Amsterdam 2024
Another incredible spring trip, this time to Amsterdam — a city that is equal parts beautiful, relaxed, and endlessly interesting to explore.
Highlights
- Getting There is Half the Fun - We stayed just two train stops from Amsterdam Centraal, which made getting in and out of the city effortless. Once downtown, you can hop the free ferry across the IJ bay — a lovely little crossing that instantly puts you in the heart of things.
- Winkel 43 - We had the apple pie at Winkel 43, and it is not an exaggeration to say it may be the best apple pie we’ve ever had. Warm, generous, served with a mound of whipped cream. It lives up to every word of the hype.
- Canal Tour - Seeing Amsterdam from the water is completely different from seeing it on foot, and both are wonderful. The canal tour gives you a perspective on the city — the leaning canal houses, the bridges, the sheer density of boats — that you simply can’t get from the street.
- Day Trip to Brussels - We took the train down to Brussels for a day, which included a chocolate tour. Brussels is a fantastic city and the chocolate is every bit as good as advertised — but one day was nowhere near enough. We left already planning to go back and do it properly.
- Walking the City - Amsterdam is extraordinarily walkable. The downtown, the canals, the local shops tucked into every corner — it’s the kind of city where wandering without a plan is a legitimate strategy. If you want to cover more ground, rent a bike; the infrastructure for it is second to none.
Tips
- Stay near the train line into the city — a short ride beats paying city-center hotel prices and you lose nothing in convenience
- Get the apple pie at Winkel 43; go early as the line gets long
- Take the canal tour — do it early in the trip so you get your bearings on the layout of the city
- If you go to Brussels, give it at least two days; one is a tease
- Walk everywhere, or rent a bike — the city is built for it and driving would be a mistake