Amsterdam is best known for its famous canals, which are lined with narrow houses with gabled facades. You can either walk along the canal edge, or take a boat trip, but either way it is worth spending some time doing this.

We stayed at a small establishment called Hotel Amstelzicht. Whereas the people are friendly enough, the rooms are very small, and in the case of our room it actually had a slope to it. The only way to get up the various levels to your room is by an extremely steep and narrow staircase, which in itself is probably a bit of a hazard. We think there are plenty of other better suited establishments for the mature traveller, than having to worry about steep staircases and sloping rooms. However, it was close to Rembrandt Plaza which had some lovely eating places.

There is a huge array of architecture in Amsterdam, much of which can be seen if you take a canal trip. The canals are very busy with plenty of tourist boats out and about all day. But you will also notice that the canals are used as forms of transport and there are also many residents who live in boats on the canals.

With not much time to spare in Amsterdam, as it was a quick stopover only for us, we used our time wisely and enjoyed everything we saw.

  1. Hop on-Hop off canal trip – there are plenty to choose from, including dinner tours if you are interested in an evening on the canal, but we picked the Hop on-Hop off boat tour. We really enjoyed this and it did give you a great overall perspective of Amsterdam on the canals. They also run a bus as well if you wish to get your bearings in and around the city. Some of the sights we saw along the canal were:
  2. Rembrandtplein – a major square located in Central Amsterdam it is surrounded by lovely cafes and restaurants. Along one side of it is an artists market where there were some very unusual and creative art works. Well worth a look if you are interested in art and different types of media.
  3. Royal Palace of Amsterdam – a magnificent building situated on the west side of Dam Square, it is one of 3 palaces which are at the disposal of the monarch. Bookings are required to visit the Palace.
  4. Basilica of St Nicholas – located just outside Amsterdam Central Station the basilica is the city’s primary Roman Catholic Church. Visitors are welcome to tour the basilica.

Travel Tips

  • Amsterdam seems to be confusing to get around, but we think that is mostly due to the elaborate canal network which separates large parts of the city. We recommend that you do either the Hop on-Hop off bus or canal tour to ensure you see as much as possible.

Travel Alerts

  • Amsterdam is a very busy city with plenty of tourists and locals. It felt a little crowded, and we weren’t even travelling in peak season. Because it is such a crowded city we would be mindful of your personal belongings.
  • When it comes to markets, and there are plenty around Amsterdam, be careful about using your credit cards to make purchases. We always try to pay cash where possible, except if we are buying from larger, more reputable shops.

Travel Adventures

  • Jordaan – a quirky shopping area full of galleries, cafes and shops. Known as the 9 Streets it is one of Amsterdam’s most rewarding shopping experiences.
  • Museumplein – a public square which is surrounded by the Rijksmuseum (one of the most popular museums in Amsterdam), Van Gogh Museum (housing the largest collection of works by Van Gogh), Stedelijk Museum (the museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art) and the Royal Concertgebouw (concert venue).
  • Plan a day trip if you have the time and experience the beautiful landscape of Amsterdam, its historic towns and windmills.