Amsterdam is an incredible city in so many ways. This Amsterdam Travel Guide will help you to have the best possible experience in the city. We have visited twice, once in the winter and once in the Spring, and so far both seasons have a very unique charm to them. We had a wonderful time in winter exploring all of the Christmas lights and decorations and experiencing a bit of a quieter vibe. We also really enjoyed the spring, although more crowded, it was beautiful to be there while tulips were on display and everyone was getting out and about and excited for the upcoming good weather. Whatever time of year you chose to/are able to go to Amsterdam, you will not be disappointed.
Where to Stay
This Amsterdam travel guide will include multiple places you could stay. We have stayed in 3 different types of accommodation during our time in Amsterdam and all have their benefits. The first time we visited we stayed in “Hotel Pulitzer”. It’s a long story, but we were gifted this stay by our wedding hotel, “Le Meridien Philadelphia”.
Hotel Pulitzer
We usually don’t splurge on this type of luxury hotel, especially in a place like Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a city where we know we’ll be outside and walking around most of the time. This hotel was incredible, we absolutely LOVED it. It was so comfortable and beautiful and in the absolute most perfect location; the gorgeous main tourist area of Amsterdam is right outside your front door. This area will be mentioned multiple times throughout this Amsterdam travel guide and the best part… quick walking distance to the Cheese Museum! We still reminisce about how comfortable and amazing the bed was. The staff was wonderful and overall it was an excellent way to experience the city. This is also the hotel that was used in the filming of the Oceans Movies (if you are a fan). It had to be included in this Amsterdam Travel Guide.
Hotel Pagi
If you want a nice and easy place to stay that is also close to everything, but far cheaper, then “Hotel Pagi” is your spot. In all honesty, when I was first reading reviews about this hotel I got a little nervous, but as soon as we arrived I felt completely at ease. The staff here were the most incredibly kind and welcoming people, they made us feel at home. The place was clean and just fine for a stay where you don’t spend a lot of time in your hotel. That said, there may or may not have been some dicey situations going on in other rooms… which can sometimes happen at this price point. But it is located in a great spot with a comfortable bed and a nice shower. So, if that’s all you’re looking for, along with some nice staff and fresh coffee, you’ve got it here!
Stay in a Houseboat (highlight of our Amsterdam Travel Guide)
Our favorite stay in Amsterdam was in a houseboat Airbnb. We LOVED this experience, it felt like such an adventure. Being in a houseboat, we were obviously right on the canal, and to get even closer to the water, had a little bench seat outside our window. We even had a visit from some swans that swim up in the canal. The houseboat was so adorable that we brought dinner back one night to eat in so we could spend more time in the magical ambiance. We really loved the experience and would highly recommend it. The space was not huge, which I think you’d expect, but it was so cute and cozy. We could view the canal from laying in our bed and woke up to the sunrise on the water. It felt like a form of glamping. If we were to return to Amsterdam again, we’d likely rent another place like this!
Where to eat
Moeders
This place feels kind of quintessential to an Amsterdam travel guide. We were actually given this recommendation by a friend and ended up then passing it on to some other friends, and it has gotten nothing but positive reviews. Moeders has really delicious traditional Dutch food and serves it in great portions. What is special about Moeders is the translation means “mothers”, and there are pictures of mothers literally covering the entire walls of the establishment. It is also located right on a canal, so if the weather is cooperating you can sit outside on the water to enjoy your meal. It definitely was a huge hit for us in Amsterdam, and I would go back again for sure.
Bistro Amsterdam
(This place used to be called Bistro BIjons) When we stayed at the “Hotel Pulizer”, this place was a few doors down and we stumbled in one night in the dark, cold of December not knowing what to expect, but just seeing that it looked warm and inviting. It was a perfect meal that we absolutely loved. It was small and so cozy, the staff was kind and welcoming and, most importantly, the food was amazing! We sent friends here years later and were a bit nervous, we didn’t know if it would still live up to the hype. But, our friends were thrilled and still say it is one of the best meals they’ve had while traveling, so this place is definitely worth stopping in to make a reservation on your trip.
Alex & Pinard
This was a pleasant surprise that I found online leading up to our trip. It is a bit out of the way as far as the main tourist area, which is something that we like. The food was excellent and fresh, the very small menu usually lets you know that a place is using fresh, local, and in season ingredients. The food here was excellent! They also serve all natural wines which we enjoyed trying with our dinner. We walked here from our hotel and it took about an hour, which was a great way to see some of the sights of the city we hadn’t seen before!
Cheese Museum & Cheese Shops (one of the most important parts of any Amsterdam Travel Guide)
Visiting the Cheese Museum and other cheese shops is literally one of my most favorite activities in Amsterdam. You can stop in any cheese shop and try so many delicious cheeses. The Dutch really know what they’re doing when it comes to cheese and getting the opportunity to try so many and then pick some out for a picnic is a highlight for me! Do not miss out on walking into as many as you can!
