Amsterdam - Top experiences for first timers!
In July, I (L) visited Amsterdam for the
first time. Similar to my prior travel experiences in Poland, I received a few
recommendations and travel tips from my Dutch colleagues who are also here on
an international assignment. An initially planned solo trip turned out to be
one full of company! In my 3 days spent in Amsterdam, I met up with a
Singaporean friend / colleague, and
coincidentally, made a friend of American-Korean descent also on a solo travel.
Through this post, beyond sharing my favourite
(or rather, touristy) experiences, I will also be sharing some tips for
first time travellers to Amsterdam to save time and disappointment!
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| Streets of canals & bicycles are a unique sight in Amsterdam. |
What to do #1: Visit Rijksmuseum
Greeting visitors before the museum entrance is
a beautiful Gardens. It was a warm greeting with the beautiful
blooms during summertime.
This Dutch museum focuses primarily on arts and history, with
a pretty extensive collection of Dutch artists' works. The most famous artwork here is the Night Watch, which I heard
is the only artwork that has a special contingency planned in case of a fire or
if any disaster strikes.
I must say, I am still at a "beginner" on the topic of art appreciation. I am keen to learn and be exposed more to this area. So, if you have tips or sharing, feel free to share them with me via email! Renting the audio guide
was a good decision in going through the highlights of this big museum. I
particularly enjoy the process of figuring out what the artist was trying to
depict and subsequently, hearing the stories behind them through the audio
guide. It amuses me, more often than not, when my interpretation is
markedly different from the artist's. What I have learnt through having viewed
some of these major artworks, is that historical paintings are sometimes used
for propaganda purposes, depicting a different scene from what was reality.
Also, famous artists enjoy putting themselves in the paintings,
as part of the scene depicted. Is that their hope for a shot to fame or to make it seem like they are part of the elite / royal group's events and ceremonies?
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| A favourite from Rijksmuseum - "Dutch Lady" looking surprisingly peaceful. This image exuberates a nice warmth & fuzzy feeling |
Of the artworks that I had gone through here in Rijksmuseum, my favourite pieces are the
Dutch Lady (pictured above) and the Cupyers Library (pictured below).
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| One of my favourites - "The Cuypers Library" looks and feels so inviting. |
Top Tip #1: Rijksmuseum &
Van Gogh Museum are situated close to each other. Plan your itinerary in such a
way that you visit them on the same day. They are also a couple of museums in this area. If you are a museum buff, make sure to plan well! Besides setting aside some time to go through them, do check also the museum's opening hours.
What to do #2: Visit Anne Frank's
House, even if you had not read the Anne Frank's Diaries.
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| Anne Frank's Diaries has been translated to many different languages and has reached a worldwide audience. |
Top Tip #2: Make an online reservation for Anne Frank's House, to avoid disappointment and long queues.
Starting with a tip for 2 reasons. Firstly,
without an online reservation, you will have to wait till 3.30pm, where the
doors are opened to the public. And secondly, you will have to join a really
long "snaking" line, together with others who have not made one.
Anne Frank's House struck me hard for
2 reasons. One, this secret annexe was a real hide-out for a family and their
friends', fearing for their lives (or deaths), in the not-too-distant WWII.
Secondly, I visited the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Krakow a few weeks ago,
the visuals and stories of Prisoners-of-Wars were still fresh in my head.
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| The chestnut tree that still stands strong outside Anne Frank's House. It feels like a "guardian angel" to this place, doesn't it? |
What to do #3: Visit Van Gogh Museum
On a lighter and happier note, I enjoyed my
visit to the Van Gogh Museum. This museum houses a series of paintings, drawings and
letters by the famous Vincent van Gogh. As earlier mentioned, I have a really basic knowledge about art and the arts scene. Through this museum, I felt I had known a new person. A really talented individual of his time, who experienced sufferings. All these through his artworks, and short stories gathered from the audio guide.
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| Van Gogh enjoys painting self-portraits, through which you can get a glimpse of how his life transformed with time. |
My favourite pieces from his collection include, the
Sunflowers, and a scene that depicts 3 couples in a garden. I picked these up
in postcards from the Museum Shop, which had now reached D's hands. His
"Europe" postcard collection is definitely growing (with location and what I particularly like in each city) with my frequent weekend
travels!
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| A painting that depicts 3 couples in a garden. I love how each of them can be interpreted so differently, but still remain in context. |
Top Tip #3: If you still have
some time after Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum and enjoy the contemporary arts,
the Stedelijk Museum is round the corner.
What to do #4: Bask in the food scene
Food is often a big part of our travels. Beyond trying out traditional local foods & snacks (where else to find better right?),
I can't miss checking out the best breakfast / brunch spots and am always in the hunt for the best coffee in town.
PS: Beware when you ask the locals where the
best coffeeshop is, because you might be led to a shop that sells weed and not
coffee! Proper, legit coffees are sold in "cafes". Weed is sold in
"coffeeshops".
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| A fact indeed that in Amsterdam, you can find weed related products readily & easily! |
Recommendation #1: The best
stroopwafels can be found in Albert Cuyp Market & specifically, at this store called "Original Stroopwafels".
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| Stroopwafels from "Original Stroopwafels" in Albert Cuyp Market is a must-try! The market close on Sundays. This photo taken is with the owner's son. The recipe is a family kept secret. |
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| Freshly made stroopwafels are the best you can find, and not to be missed when you are in Amsterdam! |
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| An early start on my last day meant watching the Albert Cuyp Market open its doors to visitors. |
Recommendation #2: Dutch pancakes are not
to be missed. I never knew pancakes were that big in the Dutch cuisine before my trip to Amsterdam. This was a personal recommendation provided. I came across a couple of different pancake stores on my trip there, but nothing beats this one that we visited - Pancake Upstairs!
A cosy joint with just 4 tables, you MUST make a reservation before you visit. Each table only gets an hour to dine in, and the owner is not afraid to say no when reservations are full. There are no takeaways too, so be sure to reserve or be prepared to be disappointed (because they do receive reservation requests aplenty)!
A cosy joint with just 4 tables, you MUST make a reservation before you visit. Each table only gets an hour to dine in, and the owner is not afraid to say no when reservations are full. There are no takeaways too, so be sure to reserve or be prepared to be disappointed (because they do receive reservation requests aplenty)!
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| Happiness spelt in my facial expressions when someone did not turn up for their reservations, probably due to the storm that day, and we were really lucky to have a table! |
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| We shared a savoury & sweet pancake. Each pancake is made fresh on order and done on point. The savoury one especially blew me away! |
Recommendation #3: Did you know...Amsterdam is also
known for its Apple Pies? Once again, my ignorance but I am thankful for the recommendations received all around! For the best Apple Pies in town, you need to have one at Dwinkel 43.
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| A place that specialises in Apple Pies, it was FULL HOUSE in the afternoon. Thankfully this place allows takeaway, because people were flooding out of the cafe & lines are long. |
Recommendation #4: Food is one thing that I would spend time and effort to research on before a trip. I recall D asking me once what my favourite food is, and I started listing them in this order: eggs done any style, although preferably poached, COFFEE, fruits, muesli, yoghurt, tomatoes, bread / pastry etc. And he said, you just want a breakfast buffet! That said, I love breakfasts, my favourite meal of the day because I believe in starting my day right. Of the breakfast spots I managed to check out on this trip, I recommend having brunch at Bakers & Roasters. A Kiwi (New Zealand) cafe that serves the best brunch
(& possibly coffee too) in town. Go early to
beat the crowds for brunch at Bakers & Roasters.
Recommendation #5: I never knew before, but food halls are a big thing in Europe. Since our trip to Lyon in France where we had a gastronomic experience of our lives, visiting the first food hall I have ever been in Europe, I look out for food halls in my various weekend city explorations. Food halls typically come in two forms. The first operate mainly from morning till late afternoon, where they offer a variety of fresh meats and produce and there are also stores that serve food by the bar. The second type operate from afternoon till late at night. They offer a variety of
global food selections and play great music. One can always expect a bustling crowd. And in Amsterdam, the best place to have
dinner is at Food Hallen. Not to be missed is a great Gin &
Tonic cocktail bar on site!
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| I couldn't resist this Bitterballen tasting platter. It consists of 5 different flavours - 1 traditional beef, 1 truffle, 1 bouillabaisse, 1 Tom Kah Khai and 1 goats cheese. |
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| This G&T bar on-site Food Hallen dishes out a great variety of G&T concoctions. |
Recommendation #6: If you are on a healthy diet / lifestyle, besides the tasty but slightly sinful street food like
Bitterballen and French Fries, there are also the healthier and inexpensive
Herrings that you can also try!
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| Herring served sashimi style from street carts. Slightly fishy, but when served fresh, they make a delicious snack! |
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| A girlfriend who was in the Netherlands for exchange a couple of years ago, highly recommended a try at the french fries! Quoting her, the potatoes here are so "sweet", you wouldn't believe it! To top it off, she had to mention that Singapore imports potatose from the Netherlands. Where else to get fresher?! Vleminckx, apparently the most popular one here in Amsterdam, should not be missed! |
Top Tip #4: The health food
scene is pretty big in Amsterdam. So if you are a healthy eater, do check out
Pluk for a tasty treat of acai bowls or Juice by Nature for a bottle of
cultured Kombucha.
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| We were in love with this open concept kitchen! Loads of fresh, vibrant colours - dream kitchen for the future. |
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| I love acai bowls! They are perfect as a sweet treat that still falls into the category of a healthy lifestyle. |
What to do #5: Sign up for a Walking
Tour
Whenever possible, I would start my trips with a
walking tour. It quickly gets you to the "must-sees", and more
importantly, the guides would share local insights and secret spots to visit
which you would not get from searching on Google or reading travel guide books.
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| A walking tour offers insights to streets and buildings, which we would have normally just walked past without knowing or thinking too much about. |
I went on a free walking tour with Freedam Tours. It was a company started out of interest by a
Geography teacher about 1.5 years ago. There are also a couple of other free
walking tours available in Amsterdam, so pick feel free to just pick one that
interests you or suits your travel schedule!
What to do #6: Visit the Heineken Brewery for a Heineken Experience! |
| A beautiful day checking out the sights of Amsterdam. This one taken at the Royal Palace. |
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| The oldest church in Amsterdam, located right beside a canal. This was the starting point for my walking tour. Definitely iconic for Amsterdam! |
Did you know... Heineken originated from
Amsterdam?
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| It was shared that each horse here is named after a senior management who made significant contributions to the Heineken business. You know you had made a mark if you have a horse here. Each horse is also treated with utmost care, with a trainer dedicated to each of their lifestyle routines, & diet. |
This is an experience not to be missed, even if
you are not a fan of beers. Going through rooms of how beers are made, visiting
horse stables (there is a history of Heineken & horses), followed by a 4D
experience of the brewing process and finally ending the tour on a rooftop bar.
The price of a ticket for the Heineken Experience also includes 2 beers (or
soft drinks if you wish). It's a steal, isn't it?
What to do #7: Watch a local musical
/ concert / show
I did not expect to catch a local show here in
Amsterdam and this was something decided on-the-fly. A Dutch colleague
recommended checking out last minute discounted tickets, and I decided to go
for "Boom Chicago - Shot of Improv". It was an extremely interactive
show, with managing the participation from audience being key. As with all
improvisations, the success of such shows was highly dependent on how well
actors manage inputs from audience and think on the spot to create
humour.
Top Tip #5: Check here for last minute discounted tickets, with
discounts as good as 50%. The catch, though, is you only get to see what
discounted shows are available on the day itself.
What to do #8: Take a Canal Cruise
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| In a city renown for their canals, a canal tour is not to be missed! |
Fun fact: The name of the city, Amsterdam is
derived from its origins. A dam in the river Amstel.
Known as the "Venice of the North",
Amsterdam houses a number of canals. Historically, this served the purpose of
defense and water management. The modern day canals features streets with
different "characters". This ranges from fashion, food, art etc.
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| A giant aquarium, also iconic to visit in Amsterdam! Unfortunately, my 3 days in Amsterdam did not allow for this visit. |
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| Views from the Canal Tour. Fun fact: Houses in Amsterdam are built to an angle that leans slightly forward. This is due to the narrow entrances & stairways, that requires large furniture to be moved into the apartment via the windows. With an angle that leans forward, it enables easier lifting of heavy and bulky goods up the apartment building. |
What to do #9: Visit Zaanse
Schaans (the land of windmills) for a day.
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| Zaanse Schaans has a beautiful collection of windmills brought from around the country! Bidding the city landscape goodbye, it feels good to busk in the lands of mother nature. |
If following the above recommendations still
allows half a day more of explorations, why not consider exploring the
outskirts of Amsterdam?
On my third and final day in Amsterdam, I
decided to take a bus from Amsterdam Central Station to the Zaandam
neighbourhood. Zaanse Schaans has a collection of 18th and 19th century
windmills, houses that feature a variety of crafts and food, and museums (not pictured).
Travel Tip: To get there, from Amsterdam Central Station, you can hop onto Rnet-bus 391, which departs approximately every 15 minutes. In the summer months of July & August, there is an additional option of riding on Rnet-bus 817 that departs from the same bus stop. Both options will bring you to Zaanse Schaans in 40 minutes.
Amsterdam is such a unique city. One that visitors can associate with the terms "canals", "Heineken", "red light district", "French Fries" and "coffeeshops". The city lives, breathes and thrives with vibrancy. Till the next time (hopefully with D ;))!
Travel Tip: To get there, from Amsterdam Central Station, you can hop onto Rnet-bus 391, which departs approximately every 15 minutes. In the summer months of July & August, there is an additional option of riding on Rnet-bus 817 that departs from the same bus stop. Both options will bring you to Zaanse Schaans in 40 minutes.
Amsterdam is such a unique city. One that visitors can associate with the terms "canals", "Heineken", "red light district", "French Fries" and "coffeeshops". The city lives, breathes and thrives with vibrancy. Till the next time (hopefully with D ;))!
xx,
L
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