I AMsterdam

We landed at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at 10:30 a.m. sharp, and outside the airport you will immediately see the famous "I AMsterdam" sign. Of course we had to take some pictures there as well. Actually we were quite sure that there is an identical sign at the Rijksmuseum, but that one unfortunately was gone. So - don't forget to visit the sign at the airport ;)

Transport

From the airport the easiest way to get into the centre is by train. The trains run every few minutes, the ride takes about 20 minutes and costs you about 5€ per person. The train takes you directly to Amsterdam Centraal station. Our accommodation, which was close to Rijksmuseum, was then a 25 minute walk away. Although we enjoyed strolling through the city on our way to our hotel, and we were luckily traveling light this time, we later found a better connection between the airport and the areas that are not immediately at the central station. 

There is in deed a bus line that stopped just a few meters from our hotel, and it also connects other areas close to Leidseplein, Museumsplein and so on. The bus number is 397 (or N97 at night) and runs every 7-8 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes at night. Tickets cost 6€ per person. So better check where your hotel is located before taking the train to the central station :) -->Here you can check the schedule of the bus & its stops. 

However, as our hotel was quite central, and Amsterdam isn't that big really, we did not need any other public transport during our stay. If you make sure that your accommodation is not too far from the centre, everything is in walking distance :)

HOTEL

Amsterdam again is quite pricey when it comes to accommodation. Of course the further you stay from the centre, the cheaper are the hotels, but then you always have to take the tram or a taxi to the centre, which is also quite expensive and by the way quite annoying... So better get yourself a hotel or Airbnb which is not too far from the centre. We stayed at the Iron Horse hotel, which is just a 5 minute walk from Rijksmuseum. The location was really nice, there were lots of restaurants and supermarkets around, and also a lot of clothing stores ;) The room was quite small, but very clean and quiet. The bathroom was pretty spacious, but as there was no heating and the temperatures were a little below zero, it was cold in the bathroom. We didn't take breakfast because there were so many other options around. But there was a coffee machine at the reception where you could get free coffee/chocolate and tea round the clock :) 

--> Here you can book your stay at Iron Horse

HIGHLIGHTS

We can only admit: we fell in love with Amsterdam <3. It has sooo much to offer. With its canals and its crooked houses it is not only very photogenic, but it is also worth mentioning that you will find some of the best restaurants and most fabulous shopping streets in this city.  

Of course it is also no secret that in Amsterdam "soft" drugs like marijuana or magic mushrooms are tolerated by the government, which means that you can legally buy & consume them. When you come to Amsterdam for the first time, it might be quite strange to see people smoking weed everywhere, at least for me it was. Also, the smell is quite strong, and everywhere in the city you will come across red-eyed zombies who are desperately trying to order some of the delicious sweets at the bakeries :D after a day or two you will be used to the smell and scenes like that. However, as in most coffeeshops you are only allowed to smoke, but not to drink alcohol, going out at night was always very relaxed and the people were peaceful. AND: it is also prohibited in the coffeeshops to smoke tobacco, something we really appreciated. Some of the coffeeshops are really nicely decorated and offer the most delicious Belgian hot chocolates we have ever tried (see list below). 

Amsterdam is also very popular for its cycling culture. In the centre you won't find many cars - instead, thousands of bikes. You can rent your own bikes at almost every corner. We didn't try this though, as it was pretty cold during our stay and as I am riding my bike at home all year, I was not very keen on that :D But, in summer it is for sure a nice option and is definitely more fun than in winter. 

TO-DO LIST FOR AMSTERDAM

Sightseeing:

• I AMsterdam Sign (only at the airport)
• Vondelpark (better in summer)
• Red Light District (at night)
• Rijksmuseum (with giant ice rink in winter)
• Anne Frank House
• Bloemenmarkt
• The Canals (most famous & picturesque ones are Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht and Herengracht)
• Westerkerk
• De 9 Straatjes
• Amsterdam Centraal Station
• A`dam Lookout (giant swing high above Amsterdam)

Shopping:

• Kalverstraat
• Leidsetraat
• De Bijenkorf
• Magna Plaza

Food Guide:

• Wok to Walk (delicious fried rice & noodles)
• Manneken Pis (the best fries we've ever tried)
• Bar-B Burgers'n Beer Bar (delicious burgers, some tables have their own beer tap)
• Rene's Croissanterie (try the Churros!!!)
• Burgermeester (yummy burgers)
• The Butcher (for all the meat lovers)
• La Zoccola del Pacioccone (don't miss the pizza there)
• Pluk Amsterdam (lovely breakfast location)
• Foodhallen (lot of delicious food stalls with different kinds of food)
• Skylounge (fancy rooftop bar with a nice view)
• Vegan Junkfood Bar (try the sweet potatoe fries!)

Coffeeshops:

• The Bulldog (the only ones where you're allowed to smoke AND drink)
• Dampkring (cozy interior and the hot chocolate is to die for)
• Abraxas (you feel like in a bird's nest :D)
• Smokey (dark and full of neon lights)

DAY TRIPS 

For summer trips we would definitely recommend a day trip to Den Haag - this lovely city is located right at the beach, and during summer, spending a day at the beach might be nice :) Den Haag is only a one-hour drive from Amsterdam, and busses between these two city run frequently. 

Another day trip we would recommend for warmer days, is Zaanse Schans. In this picturesque village, which is only a 15-minute drive from Amsterdam, you can visit the most beautiful windmills. which the Netherlands are famous for. 

For those who got more time to explore the Netherlands, we would also recommend going to Rotterdam. It's not so touristy as Amsterdam, but has also a lot to offer <3