My wife and I went to Europe for three weeks in May 2019 and covered Budapest, Croatia, Montenegro and Amsterdam. I will break the trip into four different reviews as they each deserve their own attention.
We flew into Amsterdam from Podgorica, Montenegro on Polish Air. All was good.
This was our first trip to Amsterdam and we took a taxi from the airport. It was a Sunday and a main road was closed for the weekend for construction so the taxi ride was quite a bit more expensive. Perhaps consider Uber as an option. We used Uber to get back to the airport and it was about 35 Euro.
We stayed five nights at the La Remise B & B. The location is perfect and the breakfast is very good. The room and bathroom was quite large and we were very comfortable. There are some steep stairs that could bother some people; however, all was good for us. There are lots of restaurants in the area and decent walking distance to many attractions. The Rijks Museum was basically around the corner as were the tour bus stop and canal tour stop. We will stay at La Remise when we return to Amsterdam. We paid about $300 CDN per night ($225 USD) for the La Remise B & B.
We did a City bus tour to get a feel for the City and it gave us some good information. The canals are fabulous to look at and they seem endless. Walking is flat and easy because there is so much to look at as you stroll around.
We toured the Rijks Museum and it was very nice. They had an additional Rembrandt showing to compliment the permanent painting in their collection. We could not get into the Van Gogh Museum or the Anne Frank House because the online tickets were sold out well in advance. This would be a tip for planning as you need to order these tickets well in advance.
We walked to the De Gooyer Windmill which is the tallest in the Netherlands. There was no tour as it is closed and you can only enjoy the visual aspects of this Dutch icon.
We continued our walk to the Dutch Resistance Museum. This is well worth the time, particularly if you are interested in WWII history. Be sure to use the free listening device and move slowly as you learn how it works.
The Red Light District is an easy walk through. It is not that big and we were not interested in stopping. Kind of sad actually.
A nice treat was the Reypenaer Wine and Cheese Tasting. We received a good presentation of various Dutch cheeses with some good wine pairings. It took about an hour and we has a good time. Highly recommend this and suggest you book online in advance.
https://www.reypenaercheese.com/en/home
We went to two markets. One was the Blumen flower market and the other was on Albert Cuypstraat street. The flower market is centrally located and, aside from the flowers, there are mostly souvenirs.
The Albert market is huge and is on a closed street. Lots of good souvenirs, clothes and street food. The chicken we had was excellent. I even purchased a jacket. If you buy anything over 50 Euro you can get the tax back at the airport before you go through security to board your flight. Be sure the sales invoice clearly shows the amount of tax paid or you may encounter problems getting the tax back.
The canal tour we took was about 90 minutes and is a great way to see the City from the water. The tour is narrated to point out some of the building highlights. You really notice how quiet it is on the water and you will appreciate this relaxing time. This tour is a must if you are going to Amsterdam.
Our walks always included a stop for coffee or beer. No problem finding good places to stop.
We found some great restaurants by checking on Trip Advisor. The Chicken Bar had a simple menu of rotisserie chicken and side dishes and it is well worth going to. We did not have a reservation but you may need one in the future.
http://chickenbar.amsterdam/en/about/
The Pantry was our best find as the food was excellent and the service was equally as good. We went without a reservation and got in only because they had a no show. The Dutch traditional meal was amazing! It was so good we made a reservation for the next night. I tried the beef stew, potato and red cabbage. My wife could not resist having the traditional Dutch meal for a second time. With the main courses, small salads, dessert, sparkling water, a bottle of wine, the total bill came to $110 CDN ($80 USD) before tip. we thought his was very good and very affordable. Other places are more expensive. Be sure to make a reservation.
As you move around Amsterdam be aware of all the bicycles and motorbikes. They know where they are going and as tourists we are novices in the city. Look both ways and see when it is safe to cross the road, bike lane and sometimes a train track as well.
Amsterdam is a fairly expensive city. Be prepared for this ahead of time to avoid surprises. We had no trouble finding affordable restaurants.
Amsterdam has a lot to offer for a vacation. We will be back to cover many of the places we did not see. Can’t wait!
My second cup is now empty…………………………
