Amsterdam

Compiling all of my Amsterdam recommendations is the original reason I started this blog. I lived in Amsterdam for about 2 and a half years from 2018-2021 and a piece of me will always be there. I make sure to make a trip back at least a few times a year because I miss it so much. I wrote more context around my experience living in Amsterdam and my travel style in the 'About Me' section if you're interested, but let's just get into it!

Bakeries & Treats

It's true what they say about carbs in Europe.. they don't count! The bakeries in Amsterdam live up to the euro hype and are definitely worth making time to try a few.

• Bakhuys: My favorite bakery in the world. The chicken pockets (like chicken pot pie in a pastry), ham & cheese croissants, and the almond cookies are all a must. The sausage rolls are also phenomenal.

• Dutch Treats: Poffertjes and stroopwafels are the 2 Dutch treats that you have to try while you're in town. The Albert Cuypstraat market has great options for both. Van Wonderen has some nice options with toppings added as well.

• Massimo Gelato: Truly better than most gelato I've had in Italy. My 3 favs are tiramisu, pistachio, and the fig ricotta.

• Place my friends have recommended that I haven't been: Fort Negen, cinnamon rolls from 4850, Winkel 43 for the apple pie (cold apple pie weirds me out, personally)

Bars

I’ll be honest, this is the category that is the hardest to take advice from because it changes so much and I lived there through COVID, so this is the section I honestly wanted to leave out, but felt it wasn’t right given my time there involved a lot of the nightlife scene. The Amsterdam party scene in my experience involved a lot of dinner parties and house parties, which are tough to get in on when you're traveling, but there are still some pretty awesome spots that are worth checking out.

Day drinks:

• De Vondeltuin: A bar at the top of Vondelpark, great for a spritz, a beer, and some traditional Dutch snacks.

• Waterkant: An outdoor bar under a parking garage (sounds weird, right) on the water. The vibes are always high on a nice day, and you can boat right up to it.

• Proeflokaal ‘t Blauwe Theehuis: Cute outdoor bar in Vondelpark, great for beers. They are the same company behind Brouwerij 't IJ.

• Hannekes Boom: A bit of a bike ride, but a nice spot outside for a beer and some Dutch snacks on a sunny day.

• Pllek: A massive outdoor bar in Noord. Great spot to go watch the sunset with some drinks before heading to Coba for dinner.

Date night drinks:

• Flying Dutchmen cocktails: I've gone on a few Hinge dates here and the cocktails don't disappoint. There isn't much of a fancy cocktail culture in Amsterdam, and this place scratches the itch.

• Brouwerij 't IJ: A brewery in a windmill.. I mean what more could you want for a cozy Dutch vibe. The beers are great, and so is the atmosphere.

• Glouglou: The best wine bar. It's in De Pijp right across from a yummy pizza shop and the best gelato. The wine and the waiters are fantastic, but the vibe is even better. The perfect date night spot.

• Tales & Spirits: Huge book of nice cocktails, but you can tell the bartenders your vibe, and they will make a drink for you, it's quite yummy. There is typically a bit of a wait though.

• Rayleigh & Ramsay: A wine bar that is less vibey than Glouglou, but they have a ton of wines on tap, and you can get tasters and serve yourself. It's a bit more on the pricier side for a glass of wine in Amsterdam, but a cool place to check out nonetheless.

Nightlife:

• Venster 33 (De Pijp area): This is a good starting point for a little bar hop in De Pijp. Great area to do a little lively bar hop with friends or meet new ones.

• Ton Ton Club: Not what you'd think when you hear 'club,' this spot is a retro arcade and games bar with plenty of activities. Good for a team outing (or if you're a bit sick of talking to your travel group and need an activity at night).

• Chin Chin Club: A fun, dancey club for a big night out. Get tickets ahead of time or at the door. This is a late-night choice after many many drinks.

• Brown Bars: It's common to go out to general 'brown bars,' which are basically casual bars that serve up local beers that are super cheap. They typically have a more local crowd.

• Techno Clubs: I'll be honest, I'm not a big club girl, and the only one I went to that I really liked when I lived there (De Marktkantine) is permanently closed. The clubs in Amsterdam typically have very intense electronic music with no words. The only difference from Berlin is that the beat actually drops. Some options are De School, Club NYX, and Shelter.

Restaurants

Modern European

All of these spots are kind of the same. Tasting menus of modern European cuisine with great natural wines. Tasting menus are way cheaper here than in the US, so don't shy away from trying at least one. Expect to spend a minimum of 2 hours at these spots.

• Binnenvisser (my favorite)

• De Kas (the nicest)

• Restaurant Watergang

• Bar Centraal

• Gertrude

Other Cuisines

• Italian: Restaurant Calisto, nNea Pizza, and Fiaschetteria Pistola (there are 2 NYC locations which should tell you something about this spot). Spaghetteria holds a special place in my heart. The waiters are easy on the eyes is all I'll say. The arugula salad sounds so basic, but is a must-get with the pasta.

