- 1. Stay in De Pijp – Staying at the Sir Albert, of course! De Pijp is a down-to-earth neighborhood that is easy to stroll and not quite as noisy as the city center. It is filled with lovely restaurants and has great streets and canals to meander. It’s also a 20-30 minute walk to the city center and red light district or a quick metro ride!
- 2. Take a Pure Boats Amsterdam Tour – We took The Ultimate Amsterdam Canal Cruise, it was two hours with drinks and snacks included with some beautiful views of the canals. But this one also looks fun – Unlimited Cheese and Wine Boat Tour.
- 3. Visit the Tony’s Chocolonley Headquarters – Tony’s Chocolonley is a Dutch chocolate company that was created to combat the exploitation in the cocoa manufacturing industry. Not only is its mission important, its chocolate is amazing. Conveniently, its headquarters are based in the heart of Amsterdam. The company has creative flavors, bars, and snacks to choose from. But if nothing on the menu tickles your fancy, then you can actually make your own chocolate bar – amazing, right?!
- 4. Eat pancakes! – Moak Pancakes were my favorite.
- 5. Get out of Amsterdam and see the Dutch countryside – We recommend this tour we booked through Get Your Guide – Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam, and Maarken Bus Tour. It had a little bit of everything – Gouda cheese tasting, windmill gazing, and shoemaking demo, all located in the cutest towns! I have a full review coming up on my blogpost: Review of the Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken Bus Tour in the Netherlands | Travel Tips for Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- 6. Try bitterballen. If croquettes and beef stew had a child, it would be a fried baby bitterballen. You simply cannot leave Amsterdam without trying one. We ordered them at cafe t’Smalle, and they were so delicious!
- 7. Check out a museum – We opted for the Van Gogh museum. You can purchase tickets ahead through the museum’s website. If you prefer to enter through a guided tour, you can purchase tickets and the tour here. While we didn’t do a tour this time, I recommend booking your tickets ahead of time for the day and time slot you want to go. I would set aside a minimum of two hours for the Van Gogh museum. If you’re short on time, the Kattenkabinet (cat museum) is quirky and cool with a lovely gift shop! It only takes 45 minutes to an hour to explore.
- 8. Enjoy a cocktail date night – The Flying Dutchman was a perfect date spot, but be sure to make reservations! It had an inspiring menu showcasing classic cocktails throughout the ages and a robust whisky collection.
- 9. Don’t put pressure on yourself to see everything. Amsterdam is an easy city to navigate and joyfully get lost in. Enjoy the sightseeing, but also allow time to relax and follow where your heart takes you. Allow yourself time to wander and take the long way to wherever you’re headed. Here are some further recommendations of sites to see and things to do in Amsterdam from Get Your Guide.
- 10. Book tickets to Paris (only 3.5 hours) or Brussels (only 2 hours) via Omio. See here for our post on Paris and more to come soon!
Til next time
❤ Natalie
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C'est le Brie 