Amsterdam

Amsterdam was the last stop of our winter trip in February 2025: canals, narrow houses, bikes everywhere and some of the best museums in Europe. We spent three days here, one of them on two wheels.

Where to Sleep?

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Amsterdam North Riverside.

Tip: The prices and opening hours here are the ones we noted when we planned the trip. Check them before you go.

Day 1 - By bike to Zaanse Schans

The best way to see Amsterdam is like a local, by bike. We rented ours from Black Bikes and rode about 33 kilometers, around two hours of cycling, from Central Station north to Zaanse Schans and its windmills. On the way:

• The Kissing Couple house.
• The Inntel Hotel in Zaandam, made of stacked green Dutch houses.
• The Calff house, at Westzijde 38.
• The windmills of Zaanse Schans.

Tip: You don't need a tour to get to Zaanse Schans. The signs from Zaandam are easy to follow.

Day 2 - Dam Square, the Jordaan and Anne Frank House

1. De Wallen

Amsterdam's famous red light district, in the oldest part of the city, next to Central Station. Two streets along a canal, best seen at night. Be respectful and don't take photos of the windows.

2. Dam Square

The main square, with the Royal Palace, the National Monument, the Nieuwe Kerk and the Bijenkorf department store.

3. A walk around the Jordaan

The prettiest neighborhood in Amsterdam, with the Nine Streets for shopping and the canals Herengracht and Keizersgracht. Our walk took about an hour and a half and 2 kilometers:

• Start with a stroopwafel at Lanskroon, at the start of the Nine Streets.
• Café Papeneiland, at the corner of Papiermolensluis and Brouwersgracht.
• Along Brouwersgracht towards Palmgracht.
• Willemsstraat and Het Brillenpaleis, the prettiest house in the Jordaan.
• The Noordermarkt, on Mondays and Saturdays.
• Lindenstraat, the loveliest street in the Jordaan.
• Down Prinsengracht to Anne Frank House.

Classic brown cafés to try on the way: Café 't Smalle and Café Chris.

4. Anne Frank House

The house where Anne Frank and her family hid during the Second World War, and where she wrote her diary. Walking through the secret annex is a deeply moving experience. Tickets are only sold online, with a time slot, and there is no student discount. Open every day from 9am to 10pm.

Day 3 - Flowers, museums and canals

1. Bloemenmarkt

The floating flower market on the Singel canal, famous for its tulip bulbs.

2. The Van Gogh Museum

The largest collection of Van Gogh's work in the world. Tickets were €24 for adults (€11 for students). His Starry Night is not here, though: it is in MoMA, in New York.

3. The Rijksmuseum

Right next door on Museumplein, home of Rembrandt's Night Watch, Vermeer and a few Van Goghs too. Tickets were €25.

4. Vondelpark

The city's biggest park, right behind the museums.

5. Heineken Experience

The old Heineken brewery, now a tour with two beers included. Prices were €24.95 for the tour, €29.95 with the rooftop, and €40 with a one-hour canal cruise.

6. A canal cruise

The canals are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a covered boat with a local skipper is a lovely way to see them, especially in winter.

7. NDSM and the Anne Frank mural

Take the free ferry from behind Central Station to NDSM, an old shipyard full of graffiti, cafés and Amsterdam's best flea market, with a giant mural of Anne Frank.

8. The bridges at night

The canals and bridges are lit up at night. The most famous are the Torensluis and the Magere Brug, the Skinny Bridge.

Where to eat

• Winkel 43, said to have the best apple pie in the city.
• Foodhallen, a food hall in an old tram depot.
• Lalibela, Ethiopian food.
• Café Americain.
• Van Stapele, for made-to-order chocolate cookies.
• CHUN, for sandwiches and bubble tea.
• Pancakes Amsterdam, for breakfast.
• Grand Café 1e Klas, the historic restaurant inside Amsterdam Central Station.

We had our first dinner in Amsterdam there.