This article covers my six days in Amsterdam and includes in-depth information about the different boroughs or districts. It also provides information about famous landmarks and destinations, what I learned, and what I would do differently. If you're considering a trip to Amsterdam, you'll find this article helpful.
This retrospective blog provides detailed information about my visit to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in June/July 2022. I arrived in Brussels, Belgium, rented a car, and visited three cities in Belgium before driving to Rotterdam and then Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Article Outline:
Exploring Amsterdam in 6 Days
Day 1: Wednesday, June 29
Arrival in Brussels
I arrived at Brussels Airport in Belgium via a United Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport, USA. My partner Björn and I had planned to fly into Amsterdam directly initially. However, staffing issues at the airport in Amsterdam led to many flight cancellations and extreme delays. So we decided to rebook to fly into Brussels, rent a car, and then explore other cities before arriving in Amsterdam.
After getting the rental car, we decided to spend the day exploring a few cities in Belgium before driving to the Netherlands. One of our friends went to university in the Netherlands and had made recommendations for both Belgium and the Netherlands. Ultimately, we visited Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, and Rotterdam. We had also wanted to see The Hague, but we ran out of time and ended up arriving in Amsterdam around midnight.
Rental Cars in Brussels
The car rental area was at the airport and was only a short walk through the parking lot. Many car rental companies are available at the airport: Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Thrifty, Sixt, and Enterprise. Unfortunately, because we needed to return the car in another country, we could only rent from Sixt and Hertz. Since Hertz was the slightly cheaper of the two companies and we have had good experiences with them, we selected Hertz. We rented an Alfa Romeo SUV; the rental process was straightforward, and the ground staff in Brussels were friendly.
Note that the rental car protection benefits of credit cards usually don't cover luxury or exotic vehicles, such as Alfa Romeo.
Ghent
Our first stop was in Ghent, the largest city in the East Flanders province of Belgium. Ghent is the third largest city in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp. In the Late Middle Ages, it was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in Europe; at one point, it was bigger than London and second only to Paris in size. Its history begins in the year 630 when St. Amandus chose the site to construct an abbey due to the confluence of the two rivers Lys and Scheldt.
We only had a few hours to spend in Ghent since we had other destinations planned for the day. After parking in a large underground lot, we began exploring. We entered the city via a central square, Vrijdagmarkt, near Paul's bakery and coffee shop.
First, we headed West toward the Gravensteen castle. Gravensteen, also known as the Castle of the Counts, dates from 1180 and was the residence of the Counts of Flanders until 1353. It's now a museum and a significant landmark in the city. We briefly visited the castle before moving on. Audio-guided tours are available for €12 for adults.
Next, we talked around the city and saw the Belfry of Ghent, one of three medieval towers. We also Saint Nicholas Church, one of the city's oldest and most prominent landmarks. We also saw Saint Bavo's Cathedral, a Gothic-style church built in 1274. Saint Bavo's Cathedral replaced the chapel of St. John the Baptist, which was of wooden construction and consecrated in 942.
Since we were in Belgium, I felt obligated to have at least one piece of Belgium chocolate, so we went to Chocolatier Deduytschaever, an artisan chocolate shop near the Belfry of Ghent. I can recommend their chocolates if you're in the area.
After walking around a while, we decided to stop for coffee at Paul's before heading to our next destination. Here, I learned that at least some Belgians take respecting the menu very seriously. I tried to order an iced coffee but was told to respect the menu and that I could not have iced coffee. The shop had ice and regular drip coffee, but since the combination wasn't on the menu, I couldn't have it.
Bruges
After spending a few hours in Ghent, we drove an hour northwest to Bruges. The capital of West Flanders, Bruges, is often affectionately referred to as the "Venice of the North" and is known for its canals, cobbled streets, and medieval buildings. The earliest mention of the city name is from 840–875. It's one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe.
First, we walked to the Grote Markt, a historical landmark and central city area. Then, we saw the Belfry of Bruges, the Provincial Court, and the Cranenburg House. We also visited the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Church of Our Lady Bruges.
