June 2017
We’ve been to Amsterdam 3-4 times, and, it rained every single time. As a result, our hope of exploring this city on bicycles has not been realized. The whole concept of bike share was born in Amsterdam, yet, there is not a public bike-sharing program in place.
Amsterdam deserves at least 2 days of your time in my opinion, and there will be enough to do if you want to stay longer. Due to the narrow streets and the canals, you will end up walking a lot even if you used the trams and the buses. Try renting a bike (8 – 10 Euros/day) if the weather is nice enough. As you can see in the pictures below, Amsterdam locals do use bikes to get around. A 24-hour transportation pass costs about the same as the bike rental.
The central Amsterdam is not that big, and it does not matter where you stay because you can get to most places by the trams and the buses within 20-30 minutes. I liked the canal areas on the west side around the Anne Frank House where you see lots of hipster cafes and restaurants and the southwest areas around the Voldelpark and Willemspark where you live among the locals and eat at neighborhood restaurants.
One can visit the north side of Amsterdam across IJ River by hopping on the free ferry from the docks behind the Central Station. We went to NDSM Wharf and had lunch at Pllek, a beachside bar & restaurant made of used shipping containers. Pictured above.
Amsterdam is a kind of place where you just walk around and discover things. Because the canals tend not to be in straight lines, it is easy to get disoriented and lost. Don’t worry, though. You will find your way soon or later by recognizing the familiar landmarks or stores.
It is wise to get tickets online in advance if you are planning to visit the museums. We did just that for the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank House and cut the long long lines. Having to wait in line for these two places will be well rewarded if it comes to that.
Now stop listening to me and go out there! Go to Amsterdam and get lost. You will have fun finding your very own experiences! (They charge you 1 Euro for the tourist map at the “I Amsterdam” office. This can be a good investment.)
General Information
What to see: Rick Steve’s Advice (click “At a Glance”)
Cool Amsterdam: link
Small Wide World 