Raga and I have been to Amsterdam a good few times now but there is something about the city that keeps pulling me towards it every year. Be it those skewed Dutch houses, the canals, or the general vibe of the city, I love everything about Amsterdam. This time around, it was a solo trip for me to this gorgeous city and all I wanted to do was relax, take it slow, sit by the canal, and get a few night photos. This Amsterdam Guide for the First Timers is basically all you need to know before traveling to this beautiful city. These are some of our experiences and tips for you, based on our travel experiences.
Amsterdam Guide for the First-Timers
Travel Pass:
This is the most important thing to get as a tourist and ideally should be your first buy at the airport. Depending on where your hotel is located, you can choose between two types of Amsterdam Travel cards – 1) GVB multi-day pass which allows you to travel within Amsterdam city; 2) Amsterdam and region travel pass which allows you to travel to regions around like Keukenhof, etc.
Museums:
The city is filled with a variety of museums and can get a bit overwhelming for a first-time traveler. If you are anything like us, who finds museums a tab bit boring, you should definitely consider these two. I had the best experience learning more and exploring these museums:
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- Anne Frank Huis: It was such a humbling experience to visit Anne Frank Huis. I have written more about Anne Frank in this blog. Online tickets sell out a couple of months in advance. You can also stand in a queue which could be 2-3 hours long to get in. But do try to go to this museum.
- Van Gogh Museum: Having been to both Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museum, I would any day prefer Van Gogh museum. This guy was a genius and his paintings are such an inspiration. Don’t forget to get an audio guide! Suggest buying online tickets as they sell out on that day. You can buy online tickets just one day before.
Canals:
Dutch people are the coolest and they know how to enjoy life. You will see loads of stuff happening on the canals like boats with a full-size couch, boats full of people partying on them, boats with people sun bathing, tourist boats, etc. Things to consider are:
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- Rent a boat: If you are a tad bit confident, then yes, you can rent your own boat and sail through these canals.
- Canal tours: For the rest of us, there are so many companies that offer a one-hour canal tour. Do it, as it’s pretty amazing. However, if the weather is good take an open boat canal tour instead of a closed one. Better experience, I guess.
- Relaxing by the canals: Get a coffee or a bottle of beer (depending on the time of the day, of course), sit by the canal, and watch the world go by. This is one of my most memorable experiences ever. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants by the canal as well if you rather enjoy your dinner with the view.
Bikes:
The Netherlands is a very bike-friendly country! One of the best ways to experience Amsterdam is on bikes. Get lost riding in small alleyways, exploring pretty canals and those unique skewed houses. There are loads of bike rentals throughout the city, and you can rent bikes for 10 euros for the entire day.
Day Trips:
Amsterdam is huge and offers some of the coolest day trip locations.
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- Zaanse Schans: It’s the best place to get a feel of the Dutch culture and the city. You will experience the countryside and its cute little Dutch houses and windmills here. Zaanse Schans offers such a unique experience along with smaller cute museums where they show how they make wooden clog, cheese, etc.
- Keukenhof: Please read our detailed article on Keukenhof and Tulip Gardens.
Expenses:
Amsterdam is expensive, so you will be shelling out a bit more for your food, accommodation, and entertainment. You would pay anywhere between 15 to 18 euros for a decent meal of regular pasta. Unless you stay a bit far away, hotels in City Center would be expensive as well.
Coffee Houses:
The Netherlands has a very relaxed policy when it comes to weed. There are loads of coffee houses throughout the city, offering a variety of stuff you could indulge on, of course at your own risk. 😉
Read Also: Our guide to some of the most gorgeous cities in Europe –
- Rome and how to experience its charm
- The magic of Vienna
- Madrid, the Spanish beauty
- London – the ever classical city
- Romantic Prague
- Breathtaking Interlaken, Switzerland
- The top 6 things to do in Porto, Portugal
Sharing some more photos from the trip. Hope you find our ‘Amsterdam Guide for the First Timers’ useful.
