AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam Google Map

Anything with a *, I highly recommend.

Where we stayed:

  • Apartments de Hallen* - Spacious 2BR loft apartment located in Amsterdam Oud-West and owned by Hotel de Hallen (which is half a block away). Super spacious, fully equipped kitchen, great location, comfy beds.

Where we ate and drank:

  • Breakfast Club* - There are many locations but this one was right by our apartment and was a perfect spot to grab food having flown overnight. We had the burrata, avocado toast, eggs benedict california, and the eggs benedict seaside. Good coffee, too.

  • Foodhallen* - Located right across from our apartment, this was the perfect spot to grab an earlier dinner on our first night. Everything from Mexican to sushi to Spanish tapas to pizza and so much more. Plus a few different bars.

  • Snob - Located in the heart of the city, specifically the Thorbeckeplein area. Cute neighborhoody place right on a corner which made for good people watching. Food was solid. We had the Benji burger, falafel bowl, truffle burger, chicken sandwich, fries, bitterballen, Aperol Spritz, G-house, and wine.

  • Verona 63 - Desperate times call for desperate measures. We were hungry and short on time and came across this place. We had pizzas. Just fine.

  • Restaurant Lastage* - This was our nicest dinner of the trip and we’d made reservations weeks before the trip. Located very close to the Red Light District and Central Station, this small 10-table hidden gem is Michelin rated. You can choose 3-6 courses or an 8 course Chef’s Menu (the entire table must do this). Three of us did 5-courses and one did 4-courses. We had the foam of cevenne onion, foie gras, halibut, lamb, grey mullet (fish), cheese assortment, rhubarb and the strawberry panna cotta. Wine was flowing and they were all delicious.

  • Vlamsch Broodhuys - Grabbed another coffee and the avocado + feta sandwich for breakfast which was great.

  • Bariloche - Another spot where we just needed a bite to tie us over to dinner. It was fine, but don’t even remember what we had.

  • Fabel Friet* - When in Amsterdam, one must have friets. There was a big of a line but it moved fast and they were delicious! We had the truffle friets and the sriracha (spicy mayo) friets.

  • Spritz Bar - Afternoon Aperol Spritz canal-side? Don’t mind if we do.

  • Door 74* - Amsterdam’s most prolific speakeasy which made it onto the World’s 50 Best Bar list twice. The door is unmarked, you ring the doorbell and then someone comes to greet you. Definitely make a reservation. The menu is super interesting and the drinks are great. We had the Armchair Anecdote, Summit, Ruby Stone, Old Fashioned, and a Manhattan.

  • Restaurant Sebastian - Although the menu looked great, we sat outside for a wine. One of the things I loved about most outside seating in Amsterdam is that most places have all the chairs facing out so you can people watch. We had Aperol Spritzes, a Manhattan and a Gin Martini.

  • Café Twee Prinsen* - Another great spot for an afternoon wine. Great selection of wines and drinks. Grabbed a seat on the corner outside.

  • Freddy’s* - Set right on a canal, attached to the De l’Europe Hotel, Freddy’s is a piece of Amsterdam’s magic and history, named after Freddy Heineken. The space blends old Amsterdam charm with a contemporary vibe.

  • Pep’s* - Loved this Spanish tapas spot and was a great place for our final meal in Amsterdam. Lively place that felt very local and had a great vibe. We had palomas, negroni, wine, boquerines, croquettes w Iberico, pan con tomate, charcuterie, burrata, tuna crudo, steak chimichurri, patatas brava, gambas, calamari, and chicken skewers.

  • K2 Amsterdam - We stopped by here because Scott had been here 25 years ago under a different name, Cafe Nasty. We each had a Heineken and next thing we knew the music was blasting, lights were going and the smoke machine was on!

  • Tuku* - Coffee shop right near our apartment featuring Indonesian coffee. We had an Americano, Signature, and croissant.

  • The Miners* - Another cute coffee shop right near our apartment. Had lattes to get us going.

What we saw/did:

  • Vondelpark* - The largest park in Amsterdam and maybe the most famous park in the Netherlands. Beautiful, lively, well kept and a great place for a stroll or have a sit on any number of the lawns and enjoy the scenery.

  • Van Gogh Museum - Home to the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh like Sunflowers, Almond Blossom, Wheatfields, and The Bedroom. We liked it but didn’t love it. Purchase tickets in advance.

  • Keukenhof*** - This is an ABSOLUTE must if you are in Amsterdam from mid-March to mid-May. You much purchase tickets in advance and I recommend going as early as you can. We took an Uber from our apartment to Amsterdam RAI to get on a bus (you can buy the bus ticket along with your park ticket). Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, in the Netherlands. According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. It’s MAGICAL! We ate both breakfast and lunch at one of the several places to eat. We also rented bikes (through Keukenhof) for three hours. There are three main bike routes you can take. We chose the red route which is the longest but took us through the countryside and up to the North Sea, which was beautiful, and through the tulips fields. We were there on April 30th and most of the fields were done for the season, but there were still a few in full bloom. This was one of my most favorite days ever.

  • Negen Straatjes (Nine Little Streets)* - Neighborhood comprised of nine side streets filled with great shopping, cafes, restaurants, and bars. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site

  • Those Dam Boat Guys* - 90 minute canal boat tour. This company is great - “On our public tours we will talk about adult topics, using adult language, while adult guests are allowed to enjoy adult substances.” Our guide, Julian, was amazing and funny and very informative without being boring. We picked up some wine and brought it on board. They had wine openers and cups available. The boats are smaller, we had nine plus Julian, which I think makes it better. They also own a bar, Cafe Knoop, two door down from their office.

  • Red Light District* - Primarily known as De Wallen, the Red Light District is a historic, central neighborhood famous for legalized window prostitution, sex shops, and coffeeshops. The streets are crowded but it’s worth walking through.

  • Jordaan* - Trendy neighborhood of narrow canals and streets lanked by indie boutiques, cozy pubs and hip eateries. Shop and stroll.

  • Noordemarkt* - Open on Mondays from 9am-2pm and Saturdays from 9am - 4pm, The Noordermarkt is a historic, vibrant and popular market in Jordaan known for it’s organic food and flea market.

  • Lindegracht Markt* - Open on Saturdays from 9am - 4pm, Lindenmarkt is a large market where many flowers, vegetables, fish and other food items are sold.

  • Van Loon Museum - Located in a canalside house alongside the Keizersgracht, this museum is named after the family Van Loon that lived in the house from the 19th century. TBH we could have skipped this>

  • Shopping* - Pick a neighborhood and shop+ stroll. So many great places! Two stores that we really liked:

    • Property Of*- Sells travel goods for the modern global citizen who care about fair & sustainable production, timeless design and quality that lasts.

    • Number Nine* - Offers men's and women's collections, accessories, and lifestyle products from top brands, as well as new, up-and-coming brands.

Other recommendations:

Here are a few places that were recommended to me that were were not able to fit in:

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