Food Hallen
We discovered the Food Hallen on our second trip to Amsterdam and it was perfect for bringing dinner in to our houseboat! We got a bunch of different foods from all different stalls and then took them back to our houseboat to dine on the water! The Food Hallen is like most food halls around the world, it has a ton of amazing stalls with different cuisine from around the world, lots of great things to try and snack on, lots of small bites, fun drinks, and a nice crowd and busy atmosphere. They had a DJ spinning while everyone was chilling and eating and drinking, it was a really nice vibe and had we not been so excited to return to our houseboat, we would have happily eaten right there. It is worth checking out on your visit for sure.
Pancakes/Crepes/Doughnuts
The Dutch do really well with all of these types of foods, so they must be included in an Amsterdam Travel Guide. The little baby pancakes with powdered sugar are a delightful treat to have while sipping a drink on the canal. Crepes are an excellent way to start your day, or to have any time depending on what you’re going for! You can’t go wrong grabbing any of these for a snack during your time in Amsterdam.
If you’re on the hunt for more amazing foodie stops in Amsterdam check out Tasting Sunsets blog post on their Top 10 Food Favorites in Amsterdam
Things to do and see
Anne Frank House
This may seem like the most obvious and touristy thing to do during your time here and you’ll find it on every Amsterdam travel guide. However, I feel it is a very valuable experience. You must book tickets in advance for a time slot, you will see the huge queue to get inside. The house is extremely small, smaller than you’d ever imagine if you read the book. Moving through it takes a bit of time, but they cycle people through very well. I found it very insightful to re-read “The Diary of Anne Frank” before visiting.
I also read “Anne Frank Remembered”, which was written by Meip Gies, who was one of the Dutch citizens who helped to hide Anne and her family. She was an adult at the time, so her book is a bit more informative and accurate than Anne’s. Both are very much worth a read before you visit the house. You are truly viewing a piece of history, and it is a somber reminder of what the world has been through (and still goes through in so many places). I think you leave this visit feeling hopeful and wanting to continue to put positivity out into the world so that things like this never happen again. Continuing to educate ourselves is a great way to to this. (I’m not just saying that because I”m a teacher).
Visiting the Tulips
Depending on what time of year you visit Amsterdam, you may be hoping to see the Tulips. If you are here during tulip season, it is very enjoyable to walk around town and see all of the little tulip displays in front of shops, and on street corners and in front of canals. The best way to see the tulips, though, is to get out of Amsterdam and head to Lisse and the Keukenhof.
I have a whole post with information about that here.
You can also visit the Tulip Museum in Amsterdam to learn more about the flowers, their history in the Netherlands, and how to grow them yourself.
Floating Flower Market
The flower market is beautiful to see and worth a brief walk through. The stalls are seemingly endless and there are so many types of flowers and seeds to buy. You don’t necessarily need to go out of your way to see this, but it is worth a pass-by if you’re in the area and want to see something neat and I knew it couldn’t hurt to include in our Amsterdam Travel Guide.
Rijksmuseum
We were visiting Amsterdam during the winter on our first trip and this museum was a fun and beautiful way to escape the cold for a bit. The museum is filled with Dutch history and is a great place to visit. We really loved the interior and saw a lot of priceless art, including the Van Gogh self portrait. The library was gorgeous and one of our favorite parts. We are not heavy museum goers on trips, but this was well worth our time and we’d recommend checking it out.
Christmas Lights
If you go during the winter holiday, Amsterdam puts on a delightful light display all over the canals. We had so much fun looking for all of the different light installations and enjoying them on our walks around the city.
Day Trip to Haarlem
Haarlem is one of our favorite cities and it is such an easy day trip from Amsterdam. I don’t think this is always mentioned in an Amsterdam Travel Guide. You can get there in about 12 minutes by train and you can walk all around town, so you don’t need any additional transport. Although, you could also rent a bike from a place right by the train station to explore all around Haarlem even quicker.
Read my extensive post about what to do and see in Haarlem here.
Canal Tour
One thing we still have yet to do in Amsterdam that I would LOVE to do is a canal boat tour. I feel this should be included in any Amsterdam Travel Guide. There are so many options for doing this and I’d love so many of them. I would love to do a cheese tasting canal tour. I’d also LOVE to rent our own boat and ride through the canals having a picnic. No matter what you choose, this would be such a charming way to see the city.
You can find some options for canal tours here —–> Amsterdam Canal Tours
Final Thoughts
We hope to continue to visit Amsterdam in different seasons and continue to add to this Amsterdam Travel Guide. Luckily, it’s usually an easy flight from Philadelphia so we know we’ll be back, and I can continue to add to this growing list of great things to see, do, and eat there!
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