A- like Amsterdam

Gracht in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is always worth to travel, even if it`s always packed with tourists and the people who are living in the city centre, especially in the Grachtenbelt start to complain about it. But never the less: Amsterdam is amazing and has attractions for every kind of interest and every age.
To get a good insight into Amsterdam I recommend a three night stay. The pricelevel for the accommodation in Amsterdam is pretty high. So do maybe look for alternative options like airbnb, 9flats or for people who like it, homeswapping.
If you plan to explore the city by public transport (which is very comfortable and safe) do buy an ov-card when you arrive at the airport or the train station. You can use this card to pay in all trains, trams, busses and on public ferrys. When you board the bus etc just check in and when you get out, check out. The price with the ov-card is much lower then buying a single ticket. Another option is to buy day tickets.
Now you are ready to explore good old Amsterdam. Even if it´s a bit “touristy”: Do start with a grachten and harbour tour by boat. Most of them will start near the main station in the street Damrak. Don´t use the greyline tour - I was not very satisfied with their tour. They promised a 1 hour tour, it was 40 Minutes, they promised the explanations in different languages which they finally didn`t do all. Besides there were just very little and short explanations. A lot of interesting sights were not explained and the tour was 10 € instead of 8.50 € at the competitor next door.

Hustle on the Albert Cuyt market

 A definite recommendation is the Albert Cuyp market (open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Do visit this place! I love it! It is the longest open-air market in the whole Netherlands and the people use it to do their everyday shopping. Fish, vegetables, meat and sweets are offered as well as clothes, cosmetics and other things you will need or not. It is great to see, smell and feel all the different offered things. Of course do try some original Dutch food. Salty haring, crunchy fries with sauce “Special” (mayonnaise, ketchup and onions) or sate sauce or Poffertjes (little dutch Pancakes) are my favorites and are all offered at the market. If I need more than a snack, I visit the restaurant De Duvel, just next to the market at Eerste van der Helststraat 59/61. Here I get really tasty food (do try the fish) and really good service. Do also take a walk through the neighbourhood around here. This part of the city, called De Pijp is in a huge transformation process - from a previously a bit shabby place to a very cool and trendy neighbourhood. In some areas like the Ferdinand Bolstraat the process is nearly done, in other areas like the Van Woustraat the process is just starting. So do take a walk and enjoy.

One of the nine Straatches

Another area which is worth taking a walk in are the 9straatches (9 little steets). These streets are in Jordaan. Here you can discover little nice cafés and small designer shops with nice shoes and clothing as well as a traditional cheeseshop or stalls where you can buy chocolate. Do find a place on one of the terraces with water view for example and watch the people passing and enjoy the special atmosphere at the water and the old Grachtenhouses.
Beside all the tourist spots every guidebooks recommends you should visit, there are some things you have to do in Amsterdam. One is to pull some food out of the wall. That really sounds strange for most of us, but it is common in the Netherlands. You will find a lot of Delis called “Fritture” were you can get known food like fries and burger as well as some Dutch food - for example Krokette or Frikandel. Often you can not only buy these things at a counter, but you can buy it also (or sometimes only) out of a machine, which is in the wall between the diners kitchen and the street. So the cook fills the machine all the time with freshly prepared food from one side and the clients are buying the things out of the machine from the other side. Its always good fun, even if the food is often not of a high quality.
The other thing some might want to try is marihuana. As commonly known, consumption of this drug is allowed in the Netherlands in special coffeeshops and my experience is that the whole city smells like of it. I do not like marihuana and so I didn´t try, but friends told me, that you have to be very careful because the quality in the Dutch coffeeshops is much better than in other countries. So don´t try to hard, even if you might be used to it.
So do travel to Amsterdam!