While I loved walking around the city and seeing the architecture and canals, I was on a mission: to find a coffee shop with iced coffee on the menu. After searching, we ran across EspressoBar I Love Coffee and guzzled the caffeine needed to drive nearly two hours to Antwerp (heavy traffic).
Antwerp
The drive to Antwerp seemed like an eternity, with tons of speed cameras, traffic, and drivers that forced me to pay attention. Parking in Antwerp was a challenge with the large SUV. All the parking garages had tiny entrances. After a while, we found one near the Rich Monkey Bar.
We headed north along Oude Koornmarkt to begin exploring the city. Antwerp is the largest city in Belgium by area and the second-largest metropolitan region after Brussels. It's located on the River Scheldt, and the Port of Antwerp is one of the largest in the world (second in Europe). The city has had inhabitants from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.
We walked around most of the city center and saw the Grote Markt, which has a grand city hall. The Markt also has an iconic monument and fountain called Brabo's Monument. We also saw many churches and cathedrals, such as the Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp.
Since Antwerp was our last destination for the day in Belgium, I felt obligated to have Belgian fries while in Antwerp. By this time, we were exhausted from the long flight and exploring, so we didn't feel very passionate about searching for the best fries in the city. We ended up at Fritkot Max because of the location and numerous amounts of dipping sauces.
Before leaving Antwerp, we headed to the River Scheldt and saw the pier. Here, you can ride The View Antwerp to get a good city view or have dinner at RAS for dinner with a view.
Rotterdam
After Antwerp, we headed north to Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam, located in the province of South Holland. It's a port city (the largest in Europe) and was granted city rights in 1340 by William IV, Count of Holland. It is famous for its modern architecture (the city was rebuilt after being razed in World War II). Today, it has an impressive skyscraper skyline and is known to have diverse nightlife and sophisticated shopping. The city is also home to Erasmus Bridge, one of the country's most famous bridges connecting the city's northern and southern parts.
It was late in the evening when we arrived in Rotterdam, so we just walked around the city a little while before heading to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, most of the shops and restaurants were closed after parking. We mostly walked around the Nieuwe Maas river (a distributary of the Rhine River).
Amsterdam Arrival
By the time we arrived in Amsterdam, it was after midnight. First, we checked into Hotel Okura in De Pijp neighborhood of the Zuid district. Then, we left for the airport to drop our rental car off at Hertz. Since it was after-hours, we simply parked our car and dropped our keys in the night drop.
Leaving the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol was a whole experience. The transport hub has shops, a Hilton hotel, the airport, bus links, and a railway station. Getting to the main level to the rideshare pickup spot took a while to figure out. Along the street, there's a small bus stop with a yellow sign that reads "App Pick-up Point" and a small white sign that reads "Uber X vervoer"—where you must wait for an Uber. After an exhausting day, I finally got into bed at 4:52 AM.
Day 2: Thursday, June 30
Rivierenbuurt and Oude Pijp
Hotel Okura
After getting ready for the day in the late afternoon, I decided to explore the hotel and see the grounds. Hotel Okura is a five-star hotel and has 23 floors. The hotel celebrated its golden jubilee (50th anniversary) during our visit. The hotel boasts its blending of Japanese traditions with modern Western luxury, and this theme presents itself all around the hotel. For example, the buffet breakfast has traditional European and Japanese options, and many Michelin-star restaurants on-site feature Japanese menus. Yamazato was the first traditional Japanese restaurant in Europe to earn a Michelin star. The hotel also has a wellness center with spa treatments, a gym with personal trainers, an indoor pool, hot tub, steam room, dry sauna, and a recovery room with a massage chair and espresso bar. Additionally, specific room categories come with access to the lounge on the 22nd floor, which offers a great view of the city and soft drinks, coffee, tea, light food, beer, and wine.
We opted for Hotel Okura because it was close to the Amsterdam RAI convention center. I would recommend this hotel. De Pijp neighborhood is nice, and it's close enough to get to the other neighborhoods or boroughs easily. There's a stop for the tram almost directly in front of the hotel, which will take you downtown.
