amsterdam, like the tourist i am.
Believe or not, there are other things you can do besides eating in Amsterdam. Yet, in the three visits to this lively city since I began blogging, I’ve failed to talk about them. You, my friends, are about to get a glimpse of what a tourist I am. Sure, I love meeting, and particularly drinking, with locals, but sometimes you just gotta hit those stereotypical, yet iconic, spots. Sometimes they meet their expectations, sometimes they’re a let down, but no matter how many blogs or TripAdvisor review you read, I find it is best just to form your own opinion. My first trip to Amsterdam I was a first timer eager to hit the spots, and my next two trips, I was with Amsterdam virgins, so I rehit all the spots. Therefore, I’ve TOURISTED IT UP in Amsterdam. Heading to the “Venice of the North” anytime soon? Book a hotel in Amsterdam online before you go.
Visited the Anne Frank Haus
Amsterdam’s most famous resident’s WWII hideaway is now a museum and open for visitors. The Anne Frank Museum Amsterdam houses the original diary, as well as family photos, letters, original wallpaper, and more. Throughout the tour, there are videos recounting the history, as well as testimonies from those close to the family. In the high season, avoid the long ticket line by purchasing online.
Anne Frank Museum Amsterdam
Prinsengracht 267
Admission: 9 Euro for adults
Open Daily, 9 am – 9 or 10 pm
Explored the Marijuana Culture
One cannot simply visit Amsterdam without learning a little about the famed weed acceptance and coffee shops spattered throughout the city. Don’t know where to begin? Let me suggest Cannabis College. It is an information center filled with books, statistics, and helpful staff that can tell you all about the drug. Visitors can also make a small donation to go downstairs and view the “gardens”.
O.Z. Achterburgwal 124 I
Open Daily, 11 am – 7 pm
Road a Bicycle
Riding a bicycle, particular a Dutch style bicycle, is a huge part of the culture in Amsterdam. Riders throughout the city fly past without a care in the world. It is a wildly popular mode of transportation, so watch out for the clearly marked bike lanes. Locals will be very unhappy if you are blocking one. If you do not know where you are going, may I suggest a bike tour? You will get to ride around Amsterdam much more safely, while also learning some fun facts about the city. Not interested in a tour? They are also one of the many options for bike rentals available in the city.
Mike’s Bike Tours Amsterdam
Kerkstraat 134 H
Walked through the Red Light District
Ah yes, probably the most famous part of the city. The area is characterized by its red lights lining the windows and the women working inside of them. There are also many coffee shops, shows, and adult stores throughout the area. No photographing allowed. Would you like an official tour? Why not learn from those who know it best? The Amsterdam Prostitution Information Center provides walking tours of the area.
Red Light District Tour
Enge Kerksteeg 3
Admission: 15 Euro for adults
Saturdays at 5 pm
Heineken Experience
Heineken is definitely the most globally recognized Dutch beer. Although you can’t view the actual production of the brew, you can take a fun little tour of the museum and visitor center, called the Heineken Experience. During the “experience”, you can learn the history of the famous beer, take a virtual ride through the production process, and learn how to properly pour and taste a Heineken. At the end of the tour, enjoy two “free” beers from the ice cold bar.
Heineken Experience
Stadhouderskade 78
Open Daily, 11 am to 7:30 or 8:30 pm
Admission: 18 Euro for adults, 16 Euro online
Cruised the Canals
Amsterdam has been called “Venice of the North” due to its intricate canal system. Over 1500 bridges cross the canals in the city! What better way to view the city than from the water? There are several canal cruise companies throughout the city, but the whole being piled on a boat with a bunch of other tourists is kind of lame. This was probably my least favorite “touristy” activity in Amsterdam.
Viewed the making of Dutch wooden clogs
These shoes are certainly a mega characteristic of the nation and are such a fun tradition! After venturing out on Mike’s Bike Tour – Countryside, we got to explore outside the limits, which included a stop at a little Dutch farm where we got to witness clogs being made out of a solid piece of wood.
Visited a Gouda cheese farm
Also part of the countryside Mike’s Bike Tour, we spent time with some cows and some serious amounts of Gouda cheese, a yellow cheese made from cow milk. Telling you, killing several birds with one stone, that bike tour did.
Saw a windmill
Telling you, several birds with one stone. On the tour, we got to see a traditional Dutch windmill. Many of the windmills left in the country remain purely for tourism and beauty’s sake and are no longer functioning for their original purposes.
Sat in a giant wooden clog in Damn Square
How many people’s Facebooks have you seen this exact shoe on? Probably one hundred. We definitely had to wait in a short cue to get this shot.
I AMsterdam Sign
The sign, which stands in Museumplein, is a newly iconic city of the city. The city’s tourism bureau’s mottoand brand is I AMsterdam, thus the source of the letters.. Don’t forget your obligatory photo. Which is near impossible to get during busy months without several other tourists in it as well.
Vondelpark
The 120 Acre park is certainly not a sight to miss – escape the city with a little picnic, go for a jog, get in some quality people watching, you know the drill.
