Must do's in Amsterdam

I’ve recently moved to Amsterdam for a six months internship. Therefore, I’m constantly exploring the city and I would like to share the most amazing spots and activities with you! I’ve already decided to publish this blogpost and to keep on updating it, when I feel like an activity should be added. If you would like to read about my first weeks in Amsterdam, you can do so here. Enjoy reading my Must DO’s in Amsterdam!

Rent a bike

You will never get the real Amsterdam city vibe, if you don’t rent a bike! Therefore, I would really recommend doing so and explore the city by bike. The biking paths are really well maintained, and you can bike everywhere without any problems. You just need to be aware of the biking traffic, i.e. a lot of people are biking, and you need to go on the right street side.

Walk through the (Prinsen)gracht

This gracht is my favourite, because there are really beautiful buildings located and it is not that crowded with tourists, because it is the outmost gracht of the Amsterdam old town. To be honest, it does not matter which of the grachts you chose because all are really nice to stroll through. You will get a view on the water in the canals combined with little bridges and old dutch houses, which is just amazing.

Explore de Pijp

This district is located in Amsterdam-Zuid (i.e. in the south). It is basically directly behind the Heineken experience and it is a really hip area. A lot of students live there and hang out. Therefore, you find a lot of nice restaurant and bars. Tipp: Order a beer/coffee in one bar/café of your choice, sit on the terrace (if possible) and just enjoy it to the fullest.

Visit de 9 Straatjes

De negen straatjes (the nine streets) is an area between, the Prinsen-, Keizers-, Herengracht and Singel. There are a lot of small (vintage) shops, bar and restaurant. It’s just really lovely to stroll through this area and explore it.

Walk through Tweede Weteringdwarsstraat

This street is located in a residential area in the centre and it is absolutely nice to walk through. It is a really good place for taking photos as well, because there are no tourists at all. This street is not hidden, but just a side street and not lots of people walk there.

Do the Heineken experience

Heineken is really big in Holland, because it was founded in Amsterdam and the global headquarters are still located there. Actually, there are a few buildings which belong to the Amsterdam headquarters which are spread around the Heineken experience. The Heineken experience is quite interactive, you learn about the beer brewing process, about the history of Heineken and last but not least you’ll also get some Heineken to taste!

Go to the Moco Museum

Seriously, this exhibition was one of the best I’ve ever seen (pinky swear). Most of the art which is shown there is from Banksy. He is an anonymous street art artist from the UK, who addresses topics such us hope, overconsumption of the society or war. There are also other artists exhibited. What is more, the museum is located in a villa That’s why it is also a nice experience strolling through it. (Also other museums like the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum are worth a visit).

Having a picnic in Vondelpark

Vondelpark is really close to the city centre and it is a very big one. It is also lovely biking through it. In case you have a bike available, I would also recommend that. In order to get back to the actual topic, picnic! Grab your favourite food from Albert Heijn and have a nice dinner or lunch there with friends. (Or even alone, who the fuck cares?!). I did it the other day and we had some bread with hummus, veggies, strawberries and of course waffles. Make sure to never miss them, when you are in Holland!

Make a boat tour through the canals

It is especially nice to rent a boat in summer and make a tour through the canals in the city centre. During a team event we even did an activity from monster event. If you were a bigger group this would be interesting for you too! But it doesn’t matter how many people you are, because I would suggest grabbing at least one of your beloved ones and get on the boat with some refreshing drinks. I’ll promise, it is lots of fun!