Amsterdam is a charming land of canals criss-crossed by cobble-stoned streets and adorable bridges, a place where locals take three hours to consume a meal at a restaurant, and home of the most bikes you have ever seen in one place.
If you’re not familiar with the city you might associate it with relaxed marijuana laws, the world-famous red light district or maybe even its reputation as a place to party, but there are other sides to this city that make it more than worth your while if the previously mentioned are not your cup of Heineken.
Browse some markets
Amsterdam boasts a number of markets that conveniently operate on different days of the week – some on every day of the week. Aside from the famous Flower Market, there are flea markets at Waterlooplein, about 15 minutes’ walk from Centraal Station, a book market smack bang in the centre at Spui, a general goods and food market at Albert Cuypstraat near the Heineken Brewery, and a weekly farmer’s market in the beautiful Jordaan.
Tip: try a hot, fresh stroopwafel at Albert Cuyp market.
Find out more here: http://www.amsterdam.info/markets
Learn the meaning of gezellig
Gezellig is one of the favourite words of the Dutch language. There is strictly an English equivalent, but essentially gezellig refers to something cosy or very enjoyable, usually with someone(s). For example, a relaxed dinner with friends can be gezellig, as can sitting on the edge of a canal with frozen yoghurt waving to passing boats on a sunny day.
One of the best ways to experience Amsterdam is to just slow down and chill out – it’s a big part of what the city is all about, and is definitely what gezellig is about. On sunny days you will see boatloads of people slowly cruising the canals, sometimes chatting and laughing and other times just reading a book or taking in the sights, as well as cafes full of patrons lingering over lunch or a drink. In winter, finding a cosy cafe and nursing a hot drink is the way to go.
Find your favourite museum
Amsterdam is home to a more than 50 museums, from the traditional through to the weird and wonderful.
The Van Gogh Museum pays tribute to one of the world’s most celebrated artists in a modern building complete with a well-stocked gift shop ideal for buying souvenirs for your folks. The Rijksmuseum is home to a staggering collection of renowned artworks and is situated in a striking building to boot. In the Tropenmuseum, one of the world’s biggest ethnographic museums with a focus on tropical cultures, you will find an array of interesting modern and traditional visual arts and photographic works.
If you’re into photography, try Foam, the museum dedicated to this art form, or get well and truly off the beaten gallery floor and head somewhere kooky like the Cat Cabinet, Handbag Museum or the Spectacle Museum.
The list goes on and offers plenty of variety, from the historic and awe-inspiring to the downright weird – there is definitely something for everyone.
Find out more here: http://www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/what-to-do/museums-and-galleries
The other boat cruise
For those that want to see the city from its iconic canals, there are almost too many boat cruises to choose from. Most companies operate big, enclosed boats that take you along the biggest canals while giving you a history lesson in all things Amsterdam.
If you are in the mood for something different, try Those Dam Boat Guys, a relatively new but quickly growing independent company run by a Canadian and a Californian. These guys have lived in Amsterdam for years so know their stuff, but they are content to take you and your fellow passengers around pretty much anywhere you would like to go in their small, electric boats that are a bit more Amsterdam friendly than the big monsters.
If a more laidback experience sounds like your thing, Those Dam Boat Guys are your best bet.
Find out more here: http://www.thosedamboatguys.com/#intro
Take a cycle into the country
Renting a bike and taking a ride into the picturesque countryside surrounding the city will offer something completely different. Taking the free ferry from behind Centraal Station is an experience in itself – you’ve rarely seen such well-executed organised chaos. Heading north, you will first find yourself immersed in the leafy outskirts of the city in Amsterdam Nord before farmland and fields open up before you. Continuing to cycle north toward charming Broek in Waterland, where you can stop to refuel with a Dutch pancake, will take you past authentic houseboats for a glimpse of this oh-so-Dutch way of life.
Further north still you will find Edam and Volendam, both popular tourist attractions in their own right. Edam is home of one of the world’s most famous cheeses, while Volendam is one of the few areas in the Netherlands where you can still see people wearing traditional Dutch clothing. If you’re interested, there is a small museum in Volendam dedicated to its history and clothing style – the recognisable pointed white hat comes from this area so often associated with Holland is from this area – where you can have a photo in the traditional attire.
This kind of trip can be done in a day, factoring in a couple of hours easy, flat cycling each way.
Tours that go there: Amsterdam Tours
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC.
