- Take a river cruise, see some gorgeous sites and learn some Amsterdam trivia. I loved looking at the boat houses, some are totally modern and stunning inside. We learnt lots of architectural facts, plus I heard about ‘eel catching’ for the very first time which is always fun.
2. Eat some warm fries covered in mayonnaise from a street food stall. We don’t do this a lot in the UK, but in the rest of Europe chips and mayonnaise are a super popular pairing. Amsterdam, the King of stoner’s snacks, is the ultimate place to pig out. The fries and sauce I got from this kiosk called ‘High snack’ are some of the best I’ve ever tasted. In my life. Ever.
3. Go to the Ice Bar, I know this isn’t exactly exclusive to Amsterdam, but you can wangle some really good deals if you book two or three tourist activities at once, and the Ice Bar is included in some of these, plus apparently people really like being cold. I’ll admit, the shot-glasses made of ice and filled with ice cool vanilla vodka were pretty delicious but the coats and gloves we were given weren’t exactly the warmest and after a few minutes in minus 10 I was starting to feel a bit worse for wear.
4. Go to the Sex Museum, it’s as gross as you might imagine but Amsterdam has such a unique history with the sex trade, it’s something you’ve really gotta see. Plus, did you REALLY go to Amsterdam if you didn’t take a picture with your friend sitting on the giant dick? If there’s one thing you learn here it’s that humans have been getting kinky since pretty much the dawn of time.
5. Try the famous Dutch Pancakes– so yummy with syrup, it’s not unusual to see long queues of tourists outside the famous places. I had so many pancakes during my most recent trip and I loved every bite. Sprinkled with a little bit of icing sugar- heaven!
6. Visit Vondelpark, (and drink a Sol beer by the river in the sun), a gorgeous spot of natural beauty in the middle of the city. We were there on a bright day and everyone was lounging on the grass enjoying the sunshine, there are ponds and rivers here, its a photogenic hangout, look out for the floral pavilion on the water. Beware, the drinks are bordering extortionate in the cafe/restaurant there.
7. Take a tour of the Anne Frank house. Wandering around Amsterdam today, you could be forgiven for forgetting that not too long ago, the city was under Nazi occupation and the Jewish residents were persecuted. We all know Anne Frank’s story but actually seeing her bedroom in the secret annexe, and walking across the creaky floorboards where she once lived with her family is an unforgettable and moving experience. The house is beautifully preserved, an invaluable piece of history.
I’m going to Amsterdam during the summer and am so excited!! Thank you for these tips, I love that they aren’t the standard boring art museums and quiet walks!
Thank you so much! Yay, have fun, there’s still so much to do that I didn’t get a chance to, hope you have a great time!
I am considering going to Amsterdam this year. Glad I saw this post. The ideas are all things I want to do. 🙂
Yay! Glad you liked it x you’ll have the best time, I can’t wait to go back!
lol i was in amsterdam last year and only did the canal cruise…partially because it was a bachelor party though..gotta make a trip there again soon
Yeah you’ve gotta go back, great location for a bachelor party though!
yes it is!