Alpinia Travel

Welcome to this new blog post! In this post I would like to introduce you to the beautiful Dutch capital Amsterdam, which quickly captured my heart.

A journey to the Venice of the north

A spontaneous trip to the Netherlands resulted in me also spending a day in Amsterdam. The car was parked in a parking garage (where there was an elevator for cars, by the way) and the city was then explored on foot. I saw and experienced a lot and spent great hours in this beautiful city. In fact, Amsterdam reminds me very much of a mixture of London and New York, although the latter is obvious since this city was also founded by the Dutch.

The fairytale city of Amsterdam

As in the Netherlands in general, Amsterdam also consists of fairytale brick houses. The entire city is criss-crossed by canals. The fastest way to get around is by boat or bike. There is a good reason why Amsterdam is often referred to as the „Venice of the North“.

Van Gogh Museum

In the city center there is a museum with the paintings of the famous Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. There are several floors in the building that you can look around. You can choose between guided tours and audio guides in different languages.

Two souvenir shops can also be found in the building. Some works of art by other artists are also exhibited. By the way, you can only take smaller bags/backpacks into the exhibition rooms. Larger pieces of luggage must be left at the entrance area.

With the audio guides you can scan the numbers of some paintings and you will receive detailed information about them. You also learn a lot about Van Gogh and his life. It is a very interesting experience and you can spend some pleasant hours in the museum. However, it must also be mentioned that sometimes there are a lot of visitors. However, the largest crowds tend to be on the lower floors.

Rijksmuseum

Not far from the Van Gogh Museum is the Dutch national museum, the Rijksmuseum. There is a lot of art, crafts and history in the building. There are many collections of paintings from the „Golden Age of the Netherlands“. The Research Library, also located in the museum, is the largest public research library of art history in the Netherlands.

The building is particularly impressive from the outside. On the one hand because of its size, on the other hand because of the beautiful architectural style. There are well-kept gardens around the museum. In the middle there are three arches that serve as a passage from one side to the other. Sometimes musicians also play there to give the right atmosphere. For example, a tune from the Harry Potter films was playing as I walked through the archways. The Rijksmuseum is one of the most beautiful buildings in Amsterdam.

Boat tour around the city center

A few meters from the Rijksmuseum there are many boat docks where you can book a boat tour. Audio guides are available on these canal cruises and you can learn many interesting facts about the individual buildings and about the city in general. For example, in Amsterdam there are many more bicycles than residents. In addition, tons of bicycles are recovered from the canals every year – but these are then recycled and resold.

On the tour you will pass numerous exciting places, such as the Sea Palace. This is a Chinese restaurant – but on the water. It is the largest floating Asian restaurant in Europe. You will also pass NEMO and the Maritime Museum during the tour (Het Scheepvaartmuseum).

On the boat tour you cruise along the beautiful canals and it actually feels a bit like you are in Venice. If you visit Amsterdam, you shouldn’t miss this opportunity!

Speaking of boats…

In addition to the countless bicycles, there are also numerous boats in Amsterdam (and of course also in other parts of the Netherlands). However, there are not only normal small boats, but also a surprising number of houseboats. Large, small, luxurious, simple, expensive, cheaper and even some that are almost completely overgrown with plants. If you walk along the canals or take a canal cruise, you will notice a wide variety of those houseboats.

Restaurants, coffee shops and markets

A variety of restaurants in Amsterdam are sure to suit every taste. From Chinese to Mexican to Italian and more, you can find many restaurants with food from all over the world. There is definitely no lack of diversity here. I can particularly recommend the Leidseplein district, where there are bars on every corner and one restaurant after another.

Another item on the list should be a visit to a coffee shop. These can also be found at almost every corner. In addition to coffee, you can also buy sweets such as cakes or cookies there. Additionally, also many shops with fresh fruit and vegetables are located in the city center, which are also worth a visit.

Jordaan

Narrow canals, narrow streets and small boutiques can be found in the Jordaan district. It’s a trendy area, but it’s not full of crowds. You can take a pleasant, quiet walk through this part of the city.

I can also recommend a visit to the antique shop “Antiekcentrum Amsterdam”. From the outside it appears to be a small shop, but inside it is very large and full of cabinets with old treasures. If you are interested in something, you can ring the bell and an employee will come to get the item from the display case. Here too you can find a wide variety – expensive, cheap, large and small antiques. However, I recommend planning one to two hours for the visit as there is a lot to see.

Palace Dam Square Amsterdam

In the heart of the city is the Palace Dam Square. There is a lot to see around: the Royal Palace (Paleis op de Dam), a 15th century church (Nieuwe Kerk) and Madame Tussauds, with exhibitions of her wax figures. Since there are so many sights here in more or less one place, there are also a lot of people. This place is something special, no question, but I still liked the quieter parts of the city better.

Diamond Factory – The Mill Diamonds

The Diamond Factory is a jewelry store and is an eye-catcher in terms of its exterior design. You can buy jewelry and have it customized – but it is in a higher price category. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful building in a location where you can take great photos. There are canals and narrow streets all around. Next to the Diamond Factory there is a beautiful alley with many souvenir shops and coffee shops.

Rubber duck stores

Whatever the reason, I noticed a lot of rubber duck shops in Amsterdam. There are all sorts of rubber ducks in these shops – including lots of characters from well-known films. It’s very entertaining to see all kinds of rubber ducks in the shop window. I researched afterwards because I wanted to find out why there are so many rubber duck shops in Amsterdam, but I didn’t find a real answer. Apparently it’s just very popular. But it’s also very humorous.

A trip to Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a special city that connects many global cultures and cities. Of course, the city has also an unique flair. You can spend numerous hours strolling through the beautiful streets, crossing some of the many bridges over the canals and visiting interesting shops and museums. You definitely shouldn’t plan too little time for a visit to this city.

And be aware of the cyclists! In Amsterdam, as a pedestrian you have to pay attention to cyclists rather than drivers when crossing streets. People on bikes pass you very quickly and appear out of nowhere around a corner. If you want to see more of the city in a shorter time, you can also book bicycles and get around faster. But everything in the city center is very easy to reach on foot as well.

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Thank you for reading this blog post! I wish you a nice day and see you soon!

Zsofia