I did not even realize how many tourist attractions there are in Amsterdam until I wrote this post. Yet, there’s still more I want to do (and no, it’s not the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, although maybe I should hit those next time, too…) My next Amsterdam “bucket list” items are:
Queen’s Day
Queen’s Day, or Koninginnedag is a Dutch national holiday, celebrated yearly on April 30. It is celebrated on the 30th because it is Queen Juliana’s birthday. The celebrations occur throughout the city with street festivals, concerts, and partying, all while wearing bright orange, the national color of Holland. Orange colored drinks are consumed, too. This holiday will change to King’s Day in 2014 and be celebrated a few days earlier.
Ice Skate the Canals
A few days per year, it can get cold enough for the canals to actually freeze over and get hard enough to actually ice skate on! I’m pretty sure there is no cooler natural ice skating rink in the world!
What are your must-see tourist attractions in Amsterdam?
oh so now I need to visit when it’s cold because I need to ice skate the canals. i literally have that same pic in the shoe. i swear i live vicariously through you sometimes. i love you more with each post. that it all.
I know, I was so sad when I went in winter and it wasn’t quite cold enough to skate. Plus, everyone would have loved to witness it because I am all sorts of clumsy on skates.
Oh, I miss Amsterdam! I would love to be there on Queen’s Day sometime!
We have done a lot of touristy things too. Madame Tussaud’s, Grachten tour, Van Gogh Museum, red light district (oh yeah, no photos allowed!), Albert Cuyp market, windmills, Torture museum….
Madam Tussaud’s is always a blast! I went to the one in London once!
Great overview! I think the Anne Frank House is definitely a must! =) And the canals are so pretty!
As a kid, I had a pair of clogs that I just loved. The people living in the apartment under us weren’t quite as thrilled as I was
Ah I bet you were too cute in your clogs!
Wow, you really did it all!
I must say I wasn’t the biggest fan of Amsterdam, but ever since I heard about the annual Museum Night in November, I really wanted to go back there. And ice skating on the canals is pretty much the coolest thing ever! I’ve seen photos of cafés actually putting chairs and tables on the ice so you can dine ON the frozen canals!
Amsterdam somehow grows on me every time, the charm just comes out! Museum night sure sounds right up your alley!
I have never been but now I have a ton of things to add to my bucket list!
xx
Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
Amsterdam is certainly worth a trip!
I need to go back to Amsterdam. We went for a weekend with my uncle and it was FREEZING! We did the Anne Frank Haus and a canal tour, went to the zoo and visited a diamond factory (would not have been my choice, but my uncle’s partner wanted to do it). That’s all we had time for. I actually think I liked Delft better though – it’s smaller, but also less busy.
It was FREEZING my last time there too – and freezing rain. There were still people riding around on their bikes – pretty hardcore if you ask me. I haven’t heard have Delft, will have to Google! The diamond factory thing actually sounds sorta cool though
It’s where the famous blue and white porcelain is made
My friend used to live there, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have heard of it either.
https://confuzzledom.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/the-land-of-blue-and-white-porcelain/
Leiden is also nice, and I had the best pancake EVER there! If you’re ever going to be in Leiden let me know and I’ll ask my friend the name of the pancake house (there are loads in the same street, but she took us to the one she says is the best).
Spectacular! I know my new source on the Netherlands, you’re full of good tips!
I love the idea of ice-skating on the canals… knowing me, I would probably somehow be the only one to fall through the ice though :p
Hahaha, that would probably be me too but still willing to try
I’m still laughing at ‘watch your pot-head’
I would love to skate the canals though, as long as there was hot chocolate involved (or Heineken, I’d take a Heineken).
Or Gluehwein, always welcome
Ha! This post made me laugh out loud. Especially the part about the Prostitution Center tours and “watch your pot-head.” I still haven’t been to Amsterdam, but hoping to pop over soon. Looks like the bike tour is the best way to see a bunch. If only one could drink the heinekens while biking, then you could REALLY kill multiple birds with one stone.
You know what, you might just be able to drink the Heinekens while biking. I did this one in Copenhagen, but cannot in any way vouch for the legality of it
I have that same in-the-shoe picture. I’m pretty sure it’s the same shoe, actually. More or less across the street from Madam Tussauds, yes?
We wound up at the diamond factory tour, because it was a stop in our bus tour of Amsterdam- it turned out to be a chance for them to try to sell us diamonds. Very disappointing AND annoying.
At least the tour took us by Van Gogh’s windmill.
Haha pretty sure the shoe picture is an Amsterdam staple. We are such tourists.
That’s a bummer about the diamond factory tour because just the title does sound interesting, but gotta hate when people push stuff nonstop.
Wow you’ve seen a lot in Amsterdam! Some of my favourite parts are the Jordaan district and the Negen Straatjes shopping area (really cool, funky independent shops) the Sunday market (first Sunday of the month in the Westerpark, totally hipster central but awesome too) and the Brouwerij ‘t Ij (an independent brewery that is actually in a windmill). I love the city!
Ooooh that market sounds awesome, reminds me of this one on Sundays at Mauerpark in Berlin! And that brewery, great tip! Thank you, now I want to go back just for that