Sometimes you have the opportunity to explore another city on a long lay-over or if you have a flexible travel schedule. Amsterdam is one of these cities that is conveniently located close to the international airport making it possible to see a lot in just 24h.
Since Amsterdam doesn’t really have big landmarks (don’t waste your time in the red light district) we suggest to mainly focus on three neighborhoods called ‘De Pijp’, ‘9 straatjes’ and/or ‘Jordaan’. In these areas you get a real good feel of what Amsterdam is all about without having to deal with a lot of tourists. You’ll find a lot of cute cafe’s and small boutique shops in these areas while walking along the traditional dutch townhouses and famous canals.
For brunch we suggest ‘Bakers&Roasters’, ‘Gartine’ or grabbing a pastry on the go from ‘Rise Bakery’. Make sure that if you are visiting in the weekend that you need to make a reservation a week or two beforehand almost anywhere. If you are looking for dinner options it’s worth making your way to the ‘Foodhallen’. At the Foodhallen you can try small bites from different vendors while enjoying a great atmosphere with like-minded food lovers at communal tables in a big dining hall. If you love Pizza make sure you visit nNea, for a sit-down reservation you need to reserve months in advanced but they do take-away as well! (And no, its not just a hype spot, they keep winning international prices!)
If you are looking for a place to stay we highly recommend booking a room at ‘Stout&Co’. Stout&Co is a modern bed&breakfast with 6 very spacious and very well decorated rooms. Each room opens up to a green roof terrace, have their own bedroom, bathroom and seating area and all have their own color scheme. The main train station, the famous canals and the beautiful neighborhood ‘De Pijp’ are right next door and you are located in a quiet residential street right outside the touristy area. They offer a large breakfast that contains fresh local products from local suppliers which is served by the friendly host, Arienne. She also bakes the fresh bread every morning! Do not hesitate to ask Arienne about the history of Stout&Co and what you can do in the area because she is super helpful and knowledgeable!
Amsterdam is a beautiful city that is definitely worth visiting but is also a great city to add as a short stop to your European trip or as a lay-over to another destination.
