My perfect and practical 3-day itinerary for traveling to Amsterdam
Amsterdam - tulips and windmills. So when it comes to my time visiting, I can't miss them! I think Amsterdam is a beautiful, peaceful, cultural city yet with a very balanced level of energy. By that, I mean it's not crazy like Hong Kong or Tokyo, but also not "dead". A a tourist, I also like that it's small so you don't waste so much time on commute.
I only have less than three days to spend here and traveling with my eight-month-old baby, I am proud to say that I've done quite a lot and have even fit two side-trips outside of the city! Now that I've been there myself and factoring in some thoughts on things I could have done better, here is my take on the perfect three-day itinerary on Amsterdam.
Day 1: Rijksmuseum --> Keukenhof Gardens (Late March - May) OR Bloenmenmarkt--> Anne Frank House/ Jordaan neighborhood
Go to the Rijksmuseum in the morning to see Rembrandt paintings as well as the art and history of Holland. Snap some pictures of the "IAMSTERDAM" sign outside of the museum (along with ten thousand other eager tourists).
If you are lucky to visit from late March to mid-May, don't miss out the Keukenhof Garden. Take it from the word of someone who doesn't even like flowers that much. And don't take my words, take the photos below.
See separate post on tips and how to get to Keukenhof. Be prepared to spend two hours there. The garden is huge and the flowers are really beautiful but they do start to look the same after that. Budget about two hours to get back to the city.
If you visit outside of late March - mid-May, you can substitute with the Bloenmenmarkt (floating flower market).
After Keukenhof, I tried my luck for the Anne Frank House as I did not have an online booking (which you really should. See my other blog post on Amsterdam tips). If you go to the Keukenhof with this itinerary, it will probably be close to 8pm by the time you reach the Anne Frank House/Jordaan area. If you book online for a slot on another day, you should still visit this area and enjoy a relaxed dinner at this nice neighborhood. If you are unable to book online, try your luck at 8pm.
For myself, seeing the crazy line at AFH, I went for the canal cruise next to it. The cruise lasted an hour and with a baby, it was a great way to see the city and canals and gain an overall understanding of the city.
I ended the day with a traditional Dutch restaurant in the Jordaan neighborhood. Dutch food was quite similar to German and I had a
Dutch stampot with potatoes, sauerkraut, meatball with gravy. YUM!
Day 2: Zaans Schaan Windmills Village --> Palace--> Red Light District --> Oude Kerk
As mentioned, I still associate the Netherlands with windmills even though they are mostly relics of the past. But being an icon of Holland, it shouldn't be missed! (See how to get to Zaans Schaan Windmills Village)
The Zaans Schaan Windmills Village has about 10 or so windmills that produce different things, like spices, oil, chocolate, etc. There are a couple of windmills where you could pay 4 euros to climb up to. I went up to one of those and looked at the inner mechanics. Other than windmills, there are many cute little shops around.
Next, I had lunch at a pancake restaurant in the village. I love Dutch pancakes!
I got back to Amsterdam with the same bus and from the Central Station, it is an easy walk or tram ride to the Dam Square, where the Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace), Oude Kerk (old church), red light district and shopping area are at.
If you are a history lover like me, going into the Royal Palace is a great idea (See practical tips on Amsterdam). In the Central Hall, you will see maps of the Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere are engraved on the marble floor. Overall, although the palace is not as opulent and grandeur like the Versailles in France, the history and art are fascinating.
After the palace, take a walk to the Red Light District (called De Waal). A few prostitutes were already in front of the windows at 5 pm. Afterwards, walk to /visit the Oude Kerk (Don't you love that the church is right next to the red light district?)
I ended the day with a bit of shopping and Surinamese fast food in the area. It was my first Surinamese food and the chicken curry rice I had was surprisingly tasty!
Day 3: Van Gogh Museum --> Heineken Experience OR Anne Frank House + Canal Cruise OR Albert Cuyp Market-> Leidseplein
I started my last day in Amsterdam with the Van Gogh Museum. I love Van Gogh's paintings so I was really excited about this. (See my tips on Van Gogh museum)
The Van Gogh Museum has three levels. You can read and see how he lived, his family relations and his paintings at different stages of his life, which was, sadly, really short at 37 years. As he only started his painting career at 27, he actually only painted for 10 years but the sheer amount of work is stunning! For some time, he was doing one painting per day. Many of his famous paintings are there but do note that "Starry Night" is not.
After the Van Goh Museum, do whatever you still have not done. If you have an online booking for Anne Frank House on this day, go there, visit the House, and join the canal cruise right next to it. Otherwise, head to the Heinekein Experience, which is next to the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum (by now, you should realize how small Amsterdam really is).
If you're not into beer, visit the Albert Cuyp Market, a flea market also close to the Museumplein.
End the day in Leidseplein where there are lots of coffeeshop (for weed, not coffee), restaurants and clubs.
Overall, Amsterdam is a really lovely city. I will end my post with a good news for chocolate lovers. Amsterdam has one of the best chocolate bars:
Don't forget to stop by one of the Albert Heijn supermarkets and grab a few bars. I finished two out of the three I got within two weeks after my trip :(
Credit to fellow blogger Wanderlustingk on this great tip!
