Giulia is an expat and will be telling us about Amsterdam, where she moved, sharing all the things to see in a city full of surprises!
Amsterdam is a wonderful blend of art and colour, where the façades of the old houses along the canals contrast beautifully with the modern architecture.
Past, present and future come together in the Dutch capital, which runs fast, like the thousands of bicycles crossing it every day. The opportunities this city offers are many and varied, both for work and for study.
But if you are thinking of visiting this city, there are a great many things to see and do in Amsterdam.
I moved here for the second time within two years, that’s how in love with it I am. I’ll try to tell you about Amsterdam through the eyes of someone who lives it every day and adores it!
Let’s go!
What to see in Amsterdam
The city has a great deal to offer, whether you plan a short visit or intend to stay for several days.
I recommend staying at least 3 days in Amsterdam so you can discover some of the city’s main attractions and still have time to wander through its loveliest districts.
The true essence of Amsterdam lies in the canals that run through it: a walk along the Grachtengordel (literally “canal belt”) is a must. It isn’t just the city’s most famous postcard: the ring of seventeenth-century canals, with its four main axes (Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht), has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010 as a masterpiece of town planning.
Don’t miss the four main squares of Amsterdam: Dam (home to the Royal Palace, which is not a former palace at all: it is still one of the palaces at the king’s disposal for state ceremonies), Nieuwmarkt, Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein.
Among the things to see in Amsterdam, how could I not mention the Red Light District, which is in fact one of the oldest areas of the city and is home to the Gothic Oude Kerk (“Old Church”), the oldest building in Amsterdam.
Also worth noting are the Gothic Nieuwe Kerk (“New Church”), on Dam, and the Sint Nicolaaskerk (“Basilica of St Nicholas”), right in front of the majestic Amsterdam Central Station.
Do you think that’s all?
There are still plenty of things to do in Amsterdam.
Let me tell you about them!
The museums of Amsterdam not to be missed
Among the things to see in Amsterdam, don’t forget to visit the unmissable Museumplein, the enormous museum square.
First a warning, because it is the question everyone asks me: the famous “I amsterdam” sign you see in a thousand photos is no longer there. The letters were removed from Museumplein on 3 December 2018, because the city council considered them a symbol of mass tourism (six thousand selfies a day were being taken there). If you really want them, the remaining set is at Schiphol airport.
That aside, the square is still home to the city’s main museums. Here you will find the Rijksmuseum, devoted to the history of Dutch art and more, from the Middle Ages to the present day, with Rembrandt’s Night Watch as its showpiece. Then there is the Stedelijk, the museum of modern and contemporary art, the Van Gogh Museum, dedicated entirely to the immense Dutch artist, and finally the Moco Museum, known above all for Banksy and street art.
One practical tip worth its weight in gold: the Van Gogh Museum can be entered only with a timed ticket bought online, and at peak times it sells out days in advance. The same goes for the Anne Frank House, which can only be booked on the official website. These are not museums you turn up at and walk into.
Two more museums to visit in Amsterdam are NEMO, the science museum whose copper architecture in the shape of a ship’s prow is the work of Renzo Piano, and the Amsterdam Museum, the interactive and thoroughly interesting museum of the city’s history.
Finally, I recommend taking a canal cruise in Amsterdam.
Most boat trips leave from Central Station and from the Damrak; they can last half an hour, an hour or an hour and a half. Some even offer the chance of a drink or dinner on board.
I think it is a good opportunity to see Amsterdam from a completely different point of view.
Where to eat in Amsterdam
As with any self-respecting trip, the “food” information is essential!
The two most characterful areas of Amsterdam are also the richest in restaurants: I mean the Grachtengordel and the Red Light District.
The good thing about this area is that you can try different cuisines from all over the world: excellent Dutch, Indian and Greek restaurants in the canal district; delicious Chinese, Indonesian and Argentinian ones around Dam and the Red Light District.
Of all the restaurants in Amsterdam I’ve tried, I have to say these three stayed with me:
- Eye Filmmuseum. To all intents and purposes it is a museum… of cinema! It is in the north of Amsterdam, and easily reached from Central Station thanks to a free ferry (towards Buiksloterweg) that runs constantly and takes a few minutes to cross. The museum has a splendid glazed inner terrace housing a bar-restaurant where you can enjoy excellent international cooking. The setting is lovely and the prices fairly modest.
- Madam: this is the restaurant of the A’DAM Lookout, at the top of the A’DAM Toren, right next to the Eye and reachable by the same ferry. As you can imagine the view over the city is breathtaking: the viewing deck sits at about 100 metres, where you will also find the famous Over The Edge swing that dangles you out beyond the edge of the tower. Above it there is also Moon, a revolving restaurant with a 360-degree view. Prices are mid to high, but it is genuinely worth it. I always recommend booking through their website, especially at weekends, because there aren’t many covers.
- The Seafood Bar: Amsterdam is a “water city” and the fish arrives fresh here every day. Well, this is the ideal place to feast on it. The one I tried is at Spui, right in the centre. The setting is splendid and the fish and kitchen are in full view, guaranteeing total transparency. Prices are fairly high, but not excessively so given the outstanding quality of the food, the service and the location.
As always with restaurants, check opening hours and bookings before you go: places in Amsterdam change fast.
Practical info for visiting Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the city of bicycles. The cycle lanes are a sort of motorway and bikes have priority over everyone, even pedestrians. If you want to hire a bike in Amsterdam, I suggest doing it at Central Station, where there is a well-stocked rental point. One recommendation from a resident: never walk on the cycle lane, the red one. It is the quickest way to ruin your day.
I promise you it is the perfect way to explore Amsterdam!
If instead you find the weather isn’t at its best, or you need to move faster, you can use public transport, which is always extremely punctual and will take you everywhere. The most economical thing to do is buy a GVB transport pass (valid 24, 48 or 72 hours) allowing you to travel freely by bus, tram, metro and ferry.
If you want to visit the museums of Amsterdam, I also recommend the I amsterdam City Card, which includes entry to over seventy museums, public transport, a canal cruise and 24-hour bike hire. Watch out for one thing that annoys a lot of visitors, though: the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House are not included and still have to be booked separately.
One last piece of advice!
Let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of this city, by the scent of its tulips and the colours of its canal houses… it really is worth it!
And you, what appeals to you most about Amsterdam: the masterpieces of the Rijksmuseum, or an aimless ride along the canals?
Giulia Pianelli
(The photos in this post come from the web. If they infringe your copyright, write to us at arttrip@arttrip.it and we will remove them.)
Living for a while in a country that is not your own changes the way you travel: I wrote about why spending time living abroad is worth the effort.
