Amsterdam – A brilliant break any time of the year!
With KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flying to Amsterdam from most UK airports as well as it being a destination for many low cost carriers and British Airways, you can be there within an hour, so it is a great place to go from Friday evening to Sunday evening and not dip into that precious annual leave entitlement. If you have more time, Eurostar taking less than 4 hours also helps make Amsterdam a really accessible place to visit.
Amsterdam is far more than the coffee shops and red-light district that it is synonymous with. Buy a tram pass, or tickets for a hop-on, hop-off canal or bus tour to get a real feel of the city. An “I Amsterdam” card will give you free or discounted access to some of the city’s top attractions and free public transport too, so a great way to keep your spending on track! Amsterdam is infinitely walkable too if you prefer.
From an accommodation perspective, there is something to suit every budget and taste, from the global chains through to individual boutique hotels. We prefer to stay slightly outside the centre and on our last visit we stopped at the Hotel Notting Hill Amsterdam, a 4-star boutique hotel on Westeinde. If you want something more central, the 5-star Barbizon Palace just a few steps from Amsterdam Centraal station would get my vote too.
If soaking up culture is your thing, popular attractions include the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt House and the Stedelijk Museum which displays more contemporary and modern art. A visit to Ann Frank House is recommended, but queues are long at many times in the year, so booking a ticket in advance allows you to swerve some of those queues which is worth its weight in gold if you are only in Amsterdam a short time as there is so much to see. Visit the Amsterdam dungeon, or one of the windmills in the Amsterdam area, one of which is a brewery serving a selection of cheeses and cured meats as well as craft beer and wine.
On the subject of food and drink, Amsterdam leaves you spoilt for choice. In that Indonesia was a former Dutch colony means that good Indonesian restaurants are plentiful in Amsterdam. Try Rijsttafel which translates literally as rice table. This is a selection of side dishes and small plates that allow you to try a wide array of Indonesian dishes in a single sitting. In some places as many as 40 different dishes are served! Restaurant Blauw Amsterdam would be my recommendation, but it is important to book ahead. If a formal meal is not what you are looking for, pick up a cone of hot, fresh vlaamse friete (chips and mayonnaise to you and I), you will not regret it, but my advice would be to always grab a few napkins if snacking and walking. For a quirky, cheap snack on the go visit a Febo too. Founded in 1941, Febo has 22 shops in Amsterdam where piping hot, fresh snacks can be bought from an automat – trust me, the krokets (filled will bechamel sauce and chicken, beef or vegetables are addictive!). If walking and eating is not your thing, drop into a bar for bitterballen and a glass of Genever (Dutch gin), maybe followed by a portion of poffertjes – mini yeast and buckwheat pancakes served with icing sugar and butter…delicious!
If you have some energy left and some Euros to spend, Amsterdam is also a great shopping destination. Each of Amsterdam’s neighbourhoods not only offers a different vibe but different shopping options from all the big brands through to sustainable and conscious shopping and uniquely Dutch design.
Just writing this has made me feel I am long overdue a weekend in Amsterdam. If it is something that you like the sound of too, let me know and I can plan your perfect breakaway.