The Traveller in Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
I had a lovely time in Amsterdam and despite it being quite a short 3-night trip, I feel refreshed from having spent a good and relaxing time in a city I love. The Dutch are generally very laid-back, friendly people and it鈥檚 easy to slip into a relaxed pace. If you haven鈥檛 been, then I鈥檇 highly recommend you go; it鈥檚 like nowhere else. I鈥檝e been thinking about why I like it so much so thought I鈥檇 do an 鈥榦verall鈥� post, and include places to seek out and things to watch out for 鈥� especially the bikes!
Where to stay? I鈥檝e spent a lot of time in Amsterdam but rarely stayed in a hotel. My very first visit was with my school friend Nina when we were about 19 and we stayed in a youth hostel 鈥� that turned out to be in the red light district! But the Dutch are easy about these things and it鈥檚 not such a big thing, and it wouldn鈥檛 worry me even now. Then about 20 years ago my ex husband was working in Amsterdam for a couple of years. He came back to London most weekends but half terms and holidays I鈥檇 take our kids out, driving from London, and we鈥檇 all be together in an apartment in Oudekerk aan de Amstel, a lovely village a few miles out of Amsterdam on the river Amstel. I got used to driving into central Amsterdam but often we cycled in along the Amstel. Two years ago I travelled to the city with my daughter and we stayed in a hotel she knew (she goes to the city for work reasons sometimes), the 鈥榯 Hotel. This is just lovely and on a gorgeous canal in Jordaan. I guess this would be my first choice, but it鈥檚 quite expensive when travelling alone and the last two years I鈥檝e booked a 鈥榙eal鈥� with British Airways when booking my flight. Last year鈥檚 hotel wasn鈥檛 that great, but I was happy with my NH Hotel this year. It鈥檚 a chain but a good one. The only problem for me was that I鈥檇 booked into the branch in the Jordaan on Singel (canal) but was moved as it closed in January for refurbishment. The one in the Museum Quarter was friendly and I was given a nice room but it was a bit too far away from the Jordaan for me. Remember when booking, apart from choosing your area, that the canal house hotels rarely have lifts and the stairs are often narrow and steep. Ask if you鈥檙e in doubt about how many flights of stairs you can manage. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
Where to stay? I鈥檝e spent a lot of time in Amsterdam but rarely stayed in a hotel. My very first visit was with my school friend Nina when we were about 19 and we stayed in a youth hostel 鈥� that turned out to be in the red light district! But the Dutch are easy about these things and it鈥檚 not such a big thing, and it wouldn鈥檛 worry me even now. Then about 20 years ago my ex husband was working in Amsterdam for a couple of years. He came back to London most weekends but half terms and holidays I鈥檇 take our kids out, driving from London, and we鈥檇 all be together in an apartment in Oudekerk aan de Amstel, a lovely village a few miles out of Amsterdam on the river Amstel. I got used to driving into central Amsterdam but often we cycled in along the Amstel. Two years ago I travelled to the city with my daughter and we stayed in a hotel she knew (she goes to the city for work reasons sometimes), the 鈥榯 Hotel. This is just lovely and on a gorgeous canal in Jordaan. I guess this would be my first choice, but it鈥檚 quite expensive when travelling alone and the last two years I鈥檝e booked a 鈥榙eal鈥� with British Airways when booking my flight. Last year鈥檚 hotel wasn鈥檛 that great, but I was happy with my NH Hotel this year. It鈥檚 a chain but a good one. The only problem for me was that I鈥檇 booked into the branch in the Jordaan on Singel (canal) but was moved as it closed in January for refurbishment. The one in the Museum Quarter was friendly and I was given a nice room but it was a bit too far away from the Jordaan for me. Remember when booking, apart from choosing your area, that the canal house hotels rarely have lifts and the stairs are often narrow and steep. Ask if you鈥檙e in doubt about how many flights of stairs you can manage. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).
How it works: The full article is featured in the app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Download the app to your mobile device to read the article offline and create a self-guided walking tour to visit the sights featured in this article. The app's navigation functions guide you from one sight to the next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The 51爆料网 App
Sights Featured in This Article
Guide Name: The Traveller in Amsterdam
Guide Location: Netherlands » Amsterdam
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Kay Gale
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
Guide Location: Netherlands » Amsterdam
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Article (B))
Author: Kay Gale
Read it on Author's Website:
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
- Rijksmuseum
- Cafe 鈥榯 Smalle
- Cafe de Jaren
- Roem
- Poffertjes
- Winkel
- Papeneiland
- Cafe Reiger
- Balthazar鈥檚 Keuken
- Cafe het Molenpad
- Brouwerij 鈥榯 IJ microbrewery
- Cafe Chris
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Top 7 Dutch Cheeses to Try in Amsterdam
Don't mind things turning a bit "cheesy" when in Holland. After all, this small country is renowned for its cheese manufacturing and successfully competes, in terms of cheese exports, with such economic giants as the United States and Germany. Amsterdam alone and its vicinities are...
Dutch Sweets and Pastries
Known primarily for their cheeses, the Dutch have proven just as passionate about their sweets and pastries, many of which have come about as a result of the centuries of colonial past that had infused Holland with Oriental flavors and ingredients. Blended with their own dairy-rich European...
12 Traditional Dutch Foods You Must Try in Amsterdam
Cool climate, closeness to sea, and sense of adventure have made the Dutch what they are 鈥� skillful farmers, industrious seafarers and, generally, people with the taste for life and good hearty meal, whether it comes from the sea they live by or the land they set their feet on. All of this has...
Bars of De Pijp, Amsterdam
Sitting to the south of the Centrum (city centre) De Pijp area of Amsterdam is a fascinating mixture of trendy urbanites, students, immigrants and Amsterdammers. De Pijp has a long history as the Bohemian part of town, which is reflected in the different caf茅s of the area. There truly is something...
Souvenir Shopping in Amsterdam: 20 Dutch Things To Buy
Tulips, red lights, weed... Other than these, there are plenty of good things to remember Amsterdam by. What's more, you can take home some of them quite legally. Look here to see what to buy in Amsterdam and...
The Oldest and Historic Pubs of Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a stunningly beautiful city, steeped in history, with hidden treasures and fascinating tales practically around every corner. Like all marvelous cities, Amsterdam has its share of dining and drinking establishments from the modern to the ancient. This guide will assist you in exploring...
The Most Popular Cities
/ view all