Tips for Traveling to Amsterdam, The Netherlands - What to Know Before You Go
by Rebecca Hollman
updated June 12, 2019
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities in Europe and even throughout the entire world. Known for its canals, food culture, good music, and party vibes, Amsterdam draws in younger crowds and backpackers from all around the world. But Amsterdam is so much more than the Red Light District and partying - it is a beautiful city full of amazing food, shopping, history and parks.
Going to paradise always requires a little bit of planning. Learn everything you need to know about Amsterdam here - including what to do, where to stay and where to eat.
What to Know
LANGUAGE: The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch but almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks multiple languages. English is VERY common.
CURRENCY/BANKS/ATM: The currency of the Netherlands is the euro, which is the commonly used currency throughout the entire European Union. The US dollar is not commonly accepted so if you want to use cash, you will need to exchange it for euros. You will likely get a bad exchange rate in the airport so I would wait to exchange your money at a bank. Otherwise, almost everywhere takes major credit cards. Make sure to tell your credit card company that you will be traveling abroad and where so that they don’t flag your purchases. Also, consider signing up for a credit card that doesn’t have any foreign exchange fees. That 3% fee on every charge can really add up!
WEATHER: In Amsterdam, the summers are comfortable and partly cloudy and the winters are long, very cold, windy, and mostly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 34°F to 71°F and is rarely below 22°F or above 81°F. The summer average daily high is 71°F and the winter average daily high is 34°F. The best time of year to visit Amsterdam is from late June to early September.
GETTING AROUND: Getting around in Amsterdam is extremely easy thanks to it’s train system. Like any good European system, the public transportation system is robust and easy to use. Most things within Amsterdam are walking or biking distance and it is very popular to rent a bike and bike around the city. And if not, an Uber ride will do the trick. There is absolutely no need for a car. If you want to go a little farther out or visit other cities in the Netherlands, a train ride is cheap and fast.
SAFETY: In the Netherlands, crime rates tend to be higher in the bigger cities than in rural areas, but serious crime in Amsterdam is low. However, petty crimes such as muggings, bag snatching, and pickpocketing are common in tourist areas, so it's important to use common sense when you're out and about. Realistically, Amsterdam is an extremely safe city but just use some common sense - don’t be out late at night or be obviously drunk as you may be an easy target.
How to Get There
BY PLANE: Amstedam is a major city in Europe and has a very large airport accommodating flights from all around the world. If you are flying into Amsterdam, you could get a flight there from anywhere in the world. However, if you are flying into Europe from the USA and Amsterdam is only one of your stops, you might consider flying into a “hub city” to make the flight cheaper and then getting a bouncer flight or train from there. For the US, the hub city in Europe is most often London. You can usually get a much cheaper round-trip flight from New York City or Boston to London and then buy a separate flight from London to Amsterdam. However, sometimes the cheapest flight is directly into Amsterdam so make sure to explore your options.
BY TRAIN: If you are already in Europe, then getting from one European city to another is usually quite easy by train. High-speed trains are relatively cheap, easy to use and a common means for travel within the EU. Consider taking a train over flying if you are coming from another nearby EU city.
*Once you are in Amsterdam, everything is walking or biking distance from another. And if it is not, you can easily use the public transportation system or get an Uber/taxi. A rental car is entirely unnecessary in Amsterdam and will honestly make your life harder having to find parking for it. The only exception would be if you are doing a cross-Europe road trip and have your own car or if you already live in Europe and plan to drive to Amsterdam.
What to Do There
1. PICNIC IN VONDELPARK AND OOSTERPARK: The two main parks and green areas of the city, Vondelpark and Oosterpark are must visits. On opposite sides of the city, these two parks give a nice relief from the city life and have trails, bike paths, ponds, cafes, and plenty of open space to park your bum for the day. If you rented a bike, make sure to take a cruise through both parks and enjoy the tranquility the parks have to offer. Make a stop for some yoga or a grassy picnic in the park, hopefully on a nice, sunny day.
