Amsterdam Activities

An Insight in to my Adventure in Amsterdam...

Initial Exploration  

Amsterdam is such a beautiful city, characterised by it's never ending canals and worryingly slanted town houses. We were lucky enough to have good weather which made exploring that bit better! At night, the city really comes alive with the raging red light district and several bars where liking beer really is a must if you are on a budget! 

Sex Museum 

Although cliché, a visit to Amsterdam would not be complete without visiting the sex museum. For €4 you get a lot for your money, with floors of exhibits so to speak. Aswell as the expected photos, there are actually interesting stories, aswell as the least flattering Marilyn Monroe waxwork I have ever seen! All in all, it's worth a visit if only for a picture on a well known penis chair especially if you have an hour to spare.

I am Amsterdam  

Although another touristy attraction, it would be weird to leave Amsterdam without an infamous sign photo. Furthermore, because it is so close to several museums it is worth going to as an after museum activity especially if the weather is nice. 

Biking

Biking through the city makes it very clear that bicycles rule the roads in Amsterdam. To get to grips with the bikes we started cycling through Vondelpark where we stopped for refreshments at one of the many bars/restaurants. They, like pretty much everywhere in Amsterdam are very bike friendly and very popular. 

If you don't feel confident on a bicycle, I would avoid heading in to the main part of the city which although is very fun, tests your concentration and road awareness on new levels.

Please be aware that smaller bike hire companies have a more limited range therefore popular bike sizes are in greater demand. Due to this, we ended up hiring with Mac Bikes. Although slightly more expensive they provide numerous bikes with adjustable seat height and several sites across the city. 

If only for an hour or so, this is such a fun way to see the city and gives you a work out too!

Markets

We visited a few markets whilst we were in Amsterdam. The first of which was the tulip market which faces on to the canals and has all sorts of trinkets and of course tulips for sale. The other was the latest market in Amsterdam which had the best fresh orange juice and smoothies. Plus in Amsterdam giving free samplers are a given whether this in markets or shops, so trying before you buy is a real concept. 

Kantjil & De Tijger 

After internet recommendations we gave this restaurant a go because the Indonesian food in Amsterdam is raved about and we were not disappointed. 

Staff were really helpful on advising for particular dishes and the spiciness of food. Between two, we shared a Nasi Goreng Kantjil which included a beef curry dish, pork satay, several vegetable extras and spicy rice as well as a spicy prawn dish, various dumplings and special potato chips. It was the best meal I had in Amsterdam and I would definitely recommend going again! 

I would recommend booking if you are planning on going later in the evening as as we didn't book and had a shortened dining time. However, the food was prompt so it's not as if we were forced out. 

Anne Frank House 

This was my second time to the Anne Frank House and even for a second time was still so inspirational. It really opens your eyes to the conditions that the Frank family were expected to live in and the story so many of us know so well. For €9 it is worth every penny, there are often queues but it is worth it. It is open till 9 so to avoid the queues I would recommend going to see it in the early evening. 

There are so many more attractions I wish we could have visited but only had a short space of time so tried to use our time wisely. From previous experiences, I would definitely recommend the VanGogh museum!

Imogen xoxo