Updated January 2025

We love the Netherlands, and over the course of 10+ visits, we have been able to enjoy both short and long term stays. Our longest stay in one place was in Amsterdam (3 weeks), and in Fall 2021 we spent a week in Haarlem and another week further south in Maastricht.  I’ve written about the luxury of slow travel, and the Netherlands is a great country to slow down and stay awhile. Our extended time in Amsterdam also allowed us to get out of the city to explore other towns in the Netherlands (and beyond).

Our friends Mark and Eric lived in Amsterdam for five years, and it was always a lot of fun to connect with them and hang out when we were in town. One of the best ways to experience the city like a local is meeting up with friends who live there, or going to their home for dinner. Getting out of the tourist zones allows you to explore some of the residential neighborhood favorites. Mark and Eric hosted us many times during our trips, and treated us to some really amazing meals (we are still talking about the osso Bucco and carrot cake!).

Some Practical Advice:

• If you are arriving from Schiphol airport, your fastest and most affordable route to Amsterdam (or beyond) is the train. At the luggage claim, there is a kiosk for train tickets; book your one way or round trip ticket to Centraal if Amsterdam is your final destination. You don’t need to book for a specific departure time, your ticket is good for any train to your destination. After clearing customs, you will find your way to the Info Point in the main airport plaza and in the middle of the plaza are escalators down to the platform. Platforms 1 & 2 are usually the trains to Amsterdam Centraal; the NS train site is the best resource for schedules and track information. Be sure to TAP IN on the sensor before going down the escalator to the platform. When you arrive at Centraal Station, you will need to Tap Out to leave the station. Before you get to the tram, stop at a kiosk and get your re-loadable Chipkart, then head outside to find your tram. 

If you want to take a taxi or Uber, follow the signs from the terminal and be sure to only use a taxi from the official taxi stand to be sure you’re getting a fair rate. 

• Before you leave home, download Google Maps for your destinations so you have driving maps you can use offline. The maps will also come in handy for finding train and tram routes, but only the “driving” directions will function offline. Also, download Dutch in Google translate. Everyone speaks English, but all the signage is in Dutch. 

• The trams are incredibly easy to use and make getting around a breeze, but the process of buying a ticket isn’t clear cut.  Each journey is about €3 unless you have an OV Chipkart, then the journey is about €1. Unless you’re a resident you’ll need an Anonymous Card, which can be purchased at the Centraal Station, the Metro station, at some tram stops, and onboard some trams.  Hourly tickets can be purchased on the tram with Visa. Remember to tap IN and OUT for each journey so you’re not overcharged. As of this writing OV wasn’t using ApplePay but there may be an app now. Taking an Uber or taxi in Amsterdam is expensive and slow. Your best bet is to get comfortable with the tram and Metro right away. 

• Speaking of trams, they are a great way to sightsee if you’re short on time, your feet are sore, or the weather is inclement. From Centraal take the #2 or #12 tram and grab a window seat. You’ll ride through the heart of the city and can hop on and off at the major attractions such as Dam Square, Keisersgracht, Prinsengracht, Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum, etc.  Don’t forget to tap in AND out!

• When sight-seeing, note that the further away you get from Centraal Station the less tourists and crowds you’ll deal with (of course you’ll still have that factor at Rijksmuseum and Leidseplein but less so). In my opinion, the least appealing area of the city is near the train station and city center (Centrum, Dam Square and Neuwmarkt). This is where the college kids and stag parties are spending their visit. You can also find H&N and Footlocker here if you need some new shoes. 

• Don’t be concerned with prostitutes and marijuana. Prostitutes are mainly confined to the red light district and are not out on the street. You will likely walk right by a prostitute’s window and not even know it. Cannabis is legally only permitted in coffeeshops, and although coffeeshops are everywhere, they are not rowdy drug dens. You might smell pot but that will be the extent of it. FYI, although you can buy coffee in a coffeeshop, they are primarily for buying and smoking pot. If you just want a coffee, go to a café. Coffeeshops do not sell alcohol. On another level are smart shops, where patrons can purchase psychadelics if that’s your thing. 

• When choosing a place to stay, location is everything, but of course, everyone’s needs and desires differ. We found being close to the tram and the market the most convenient for us and saved us time and wear and tear on our feet. If we are in town for a few nights we will stay in a hotel near our favorite restaurant, De Belhamel. If we are in town for a week or longer, we like an Airbnb in a residential neighborhood like Jordaan or de Pijp. 

• Ignore the weather forecasts in the Netherlands. They were never right. When it was supposed to rain, it was sunny; when it was supposed to be sunny, it rained. We ended up carrying our umbrellas everywhere just in case.

• The main supermarket is called Albert Heijn (AH for short). They are everywhere but some are only convenience stores, some don’t take cash and others only take cash. We located a full supermarket and an express mart closest to us the first week so we didn’t have to play the “how to pay” guessing game each time. Also, in Amsterdam (and most of Europe) bring your own bags or be prepared to buy bags.