• Mexican: Coba. Yes, it's in Noord, which you have to ferry to, but it's the best (and the only) Mexican worth eating in the city.

• Chinese: Sea Palace is the best dim sum, and it's on a boat which is a magical hangover cure on a cold day.

• Japanese: De Japanner, they were real original with the name, but the food is great.

• Experience meals:

  • Helling 7: I recently tried this spot which is in a boat hangar. It is quite far in Noord, but it's worth the ferry ride over. The fish and steak were out of this world. Go to Pllek after for a night cap.

  • Vuurtoreneiland: This place is an experience. Very hard to snag a reservation here, but you take a boat ride out and have a fantastic meal on an island. It's really an incredible experience you have to check out if you have time.

Quick Bites

• Van't Spit: Your only option here is a rotisserie chicken and a selection of sides. It's great for a quick and easy meal. The quality is amazing in my opinion.

• Onigiri YA!: The fatty salmon is phenomenal. Great for a small bite before heading to Albert Cuystraat market.

• Meat & Greek: Yummy gyros for delivery on the main platforms or takeaway.

• The Lebanese Sajeria: Amazing, super flavorful Lebanese wraps.

Activities

Places to stroll around:

• Parks: Vondelpark is my favorite park in the world. The outer loop is exactly 2 miles which is perfect for a run. It's always bustling with people on picnics, walks, and bike rides. Vondeltuin is a beer garden at the top of the park with a great vibe.

• Markets: Noordermarkt is my favorite you can find great lunch options here, cute coffee shops around, and it's just super picturesque. Albert Cuypstraat is also a great option in De Pijp. Stop here for some poffertjes and stroopwafels.

• Shops: Negen Straatjes (De 9 Straatjes) is the best area to walk around, grab a bite, and bop around the shops. It's so picturesque through the canals as well. It'll definitely be crowded on a nice day, so biking through the area can be chaos. Museumplein is also a lovely area to walk around. The shops are high-end designer shops, but the area is super nice to explore with a large green space for a little picnic.

Workouts

All of these are taught in English

• Saints & Stars: Dutch Barry's Bootcamp

• Rocycle: Dutch SoulCycle

• PLTS: Reformer Pilates (owned by Bodyrok)

• Equal Yoga: Hot power flows that are a great workout

Sunny day

• Rent a boat: The best way to see the city is to rent your own boat and navigate through the canals. You can drive with no experience (they go very slow). You can pick up charcuterie & drinks at a nearby cheese shop or even Albert Heijn beforehand.

  • Sloepdelen: Way nicer boats, more expensive, fits fewer people, rudder for steering

  • Mokumboot: Way larger boats, but shitty interior, much cheaper, can fit a ton of people, wheel for steering

• Boat tour: I'd stay away from the boat tours where you sit in rows, and they tell you facts, they frankly suck. I've heard of the higher-end boats with food and drinks can be nice if you don't want to deal with renting your own and driving, but I always rent my own so I can't vouch for a specific company on this one.

• George's: There is a strip of grass on the Amstel in front of this restaurant where people go to lay out in the summer, bring beers, order pizza, and jump in the canals. Is the canal water disgusting? Yes, absolutely, but there is no stopping people on a hot summer's day with no AC.

Indoor activities

• Museums: There are some of the best museums in the world in Amsterdam. From the Van Gogh, Rijks, Anne Frank House, to the million pop up museums that are constantly happening. I'd recommend looking at what pop ups are going on when you'll be there and making a decision on your style of museum from there.

• Cheese tasting: I had a friend visiting once and it was raining (no surprise there) so we went to Reypenaer cheese tasting room and it was a great way to sample a bunch of goudas and learn more about the Dutch cheese making process.

• Jenever tasting: Jenever is basically a Dutch gin that is the famous alcohol in the Dutch houses they give on KLM flights. You'll see this all over the city, but look up any Jenever tasting place and it'll be a Dutch experience. If beer is more your thing, go to Brouwerij 't IJ for a flight (listed in the bar section above).

Areas to stay

• Blue circle: This is my favorite area. It's quintessential Amsterdam with the canal streets, and a bunch of restaurants, bars, and shops.

• Purple circle: Museumplein is super high-end, probably expensive to stay here, but there will be really nice hotel options. Not as much going on in terms of restaurants and nightlife, but pretty area to walk around and convenient to be close to the park.

• Yellow circle: The canal area here is pretty sleepy. I doubt there will be a lot of options for accommodation here, but it is a beautiful area.

• Green circle: De Pijp is the fun area with a bunch of lively bars, fun restaurants, and markets. It veers a bit on the younger side. There probably aren't a ton of options here to stay.

Hotels

Amsterdam has restrictive rules against Airbnbs in the city, so your best bet will be a hotel. I lived in Amsterdam, so I have only seen a few hotels/hotel rooms in the city, I'd recommend following my location guide above, but below are a few of my highlights.

• Zoku (feels like a mini apartment, great coworking space on the roof)

• Soho House (membership needed)

• The Hoxton (great bar, too)