Isn't it lovely, today?
Hello, everybody!
The article is quite long but, if you want, you can skip all the text and just read the title, watch the pictures... But, please, make sure to read at least the bold words because those are the things that made me write this article.
It's important that you understand I'm not from the Netherlands so I'm sure there're lots of amazing places I missed, unfortunately.
Now... Let's discover the wonderful Amsterdam!
➷ PLACES
⤛ Yellow Korner ⤜
This is a sort of art gallery where you can walk and watch the beautiful photos. In there, photography is the main character!
⤛ Bloemenmarkt ⤜
The smell of flowers, seeds of tulips scattered around, the always-present 'klompen' (clogs) and the sound of water are the equivalent of Bloemenmarkt. It’s a floating flower market (bloem = flower) founded in 1862, in the very centre of Amsterdam. You will love it since the first step in!
⤛ Museumplein ⤜
Museum’s Square, in Dutch, Museumplein is a huge park/square full of bars and cafés where are placed some of the most famous Amsterdam museums: Momo Museum, Rijkmuseum, Van Gogh’s Museum... It’s worthy even to just go for a walk and watch the environment and culture (I almost could smell it!)
⤛ Van Gogh’s Museum ⤜
So I add this museum because I visited it and I left speechless. There, you can find not only Van Gogh’s masterpieces but also learn about his life. Did you know that autumn was Van Gogh’s favourite season?
Or that he painted the Sunflowers with only 3 shades of yellow?
❝ It was irrationally magical how the paintings seemed to shine.❞
⤛ Red Light District ⤜
Aka De Wallen (the walls) by Amsterdam citizens because some of the canals located in the area used to be walled. It has an astounding difference between day and night. I’d catalogue it as a +18/21 place with its coffeeshops, nightlife and casinos, but, nevertheless, you can just go and watch the environment.
⤛ Anne Frank Huis ⤜
Anne Frank’s House in Dutch. I’ve learnt a lot about Anne’s life. It shows how the inhabitants of the house lived with a well-explained multimedia guide and black and white pictures. To me, it was shocking. If you haven’t read her diary yet, do it! I’ve started it and it’s shocking, too.
⤛ Spiegelgracht [Centrum] ⤜
Ok, so that’s not exactly a place, it’s a street. I wanted to put this here because it’s a very nice street full of little shops: antiquaries, clothing, furniture, etc. All along the street there's a canal so if you want to spend your day walking aimlessly, go and check this street out!
⤛ Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat [Museumkwartier] ⤜
Another street! This one is the architectural form of the word “luxury”. Chanel, Givenchy, Dior, Blueberry... A myriad of haute-couture brands. I ended up there because it’s near to Museumplein so, while I was waiting to visit Van Gogh’s museum, I just started to walk and, suddenly, I found myself surrounded by men in suits and women with heels, so yeah, I felt a little out-of-place with my trainers and my anorak.
➷ FOOD
⤛ PLUK ⤜
Their motto: a piece for everyone! This is indeed an aesthetic place. This café is in the centre of Amsterdam, lost among lots of canals. It offers homemade bakery such as the typical Appletaart (Dutch style apple pie) but you can also go and eat a rapid healthy lunch. It offers a variety of gluten, lactose or sugar free options, so don’t be afraid of not finding the right dish here!
⤛ Frenzi ⤜
I went there the last day and yes, they open on Sundays! It may seem a simple café from the outside but once you get in you discover a “culinary wonderland”! Whether you go for the pasta of the day or for the nutritious and healthy (and enormous) sandwiches, make sure to taste Portie Bitterballen “Oma Bobs stoofvlees” which is translated as typical Dutch fried croquette-balls. I’ve tasted them and they were delicious but, even so, I still don’t know what they are made of!
⤛ Incanto ⤜
Incanto is a trendy Italian restaurant so, yeah, it’s a little too expensive. But the food is worth it! There are tasty breads such as pumpkin or wholegrain bread and the pasta is amazing: my advice, taste the risotto. Summarizing, it’s enchanting, as its name!
