We have been wanting to make a spring trip to the Netherlands for a long time but somehow could not find the time to do it. When we finally made it to Amsterdam, we were able to confirm what we had long suspected – the Netherlands is a unique, small country which charms in so many ways. Rich history, excellent transportation system, beautiful nature, happy and pleasant people are just some of the things that undoubtedly made our trip very enjoyable.
We stayed in Amsterdam and made day trips from there. The country is relatively small and has an excellent transportation system, both inside the city of Amsterdam and throughout the rest of the country. Our focus for this trip was to visit some of the museums, stroll the streets of the city, explore its canals and life around them, sample food we knew about (hello Strupwafles and Broodje Haring sandwich 😊), but to also uncover the more sophisticated food side of Amsterdam. Finally, since we visited during the tulip season, we wanted to explore the countryside and learn more about the country’s history in flower growing.
Where to stay in Amsterdam
Our recommendation is to stay in Amsterdam. There are plenty of hotels at all different price points, so one is sure to find good accommodations. However, if you can, stay in or near the historic downtown of the city where you will find plenty to do and enjoy the walking and biking lifestyle that makes Amsterdam famous. You really will not need a car and can get to all points of interest very easily by walking, biking, or taking public transportation. If you need, you can use Uber, which is readily available.
If you can splurge on a hotel, we highly recommend the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht. Located on one of the main canals, the hotel is a whimsical masterpiece built inside the former Public Library. You will definitely feel like you are entering an Alice in Wonderland-esque world right after you step inside. The hotel is beautiful, the rooms are large and full of light, and, if you are a design lover, a stay at Andaz is a must. At a minimum, get a drink at the bar and people-watch from the big windows that overlook the canal.
What to do in Amsterdam
Day 1 in Amsterdam
Make history be the focus of the first day in Amsterdam. It will help you put everything else that you do for the remainder of your trip into context and understand the place, its culture, and its people better.
Visit the Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands. It tells the story of the country through art and history. You can see many original paintings from the Dutch Masters (Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and much more) as wells as many history, arts and crafts objects. The museum is quite large, and you can easily spend a full day there. Spending between 2 and 4 hours will allow you to get a good foundation for what you are about to see in the Netherlands. You can purchase timed tickets online. Considering that this is the most visited museum in the country, we strongly advise you to plan ahead. This was by far one of our favorite museums.
Other museums to consider
If you are interested in art, there are plenty of museums to choose from. Plan ahead when visiting each and get tickets online as they are all very popular.
- Van Gogh Museum – dedicated to the art of Van Gogh. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh works. Wonderful but a very busy museum.
- Rembrandt House Museum – located in the house Rembrandt lived in between 1639 and 1659. A wonderful opportunity to experience the life of Rembrandt.
- Moco Museum – for people interested in modern art, the Moco museum is a nice stop. Housed in an early 20th-century building, the Moco museum offers a mixture of Salvador Dali, Banksy works, and much more (hello NFTs😊). This is also a very popular museum and getting tickets online is advisable.
Try Genever
While in the museum area, take the House of Bols: Cocktail & Genever Experience. A unique drink and experience that will add to your understanding and appreciation of the Netherlands. It is also a way to relax after hours of museum walking.
Day 2 in Amsterdam
Start the day by taking a walk through the canal streets and admiring the architecture and all the leaning houses.
Visit the Bloemenmarkt
Located at Singel, 1012 DH Amsterdam, this unique flower market dates back to 1862. It is a great place to see and shop for flowers and flower growing supplies, as well as for cheeses and local souvenirs.
Visit Amsterdam’s smallest house
Registered as a national heritage site, this house 2.2 meters wide by 5 meters deep is considered the smallest house in Europe by some accounts. The house is located at Oude Hoogstraat 22, Amsterdam.
Visit the Ann Frank House
A very popular historic site, the Ann Frank house is a must see. The house can only be visited with a ticket purchased online.
Take a canal cruise or rent a paddle boat
There are many different canal cruise operators, and booking one is a matter of preference. Cruising down the canals will give you a unique and different view of town, and most cruise providers give a bit of a history overview.