Rivierenbuurt
If you head south on Scheldestraat after leaving Hotel Okura, you'll enter the Rivierenbuurt area once you cross the bridge over Amstelkanaal. Björn needed to pick up his conference bag at Amsterdam RAI before we proceeded with our day. After picking up his bag and walking around the conference center, we explored the Western part of the neighborhood. I noticed that the Iamsterdam sign, a famous tourist attraction, was now placed outside the conference center instead of downtown. (The government is putting the famous Iamsterdam sign around the city to bring tourists to other neighborhoods and boroughs and reduce congestion downtown.)
The Rivierenbuurt area was relatively quiet. The Western part of the neighborhood has a few shops and restaurants but is primarily residential. We headed to the Coop grocery store on Niersstraat to grab a few miscellaneous items before returning to the hotel. Since we hadn't lived in Europe for a while, we were shocked at the lower costs of groceries. For example, a croissant at Coop was about €0.49, but you'd be paying about $4 in the USA. When we went to check out, we were also surprised that none of our credit or debit cards would work, not even our cards from Germany or Switzerland. This was when we discovered that Coop, and perhaps some other grocery stores in The Netherlands, only allow cards from the Netherlands. Thus, we had to abandon our purchase because we hadn't brought any euros with us.
Amsterdam Tip #1: Always bring euros with you, even though most places accept debit and credit cards.
Nieuwe Pijp
We spent a few hours finalizing Björn's conference presentation; then, we headed for a walk and food. We walked Westward along Amstelkanaal and then North along Boerenwetering. West of Ferdinand Bolstraat in the Nieuwe Pijp was primarily residences, but many shops and restaurants also exist. Nieuwe Pijp was built between 1921 and 1929 and was designed as a working-class housing project.
Oude Pijp
The area North of Sarphatipark is considered Oude Pijp. This area was built quickly in the 19th century to accommodate a rapidly-expanding population. Nicknamed the Latin Quarter, it was once home to poor students and artists. Numerous waves of migrants have shaped the area, and today there are many diverse restaurants and shops.
Given that it was nearly 10 PM, there weren't that many food options. While there are plenty of bars in the area, the kitchens close early. We headed to Cannibale Royale Ruysdaelkade for dinner and had the classic Caesar salad, le camembert diabolique, and steak.
Since I'd only visited Amsterdam for a few days before, and at that time, I mostly stayed in Centrum, I was surprised to learn that there was a "red light" area in Oude Pijp. The Ruysdaelkade area is smaller, more discreet, and doesn't have the "nightlife" as the larger area in De Wallen (Centrum).
Day 3: Friday, July 1
De Pijp, Binnenstad, De Wallen
We managed to wake up early enough for breakfast at the hotel and were pleasantly surprised with the Japanese and Western food options. I also learned about Hagelslag, which is a popular Dutch breakfast. Hagelslag consists of buttered white bread topped with small pieces of confectionery, similar to sprinkles. Is it healthy? No. Would I get it again? Absolutely. Later in the trip, I was surprised to see all the Hagelslag sprinkles options available at a local grocery store (since the hotel only offered milk and dark chocolate options, and I had just learned about Hagelslag).
De Pijp
After breakfast at the hotel, I made it my mission to get to know De Pijp very well. I spent about four hours walking around the neighborhood. De Pijp has a lot of breakfast and coffee (real coffee) options. I learned that Omelegg is very popular, as well as Coffee & Coconuts. Before getting too far into my exploration, I had a quick cappuccino at Coffee & Coconuts. Near Coffee & Coconuts is a famous movie theatre named Rialto, known for showing innovative, high-quality films from around the world.
Next, I walked to Sarphatipark. Named after Samuel Sarphati, this urban park is well-maintained and is a lovely little oasis from the city. There are also a few popular real coffee shops and cafés around the park, such as the Scandinavian Embassy, Little Collins, Pizzeria Dope, Restaurant Zaza's, and 101 Gowrie.