⤛ Blushing ⤜
A really finest coffee. It’s an elegant, trendy and perfect for a rendezvous with friends café. They offer healthy and complete breakfast, worthy artisan beer and really good coffee. I particularly fell in love with a large hazelnut cappuccino. Yes, we became good friends.
⤛ Café de Gaeper ⤜
This cosy local Dutch pub is a great place to hang out with friends and to drink some coffee or to taste one of their big beer selections with some cheap chips! I really liked go in there because the ambience was really familiar and the dim lights gave me some peace after a long day walking around.
➷ SHOPS
{Unfortunately, no pictures of any of them...}
⤛ Nieuws ⤜
This shop is perfect to buy those unique, funny things that are hard to find. It’s a place where I could spend hours in just browsing and don’t care about the money: it’s cheap!
⤛ Nunc ⤜
I loved this boutique just entering because it has a mesmerising vogue style. If you want to browse among luxury items, come here! But it may be a little expensive.
⤛ Lucies Amsterdam ⤜
Ok, so, this is a tiny shop next to the Amsterdam Dungeon. Artisan jewellery is what this shop is about. The bracelets and rings are stunningly beautiful and well-made!
➷ MUST-DO
⤛ Going on a boat ride ⤜
It’s a nice tour across the city through the canals. The multimedia guide offers many language options. While you're sitting on the boat, you’re given a different view and perspective of Amsterdam. I went with Tours & Tickets which is a company that gives you the chance to combine different tours like, idk, going to the Madame Tussaud’s museum (a wax museum) and also going to the boat ride at a lower price!
⤛ Appletaart ⤜
As I've already said, it's delicious and, if it's homemade, even better! For vegan people, most of the establishments offer options without the usual whipped cream ;)
⤛ Portie Bitterballen “Oma Bobs stoofvlees” ⤜
They're served hot and crunchy so they suit for anytime! I'm not sure if these croquette-balls are made of meat so, if you're vegan or vegetarian, ask before order them!
⤛ Stroopwafles ⤜
Basically, caramel filled waffles. Mmmmm...
➷ SEASON
The perfect season to visit the Dutch capital is between spring and summer (April – June). When I went in February it wasn’t that cold but if you go during spring, you’ll find yourselves surrounded by green trees and flowers in bloom so, yeah, it would be fantastic if I could go back the next year and see the magical Mother Nature doing her job.
➷ TRANSPORT
Undoubtedly, the tram is the best way to get rid of jams in Amsterdam Centre. But, if you want to visit the Dutch countryside, you should climb in a train and enjoy your day! (Does that really rhyme or is it just me?)
➷ FUNNY / INTERESTING FACTS
- Under the age of 10-17 years old (youth), going to museums or tours is less expensive or even free!
- There are lots of bicycles, everywhere. I guess there must be 5 bicycles per inhabitant! I barely saw a car if it wasn't in the outskirts.
- As you might already know, weed and prostitution (the last, only indoors) are legal in Amsterdam. It’s a truly liberal city.
- I’m not sure if it’s like this all the year but, in February, the Christmas lights are still on the streets and in some stores so it’s kind of welcoming.
- More than 200 people in Amsterdam live in housesboats on the canals!
➷ TO ME, AMSTERDAM IS...
⤛ Refreshing ⤜
Between school and my daily life, Amsterdam was like a blast of fresh air. It was like entering in a new dimension and I couldn’t be happier to have discovered it.
➳ I love you,
☼ I'm really exhausted so I'm going to crawl to my bed after clicking the Publish button. Buuut, you can enjoy reading this all night if you want! You know what to do if you have liked it: ♥, ☺ or ✉ . (But if you're as exhausted as me, give it up, guys)
☼ In July, I'm going to Paris so get ready for another 'extra long' article!
☼ If you got here, thank you VERY much and hope you have learnt something else about Amsterdam!
With one hand tapping the laptop and the other hand grabbing some stroopwafles,
― j.s. ♥
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