This time I’ll write the whole post in English as I’m writing down some hotspots in Amsterdam.

I’ve been in the city five times up till now and hopefully it won’t end by this number. AMS absolutely is my favorite city in the whole wide world. It is a dynamic but still cozy city where you can go with the hustle and bustle but also relax if you want/need to.

So here are my 11 hotspots in Amsterdam (and surrounding area):

Deze keer ga ik mijn post helemaal in het Engels schrijven. Vandaag zullen jullie namelijk over mijn 11 favoriete hotspots in Amsterdam lezen. En als ik al die hotspots will gaan vertalen zou ik ook wel een boek kunnen gaan schrijven 😉 .

Tot de dag van vandag ben ik vijf keer in Amsterdam geweest en ik hoop echt dat ik er nog veel vaker naartoe mag. Het is mijn favoriete stad omdat het druk maar toch ook heel gezellig is.

Dus hier komen ze dan, mijn elf favoriete plaatsjes in Amsterdam (en in de buurt):

The Reederij P. Kooij company offers canal cruises which I find to be very relaxed. You get to the most beautiful and interesting places by boat. There is also an audio in Dutch, English and German which tells you everything historically you should know about Amsterdam and its canals. Get on the boat just a little further from the Dam square.

In spring and summer there are beautiful flowers, and in the winter there is an ice skating rink. All around there are various museums worth the visit.

The beautiful architecture, the little boutiques and cafés make these streets so worth visiting. A café I absolutely would recommend is the Pluk Café in the Reestraat 19.  Also don’t forget to pop into a second hand shop, my favorite is Episode which you can find in the Berenstraat 1 (and several other places in the city).

You cannot go on a city trip without any shopping, can you? The Kalverstraat is the perfect street to do all your shopping in the known shops as Urban Outfitters, THE STING, Hunkemöller, VANS Storeand a Nike shop. Of course, there are many many more. For more information about the shops in the Kalvestraat check www.kalverstraat.nl.

Right there in the Kalverstraat you can also find a rooftop café and restaurant called Blue Amsterdam. Be sure to check that one out. The view is amazing, and the food is delicious.

I haven’t been in there on my last trip but if you have the time, I recommend you the Rijksmuseum. It is right next to the Museumplein and there were the letters of Iamsterdam, that have been taken away lately. 🙁

About 15 minutes by train there is Haarlem. I’ve been there twice and booked there my sleeping place. It is much more affordable plus because there are less tourists you experience the Dutch atmosphere a little more, I think. It also is about 15 minutes by train and 30 minutes by bike away from the seaside.

As I just mentioned you can easily go to the beach from Amsterdam or Haarlem. Bloemendaal aan Zee or Zandvoort aan Zee are the most nearby. In the summer you can have a swim and enjoy the delicious meals in one of the beach clubs. When you go in the winter a beach walk is wonderful and afterwards warming up with a hot chocolate makes the day perfect.

A traditional meal in the Netherlands are Pancakes. Don’t miss it out. There are several restaurants that serve Pannekoeken but the best are most likely the ones that don’t serve anything else than the pancakes. Those restaurants call themselves Pannekoeken Huis.

If you are a courageous one, don’t forget to rent a bike in Amsterdam. It is truly life-endangering some would say. But it’s so much fun when you get the hang on it. If you don’t want to miss out but the city itself seems to be too crowded and too dangerous, rent one in Haarlem and go to the beach by bike.

Last but not least number 11 Stroopwaffels. Don’t forget to snack at least ones a Stroopwaffel. Freshly made they are the best but the ones in the supermarket do the job aswell. The fresh ones you can find on a market like the Albert Cuyp Markt, which finds place on every weekday and on Saturdays. Check https://albertcuyp-markt.amsterdam for more information.

The pictures I’ve added are from my last trip to Amsterdam this Winter. I’ve been there to celebrate the new year with my boyfriend.

If you have a question about the hotspots/tips I’ve listed up don’t hesitate and contact me. Also, if you want to know more about hotels, places to eat or travelling just write a comment or send me a mail.