• Most people now use Apple Pay on their phone or some other contactless payment. If you already use it, excellent. If you don’t use it, you might consider activiating it on your device. It has saved me twice when my debit card was lost, and when a credit card was compromised. 

• If you’re a coffee lover, having your morning cup is an important start to your day. Finding half & half for coffee is always like a scavenger hunt in Europe because many cartons of “cream” contain oil or sugar as they are predominately used for cooking. In Amsterdam we finally decided that “slagroom” (heavy whipping cream) was as close as we were going to get, and we added milk to make half/half. Make sure you download Dutch in Google Translate to help with translations in the supermarket and elsewhere. Although everyone speaks English, the products & a lot of signage is in Dutch.

Things to do in Amsterdam:
Obviously there are lots of museums, parks, restaurants and shops to occupy your hours in Amsterdam, and any guide book or website can give you the “must do” things. Walking the canal rings alone can take up a couple of days. For first timers, definitely hit all the main sites such as the Van Gogh museum, Vondelpark, Dam Square, Anne Frank Huis and the canal rings (do yourself a favor and buy tickets online so you can skip the lines. You can thank me later). We found the Heineken Experience to be underwhelming, but if you are intent to do it, get tickets online to save some money and time. The Rijksmuseum is a memorable experience, but if you only have a few days, save it for a longer visit or a rainy day. It takes a full day, and you will want to spend your time exploring the city!

Once you’ve checked those boxes, some other things I would recommend are:

• Biking and picnic through Vondelpark. This park is at the southern end of town and is massive. In addition to miles of paths, there are tons of fountains, streams, bridges, and cafes. If your bike has a basket, pick up some sandwiches and a bottle of wine and have a picnic.

• Rent a canal boat for the afternoon. This is not the same as doing a canal cruise with 30+ other tourists. There are a couple of boat rental companies that will rent you an electric canal boat by the hour and you can have a boat all to yourself. They are easy to navigate and don’t go fast. Just pay attention to the direction of the canal (some are one-way) and be considerate of faster moving vessels. We used Sloepdelen which has two docks in Amsterdam. The boats were clean and easy to operate and 2.5 hours was €150. We took snacks and wine on the boat and had a grand time. Of course, taking a canal boat cruise is fun too.

• Outdoor markets and the Foodhallen. Amsterdam is literally flush with outdoor markets that sell food, produce, crafts, antiques and other goods. The Foodhallen is an upscale food hall with a lot of options for food of all kinds, including dim sum, tacos, burgers, tapas, fish and chips, ribs, pastries, etc. We went for dinner one night and ate small dishes from 4-5 different stands. I had the best fish and chips of my life there, outdoing Leo Burdock’s in Dublin and everywhere in London. I think we could have gone 2-3 more times and still not sampled all the food. The De Pijp neighborhood has one of Amsterdam’s largest and busiest outdoor markets, called the Albert Cuyp Markt. It has fresh food, exotic fare, souvenirs, and clothing, and makes a fun afternoon of siteseeing. 

• Speaking of food, Amsterdam is a haven for great ethnic food. Be sure to try Indonesian Rijsttafel, which will give you a large selection of delicious foods served with rice. Our favorite place has since closed, but our second favorite is Kartika.  We ate a ton of great Vietnamese food (O Mai was a favorite) and found a German restaurant called Wurst and Schnitzelhaus to get our schnitzel fix (the chicken schnitzel is to die for). For good Dutch food, check out The Pantry. Our very favorite restaurant in Amsterdam is De Belhamel, and we try to go every time we are in town. For dessert, take a short walk to Winkel 43 for the best Dutch appeltaart you’ve ever tasted. Even if you’re too full to eat a bite, take one to go (they are great with morning coffee!). 

• Visit the Amsterdam Zoo. This is an interesting zoo… it’s the oldest in the Netherlands, and not super well kept, but the animals looked healthy and happy, and the zoo itself is more like a park. The animals were really engaging and seemed interested in the people who came to see them. We had a great time, and you can take the tram.

Some good walks in Amsterdam:

Getting out of the City:

The Netherlands has a fantastic and convenient heavy rail system that is affordable and will get you almost everywhere in the country (and Belgium) in about 2 hours. Some of our experiences:

Haarlem:
Thirty minutes from Amsterdam by train, Haarlem is an easy day trip and offers a more peaceful view of Dutch life. Similar to Amsterdam but less crowded, it’s much more conducive to biking. Everyone and their brother has a bike in the Netherlands, but biking in Amsterdam can be intimidating and dangerous if you’re not really careful. If you want to ride a bike, consider Haarlem. The cathedral is breathtaking and inside there is a spectacular organ that has been played by Mozart and Handel.

