City break Amsterdam
When we think of Amsterdam, the first thing that pops to our minds is the Red Light District and legalized consumption of cannabis. But Amsterdam is not just that. With its picturesque canals, remarkable architecture, famous museums, a lot of parks and green areas, exploring Amsterdam is a unique experience for everyone.
If you would like to visit the Netherlands, check out this 3-day guide through Amsterdam!
Day 1
When you arrive in Amsterdam, reaching the city center is easy. The metro will take you to Amsterdam Centraal (main railway station), from where you can visit all the sights on foot. Start with the Zeedijk street. On entering, pay attention to the street sign. You will see Chinese inscription next to the Dutch one. The reason for this is that Zeedijk is actually the main street of Amsterdam’s Chinatown. You will see a lot of Chinese and Asian restaurants, even a Chinese temple. Besides being the heart of Chinatown, Zeedijk is also the hotspot of gay nightlife, and you will immediately spot different bars and clubs with rainbow flags and decorated facades. If you want to check out a good gay bar, you should go to Café ‘t Mandje, the oldest gay bar in town. Zeedijk also hosts a festival with costumed participants every year in August.
Walking down the Zeedijk street you will reach Oudekerksplein, a small square with the oldest church in Amsterdam, Oude Kerk (“Old Church”). This 800-year-old church is ironically located in what’s now the center of Amsterdam’s Red Light District, and so you can find the Prostitution Information Center (PIC) right next to the church. Don’t miss the statue of Belle, a symbol for all prostitutes in the world, placed alongside the church. Take a walk around the area and you will see the girls standing in the windows waiting for customers. In the Red Light District you will also find a lot of specialized erotic shops and museums related to sex industry.
Near Oudekerksplein, you will find the Damrak street leading to Dam Square and the Royal Palace. Down from the Royal Palace you will see the famous shopping street, Kalverstraat, with stores like Zara, Mango, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Douglas, Lush, H&M, Monki, Marks&Spencer, Diesel store, Nike, etc.
In the Netherlands, you will find a lot of Indonesian food, as a legacy from Dutch colonial era. Try the traditional rijsttafel (around 20 small spicy dishes served with a bowl of rice or noodles).
For the night out, you can simply walk around the Red Light District or Zeedijk. These two areas are filled with bars and pubs. On Fridays and Saturdays (especially during summer months) you will see the locals hanging around the canals, sitting alongside the river drinking beers and talking, or hanging out on boats driving around the canals and having fun. If you want to try the famous Space Cakes, or just want to smoke some weed, specialized “coffeeshops” are the place to go. Bulldog is a famous company, and you will see it on every corner in the Red Light District.
Day 2
There are four canals in Amsterdam that you have to see: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. They are all connected by small bridges so you can walk from one to the other enjoying the surroundings, but pay attention to the people on bicycles who are driving around like crazy. At the Prinsengracht canal you will find the Anne Frank House, with the museum, where the Jewish Frank family was hiding from the Nazis during Second World War. It was in here that Anne wrote her famous diary. Prinsengracht canal is also famous for the Prinsengrachtconcert, an open-air concert of classical music held annually at the pontoon in front of the Hotel Pulitzer.
On the other side of the canal you will find the famous neighbourhood called Jordaan, with numerous galleries, restaurants and shops, small courtyards with lots of trees and artsy looking houses.
Walking down the Prinsengracht canal, on Berenstraat, you will find the famous Pancakes Amsterdam – the best pancake bakery in town. Just in time for a short break.
Take a short walk through Berenstraat and across the canals to reach Begijnhof, an enclosed courtyard with private houses built for a Catholic sisterhood who lived like nuns although never taking monastic vows.
Near Begijnhof, walking down the Kalverstraat, you will reach the Singel canal and the famous Bloemenmarkt – the only floating flower market in the world. Take a stroll through the flower stands and find some tulip seeds to bring back home as a souvenir.
From the Flower Market, you can walk a bit further to reach Rembrandtplein (a small square and park with Rembrandt statue). There are many restaurants nearby where you can find the typical Dutch bitterballen (fried meatballs served with mustard) that go so well with Amstel beer.
If you are a football fan, you can take the metro from the nearby Waterlooplein (M54 in direction of Gein, passing every 10 minutes), and in about 20 minutes you will reach the Amsterdam Strandvliet station, located near the Amsterdam ArenA, home of the football club Ajax.
Day 3
Start your day at Leidseplein. You will find a lot of small cafés where you can take your morning coffee or have some breakfast. Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam is also there, right on the riverbank, and facing it is the starting point for city canal cruise. Hop on a boat and enjoy your ride, exploring the city from a different angle.
Near Leidseplein, you will find the Museum Quarter, with the famous Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. You can buy tickets for both museums at the museum shop on Museumplein, in front of the Rijksmuseum, where you will also find the famous I amsterdam sign.
Just around the corner from Van Gogh Museum, on Van Baerlestraat, is the largest and most famous park in Amsterdam – Vondelpark. Take a stroll around the lake, sit back and relax, maybe bring some food with you and have a picnic. You will see both locals and tourists lying around in the shades and having fun. This is exactly how you should round up your city break in Amsterdam!
If you want to explore some other cities in the Benelux Union, you can check the most popular routes like e.g. Amsterdam to Rotterdam, Amsterdam to Hague, Amsterdam to Brussels, Amsterdam to Antwerp, Amsterdam to Luxembourg
To reach Amsterdam from other European destinations you can check the popular routes like e.g. London to Amsterdam, Paris to Amsterdam, Berlin to Amsterdam, or check the travel options from your city at getbybus.com.