I was surprised by the size of the Albert Cuyp Market and how many tourists were there during midday. I walked the entire length of the Albert Cuyp Market. Sometimes referred to as the most beautiful market in Amsterdam, the market has been open since 1905. It is the largest and most famous of Amsterdam's many street markets. You can find plenty of goods, both local and international. Additionally, there are many food options available. The market has made-to-order hot stroopwafels, fresh herring, kibbling (fried fish), fresh poffertjes (Dutch pancakes), drop (Dutch licorice), and more.
After the Albert Cuyp Market tour, I headed East to see the Huis met de Kabouters. This famous landmark, dating back to 1884, is known for the two playful gnomes that decorate the facade, one of which holds a red ball. Local legends say that the gnome with the red ball tosses the ball to the other, but only during certain times. For example, one story says they switch the ball at midnight daily, while others say the ball changes on New Year or in February during leap years.
I had planned to head South and see the Eastern park of Rivierenbuurt on this day, but the weather had other plans. Although it wasn't supposed to rain until late in the day, I got caught in a downpour. This was when I learned I couldn't rely on my general weather app in the Netherlands. A friend suggested the Buienradar app for minute-by-minute weather updates.
Amsterdam Tip #2: Download the Buienradar app for minute-to-minute rain radar.
Binnenstad
After the rain subsided and Björn returned from the conference, we decided to head into the downtown area. We took the tram to the metro (subway) to get to the Centraal train station. Across the water, we could see the famous A'DAM Tower with its swings. At the A'DAM Lookout, you can get a 360-degree panoramic view of Amsterdam and swing over the edge of the tower on Europe's highest swing.
There is so much to do in the Centrum area. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of shops and restaurants. There are also a lot of historical landmarks, such as Museum Het Rembrandthuis, NEMO Science Museum, The National Maritime Museum, the Royal Palace Amsterdam, and the Oude Kerk (the oldest building in the city c. 1213, an old church), ARTIS zoo and aquarium, and more.
We walked all around the alleys and streets to get a feel of the downtown area before heading to La Zoccola del Pacioccone at the recommendation of a friend from Italy. The small, no-frills Napoli pizza house is one of Centrum's most famous pizzerias and makes excellent homemade tiramisu.
De Wallen
After dinner, we decided to check out the downtown nightlife in De Wallen, famous for its "coffee shops" and red light district. The area was packed with people looking to have a good time. In some of the alleys, it was hard even to move around. There were lines outside the coffee shops, down the street for the "peep shows," and in front of the bars and clubs. But, of course, it was a summer Friday night, so I wasn't surprised.
We walked around some canals before heading back to De Pijp via subway and calling it a night.
Day 4: Saturday, July 2
Rivierenbuurt, Zaanse Schans, Oud-Zuid, and Oud-West
I woke up feeling ambitious and decided I wanted to see the rest of Rivierenbuurt, all of Oud-Zuid, and at least some of Out-West. I did manage to see a lot, but not as much as I wanted. I hadn't expected to spend so much time in Rivierenbuurt, and Björn surprised me midday by wanting to visit Zaanse Schans up North.
Rivierenbuurt
Since I'd only seen the Western part of the area directly south of De Pijp, I decided I wanted to get a feel for the Rivierenbuurt area. I also knew this area was primarily residential, and since it was a Saturday morning, I wanted to see what the locals were doing.
First, I stopped by Patisserie Tout. I didn't try anything, but the shop looked nice from the outside, and the pictures on Google maps looked great. Inside, the shop didn't disappoint. The pastries looked even better in person, the staff were friendly, and plenty of locals were inside shopping. The store has a massive macaron selection, and some reviews claim they're the best in Amsterdam.
I headed East on Roerstraat and ran into the Sculpture of Anne Frank. I learned that Rivierenbuurt has a sizeable Jewish population and that Anne Frank and her family lived in this area before they went into hiding in the Jordaan neighborhood.
