Amsterdam, the city of canals
Amsterdam’s canal-woven core is laced by atmospheric narrow lanes. You never know what you’ll find: a tiny hidden garden; a boutique selling witty, stylised Dutch-designed homewares and fashion; a jewel-box-like jenever (Dutch gin) distillery; a flower stall filled with tulips in a rainbow of hues; an old monastery-turned-classical-music-venue; an ultra-niche restaurant such as an all-avocado specialist or one reinventing age-old Dutch classics. Fringing the centre, post-industrial buildings in up-and-coming neighbourhoods now house creative enterprises, from art galleries to craft breweries and cutting-edge tech start-ups, as well as some of Europe’s hottest clubs.You can’t walk a kilometre without bumping into a masterpiece in the city. The Van Gogh Museum hangs the world’s largest collection by tortured native son Vincent. A few blocks away, Vermeers, Rembrandts and other Golden Age treasures fill the glorious Rijksmuseum. The Museum het Rembrandthuis offers more of Rembrandt via his etching-packed studio, while the Stedelijk Museum counts Matisses and Mondrians among its modern stock. And for blockbuster displays, the Hermitage Amsterdam delivers: the outpost of Russia’s State Hermitage Museum sifts through its three-million-piece home trove to mount mega exhibitions.
Two-wheeling is a way of life here.ycling is the Netherlands’ most beloved mode of transport. In Amsterdam, it’s a relaxing and sustainable way to access parks and open spaces in less-touristy neighbourhoods and take in the bountiful scenery.You’ll find bike rental shops everywhere. A day’s rental usually costs about €12 ($14). Choosing a rental company without branding will help you blend in. Take care to ride your bike in the red asphalt-covered bike lanes, not on the footpaths for pedestrians.
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It’s how Amsterdammers commute to work, go to the shop, and meet a date for dinner. Abundant bike-hire shops make it easy to gear up and take a spin. If locals aren’t on a bike, they may well be on the water. With its canals and massive harbour, this city reclaimed from the sea offers countless opportunities to drift. Hop aboard a canal boat (preferably an open-air one) or one of the free ferries behind Centraal Station, or rent your own for a wind-in-your-hair ride.
Amsterdam is famously Gezellig, a Dutch quality that translates roughly as ‘convivial’ or ‘cosy’. It’s more easily experienced than defined. There’s a sense of time stopping, an intimacy of the here-and-now that leaves your troubles behind, at least until tomorrow. The easiest place to encounter this feeling is a bruin café(brown cafe; traditional drinking establishment). Named for their wood panelling and walls once stained by smoke, brown cafes have Gezelligheid (cosiness) on tap, along with good beer. You can also feel Gezellig lingering after dinner in snug restaurants while the candles burn low.
In terms of where to eat in Amsterdam, the choices are endless. On the high-end, there are 23 Michelin Star restaurants in Amsterdam. If you are travelling to Amsterdam on a budget, there are tons of food trucks in Amsterdam. These food trucks serve up a wide range of tasty Dutch treats and international favourites. Additionally, there are half a dozen food markets in Amsterdam worth checking out. The cost of eating in Amsterdam varies. During our trip to Amsterdam, we ate at a wide range of restaurants, excluding a Michelin restaurant. As an example of cost, we ate Pannen Koeken (pancakes) at Pancake House. Two pancakes and two cafe lattes cost us €30 or roughly $30. Alternatively, you can eat at FEBO for as little as €2.50 per item. Overall, despite Dutch food not having the greatest reputation, Amsterdam is one of the best food cities in the World. It has a wide variety of food options to fit all budgets.
In conclusion, Amsterdam is the most amazing destination to visit. The experience of travelling in this European country is so good that you won’t be able to forget it for the entire lifetime. You’ll always wanna go back to that place to make more and more memories of that place.
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