Amsterdam
October 2016
6 Days
To see the previous stop on this trip, go here to Iceland
The second half of our trip was to Amsterdam as neither of us had been before. We arrived without much of a plan and a week to explore. Amsterdam is known as a place where you can indulge in less savory activities like the coffee shops where you can legally buy marijuana and the red light district where prostitution is legal. But Amsterdam also has a ton more to offer from great food to great museums and the unique feel of strolling along the canals. We had an amazing time and I've had the opportunity to return a few times since then, so I've added a few more places I've enjoyed.
Contents
Daily Itinerary
Walk the famous canals of Amsterdam
Grab an Amstel or a Heineken at a sidewalk cafe
Dinner in The Jordaan
Nightcap at Cafe Brandon
Tour the City of Bikes on a bike
Stop in The Bulldog, one of Amsterdam's famous coffee shops
Nighttime canal cruise
See Rembrandt's most famous work at the Rijksmusem
Steak dinner overlooking the Leliegracht at Black and Blue
Book far in advance to visit the Anne Frank House
Visit a different kind of musem at the Sexmuseum
Dutch apple pie for an afternoon snack
Taste Amsterdam's Indonesian influence at Restaurant MAX
Start the day with a couple drinks at the Heneiken Experience
See some of Van Gogh's most famous and lesser known works
Check out the exhibitions currently at the Moco Museum
Walk the streets of the world famous Red Light District
Get weird at Supperclub
Cheese and wine tasting at Reypenaer
Try Amsterdam's most famous barbecue at Cafe de Klos
After dinner drinks in the bustling Leidseplein
Flights
Icelandair Economy ORD-RKV-AMS-ORD: Cash roundtrip with free stopover
Hotels
We stayed at an Airbnb on this trip, just on the edge of the Jordaan neighborhood on the picturesque Leliegracht
Food (With Beli Ranking)
Cafe de Klos (8.9) - Cozy restaurant serving some of the most delicious ribs I've ever had. I think they make you wait regardless of how busy they are but it's totally worth it.
Restaurant MAX (7.3) - Modern Indonesian restaurant serving delicious Rijstaffel.
Ko Chang (7.3) - Small thai restaurant we walked into that had good food and a cozy atmosphere.
Black and Blue (4.5) - Hip steakhouse serving decent steaks. Good, but not worth going out of your way for.
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Leliegracht
There are a few options to get to Amsterdam's city center from Schipol Airport. One option is to take the train to Amsterdam Centraal and either walk or grab a taxi from the train station. We opted to get an Uber from the airport since our Aibnb was a bit of a walk from the train station. Our Airbnb was located on the beautiful yet quiet Leliegracht, just on the edge of the trendy Jordaan neighborhood. I would highly recommend this area as it's not too busy, but still walkable to most attractions.
The Entrance to our Airbnb - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Since this was our first trip to Amsterdam, we spent some time just wandering the canals. As we were there the first week in October, the colors were vibrant making for excellent shots.
The Canals of Amsterdam - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Grab a Beer
Coming from Iceland where it had rained for 5 straight days, it was very nice to be able to sit outside and have a drink. Heineken and Amstel are the go-tos in Amsterdam, although you can find a number of other local Dutch beers.
Drinking a Stella - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Walking around near our Airbnb, we thought this restaurant looked good so we decided to try it. It's cozy inside and the food was pretty good.
Ko Chang Thai Restaurant - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Cafe Brandon
After dinner we stopped for a drink on our way back at this bar, just a couple doors down from our Airbnb. There were very few people in on this night and we got to chat with a few people that lived nearby. We learned that the week we were in Amsterdam, the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) was happening which featured electronic music performances all around the city. That might explain why later in the week, this place was completely packed with people spilling out onto the street.
Cafe Brandon - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Day 2
Stroopwafels
In Amsterdam, we started most mornings with Stroopwafels because why not? You can find vendors and shops all over the city selling them.
Stroopwafel - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Bike Tour
With so many bikes everywhere, we decided it would be fun to take a tour of Amsterdam on a bike. Here's Gwen getting a little practice in the bike parking lot.
Bike Tour - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
The tour took us all over the center of Amsterdam and was a great way to learn a bit about the city and see some sites in a short period of time. One of our stops was the house at Singel 166. The red colored facade is the narrowest in Amsterdam at just over 1 meter wide. However, this is actually the back of the house and the front is wider.
Singel 166 - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
The Bulldog
Amsterdam is probably most famous for its liberal laws around drug use and the coffee shops all around the city where you can legally buy Marijuana. The Bulldog was the first coffee shop to open in Amsterdam and today is a chain of coffee shops in Amsterdam. The location at Leidseplein is probably the most well-known coffee shop in Amsterdam due to the central location and visits from many celebrities including Snoop Dogg and Mike Tyson.
The Bulldog - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2020
Friendship Cruise
A friend had recommended the friendship cruise to us, so we hopped on after dinner one night. The cruise is a great way to tour the canals at night while having a few drinks and meeting new people. Funnily, there was another couple on our cruise from Chicago.