We returned to Haarlem in September 2021 for a weeklong stay at a beautiful apartment that was a close walk to everything Haarlem has to offer. Haarlem has all the beautiful architecture and great restaurants of Amsterdam, but a fraction of the tourists. And, as we were visiting soon after the Covid travel restrictions had been lifted for Europe, there were VERY few tourists to contend with! We had great Indonesian food, rode bikes along the canals (much less treacherous than Amsterdam), and took a day trip by train to Den Haag. I would happily recommend staying in Haarlem as an alternative to the cost and crowds of Amsterdam. 

Marken & Volendam:
Marken is a sleepy, small fishing village that is loaded with charm but not much to do. We rented a car for the 30-minute drive from Amsterdam (you will need your passport to rent a car in the Netherlands) and after about an hour, we had seen everything Marken had to offer. Since we had time, we took the 20-minute drive to Volendam. It is another fishing village but more focused on tourists and a bit more to see and do. Volendam has a boardwalk that reminded us a lot of an old-timey American beach town (think Cape May) and there are lots of restaurants and souvenir shops and a small beach. Combining Marken and Volendam was a good call. Also to note, Volendam is supposedly THE place to get seafood near Amsterdam, although we didn’t eat there.

Utrecht:
Utrecht is another great alternative to Amsterdam if you want the feel of Amsterdam with fewer crowds. Utrecht gets a decent number of visitors from Amsterdam, so there is usually a good vibe and something going on. One of the unique things to do in Utrecht is enjoy a cafe at the edge of the Oudegracht canal and wharf.

Groningen:
Vibrant college town with a nice little shopping street and pretty cafes. This was just over 2 hours from Amsterdam and was recommended to us by a local. We liked it but probably would not add it to our list of places to return. It’s quite small and we were pretty much ready to leave after 2 hours.

Leiden & Delft:
Leiden was about 30 minutes from Centraal and has a charming city center that is split by a busy canal. We sat at a café overlooking one section of the canal and watched the private canal boats parade by, as a choir sang in the bandstand a few yards beyond. It was very relaxing and provided its share of cobblestone alleys and pretty churches. Delft was 30 minutes from Leiden and was our favorite city. It’s so charming and picturesque you can almost get a sense of what an old Dutch town looked like back in the day. It’s small enough to see in an hour or two, but provides many, many photo opportunities. We ate at an unusual restaurant called Hills and Mills that was advertised as Indian fusion but was like nothing we have ever had. The highlight of that meal was a platter of smoked lamb that resembled cold cuts. It was amazing and unique. All the food here is organic and fresh, but don’t expect traditional Indian dishes.

Maastricht:

Another beautiful town is Maastricht, which is very close to Belgium. Maastricht is well known and loved by the Dutch, but it’s not as well known by tourists, so it is very authentic. After many visits to the Netherlands, we finally made it to Maastricht in October 2021 for a week long stay. This is another great bike town, with lots of city bike rentals to be found. Another thing that might appeal to travelers is that non-residents are not able to patronize the cannabis shops so “weed-tourism” is non-existent. Maastricht is flush with medieval architecture, and with a large university, you can expect a young population with lots of bars and restaurants. 

Maastricht is a shopping haven and its high street has every shop you can imagine, with fairly reasonable prices. Be sure to visit the Dominican book store, even if you don’t need a book (they have a huge English section too!). In one of the two main centers of town, the St. Janskerk’s bright red chapel commands attention. And the Helpoort (Hell Gate) is sure to whisk you back in time. 

One of our most pleasant days was walking around the university conservatory listening to students practice, crossing ancient bridges and taking in the mills and bubbling brooks. Cross the St. Servaasbridge and grab a table by the water at CINQ. If the bouillabaisse is on the menu, you should definitely get it! 

Lastly, Maastricht has an interesting underground network of caves that sheltered residents during WW2 and are now open to guided tours. Due to Covid restrictions we weren’t able to tour, but we did ride bikes around the countryside nearby.

Antwerp:
Although not in the Netherlands, it’s actually further north than some of the Netherland’s more southern towns, such as Maastricht, and is an easy 2-hour train ride. We decided to make an overnight trip for Dave’s birthday and were not disappointed. We stayed at the Hotel Rubens close to Grote Markt, which was a great spot. The hotel is clean and modern and just a 2 minute walk to the Markt. From Antwerpen Centraal we took the tram into the Old Town and walked to our hotel. We stayed in the Old Town for our visit and spent our time strolling and people watching at cafes, our favorite pastime. For dinner, we ate at a unique place called Pelgrom that’s in a cellar underground. They serve Belgian food and have an extensive beer collection (don’t get the wine).

Amsterdam is a lovely, lively city that will keep a traveler busy for days on end. However, the Netherlands has hundreds of beautiful towns with a lot to offer. If you have the chance, take a moment to explore this amazing country, you’ll be glad you did!

For more on Amsterdam, click HERE.

Steph