Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities to date. There is so much touristy stuff to do, tons of really good food, and a lot of crazy things that go down there. My friends and I were really looking forward to this trip and it definitely did not disappoint.
In Amsterdam, I stayed in my first hostel and let me tell you, it’s an experience. Friends of ours had recommended The Flying Pig Uptown. Overall, it was pretty clean and very cheap. There were five of us traveling together and we shared a room with seven other people from all over the world. There was a bar on the ground floor and we got to know all the bartenders and other guests. I’m not sure if I would do it all again, but I’m glad we had checked staying in a hostel off the list because it definitely provided a lot of laughs.
We landed pretty late on Thursday, so we were disappointed to hear that a lot of kitchens were closed for the night. Coming from Barcelona, we were surprised how early people eat dinner in Amsterdam. I definitely recommend making reservations for earlier in the night.
On Friday, we started out at G’s Brunch. After cheers-ing with mimosas, I ordered Eggs Benedict with avocado. Just thinking about the goat cheese, bacon dip we ate is making my mouth water. Everyone loved their meals and it made for a great start to our long day of sightseeing. G’s also has a brunch boat! I think this would be a great way to tour the canals and have a delicious meal. After G’s we walked from Jordaan up through Prinsengracht. We stopped in cute boutiques and other storefronts along the way. I was overjoyed to find the Amsterdam Cheese Museum, where I sampled the best double truffle goat cheese and pesto gouda. I swear I could spend the entire day there.
On Friday night, we went to the Moco and Van Gogh museums. It was really cool to see both of these and compare the vastly different styles of art. It was amazing to see some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings. I absolutely loved the Moco museum; it was really fun and colorful. Banksy, a contemporary artist has a huge exhibit there. For dinner, we went to a Mexican restaurant. It’s funny because no matter where we travel we somehow always seem to end up eating tacos and drinking margaritas. After dinner, we went bar hopping. My one complaint is that we couldn’t find any student deals on drinks. In places like Barcelona and Florence, where a lot of people study abroad, there are cheap drink deals at college bars. I’m sure there are some in Amsterdam too, so definitely do some research beforehand.
On Saturday, we started our day out at Adam’s Lookout. This is a really cool spot and a great way to see all of Amsterdam. Included in the price of the ticket was a ride on the swing that sways over the edge of the high rise and two free drink vouchers. The bar was really cool, providing panoramic views of the entire city. After Adam’s Lookout, we took the ferry across the river and jumped on a canal tour. There are a ton of tour companies, so you can take your pick. I really enjoyed learning about all the little fun facts and getting a different perspective of the city. After the canal tour, we snacked on french fries. There are multiple fry places around Amsterdam, that allow you to pick from a variety of sauces and toppings. They were just what I needed after walking around in the cold all day. We continued making our way around, visiting the famous coffee shops, sampling stroopwaffles, and walking into various smaller museums along the way.
I really loved how pedestrian friendly the city was. We rarely taxied around and got the opportunity to see so much of Amsterdam. It’s definitely a huge biking city; the roads are lined with thousands of them. It’s super easy to get around and see many of the famous tourist destinations. On Saturday night, we went to Wok to Walk for dinner. This was the first time I’ve heard of the European chain. I absolutely loved it and immediately googled where the Barcelona location was. After dinner, we checked out some of the nightlife and passed through the famous Red Light District. It’s crazy how really anything goes in Amsterdam.
On Sunday morning, we woke up pretty early for our tour of the Anne Frank house. It was a beautiful morning and we got to enjoy a quiet walk through the canals. The Anne Frank house is a must see, so make sure to buy tickets in advance on their website, as they sell out rather quickly.
Walking through the halls of the secret annex sent chills through my body. The tour is very well done and includes an audio guide. Looking through what used to be the Frank family home for nearly two years, left me completely dumbfounded. It’s such a powerful memorial and it was humbling to see everything I’ve learned about Anne Frank come full circle here. I’m so grateful I got to have this experience and take something truly meaningful away from my time in Amsterdam.
After our tour, we got an incredible breakfast at The Pancake Bakery. It’s a quaint little spot, about a block away from the museum. Everyone at our table was so torn, debating whether to order sweet or savory. Amsterdam is famous for its huge, thin pancakes with ridiculous toppings. I settled on one topped with ice cream and crumbled bacon. It was our last day, so I figured might as well go out with a bang.
I can definitely see myself making the trip back to this crazy place. Everyone was really nice and it was very easy to find your way around. I loved exploring all of the touristy spots with my friends and making unforgettable memories.
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