Next, I headed South on Waalstraat. There was quite a bit of construction around this area's residences. Also, a few older Dutch women stopped me to chat; some spoke English and were very friendly. After a while, I ran into De Mirandabad, a large public swimming pool. There were so many families here on this day. Continuing along the street, I found the Amstel Boathouse and later the Amstelpark. Amsteldijk street was full of families out bicycling, walking, and jogging. The Amstel river had many boaters, kayakers, paddleboarders, and rowers.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Amstelpark. The park is public, but there's so much to do. There are many different types of animals, such as alpacas, donkeys, sheep, goats, birds, and more. You can even enter one area to hang out with some animals; some are friendly enough to pet (I saw a few children petting the goats and donkeys). The immaculately sculpted park is very kid friendly. It has remote-controlled boats, remote-controlled trucks, disco boats, an electric swing, electric pony rides, train rides, mini golf, and more. There's also a Japanese garden, a Rosarium, a butterfly garden, a hedge maze, and more. I've never seen anything like it in the United States.
I took a tram to a nail appointment at Sunfit Beauty Care in De Pijp. My nail technician, Tanita, was so friendly and did a great job. If you're in Amsterdam and need beauty care, I can recommend the family-owned shop; ask for Tanita.
As for public transportation, download the GVB app to purchase a ticket for travel on GVB trams, buses, night buses, and metros. You can buy a 1-hour pass for €3.20 or a 24-hour pass for €8.50. There are also multi-day passes available. Some trains don't use the GVB app, such as the trains outside the Amsterdam area; in this case, you'll have to buy a separate ticket. Also, trams have different doors for entrance and departure, so look for the signs; otherwise, you could miss your train or exit.
Zaanse Schans
After my mani and pedi, I headed to the hotel to meet up with Björn, and we took an Uber to Zaanse Schans. The Uber drive was supposed to take an hour, but our Uber driver knew shortcuts and basically flew us there. It took roughly thirty minutes to get to Zaanse Schans. When we arrived, many of the windmills were closed because it was later in the day, and there wasn't a lot of wind. We were told the windmills shut down the top levels if there isn't wind. It does cost money to tour the inside of the windmills, and most windmills had signs posted warning about pickpockets; we were also verbally told to watch for pickpockets at two locations (so apparently, there is a serious problem).
Amsterdam Tip #4: Make sure you visit Zaanse Schans early in the day, preferably on a windy day.
After going on a windmill tour, we walked around the town to see the houses, mills, barns, and workshops. People still live in this area and make products here, too. The Zaans Museum provides insight into the social and industrial history, complete with art, domestic items, costumes, and more. You can also visit Cheese Farm Catharina Hoeve near the museum, which has demonstrations, cheese tastings, and a shop. Finally, we walked around the Het Kalf neighborhood before returning to De Pijp.
We didn't want to pay another €80 to get back to Hotel Okura, so we took the 12 train to Central Station, then switched to a tram to get to De Pijp. Unfortunately, the first few trains that left the van Hilligaertstraat station were either full or not stopping, so we had to wait a long time to get a train. Also, the train ride does take about an hour. So while it's only a few euros to ride, I'm not sure I would recommend it because of how long it took to get back to De Pijp.
Oud-Zuid
After having some wine in the lounge at the hotel, we headed to Oud-Zuid. We had planned to have dinner at The Harbour Club, but the place was empty when we arrived. We learned that White Parties and EDM parties were going on around the city, which was why the Apollo Hotel was a ghost town. The Harbour Club was lovely inside and had a great view, but the empty vibe led us to try to find another place.
We headed West along the canal and then took side streets up to Vondelpark. The Willemspark area is very nice, and it's one of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods. The buildings are beautiful, and the streets are well-kept. There are also many excellent restaurants, upscale shops, and coffee shops. It was also nice strolling through Vondelpark at sunset. The urban park, which opened in 1865, is 120 acres and is beautiful. It has over 10 million visitors annually. It has a rosarium, restaurants (Groot Melkhuis and Proeflokaal 't Blauwe Theehuis), and three famous statues (such as The Fish by Pablo Picasso).
Because The Harbour Club was a no-go, we decided to head toward Pastai, an Italian restaurant near Oud-West. We arrived around 9:35 and found out the last call was an hour before close (10:30). The same rule was held for another restaurant nearby. Thus, we learned another important Dutch rule: order at least an hour before the restaurant closes.
Amsterdam Tip #5: Make sure to arrive at restaurants and order at least an hour before the kitchen closes. Additionally, the closing time listed on Google might be when the bar closes, not when the kitchen closes.
