Travel Guide to Amsterdam
Where to Stay:
It was not our first time in Amsterdam so instead of staying in a hotel near the city center like last time, we decided to stay in a houseboat through Airbnb! Having lived in Seattle for a few years, we have always wondered what it would be like to live in a houseboat so we decided to go for it in Amsterdam. There were quite a few houseboats to choose from on Airbnb and the one that we chose was located on the edge of the city center. There's actually no engine on this houseboat as it's not really a boat but more of a house floating on water, and it was designed from scratch by the owners which took years to built. Pictures online don't always translate into reality but the interior of our houseboat looked even better in person! The room we stayed in was super posh and well-designed with its own mini kitchen and bathroom. Our host was also very gracious and stocked the kitchen with fresh bread, drinks, eggs, fruits and even stroopwafels for us to help ourselves to during our stay!
What to Eat:
Check my previous posts on the fine dining restaurants I've visited in Amsterdam but if you're looking for casual eats, read on below for the places I hit up this time.
Bocca Coffee
http://www.bocca.nl/
Bocca Coffee will satisfy any coffee snobs as the roaster was crowned as the Best Coffee Roaster in the 2014 European Coffee Awards! Even though they were coffee roasters for many years, their flagship shop was only established last year and it was roomy and expansive with a large bar counter in the center. The casual vibe reminded me of the cafes in San Francisco and it's got different pockets of space for people to drink their coffee whether it is at the communal tables, bar counter or wooden sofas by the windows. The coffee menu is quite simple with two choices: black or white. Don't miss out on their pastries either - my raspberry brownie was simply luscious with a rich and velvety layer of chocolate!
Two For Joy Coffee Roasters
Two For Joy is another Third Wave coffee cafe that roasts its own beans. We actually passed by this cafe many times during our stay, and we finally popped in on the last day. The flat white was not as good as Bocca's though but the lemon meringue tart was irresistible and the cafe had a lot of different areas (both inside and outside) to chill as well.
Foodhallen Amsterdam
http://foodhallen.nl/This indoor food market is perfect for rainy days with over 20 different food stalls to choose from. Located at the De Hallen culture center, you can enjoy a casual meal or snack with a wide range of choices from Vietnamese to burgers or even a drink at the large island bar in the center of the market - there's something here for everybody. We had heard good things about Viet View which serves a kick-ass banh mi and we couldn't resist getting some Iberico ham as a take-away to munch on.
Winkel 43
http://www.winkel43.nl/The apple pie at Winkel 43 is famous for being the BEST apple pie in Amsterdam! It is a deep-dish pie with a crunchy cookie-like crust and chunky apple slices served with whipped cream on the side, and it was the best apple pie I've ever eaten. The cafe has both indoor and outdoor seats, and we enjoyed ours outside with some people watching. Remember to try the mint tea as well!
Upstairs Pancakes
Upstairs Pancakes is apparently the smallest restaurant in Europe with only 4 tables! You need to climb a very steep staircase to reach the dining room and then you will be rewarded with your choice of savory or sweet Dutch pancakes. I ended up trying the King with fresh Dutch strawberries and cream, and it was super delicious! It's best to make a reservation ahead of time as I saw a lot of people being turned away due to the limited space.
What to Do:
There are lots to do in Amsterdam and for first timers, I'd recommend checking out the major museums like Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum! Whenever I'm visiting museums, I always like to check ahead of time the best possible way to avoid queues like buying the tickets online, etc.
I also love taking walking tours and the most popular operator would have to be Sandemans which offers FREE tours (gratuity encouraged). The free walking tour covers all major sights like the Red Light District, The Jewish Quarter, the World's first stock exchange and many more!
One way to see how the locals live is to visit some of the neighborhood markets like farmer's markets, the Waterlooplein flea market or the Singel flower market on floating barges.
Lastly, just wander around the picturesque city, get lost and admire every canal you come across because each one is different and charming in its own way.
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