amsterdam travel guide

I´m so excited to share this travel guide with you! Amsterdam was one of those cities that blew my mind off. I felt a connection with it, not sure if it´s because there´s a bit of chaos that made me think of Amsterdam as a Latin Scandinavian country hahaha. 

I loved loved the canals, strolling its quaint streets and people watching! So much street style inspo over here! 

We stayed three nights on an Airbnb apartment in De Baarsjes neighborhood about a 15-minute bike ride to the city center. We really liked this area because it was close enough to the hustle and bustle but with the "real neighborhood" feel if you know what I mean. It´s nice to pretend to be a local for a few days and absorb the city´s vibe. Our host recommended this neighborhood gem: Cafe Cook and it was so good and cozy (or hygge as my husband would say) that we ended going there every day either for breakfast, a light lunch or just a glass of wine and a bite. 

Best neighborhoods to stay at: 

• De Jordaan: really cool architecture, tons of restaurants and bars but more quiet and relaxed. Mostly visited by locals.
• De Pjip: a very picturesque urban oasis with lots of you guess right: bars and pubs.
• De Baarsjes: very close to the city center without the hefty price tag. You can find lots of neighborhood restaurants and bars.
• Westerpark: stay here if you are really into architecture, you´ll find a lot of Art Deco-inspired buildings and you can visit Westergasfabriek that houses a cinema, restaurants, bars, and arcade.  

Where to eat: 

• Cafe Cook: good breakfast and light bites.
• Kanarie Club: located inside the Foodhallen. Great place to eat, people watch and spend some leisurely time. 
• Foodhallen: you´ll find 20+ restaurants and bars.
• BAK: Fresh produce and sustainable fish. Prix Fixe Menu for both lunch and dinner.
• Auberge Jean & Marie: Small and quaint restaurant and wine bar. Superb food.
• Rijsel: Call to make a reservation in advance, French casual bistro.
• Ron Gastrobar: We had a wonderful meal here. Michelin starred. Totally worth it!
• The White Room: Upscale Michelin Starred restaurant for a special night out.
• Bridges: Seafood restaurant.
• Vermeer: Farm-to-table Michelin starred restaurant.
• Blue Amsterdam: great spot for a cup of coffee or a light bite. It has a 360° view of Amsterdam. 
• Breda: small and centrally located restaurant with an impressive wine list. Their Prix fixe menu is very affordable.  

Where to grab a drink:

• Bar Botanique
• Glou Glou 
• Shiraz Jardin des Vins

Best breakfast and brunch:

• Corner Bakery
• Scandinavian Embassy 
• Coffee & Coconuts
• Zoku
• Cafe Cook 
• Betty Blue

What to see: 

• Rijksmuseum. Impressive and large museum. The famous I Amsterdam sign is outside the museum.
• Van Gogh Museum 
• MOCO museum of contemporary art
• Willet-Holthuysen Museum: if you are into architecture and want to see the interior of a preserved 
• Walk the streets of Jordaan.
• Westerpark
• De Pjip
• Red Light District 
• Dam Square: join the free walking tour to get a better sense of the City. 
• Anne Frank House: get your tickets in advance
• Flower Market
• Take a tour through the canals. We went with Amsterdam Boat Adventures and it was amazing, a smaller boat which meant we could go through all the canals, more intimate, electric engine so it was very quiet and you can bring your own bottle o wine. 
• De 9 Straatjes (9 streets): strolled all of the streets and do some shopping. 
• Rent a bike: we rented a bike for the duration of our stay and bike everywhere which I highly recommend. Don´t be intimidated about the amount of traffic just keep an eye out for the occasional scooter on the bike lane. 
• Zaanse Schans: take an uber about 25 minutes from Amsterdam. We skipped the museums inside the windmills and had a great morning walking around, drinking hot cocoa and enjoying the view.

Other tips: 

• The airport is really close to the city center, you can take public transport but I would recommend taking an Uber is pretty inexpensive and way faster. 
• Bike, walk and uber are the best way to move around. Taxis are on the expensive side. 
• Weather can be unpredictable so bring a rain jacket or an umbrella with you. 
• Check out Airbnb´s new Experiences section, it has smaller and out of the ordinary "tours".

Send me a message if you would like more tips and details.

Happy Travels!

Gaby