2. EAT AT FOODHALLEN: Foodhallen is a big inside market with over 21 different food vendors/restaurants selling their fares. There is a large communal seating space for all the vendors so you can grab a snack from one place, a pastry from another, and a beer from another. Foodhallen also has events like live music on the weekends. This is a good place to come sit with friends and try a little bit of all the vendors, from Dim Sum to Mexican to hot dogs to sushi, there’s something here for everyone.
3. VISIT THE RIJKSMUSEUM: The Rijksmuseum is the Dutch national museum, dedicated to arts and history. It is the most visited museum in the Netherlands, and also the biggest museum in the country. The museum has 8,000 objects on display out of their entire collection of 1 million objects. These range from the years 1200-2000 and include artwork, furniture, clothing, weaponry, and much more. The museum has multiple floors and wings, and you could easily spend days in the museum. Make sure to give yourself a full day to truly explore as much of the museum as you can. There is a cafe/restaurant inside the museum.
4. VISIT THE VAN GOGH MUSEUM: Step into Van Gogh's world. Explore the world’s largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, the surrealist painter known for his works like Starry Night. Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. However, he didn’t reach infamy until after his death. In just over a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, most of which date from the last two years of his life. He created many of his works from behind the walls of a mental institute.
5. TAKE A SUNSET CANAL CRUISE: One of the most quintessential Amsterdam things to do is take a boat ride in the canal. A sunset cruise through the canal really gives a magical feel. There are all sorts of ways to get out into the canal, but if you are short for time there are tourist boats that take you through the canals and to the most iconic spots. Lots of these are jump on/jump off boats and you can get out at any tourist point you want. A more authentic experience would be to rent a boat yourself or find some new Dutch friends to take you out on their boat.
Where to Stay
Generator Amsterdam - The coolest hostel in Amsterdam by far. Located right next to Oosterpark, this hostel is in a converted university. It has a cafe and restaurant that serve up some amazing breakfast, lunch, and coffee to top it off.
The Tire Station - An eco-designer hotel on the west side of Amsterdam with energy from renewable sources, an eco-garden on the roof with beehives, tables made from recycled yoghurt pots, and more.
A houseboat on Airbnb - There’s nothing that screams Amsterdam more than a houseboat on the canal, so why not stay in one? There are cute houseboat rentals all over Airbnb, lots with their own little outside patio spaces.
ClinkNOORD - Another amazing hostel just minutes from downtown. A great place for working digital nomads that has a restaurant on site. Free movie screenings every night as a bonus.
Where to Eat
Cafe de Klepel - The restaurant offers set menus with three or four courses, but the bar also works if you’d rather just pop by for a glass of wine and a snack. This is a great bistro with well-priced wine.
Wil Graanstra Friteshuis - The best place to enjoy Dutch frites. Monday through Saturday, Graanstra fries fresh-cut potatoes to order, to be enjoyed simply with mayonnaise or ketchup. Go early. He usually sells out by mid-afternoon.
Fromagerie Abraham Kef - This famous cheese distributor also has a small restaurant serving up cheese plates and wine. At the flagship shop, established in 1953, you can taste Kef’s excellent raw-milk cheeses and some magnificent aged Dutch cheeses (don’t leave without trying some Remeker).
Foodhallen - A food hall in a converted train depot. There’s something for everyone here: soft-shell crab buns and fish tacos at Le Big Fish, a tasting of bitterballen (a croquette-like snack) at De Ballenbar, burgers at the Butcher, hot dogs at Bulls & Dogs, Vietnamese street food at Viet View, barbecued pork at the Rough Kitchen, sweet tartlets at Le Petit Gateau, steak sandwiches at l’Entrecote, and lots more.
Winkel 43 - Come here for the infamous apple pie. An unassuming corner restaurant in Jordaan, Winkel 43 delivers OK food but the best apple pie I’ve ever tasted in my life. People wait in line for a slice.
Vegan Junk Food Bar - Famous for their take on the vegan version of the infamous Dutch creation kapsalon, a mound of fries traditionally topped with shawarma, cheese, and sauce. The vegan fries come loaded with vegan shawarma, vegan cheese, jalapenos, red onion, fried onion, and drizzles of garlic sauce and spicy VJFB sauce.
The White Room - This is considered the oldest restaurant in Amsterdam, serving food since 1885. Meals consist of five, seven, or nine course menus.
