One of the main advantages of living in Switzerland, is being within 1-3 hours of most European cities. I chose Amsterdam this time as it had been years since my last visit and it was also on my boyfriend’s bucket list ! I am lucky to have one of my closest friends living there as well as my cousin which meant that this time, we didn’t need to book a hotel. I could have walked the streets of Amsterdam for days, I love the red brick buildings, all the little shops near the canals, the vibrant cosmopolitan feel to the place. I think I may have a new favourite city. We didn’t get to do half the things we would have liked to have done so we shall definitely be back in the new year.
So what are the top things I recommend you do when you go to Amsterdam:
Jordaan District
This is probably my favourite place in Amsterdam. I loved all the narrow streets, little quirky boutiques, the market, the architecture, the canals… Basically EVERYTHING about it.
Don’t miss out on:
Lindengracht Market in Amsterdam Lindengracht 1015 KJ Amsterdam OPEN 09.h00 – 16h00
This market attracts locals and tourists alike. Get carried away by the colours of the flower stalls, the variety of Gouda cheese wheels, fresh fish and seafood, the incredible loafs of bread. There are even some gluten free and vegan options ! There is literally something for everyone!
Brunch at Gs – Really Nice Place
http://www.reallyniceplace.com/ This place is an absolute must !! You can’t leave without having one of their Bloody Mary’s but choose wisely as the list is extensive and potentially life-threatening (just kidding…) They did have fried chicken waffles on the menu which was very tempting but we kept it simple with delicious avocados and poached eggs on toast.
To help digest from your brunch take a walk along the beautiful streets in Jordaan, don’t forget to stop by the Mint Mini Mall (http://www.mintminimall.nl/) for a lovely collection of accessories, homeware & clothing for him, her and little ones.
If you are a fan of chesterfield style then you will also love Vormenstijl (http://www.vormenstijl.com) the smell of leather hits you as you walk in and they have a gorgeous collection of armchairs and sofas on display.
I am sure there is still yet so much to uncover in this part of town !!
Amsterdam West
Rozengracht street
Stumbled upon this street on our way from Jordann District to the centre of the city. We found some great little shops you have to check out. My favourite was Raw Materials (http://rawmaterials.nl) this is a homeware and furniture store filled with so many wonderful products. A couple run this unique store and they deliver worldwide. I would have bought out the entire shop there and then if I could have !
Another fun little concept store was just across the street from Raw Materials, Hutspot (http://www.hutspot.com) Hutspot started as a small successful pop-up store in the Utrechtsestraat. It searches for new and interesting brands, designers, artists and entrepreneurs, offering them the chance to expose their products in their own space within the shops.
Amsterdam South-West
There isn’t too much going on in this part of the city but we randomly came across the NJOY bar (https://www.njoycocktails.com) and this tiny little exclusive place makes incredible cocktails. It is a really small bar, you must ring the doorbell and wait for one of the barmen to let you in. I think this must put a few people off. But head down the stairs and do your best to pick a cocktail. THEY ARE ALL GOOD!
De Pijp
The vibrant district of De Pijp is hustling and bustling with amazing eateries, sidewalk cafes and charming bars. So what did we do here? We started with the Rijksmuseum (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en) I highly recommend you book tickets online as the queue is quite long for this museum. The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw. This museum closes at 5pm so make sure you put enough time aside for this visit. But Sara being Sara, we did check out a few delicious places to eat. Head to Little Collins (http://www.littlecollins.nl) for a special brunch. The menu is definitely mouth-watering and the drinks list is equally amazing. I would highly recommend the green eggs and ham, trust me on this one!! Just try to book in advance, if not you can turn up but chances are you will have about a 45mins – 1hour wait.
For a chic lunch or dinner you need to Hoed & Krelis (http://hoedenkrelis.nl), if the stunning interior doesn’t impress you then I hope the menu does. The inside is adorned with green velvet chairs, gold detailing, wood and the most beautiful tableware. On the menu, you can pick from oysters, beef, burrata, fish and seafood. There is something for everyone
As we were in Amsterdam and near the sea, I absolutely had to have some seafood. We had walked by The Seafood Bar (http://www.theseafoodbar.com) the previous evening and knew that we just had to go here. The Seafood Bar is a modern restaurant and offers an array of the freshest fish and other seafood.
I really don’t need to say too much about this eatery, I think the photos do all the talking!
De 9 Straatjes or in English The 9 Streets
If you are looking for design boutiques, interesting clothing stores, vintage shops, accessories, gifts, then you must take a stroll between the canals and enjoy the artsy atmosphere the 9 streets has to offer. Unfortunately, it was such a miserable and wet day when we were there so I wasn’t able to enjoy it as much.
I finished my trip with a little pampering in the de Bijenkorf to get our nails done.
That is all from me about our trip to Amsterdam. I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I did.
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