Oud-West
After being unable to find a restaurant with a late opening in Oud-Zuid, we headed over to Oud-West because of its trendy, US-influenced restaurants, hoping their kitchens were still open. First, we headed to Paindemie. Because the kitchen was closing in roughly an hour, the only burger they were serving was the goat burger, so we headed to Foodhallen inside De Hallen instead. It was packed, but most food stalls were closed down. Ultimately, we were just thankful to find a bite to eat before returning to the hotel. De Hallen is a renovated tram depot with a hotel, cinema, and a food hall with gourmet street food.
A lot of the Oud-West neighborhood is under construction. The area is part of a borough known as Amsterdam-West, formed in 2010 after the Oud-West borough merged with Westerpark, De Baarsjes, and Bos en Lommer. The area is known for its trendy spots, such as concept stores and street markets.
Day 5: Sunday, July 3
Jordaan and Grachtengordel
Even though I got back to the hotel after midnight, I still managed to wake up, have an espresso, get a "stiffness massage" in the massage chair, and go to the gym. Afterward, we had breakfast, and then I went to the spa for a little R&R. On this day, I could finally visit the pool, hot tub, and ladies-only dry sauna. There were too many people in the steam room for me, and the European openness to nudity is still something I'm getting used to as someone from the USA, where it's not common to see people nude in saunas and steam rooms.
Jordaan
I took the tram to the Metro train to get to Jordaan. After arriving in Centrum at the Dam Square, I walked a short distance to De 9 Straatjes. The "nine little streets" is a canal district with a village vibe. It has vintage and designer boutiques, cute and chic cafés, art galleries, gift shops, and more. The area was bustling on this Sunday afternoon.
After exploring De 9 Straatjes, I visited the House Boat Museum. Here, you can climb aboard a houseboat for a small fee to see what they look like inside. You'll notice houseboats along the canals, especially along the Amstel river. There are over 2,500 houseboats in Amsterdam, and many are over a century old. In the 1960s and 1970s, the increased demand for housing led to an increase in houseboats. Some have multiple floors, have electricity, heating, running water, terraces, and gardens, and are pretty luxurious.
While in Jordaan, I visited the Amsterdam Tulip Museum and the Amsterdam Cheese Museum. At the Tulip Museum, you'll discover the history of Holland's most famous flower and how to grow them. It takes about 20-25 minutes to visit and costs €5 for adults, €3 for students, or €10 per family. Currently, tickets are only available in person at the time of visit. The Tulip Museum also has a large gift shop where bulbs can be purchased, some of which can be brought back to the United States and Canada. Next, I went next door to the Cheese Museum. Here, you can sample many different types of cheeses. There's also a museum downstairs, where you can learn about the history of cheese making. Currently, admission is free.
Because I was near Anne Frank House, I decided to see the building. The brick building with green doors is well-kept, and the museum is next door. I did not want to visit inside the house or museum because I felt like the history was too sad. I was shocked and saddened to see tourists out front smiling and taking selfies, which seemed highly inappropriate given the context. However, if you want to visit inside the house, you'll need to purchase a ticket to the museum. Currently, on the first Tuesday of every month, all tickets for the following month become available. Tickets sell out quickly and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are €14 for adults but are cheaper for teenagers, children, and those with select passes.
Near the Anne Frank house, you will also find Zon's Hofje and some of the famous Gable stones on houses. Hofjes are collections of small almshouses that surround a central courtyard. They were founded in the 13th century and built by wealthy individuals to mainly shelter elderly widows for free. Today, there are around 30 hofjes occupied mostly by students and artists. The most famous hofje is Begijnhof, one of the oldest, which dates to the 14th century (about 1346). Additionally, around Jordaan, you'll notice stone tablets on many buildings. These tablets showed the profession or family sign of the occupants. For example, a house of a butcher might have shown a pig.
Next, I walked over to Noorderkerk, one of the first Protestant churches built between 1620–1623 after the Reformation. It was a church for common people in the rapidly-expanding Jordaan neighborhood. At the same time, the middle and upper class mostly went to the Westerkerk.
