Travel / Amsterdam
48 hours in Amsterdam
While, at times, spending 48 hours in Amsterdam felt like I’d accidentally walked onto the set of a bad comedy called Brits Abroad, the moments in which I managed to escape my fellow countrymen in this wonderful, charismatic and eclectic city more than made up for it.
Getting around
Amsterdam is vast in size but small in infrastructure, by which I mean it’s exceptionally easy to get around and has public transport way beyond Bristol’s wildest dreams. You would be remiss not to explore some of the areas outside of the city centre. The ‘I Amsterdam’ card offers excellent value for money as it enables you to hop on and off all forms of public transport, including bike rental, with one card and for a fixed price. It also includes free entry into a lot of museums and a canal cruise.
is needed now More than ever
What to do?
Explore De Pjip
Eerste van der Helststraat 27, 1073 AC
Get brunch in De Wasserette then explore the local shops. On a Saturday you’ll also find the Albert Cuyp food market. De Pijp is a charming neighbourhood in the south of the city and is very easily accessible on the M52 Metro.
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Shop in the Negen Straatjes
Spend an afternoon exploring these ‘nine streets’ and shopping in the boutiques. You’ll find a mixture of well known brands and smaller independent shops.
Get cultured
Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ
Visit the Van Gogh Museum to see a host of original paintings and to learn about Van Gogh’s life, the time he spent in Amsterdam and how the collection now preserved in the museum was safeguarded by his family. The Rijksmuseum also has an excellent collection of Rembrandt paintings, among others. Booking in advance is highly recommended.
Walking tour
Free walking tours are a fantastic introduction to any city that offers them, and will likely educate even those that have visited before. The ‘classic’ is a two hour walk around DeWallen and surrounding areas covering Amsterdam’s rich and varied history, explaining everything from the origin of the national dish to the forming of the red light district.
Anne Frank house
Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV
While very few of the items that the families in the annexe lived among remain there to this day, stepping inside the handful of rooms where teenager Anne Frank spent two years and wrote most of her diary is still a sobering experience. It‘s not pleasant being reminded of the horrors of the past, but it is important. Book well in advance.
We’d also recommend cycling round the Vondelpark, exploring the neighbourhood of Jordaan, a walk through the red light district and a canal cruise.
The red light district is simultaneously empowering, absurd and claustrophobic
Where to eat and drink
Pllek
T.T. Neveritaweg 59, 1033 WB
In the noord you’ll find Pllek, a converted warehouse serving healthy, sustainable and delicious food and an even better atmosphere. You can’t beat the panoramic views from the enormous windows, or enjoy the views from outside in the summer.
Pllek is a giant warehouse with its own doorstep beach for warmer months
Cafe ‘t Smalle and Kikkie van de Prinsensluis in Jordaan
Egelantiersgracht 12, 1015 RL
Cafe T’ Smalle is a seemingly timeless wood-panelled little pub with a slightly perilous staircase leading you to upstairs seating that’s perfect for time out for weary travellers. Just a three minute walk away is Kikkie, which is a more modern bar but just as good.
Foodhallen
Bellamyplein 51, 1053 AT
When you can’t decide what to have, the Foodhallen is either the best or worst place to be. They have everything you could possibly want in this busy canteen with food stalls serving cuisines from all around the globe. Order whatever you want and then eat together at the communal tables.
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Back to Black
Weteringstraat 48, 1017 SP
Pick up a coffee from Back to Black before your visit to Museumplein or Vondelpark. Admire the wonky houses opposite and the top notch coffee from their nearby roastery.
Collins
Bilderdijkstraat 140, 1053 LA
For a truly imaginative and carefully crafted brunch that’s just a short stroll from some excellent shops, the museumplein and vondelpark, head to Collins.
Umaimon
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 51, 1017
One of the best places I ate during my trip was Umaimon, which serves excellent chicken based ramen. As you can’t book, you’ll have to turn up and wait for a table but it’s well worth it.
Amsterdam has a thriving China town with a host of Asian restaurants
De Kas
Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE
If ‘picked in the morning and served in the afternoon’ is music to your ears, the tasting menu at De Kas will be a party for your palate. De Kas is tucked away in a converted greenhouse in the Frankendael park and will be as memorable a meal as you’ll find anywhere in Amsterdam.
Rijks
Museumstraat 2, 1071 XX
The restaurant attached to the Rijksmuseum is almost as well known as the museum itself. Enjoy a first rate tasting menu or order from the a la carte menu in the spectacular setting of the gardens of the Rijksmuseum.
Van wonderen stroopwafels
Kalverstraat 190, 1012 XH
Eating a stroopwaffle is compulsory whilst in Amsterdam, and this is the place to do it. You can see them being made upstairs as you wait in line to be served a chewy, still-warm topped waffle.
This was tooth-shatteringly sweet – next time, I’d go for a plain one
Where to stay
BUNK Hotel
Hagedoornplein 2, 1031 BV
BUNK is a maze of a hotel/hostel that offers – you guessed it – bunks, as well as private rooms. It has a buzzing restaurant and bar and a number of secret rooms and spaces that they leave you to discover, hidden in all corners of this renovated church. It’s a little further out of the centre, but that shouldn’t necessarily put you off. The ferry from Amsterdam Noord to Centraal Station runs every five minutes, 24 hours a day and is completely free, making BUNK surprisingly easy to reach.
Amsterdam Noord is an exciting corner of the city to explore in itself. In a heady contrast to the city centre, this old industrial area is spacious – the streets wide, the buildings vast old warehouses. In some senses, I felt right at home – Noord is covered head to toe in street art and the cranes and converted warehouses didn’t feel a million miles away from Bristol’s Harbourside, albeit a lot less busy.
For further inspiration for your 48 hours in Amsterdam, visit iamsterdam.com
All photos: Meg Houghton-Gilmour
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