AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
The city where every season is high season for tourists! From culture to coffee shops to cyclists, Amsterdam has it all. This European gem is very walkable, flooding social media feeds daily with its beautiful bridges and canals. You cannot take a bad picture here even if you tried! Hire a bike, rent a pedal boat, walk through its many public parks, or just chill out. The city is your oyster!
Attractions:
Anne Frank House: This museum is incredibly moving, thought-provoking, and tear-jerking. It is an absolute must-visit, especially if you have read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. I cannot say enough about my experience here! Purchase your ticket and time frame before your visit (up to two months in advance); entrance costs €14. From April-November, the museum is open from 9am-10pm. From November-April, hours are 9am-7pm, except on Saturdays when closing time is 10pm.
Rent a Bike: Do as the locals do! Cyclists are everywhere in Amsterdam! The city itself is not too large making it perfect to see on wheels. A rental costs around €10/day with locks included; learn more about renting a bike here. I recommend riding to De Riekermolen, a windmill built in 1636, 4 miles (6km) from the city center. It is a pretty ride and located next to Amstelpark!
Cruise in the Canals: You have to explore the canals of Amsterdam! You can either book a guided boat tour or rent a pedal boat and create your own route! Through Stromma, 75-minute guided boat tour tickets cost €22, 1-hour pedal boat rentals cost €25, and 90-minute pedal boat rentals cost €35. It is important to note that pedal boats can fit up to 4 people!
Vondelpark: This is the largest city park in Amsterdam and my favorite place to relax! You can go for a stroll, lay down for a nap, read a book, ride a bike, or have a picnic here.
Van Gogh Museum: You guessed it! This museum is home to an abundance of Vincent Van Gogh’s famous work. It is open daily from 9am-6pm and costs €19 to enter.
Red Light District (De Wallen): Most of what you have heard is likely true. Prostitution, among other activities, is legal here. Solely walking through the area is an experience and very safe at any time of day. For more information about history and protocol, visit here. If you remember one thing though, do not take pictures! Be respectful of the privacy of the workers; they are not your personal models nor do you have consent to take their photos.
IAMSTERDAM Letters: These iconic letters used to sit in Museum Square (Museumplein), but were removed in 2018 after they had become a “symbol of mass tourism”. Today, you can still see the letters at two different locations. The first is at Schiphol Airport and the second is at the southeast corner of Sloterplas, a lake 5 miles (8.2km) west of the city center. Perhaps another good bike ride?
Other attractions include: Rijksmuseum, A'DAM LOOKOUT, Heineken Experience, Dam Square, Jordaan, NEMO Science Museum, and Bloemenmarkt.
Accommodation:
Durty Nelly’s: This hostel is attached to a bar and has a very fun vibe. It is a bit on the expensive side, but I enjoyed myself here! From Amsterdam Centraal (Amsterdam’s main train station), the walk is 8 minutes. To get to Amsterdam Sloterdijk (Amsterdam’s main bus station), walk to Amsterdam Centraal and then ride the train (6 minutes; €2.50).
Transportation:
Amsterdam’s main bus station is Amsterdam Sloterdijk; all buses below leave from here. The main train station is Amsterdam Centraal; all trains below leave from here.
Rotterdam is 1.5 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €6. The train ride is 45 minutes and costs €19.
Brussels, Belgium is 3 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €10. The train ride is 3 hours and costs €25.
Lux City, Luxembourg is 6 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €25. The train ride is 7 hours (indirect) and costs €60.
Paris, France is 7 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €25. The (high-speed) train ride is 3.5 hours and costs €122.
Berlin, Germany is 8 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €35. The train ride is 6 hours and costs €60.
Munich, Germany is 12 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €40. The train ride is 7.5 hours (indirect) and costs €80.
Copenhagen, Denmark is 13 hours by bus from Amsterdam and costs €45. The train ride is 10.5 hours (indirect) and costs €70. The flight is 1.5 hours and costs €70-€125 on Norwegian Air or SAS.
London, England is not reachable via bus. The (high-speed underwater) train ride is 4.5 hours and costs €102. The flight is 70 minutes and costs €25-€75 via KLM, British Airways, or easyJet.
Schiphol Airport (AMS) is 22km (14 miles) southwest of the city center and accessible via train, bus, and taxi.
Train: The ride is 20-25 minutes and costs €4.50. Trains run every 10 minutes from 5:00am-1:00am and every 60 minutes in between. The train drops off at Amsterdam Centraal.
Bus: The ride via #397 (or N97 at night) is 40-45 minutes and costs €6.50. Buses run every 15 minutes from 5:00am-12:30am and every 60 minutes in between. The bus drops off at Museumplein, Rijksmuseum, and Leidseplein.
Taxi: The ride is 25-30 minutes and costs €40-€50 depending on the time of day.
