Amsterdam Highlights
Anne Frank House: At first, I did not want to go to the Anne Frank house. World War II history can be terribly overwhelming to me at times, like keep me up at night sort of overwhelming. However, Tyler really wanted to go, so we bought our tickets and made a reservation before getting to Amsterdam and, in the end, I was so glad we went. In fact, after going through the annex, we decided that this is a place that you simply can’t miss. But why? The Anne Frank House offers one of those rare opportunities in which travel brings you as close as you can possibly get to time travel. To go through the house with so many people from your own time, filling the space with a somber quiet, everyone focused, all listening to a story shared by so many but told by so few is remarkable. In between the guide talking in my ears, I could hear the floors creak. They made me feel uneasy as if the Nazis were just a noise away from discovering us. The fear in those rooms all those years ago seemed tangible. And, going through the house, you are faced with the realization that one girl made the six million lives lost in concentration camps heavy, sharp, poignant—so burdensome and cumbersome—but imaginable, individual, even real, as well as the realization that there were so many more families, girls, like this tucked away in secret, keeping diaries of lives lived and yet to be lived and, somehow, irrevocably, lost.
De Belhamel: As we made our way from the Anne Frank House to De Belhamel, an Art Nouveau restaurant with a French/European menu, we noticed that we had a bit of time before our reservation, so we took a detour into the Amsterdam Cheese Museum. We were happy to see a shop full of free samples. I think we tried every piece of Gouda in the place…and there was A LOT of Gouda (I’m not even sure if there was anything other than Gouda). We also grabbed a Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bar for dessert later. When we were ready to take on the cold again, we started back to the restaurant. On our way we were snowed and hailed on, but we were so excited to be in Amsterdam and about to eat that the weather couldn’t touch our spirits. The restaurant was elegant but cozy. We sat right by the window overlooking the canals and had one of the best meals of our lives. Tyler ordered the, melt-in-your-mouth, Boeuf Belhamel, while I had the poached salmon with herring roe swimming in this rather magical butter sauce. The food was sophisticated, yet simple; the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff was knowledgeable without being stuffy.
Ice Amsterdam: After visiting the Rijksmuseum the following day, we went ice skating. This happened to be one of my favorite things we did while there. Sometimes when you are traveling to a European city during the winter months, it can be difficult to find things to do, aside from eating and visiting museums, so it was nice to just embrace the cold for a change and be kids for a couple of hours. We bought our tickets online before we went, but you could wait and purchase them when you get there as well. There’s a beautiful backdrop, a roomy rink, and a place next door to grab a bite or a drink. There are even outdoor heaters.
Canal Cruise: No trip to Amsterdam is complete without exploring the canals, especially if you are going to be in Amsterdam for the Light Festival like we were. The Light Festival takes place from the end of November to the end of January, and it is best witnessed by boat at night. However, I would highly recommend booking a tour through Airbnb. Airbnb offers you a chance to explore the canals with a live guide, oftentimes Dutch snacks and refreshments, a unique ride, and a chance to get to know some other tourists as well as locals. That being said, we chose to book the “Amsterdam Experience Cruise” with Robby on Airbnb. Only one other person booked the tour with us, so we ended up having the boat mostly to ourselves. The tour guide provided us with bitterballen, cheese, Jenever, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and plenty of conversation. At the end of the tour, he moored the boat and a couple of his friends joined us to help finish the Jenever. The experience was candid, intimate, and a truly unforgettable part of our trip.
Proeflokaal Arendsnest: This place was highly recommended, and, as soon as we got there, we could see why. We could neither find a place to sit or stand, which somehow added to the appeal of the establishment. It had a liveliness about it that just couldn’t be rivaled and a coziness accentuated by its copper pipes and wood-paneled walls. After scoping the place out for several minutes in search of an empty spot, I saw a sign in the very back which gestured to more seating downstairs. We headed downstairs only to discover that there was no seating available there either. When we came back up, however, there was a small standing table open. We snagged it, and Tyler started mulling over the 50 Dutch beers on draft, settling on a pale ale and a stout, his favorite of the two being the latter which had a peanut butter flavor. While I was still too full from lunch to try a gluten free cider, I was extremely impressed by the pub snacks—the sheep cheese—pure perfection. This turned out to be just the place to escape the elements for a couple hours, warm up with a pint or two, and people watch before dinner.
Other Things To Do
Rent a bike: The most obvious choice of transportation in the city.
Albert Cuyp Market: Located in the De Pijp neighborhood, this is the hottest spot for trying street food such as stroopwafels, herring, and poffertjes
Fromagerie Abraham Kef: A local gem for all of your cheese needs. They also do wine tastings.
I Amsterdam Sign: Located in front of the Rijksmuseum: This became an iconic picture destination for tourists, but it was removed in December 2018.
Our Four Day Itinerary
Day 1: January 17
· Arrive at 2:40 pm
· Check in to Mercure Hotel Amsterdam West
· Fromagerie Abraham kef
· Head to the nine streets to walk around
· Anne Frank House @ 5:00 pm
· Dinner: De Belhamel @ 7:15 pm
Day 2: January 18
· Breakfast: Cottoncake
· Amsterdam sign
· Damrak: The Dancing Houses
· Rijksmuseum
· Ice skating in front of the Rijksmuseum
· Dinner: Bar Fisk @6:00 pm
· Boat tour @ 8:00 to 10:00 pm
Day 3: January 19
· Breakfast: Pancake Bakery
· Jordaan district
· The Nine Streets
· Lunch: Gartine @ 3:00 pm
· Red light district
· Proeflokaal Arendsnest
· Dinner: Mossel & Gin @ 8:15pm
Day 4: January 20
· Breakfast: Luza’s Caffeine Club
· De Pijp neighborhood: Albert Quyp Market
· Lunch: Mr.& Mrs. Watson @ 2:00 pm
· Depart @ 6:45 pm