A Guide To Amsterdam

I had never been to Amsterdam before this summer, and I can’t believe that I’ve waited so long to go there – what an awesome city! We had planned a short trip there, and since it’s a small place we were able to get quite a bit done in that time, but I would totally go back to see more and just enjoy the vibe of the city again.

And thanks to my amazing readers, as well as to my husband’s love of food, we saw some fantastic exhibitions and ate at some fabulous spots. I couldn’t believe how much diversity there was in terms of food choices, and it was surprisingly good too! I was also super happy with the hotel that we stayed in – it was a design lover’s dream with the perfect mix of traditional and modern. We were also a 5-10 minute walk away from the best apple pie in the world. Sounds like a good trip, right? I can’t wait to tell you all about it!!

To Get Around

Almost everything in Amsterdam is within walking distance. And if it’s a little bit further out, you can ride a bike there! We rented a bike for a few hours from Bike City one of the days, and while I was worried about navigating traffic, it was so much easier than I thought it was going to be and it was so much fun! They have biking lanes everywhere, and motorists are very considerate and aware of tourists on bikes. I’ve also heard that the train is very convenient but we never really needed to take it. Amsterdam is also an Uber friendly city, so we mostly took that.

To Stay

I usually cover cool hotels we stay in on my Instagram, but the Pulitzer Amsterdam truly deserves its moment on the blog. The location was great, the service was incredible, and the entire hotel complex from cafés, bars, outdoor spaces, to the rooms, was just beautifully designed and incredibly stylish – it was like design stimulation on crack! I mean just look at their Music Collector’s Suite…

The hotel is essentially a complex of 25 restored 17th and 18th century homes that were once the homes of Dutch aristocrats, and where business deals were once made between trade merchants. They have a beautiful set of gardens in the middle of this large complex with an all-day lounge worthy café, a lounging area, as well as unique swing sets surrounded by wooden sculptures. I probably would’ve been happy staying here all day…

To Eat

THE CHICKEN BAR – This was a great spot for our first night in Amsterdam! The rotisserie chicken was super flavorful and the fries were great, but the bread and butter was the biggest shocker. So fresh and insanely good! The meal was really just comfort food at its best. And according to their IG, it’s apparently halal too!

WINKELS 43 – Best apple pie ever? Yes. Definitely yes. We pretty much went back here every night after the first night. I still dream about this apple pie and the heavenly cream they top it with…

BHATTI PASAL – This restaurant is quite small so you’ll probably end up waiting for a bit, but it’s definitely worth the wait. I especially loved the pan fried momo’s, the chicken chow mein and the chicken and lamb sekuwa (BBQ)! And make sure to dip all your food in the yummy sauces they give you. I would go back here in a heartbeat to try more off the menu!

FOODHALLEN – I really appreciate food experiences like this, which was very similar to Time Out Market in Lisbon, one of my favorite eating joints in a city. The concept behind this is that they’ve picked the highest quality restaurants from Amsterdam and made them accessible to people in a giant food hall. You could easily come here multiple times just to try out different cuisines from top restaurants and not have to make reservations or dress up. It’s a great spot!

To Explore 

MOCO MUSEUM – I got this fabulous suggestion from a reader, and was so happy that I got to see this! It was probably one of my favorite museum experiences in general. This modern and contemporary art museum is currently exhibiting a “collection of subversive art in which irony and humour are used to reflect on modern society” (their website states it better than I ever could lol!). While the entire building was incredibly inspirational, the Banksy and Daniel Arsham exhibitions were my favorites!

Design Side Note: Now I know that buying something from this exhibition was pretty much the opposite of what these artist’s were trying to convey, but this was the perfect place to buy a memorable and meaningful coffee table book. The coffee table book I got was a fun pink color and was the kind of book that I’m really proud to have!

VAN GOGH MUSEUM – Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any pictures in this museum as it wasn’t allowed, but if you have an interest in Van Gogh this as comprehensive as you can get! I definitely recommend getting a multimedia guide (basically an auditory device that explains all the artwork), as I felt like I got a lot more out of it than the descriptions on the paintings.

Photo Courtesy of @vangoghmuseum Instagram

While I would’ve loved to see the ANNE FRANK HOUSE, it was impossible to get tickets just a few days or even a week before. You really need to get tickets well in advance to be able to visit! I’ve heard amazing things about it, so I’m hoping to make it there next trip!

[line]

I hope you enjoyed the guide and let me know if there’s anything that you think I need to see next time I’m in Amsterdam – your suggestions were the best!

[line]

For more Travel posts, visit the TRAVEL page on my site!

Check out posts on Bali, Bangkok (Thailand), a tour of Karachi (Pakistan) covered in the Arab News, Lake Como (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal), Southern Spain, as well as multiple locations in the UK, such as the Leeds Castle and Kew Gardens. 

If you’re interested in Middle Eastern travel, check out my posts on my day trip to Al Hasa (Saudi Arabia) and to the Design District in Dubai for their annual Design Week!