more information:
Dine and Wine...
Well, this is not an easy one. You are in a true world city :-)
We will give it a shot, all places are our favorites and we tested them ourselves. Of course this list is by far not complete.
Here is our pick in the neighborhood. If you find another nice place you like, we are always interested in hearing your opinion:
- Brasserie Van Dam
www.vandambrasserie.nl
- Brasserie De Joffers
www.brasseriedejoffers.nl
- Vondeltuin
www.devondeltuin.nl
- Le 4 Stagioni
www.le4stagioni.nl
- Le Petit George:
www.lepetitgeorge.nl
Are you in for some Dutch food? Then check out these places, not necessarily close by, however, worth checking them out:
How to get around in the city...
You will notice that Amsterdam is not really a car-friendly city... Consider this an advantage: Locals mostly do not take a car to get around, in fact, many Amsterdamers do not even have a car at all. So, instead of wasting time in traffic jams, getting caught in intricate one-way streets, looking for a (really costly) parking space, move around like we do:
To go by bicycle is THE way of getting around in our city. "Fietsen" (to go by bicycle) is part of the Dutch genes and you will quickly realize how fast and convenient you can go virtually anywhere. Here is our preferred bike rental shop in our neighborhood (click on the address to get to their website):
Finding a spot where to park is never a problem, but please always lock your bike and use the bike racks that you will find everywhere in the city. If you lock your bike e.g. to a traffic sign or private property, it may be removed.
If the bicycle is not your preferred solution: Amsterdam has a really good system of trams, subways and buses that will take you almost everywhere. The system is easy to use and you don't have to worry about fare zones, changing your means of transport etc.:
- 1-hour-ticket: This ticket is available from ticket machines (metro) or from the conductor in the trams. It costs 3,40 EUR and you can ride as often and as far as you like inside Amsterdam. Please remember to check in when you enter the tram and to check out when you leave the tram again. There is no limit on the number of rides within one hour from validating the ticket for your first ride.
- 1-day-ticket: This ticket is available from ticket machines (metro) or from the conductor in the trams. It costs 9,00 EUR and you can ride as often and as far as you like inside Amsterdam for period of 24 hours. Please remember to check in when you enter the tram and to check out when you leave the tram again. There is no limit on the number of rides and the ticket expires 24 hours after the first check in.
- OV-Chipcard: If you are in Amsterdam for several days or you will visit our city again shortly, you may consider to buy a chipcard from one of the many GVB service points, e.g. the one opposite the Centraal main station. You can recharge the card at many service points throughout the city and pay as you go by checking in and out. Plus the fares are considerably cheaper than for the 1-hour-ticket.
More Information is available here: GVB Public Transport Amsterdam
Boat tour in the Amsterdam canals
Your Amsterdam experience is definitely not complete without having a view from the water. So please go for a boat tour through the canals ("Grachten") that are so unique for Amsterdam and make it the Venice of the North.
Our recommandation is definitely Captain Jack, where you can benefit from a 15% discount as our guest. Please ask us for a discount code!!
Dive into Dutch street market life
Amsterdam is famous for its street markets, where you can enjoy fresh food and shop around together with the locals. There are various markets every day, we recommend the Zuider Market (Jacob Obrechtstraat, ca. 5 mins walk) or the Albert Cuyp Market (ca. 30 mins walk), that give you a good taste of what Amsterdam markets are like. Also the Noordermarkt and (on Saturday mornings only) the Zuidermarkt are highly recommendable.
Definitely make a point in trying the typical food that Amster-dammers (and all Dutch people as well) like to eat just in between whatever they do:
- Bitterballen (deep fried meat balls)
- French fries (I should better say Dutch fries :-) ... ) with sauce
- Fresh haring with pickles and onions
- Kibbeling (similar to fish-and-chips in the UK, however, a lot less greasy)
And for all of you that adore sweet food:
- Appelgebak met slag (warm apple pie with cream - delicious)
- Stroopwafels (waffles with really sweet sirup)
Hang out in a Bruincafé
If you know what a Pub means in England or Ireland, you will have a pretty good idea what is a Bruincafé and what it means for Amsterdammers: It is a "gezellig" place to meet people, spend some time reading the paper (just grab them from somewhere in the café) or just enjoy playing cards or board games (just grab them from somewhere else in the café) with your friends. The atmosphere is genuine and has not changed for decades. The walls are often still a little tanned by candles and countless cigarettes smoked in the old times - "bruin" actually means "brown". They always serve some small food and some of them even enjoy regular local live music.
Here are the two that we like best, but there are surely as many Bruincafés as there are bridges in Amsterdam:
- Café De Prins www.deprins.nl
- Café Thijssen www.cafethijssen.nl
- Het Papeneiland Café www.papeneiland.nl
- Het Molenpad Café www.cafehetmolenpad.nl
- Café Welling www.cafewelling.nl
Visit a "not-so-mainstream" museum
OK, there is the famous Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. We do not have to mention them here, because they are among the top of the world and you will probably have them on your bucket list anyway....
But - Amsterdammers are definitely famous in creating a museum of all things you can possibly imagine - and our town has the highest "museum density" in the world:
So - where else in the world do you have a dedicated museum for cows, cats, cheese, tulips or street art? Discover all those special places at your own pace and do not hesitate to ask us for more tips.
P.S. Do not forget to book tickets online in advance if you want to go to one of the famous museums - places like Anne Frank or Van Gogh museum are often sold out many days in advance especially in the main season...
P.P.S. The Museum Card, that you can buy online and that you can have sent to us here, will give you free access to public museums or significant discounts for the others, not only in Amsterdam but in all of the Netherlands.
My favorite is the museum "Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder" in the Red Light District: A hidden catholic church inside an old merchant house, where you can learn a lot about the history of Catholics in protestant Amsterdam.
Enjoy a classical music concert
Besides its museum culture, Amsterdam is also a hotspot for all lovers of classical music.
Difficulties in getting a ticket for the evening concerts at the City Opera or the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall)? Check out some not so well known but also wonderful locations, among them:
- Waalse Kerk (old monastery church close to the Rokin
- English Reformed Church (little church in the Beguine Court)
Or look for a Sunday Morning Concert performance at the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) - a wonderful way to start into a relaxed Sunday in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is expensive? Yes maybe, but check out these free (or almost free) things!!
Tired of the city and in need for some fresh air? No problem, here you go:
