Definitely a cool city, but to be perfectly honest, you could visit this city for two days max, and be just fine. It reminded me of Venice with all of the canals and little bridges. We stayed in the Old Centre (near Dam Square and Central Station). This area is known for its traditional architecture, the Red Light District, museums and coffee shops. There’s a bunch of pubs and hostels here too, so I’m sure there’s plenty of pub crawls and partying! Here’s my top five for Amsterdam.
This was right outside the airport! Obligatory I amsterdam photos….
(1) CENTRAL DISTRICT
This is definitely a great place for people watching and getting lost through the streets. The architecture is incredible and it looks like all of the houses were melted together in a perfect little harmony. There’s a bunch of restaurants and coffee shops everywhere you turn. There’s plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating near the canals, grab a beer and let the people-watching begin 🙂
(2) SKY LOUNGE AT THE DOUBLETREE CENTRAAL STATION
We stayed at this Doubletree, but it’s open to the public. It’s their lounge located on the 11th floor (top level) and there’s an A-MAZING 360 degree view of the city. They serve really good cocktails and lite fare foods. There’s also a DJ there in the evenings.
(3) RED LIGHT DISTRICT (RLD)
This is not for the faint-hearted…You can’t go to Amsterdam and then not visit the Red Light District. Every friend who gave me some travel tips, definitely mentioned either taking a walking tour or just roaming the RLD. You can’t take pictures, but there are dozens upon dozens of women in their lingerie chilling inside their “homes” and you can watch them through their windows. There are different types of women depending on which area of the RLD you’re in… It’s located in the Central District, so we literally stumbled upon it. We just walked around our hotel near Central Station and found ourselves in the RLD- you can’t miss it even if you tried.
We were in Amsterdam during the World Cup and Sensation, so these have to be part of my list!!
(4) SENSATION
A one-night, music festival. White attire is REQUIRED. Awesome production. No additional words required.
(5) WORLD CUP
We were actually at Sensation the night Netherlands won against Costa Rica! They aired the quarterfinals match on like a dozen of their screens throughout the arena and even some inside the actual main stage area!!
NEXT TIME, AMSTERDAM
If you have time, check out a canal tour and rent a bike to ride throughout the city!! Definitely a bike-friendly city with designated bike paths, but I didn’t rent one because it is NOT for the beginner!
OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS
> Traveled there in the beginning of July
>Don’t forget to pack:
- umbrella or jacket with a hood – rained a couple times when we were there
- comfy walking shoes to wander through Central District
- travel adapter and converters
- crossbody purse that zips! Be careful of pickpocketing
> If you’re only using wifi on your phone, turn your phone to airplane mode, and be sure to load the map of where you want to travel/wander/walk/etc at the hotel over wifi before you go. You can access the map remotely if so.
> Don’t take pictures in the red light district, I saw some people try!
> Lock away your passport and bring a copy with you for the day and ID – I never used my ID anywhere.
> Don’t let Yelp be your guide! We found a bunch of restaurants “off the grid” that were amazing by wandering around. Check out Genroku sushi off Nieuwezijds Voorburgal (they do an AYCE) and Illy Coffee by Prins Hendrik Hotel in Central for a yummy breakfast sandwich and coffee!
Safe and happy travels!
