Amsterdam was an incredibly beautiful city with a feel of romanticism and sophistication. Gone are the days of the city being so ubiquitously tied to the Red Light District as a dirty city of prostitution. While there’s plenty to do, this was the perfect city for a long weekend (we probably could’ve used one more day. Our experience was quote diverse given that we went from the post-impressionistic works of Van Gogh to a tour of the red light district with a former sex worker. The city is brimming with restaurants of different genres and equally charming wine bars. It’s a very walkable city and one that can be visited at any time of year depending on your weather preferences. We were there in February and had to pack for the colder temperatures, but it was actually a very cozy and enchanting time of year to be there.
Eateries
For a sweet treat after lunch or dinner, this is your spot for apple pie.
A short walk from our hotel, we went here on our first night, and it was the perfect way to start our winter weekend. The atmosphere is cozy and Parisian. A three-course dinner with cheese or dessert is 39 euros, so it was incredibly reasonable for the quality of food and thoughtful ingredients. The staff is friendly and will happily help you with wine pairings. A taste of Paris in Amsterdam.
Scandanavian Embassy
Loved, loved, loved their hummus.
Bringing Provence to Amsterdam,
When in Amsterdam, a herring snack is a must!
We sat at the bar at this
Restaurant Klein Breda (formerly Guts)
We had a spontanous lunch here
We ran out of time but found this list of spots should the mood strike!
Activities
See his permanent collection here, and learn more about his life and read his letters. This is right near MOCO and Rijksmuseum, so I would recommend doing these in a cluster.
Foam is a photography museum with four different exhibitions at a time.
Right around the corner from Foam, Located in the former 17th century mayor’s house, the museum contains roughly 500 years of history surrounding bags and purses. Now closed.
Organized by the Prostitution Information Center, this was one of the most interesting things we did in Amsterdam. Our guide was a former sex worker
Dedicated to the Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank, this was an incredibly poignant museum. Being able to walk through the rooms where she and her family went into hiding in 1942 was even more meaningful. I had read some mixed reviews about whether visiting was necessary while in Amsterdam and in hindsight can’t understand why you wouldn’t go.
Every Sunday (weather-permitting), there’s an art fair held by the Amsterdam International Artists Foundation. It features over 25 artists and usually runs from 10am-6pm.
The Tulip Museum
The only floating flower market in the world,
Shopping in De Pijp / Albert Cuypmarkt
It’s worth spending at least a half day in this neighborhood as the boutiques offer amazing shopping, and the Albert Cuypmarkt is here. It's a daily market (every day but Sundays) that runs along the length of Albert Cuypstraat and is the longest running and busiest daily market in the Netherlands. This blog has great recommendations for the area.
Scandinavian Embassy and Arles are both here as well for food and beverage options.
Given that I was five months pregnant at the time, stopping here was a must so that we could collect a few treasures for the baby. They have meticulously designed clothing and shoes with a very organic, European feel.
Where to Stay
Our hotel was especially wonderful.
This blog has wonderful, up-to-date recommendations in the city for restaurants, coffee, shopping and much more.