I finished exploring Jordaan by walking around many city streets. There's a nice Michelin-star restaurant named Domenica near Noorderkerk that was very popular, and many cute cafés and espresso bars. I also tried to visit the Jordaan Museum, but I couldn't find the entrance to save my life. A few travel websites suggested visiting the Het Raepenhofje, but it was under construction. If you're seeing the area on a Saturday, you can visit the Lindengracht Markt (street market). There are also a few lovely places to visit north of Jordaan, such as Toki (coffee shop), Formocha (tea store), Upside Down (Middle Eastern restaurant), and BAK restaurant.
Back to De Pijp
Björn's parents arrived from Germany late in the day, so I headed back to Hotel Okura to have a drink with everyone at the Twenty Third Bar. After a few drinks, we had dinner on the patio of Serre, one of the restaurants on-site, and then took a stroll around Zuid before heading to bed.
Day 6: Monday, July 4
Oud-Zuid
Museumplein
I got in a quick workout before breakfast with the family, and then I headed out to explore Oud-Zuid. Specifically, I wanted to see Museumplein, which was just a short tram ride away. At the Museumplein, you can visit the Moco Museum (modern and contemporary art), the Rijksmuseum (the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history), the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk (modern and contemporary art), and the Diamond Museum. You could probably spend an entire day just at Museumplein. Björn wanted to visit the Van Gogh museum, but we found out the tickets were sold online and were already sold out for the week. So if you plan on visiting museums in Amsterdam, buy tickets in advance.
Oud-Zuid
Because I was in the area, I decided to spend a little more time at Vondelpark and see more of the neighborhood. I found a few excellent restaurants that I bookmarked for my next visit: TOZI Restaurant & Bar, Moods Coffee & Brunch, Taiko Asian Restaurant, and Coffee District. There's also a beautiful concert hall in this area, Royal Concertgebouw.
Knowing I love the 4th of July holiday and was sad to miss it in the United States, Björn decided to host a hotel 4th of July party. But first, we had to find burgers and hotdogs. Initially, he had wanted to try The Burger Room near Museumplein, but they were out of hotdogs! So we decided to pack up and head to Oud-West for Bulls and Dogs inside Foodhallen. The burger and fries from The Butcher were good, but the hotdog at Bulls and Dogs was the most European one I've ever seen. The "Texas Chili Dog" was a beef bratwurst inside a pretzel bun with cabbage, spicy ketchup (likely created by Satan himself), and crushed off-brand Doritos; it was more amusing than tasty. Next, we went across the alley to La La Ijs to get some ice cream before heading back to Oud-Zuid to get a few groceries for the hotel party. The party was primarily berries, a small cake, and drinks. Björn had brought the decorations from home.
Departure
After the hotel party, it was time to pack up. We had a 5 AM wake-up the next day to get to Brussels but were thankful his parents could drive us to the airport. Also, the farmer protests in Amsterdam had led to some additional problems at the airport. So even though the Brussels airport was insanely busy, we were glad we could take our plane back to Boston on time.
What I Would Do Differently
Overall, I was pretty satisfied with my trip planning, but here's a short list of what I would do differently:
Buy museum tickets before arriving in Amsterdam, probably a month in advance
Download the GVB app ahead of time and purchase a multi-day pass upon arrival
Visit Zaache Schans early in the day on a day with sufficient wind
Download the Buienradar app ahead of time
Know my neighborhoods better before arrival
There's so much to do in Amsterdam, and every neighborhood has a different vibe. Zuid, and especially Oud-Zuid near Vondelpark, is more sophisticated. De Pijp is more trendy and has tons of food and restaurant options. There are a lot of historical landmarks and shopping options in Centrum. De Wallen and the general downtown area are known for their nightlife. Jordaan is great to find chic cafés, boutique shops, and art galleries. Amsterdam-West is up-and-coming and has many concept stores and restaurants.
If you've been to Amsterdam, let me know about your favorite neighborhood in the comments. Also, let's talk about your favorite shops and restaurants!
And as always, let's remember to support locals.
Groeten,
Comments