A popular company which offers both cruises and paddle boats is Stromma Canal Tours. You can book a paddle boat directly here. Be advised that paddling in the canals is somewhat strenuous as the undercurrent is strong and you have to navigate among other, often bigger, boats. However, it is a lot of fun if you are up for it. Book your paddle boat ahead of time as this is a very popular activity.
For a special dinner, you can book a boat for two with a captain and enjoy evening views of the city. While having dinner, we observed the captain of a similar boat picking up food from a top restaurant and setting the table for his two guests. Pretty romantic and I am sure delicious. Maybe next time for us 😊!
Day 3 in Amsterdam
If you would like to see the famous Dutch tulips, plan a trip to the Netherlands in April. Words cannot describe the overwhelming beauty of the tulip-growing regions and the care and pride people take in the unique craft of growing tulips. You will also see and smell other flowers grown here, including hyacinths and narcissuses.
A great way to see how flowers are grown is to take a day trip outside of Amsterdam to the municipality of Lisse. Our recommendation is to split your day in two – Keukenhof in the morning and a bike trip in the afternoon.
Visit the Keukenhof Gardens
Also known as the Garden of Europe, Keukenhof spans 32 hectares and has over 7 million bulbs planted each year. It is open March 23 to May 14 each year. Mid-April is the best time to visit. Get your tickets online and follow the site’s instructions to get there. Buses can be taken from multiple places in town, and it takes about 1 hour to get to the gardens. The gardens are huge and so beautiful, and you can stroll through them at your own pace.
Take a bike tour through the countryside
There are many different tours to choose from. You can even just rent a bike and bike around by yourself; however, we recommend taking a 2.5-hour tour with a local guide, which you can book here. The local guides know the location of the best fields at the time of your trip and how to avoid the crowds, if you are visiting at the peak of tulip season. We had a wonderful experience not just riding and seeing the countryside but spending time with a local person who was knowledgeable about the area and so willing to answer questions about the local life, culture, and people. Highly recommend.
Where to drink and eat in Amsterdam
The everyday food in the Netherlands was unremarkable. Burgers and fries were good and reliable everywhere, and salads were also good and readily available. Some specialties to try if you want to experience the more traditional side of Dutch cooking:
- For breakfast, try freshly made strupwafles when you see them. They are a local specialty and are so very tasty. Brings some home, as they are not as easy to find outside of the Netherlands.
- For lunch try a Broodje haring sandwich. It is made of raw herring, so be aware if you would rather not eat raw fish. We did not particularly like it, but we had to try it. If available also try bitterballen, a beloved Dutch snack typically served at bars and cafes.
- Try as many local beers as you can. We had some great ones and were never disappointed with our selections.
- Try home cooking at the Moeders restaurant. Book a table ahead of time as the place is quite popular.
- Try Indonesian food at Mama Makan restaurant and learn how Indonesian food became popular in the Netherlands.
- Try Dutch apple pie served at many cafes in town
- There is no shortage of fine dining restaurants in Amsterdam, and we certainly want to come back and try more of them. But until then, we tried and highly recommend the Daalder restaurant by chef Chef Dennis Huwaë. Both the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant were unique and very memorable.
What we loved about Amsterdam and the Netherlands
- Charmingly preserved architecture and canals
- Beautiful countryside
- Ease of access to places
- The people were super nice and willing to assist
“I tell people, be nice, as it doesn’t cost you anything, but it can bring so much back to you.”
Uber driver in Amsterdam
What to bring
- Layers of clothing as the weather changes a lot in the spring
- Comfortable shoes as you will do a lot of walking
- A hat and gloves, if traveling in the spring
- Sunglasses
- An umbrella. We like this one for travel, but Amazon has many reasonably priced options.
Check out our list of travel essentials on what to take and how to maximize your packing.
In closing, our biggest regret was that we did not have time to explore more of the country. We plan to return and visit Rotterdam, Haarlem, the Hague, and spend more time in the countryside.
Stay tuned for our specific recommendations on what to wear.
[All pictures taken by the Styled Traveler]
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