Less than 24 hours in Amsterdam

Getting there: quick and painless 

I started with a morning flight out of Leeds Bradford with KLM. The flight was only about 50 minutes and so efficient that by the time the crew had served the free drink and snack, it was already time to tidy the tray tables away for landing.

From Schiphol, I took the direct train to Amsterdam Centraal. It takes around 16 minutes and costs 5.90 euros. The best bit: you can buy your ticket from the machine right next to baggage claim, and the whole thing is in English, which is very helpful when your Dutch is limited to “dank u”.

Walking into the city 

Once I arrived at Centraal, I decided to walk to the hotel with a bit of help from maps on my phone.

In theory, it was a 24‑minute walk. In reality, the sun was shining, the canals looked gorgeous and I walked more slowly, stopping to take pictures and just enjoy the feeling of being back in Amsterdam.

I could have taken a tram or taxi, but I am glad I didn’t. That first walk really set the tone for the stay.

Hotel Eden Amsterdam 

For my night in the city, I stayed at Hotel Eden Amsterdam, a boutique‑style hotel on the main Amstel river.

It is surrounded by shops and cafés, and it is only a short walk from Dam Square and the flower market, so the location worked perfectly for what I needed. The photos I saw when I booked really did not do it justice – it felt more stylish and more welcoming than I was expecting.

After a quick freshen‑up and outfit change, it was time to head back out and make the most of my limited exploring time.

Canals, lunch and a little people‑watching 

First stop: food.

I found a café‑bar that was clearly popular with both locals and tourists – always a good sign – and had a late lunch. Prices were very reasonable, the staff were friendly and it was a great chance to sit, watch the world go by and feel properly “arrived”.

Then it was time for a canal boat tour.

There are so many to choose from and they depart from all over the city. You can go for the big glass‑roofed boats or smaller, more open ones, depending on your mood and the weather. We chose an open boat, which was perfect with the sunshine, and there was even an option for an open bar.

Top tip: if you go for the small open boat with an open bar, remember that those boats do not have toilets. Plan accordingly!

An hour on the canals flew by. Amsterdam looks different from the water – the bridges, tall narrow houses and crooked facades all feel closer and more characterful from that angle.

Afterwards, there was just enough time for a bit more wandering and a vital purchase: some of the famous stroopwafels to bring home.

Back at the hotel 

Hotel Eden has a lovely bar area, which was exactly what I needed after a busy afternoon out. There is no full restaurant onsite, but there is a self‑service shop and a small area where you can buy and cook toasted sandwiches and pizzas.

It is simple but very clever, especially if you arrive late or just want something easy without heading back out again.

Monday morning lesson learned 

The next morning I was up and out by 8.30 a.m. on a mission to find breakfast.

This turned out to be… optimistic.

I discovered that many places in Amsterdam do not open until 10 a.m. on a Monday. Because so many cafés and bars open all weekend, staff get a later start on Mondays.

So that is my top tip: do not go out too early on a Monday expecting everything to be open.

I did eventually find a café near the flower market and had a very good breakfast.

On the way back to collect my luggage, I popped into Blin Queen, the café a few doors down from the hotel, for a hot chocolate.

We had to – from the outside, the building looks so crooked we wanted to see if it felt the same inside.

More than its stereotypes 

Amsterdam is a big, modern city in many ways, but that old‑world charm is everywhere: the gabled houses, the bridges, the canals, the narrow streets.

I know that when you say you are going to Amsterdam, people’s first questions are often about the red‑light district or whether you tried anything you would not touch at home.

The answer, is no, I did not.

Amsterdam is so much more than that. Those parts are there if you want them, but you really do not need to go anywhere near them to have a brilliant time.

Even in less than 24 hours, I managed a walk along the canals, a relaxed lunch, a boat tour, a few little food treats and a wander through the city.

And it reminded me that sometimes, even a short stop can feel like a proper little city break in its own right.