I’ve been to Amsterdam a couple of times, since I have family living there. This allows me to know about some less touristic places, but then again, I don’t really take the time to visit the touristic spots anymore. This post might be edited from time to time, as I will try to discover and explore new areas.

Hiking

Amsterdam has a lot of beautiful parks where you can stroll around. Since having your own garden is very uncommon in big cities like this, many people love to meet at parks to have a picnic, go jogging, outdoor gym or yoga sessions, cycling, rollerblading, etc. The most famous one would probably be Vondelpark, but there are several others as well such as Sarphatipark, Beatrixpark, and Erasmuspark.

But I can also assure you that it’s just as lovely to stroll through the narrow streets and along the many canals. If you’re lucky, you might bump into some inspiring murals on one of your outings.

Places to eat

There are a lot of nice places to eat in this urban city, especially in the area of De Pijp. I personally like Bakers&Roasters, Blond Amsterdam, Barça, De Tulp, Pasta Pasta, … Another place that is known between locals and doesn’t have many tourists is Janneke’s Boom. It’s very colorful and hip.

Other activities

Pay a visit to the Hortus Botanicus. It’s a gorgeous botanical garden with thousands of different plants from across the world. Nearby is also the ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo. Rainy day? No worries. A lot of museums are waiting for you: Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, etc.

Shopaholics will find multiple large chain stores in the Kalverstraat. The alternative, smaller shops can be found in the Negen Straatjes. For high fashion such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hugo Boss and Dior, head your way to P.C. Hooftstraat.

Tips

• There are a lot of cyclists in this city, so be careful when you cross the street.
• The Amsterdam ramparts are well known all over the world. “Red Light District” can be found between Warmoessstraat and the Zeedijk. It is the place where many prostitutes do their business from a small room with red neon lights behind glass.

Have you ever been to Amsterdam? Do you have more recommendations or questions? Let me know in the comments!

Have a wonderful day xoxo

Lara