Friendship Cruise - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Day 3
Rijksmuseum
There's a number of museums in Amsterdam, the largest being the Rijksmusem (and the largest in the Netherlands). Probably the most famous painting housed here is Rembrandt's "Night Watch", although it's also worth a visit to the library, the gardens, and the reflecting pool with the popular "IAmsterdam" sign.
Rijksmuseum - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
For dinner, we went to a nearby steakhouse called Black and Blue. When I asked the waiter if they cooked steaks black and blue, he didn't know what I was talking about, which made me a bit suspicious of this restaurant. Nevertheless, if you are a meat and potatoes kind of person, this restaurant is a solid option in a moody setting.
Black and Blue - Amsterdam, Nethelands 2016
Day 4
Anne Frank House
If you want to go to the Anne Frank House, you need to book in advance as they don't sell tickets at the museum. If you are trying to go during peak hours, you'll want to be checking a couple months in advance. The tour is excellent and gives you a true feeling of the fear tearing through Europe during World War II. I would highly recommend as a must-visit, but you definitely need to prepare yourself emotionally.
Anne Frank House - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Sexmuseum
After visiting the Anne Frank House, we wandered a bit and stumbled on another museum. This one, the Sexmusem, was strange but a needed uplift after the Anne Frank House. Definitely not a must-see, but can be a fun quick stop.
Sexmuseum - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Het Papeneiland
While continuing to wander around Amsterdam, we got caught in a sudden rainstorm and ducked into a small cafe. It turned out to be a cozy bar/cafe which had warm apple pie ready to be served. What better during a rainstorm than warm Dutch apple pie?
Apple Pie at Het Papeneiland - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
There is a large Indonesian influence in Dutch cuisine (remember the Dutch East India Company?). Rijstaffel is a common Dutch interpretation of Indonesian cuisine that you can find in many restaurants and allows you to try a number of different small dishes with rice.
A friend had recommended a restaurant to us called Kantjil & De Tijger and after our first visit we loved it so much, that we came back in 2018 when we returned to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, the second time at this restaurant we got the worst food poisoning I've ever experienced so I would not recommend this restaurant again.
In search of a new Indonesian restaurant, I tried Restaurant MAX in 2020 and it was excellent.
Rijstaffel at Restaurant MAX - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2020
Day 5
Heineken Experience
Heineken is probably the most internationally known Dutch beer and the Heineken Experience is their version of a brewery tour. This is another attraction you probably want to book at least a few days in advance.
You can go through at your own pace and you get a couple of beers at the end as part of your entrance fee, but in my opinion there isn't really anything to distinguish the Heineken Experience from any of the other brewery tours out there. I guess that's why I came back and realized I didn't actually take any photos there. We did get a few Heinekens at the bar throughout our trip.
Heineken - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Van Gogh Musem
Located in the Museumplein, just near the Rijksmuseum is the Van Gogh Museum, dedicated to one of the most famous artists of all time. Funnily, "Starry Night", which is probably his most famous piece, is not here (it's at the MoMA in New York). But, there are plenty of pieces here that you will recognize including self portraits, sunflowers, one of his "Bedroom in Arles" pieces, among many others.
Sunflowers at the Van Gogh Museum - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Moco Museum
Also located in the Museumplein, the small Moco Museum features different exhibitions of contemporary art. When we visited, we were able to see the exhibition dedicated to the English street-artist Banksy.
Banksy at the Moco Museum - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Red Light District
Of everything that Amsterdam is known for, there might not be anything more famous than it's "Red Light District", so named for the red lights in the windows where prostitutes stand and beckon in customers. Even if you aren't in the market, it's certainly worth a stroll down the street to see. There is definitely not any other place in the world that I know of to compare it to.
Red Light District - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2020
Supperclub
Supperclub is a venue where you'll have a 5 course meal and see a show. You'll also be sitting on beds and the show can get...weird.
We went here with another couple in 2018 and while we had a great time, I could see how some people could be uncomfortable here. If you're ok with fully diving into the liberal sexual culture of Amsterdam, this can be a fun night out.
Supperclub - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2018
Day 6
Reypenaer
We started our last full day in Amsterdam with a cheese and wine tasting at Reypenaer. I never heard of them before, but after going here I started to recognize the brand even at grocery stores here in the states. This was a fun activity for us as we got to try cheese aged differently and learn about pairing wines.
Wine and Cheese Tasting and Reypenaer - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
I don't think Amsterdam is generally known for their barbecue, but Cafe De Klos is an absolute must-stop for any barbecue lover. They have a rudimentary website and they don't take reservations, so you have to allow yourself some time to wait to get in. There's a bar next door that they'll say you can wait at if you want and they'll come get you. I've been here a couple times and still had to wait 30 minutes at 9pm even though the place was half empty. But, the wait is so worth it.
Skip the "normal" ribs and just go straight for the smoked ribs as the "normal" ones are just that - completely normal. But, the smoked ribs are unbelievably delicious.
Ribs at Cafe De Klos - Amsterdam, Netherlands 2016
Overall
We absolutely loved our first trip to Amsterdam and is still one of our favorite places (even after food poisoning). There's something for everyone to do in Amsterdam, even if the coffee shops and Red Light District aren't your scene. When we visited in fall, the city was beatiful and the weather perfect for walking around all day.
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