AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands and easily the most popular city for tourists to visit in the country, and for good reason. If you are looking for an eclectic getaway, I would totally recommend this city. There are plenty of varied activities to choose from and surely something for each member of your travel gang!

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Restaurants:

Moeder’s

We adored this restaurant with traditional Dutch fare (Try the Dutch rice dish if you have another person to share with). Not only was everything we ate delicious, but the restaurant had a unique story to go along with the amazing cuisine! None of the dishes match because the families (the name of the restaurant literally translates to “Mother’s”) who came on opening day were all asked to bring a set of dishes to stay at the restaurant. Additionally, you can see pictures of moms hanging all over the walls.

The Pancake House

The Netherlands are also famous for Dutch pancakes which are commonly served for breakfast. You can get sweet or savory ones with all kinds of different toppings. We tried these at a few different places, and the Pancake House was by far our favorite.

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Activities:

Anne Frank House

I don’t need to say much about this one, except that you must visit. As a reminder, tickets sell out extremely quickly. Make sure you get them when they are released two months in advance.

Tulip Museum

This tiny museum is literally right across the canal from the Anne Frank House, and it’s a good change of pace after the sad history seen there. We stumbled across the Tulip Museum (inside a tulip shop) and debated whether or not to pay the entrance fee, but it was SO worth it. The history is fascinating, and the exhibits are beautiful!

Cheese Museum

Another museum just a stone’s throw from the Anne Frank house. This one has donation entrance if I remember correctly, and plenty of free samples of cheese. I had some of the best cheese of my time abroad while I was here 😊

Flower Market

The Netherlands is famous for tulips, so don’t miss your chance to stroll along the tulip vendors and shopkeepers at the Bloemenmarkt, the world’s only floating flower market.

Van Gogh Museum

Now I am not a huge art museum person, but I enjoyed exploring the unique exhibits and seeing the world-famous pieces of art. You also have to buy tickets for this museum in advance, and I think you have a limited bag size to bring inside.

I Amsterdam Sign

Okay, this is touristy for sure, but it is fun to see and worth a stop for a quick pic!

Canal Boat Tour

There is no better way to see the city than through a cruise on the canals. You get an excellent look at the canal homes, and your guide will be able to tell you lots of history and interesting facts.

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Things I didn’t get to do this time around but that I want to try next time:

Red Light District Tour with a former worker

It’s an interesting experience to walk through the Red Light District at night, but I would have loved to have had a guide along the way. Someone we met suggested taking a tour of the district with someone who used to work there. These women can provide political context as well as share their own experiences about a concept that is quite foreign to many of us.

Rijksmuseum

I didn’t make it here during my brief weekend in Amsterdam, but I have heard great things about its lovely collection.

Bike Tour

There is nothing more Dutch than insane bike riding. I wanted to take a bike tour, but I didn’t think I was a strong enough biker at the time. Maybe next time I’m back!