Am-ster-dam! Always wanted to go there but never had a proper opportunity (as a non-smoker i surely did not want to be part of a weed trip). Well, finally I got the chance to discover for 4 beautiful days this amazing city.
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. You might have seen its famous landscape of canals in pictures. Moreover, there are bike roads everywhere!! So be a part of our ride below.
DAY 1 | OUD
We arrived by car from Paris at 4pm in the afternoon. Since we were there in December, the sun was going down around 4:30pm. So we decided to have a walk near our hotel, that is to say in the East Area of Amsterdam (Oud). We made our way till the Food Hallen, which is a very nice Food Court in a pretty place. You got full of options there. Definitely a foodie spot.
Then, we decided just to go back home to be ready for a full day.
DAY 2 | CENTRUM – LIGHT FESTIVAL
This day was dedicated basically to discover the centrum of Amsterdam along the canals.
Do not hesitate to get lost out there. We started by the western canals to make our way up to the Centraal station.
We made sure we stopped at the renowned flower market as well.
If you see a map of the centrum of Amsterdam, it seems that the whole town was built around the Centraal station.
We stopped at Mc Donalds on our way. In Amsterdam, some restaurants of the fast-food chain have gluten-free options. Perfect for us!
Then we walk along the red district to the southern canals. As you may know already, the red district of Amsterdam is pretty popular for the legal prostitutes.
After that, we came back to the hotel to have some rest.
We had dinner in a very nice thai restaurant called Silom Thai Brasserie.
We had booked a cruise for the famous Amsterdam Light Festival (which takes place from November to the beginning of January). I highly reckon those cruises, it’s a very nice way to discover the city from another perspective. We booked with « Lovers » which was nice – with several languages available.
DAY 3 | VAN GOGH MUSEUM – NOORD
We started very early that day with the Van Gogh Museum. This museum is one of the most visited in the Netherlands, due to the fact that it has the biggest collection of Van Gogh’s pieces of art. The family of the Dutch artist was at the seeds of the Museum.
The museum clearly explains the different inspirations and steps of his life – always referring to his personal background. I’m not the biggest art fan on the planet but this one is not boring at all – and if you are a fan of art then it’s already on your to-do.
After this cultural morning, we had a late breakfast at the famous chain called Bagel & Beans. Their food is very fresh, so you can go without hesitation.
Then, we took the tram to Centraal station to take a Ferry there. Indeed, you have free Ferry to reach the North part of Amsterdam (Noord). Once there we went to the Eye Filmuseum. There is a very nice café there with a lightful view. The exhibition is not wonderful but still nice to do if you are a cinema amateur.
Next to it there is also the A’dam lookout where you can swing with a 360 degree view of Amsterdam. We did not do it but if you have the time, it might be worth it.
Then, we made our way back to the centrum, and we had dinner to the famous restaurant of Avocados « the Avocado show ». The food over there is worth it and the avocados are delicious.
We finished our day by having a drink in the Skyy bar of our hotel. The view from there is pretty nice.
DAY 4 | ANNE FRANK HUIS – ALBERT CUYP MARKET
Last day in beautiful Amsterdam. Once again the sun was with us.
We managed this morning by a miracle to get some tickets to visit the Anne Frank house. Indeed, there is no possibility to buy tickets on the site, everything is on the website. And it gets full very quickly.
Well, you probably know Anne Frank and her famous diary. Anne Frank was a Jewish girl that was hiding for two years in a house in the centrum of Amsterdam when the Netherlands was occupied by the Nazis and when those were sending the Jews in the concentration camp in Germany. Unfortunaly, her family was found and deported in 1944, one year before the end of World War 2. The only survivor of this tragedy was Otto Frank, Anne’s father. During those 2 years, the girl was writing in a diary, which was her daily escape to the tension of hiding. The diary was then published after the war after the amends of her father. And it’s one of the most well-known books across the world. The Museum gives everything you need to understand the context and the life of Anne Frank. It also takes you where the family was hidden – which will leave you speechless. One of the best museum i have done in my life so far. Full of emotions
After this, we went to the Cuypt Albert Market. It’s one of the biggest in Amsterdam. Nice if you want to bring back some souvenirs before heading home.
After this, we had the time to eat a Pho, and then make our way back to the hotel to take our car and drive back home. Already over 😦
Thank you beautiful city for these 3 days. I might be looking to come back very soon… for new adventures🌟
OFF THE ROAD 