How to Spend a Weekend in Amsterdam

There’s usually always something going on during a weekend in Amsterdam, my new adoptive home, making it the best place to spend a couple of days. No matter what time of year you decide to visit, there will likely be pop-restaurants opening, shows on at the theatre, a musical festival or food market. Which makes deciding how to spend your time during only two or three days fairly difficult.

So here’s a rundown of a few of my favourite things to do in the city and ones that you could easily squeeze into a weekend break.

Stroll through the Vondelpark – Or whizz through it on a bike. It may sometimes be crowded and definitely touristy, but locals love to lounge in this park on lazy summer nights too. Be prepared to have to search for a spot to sit down on the grass and then enjoy a spot of peoplewatching.

Anne Frank House – Even if you aren’t a WWII nut like me, you’re still obliged to visit the Anne Frank House once during your visit (no, seriously, I’m pretty sure they make you sign a disclaimer at customs). It is a fascinating part of the history of the city (if not the world) and will be even more poignant for those who have read the book. Be sure to pre-book your tickets online ahead, otherwise you may have a long wait on your hands at the door.

Take a Food Tour – I may be a little biased as I loved my tour with Eating Amsterdam, but in my opinion, eating the local food is a must no matter where in the world you are travelling. Dutch food sometimes has a bad reputation for being unhealthy or bland (probably coming from the same people who say similar things about the UK. Boo, hiss.) but it is intriguing and diverse, to say the least. And luckily for us, it’s the people behind these tours who’ve done the leg work and found the best of every type of food in the city, meaning we don’t have to!

Brouwerij’t Ij – Forget the Heineken Experience, this is a true Dutch brewery filled with only locals and cool expats (most of the time). Situated next to a windmill, the beer here is strong, so be sure to buy some of the peanuts and snacks they sell near the bar to try and soak some of it up. In fact, my favourite of their beers, Zatte, actually translates as “drunk”. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Take the ferry over to the Noord – There is a regular free ferry service (as in, every two minutes regular) behind Centraal Station that will take you across to the other part of Amsterdam, the Noord (North). Here you’ll find the Eye, Amsterdam’s film institute, along with several cool bars and cafes, some of which are housed in and among old shipping containers.

Enjoy a coffee and a stroopwafel – No matter what the weather, you can enjoy a great coffee in Amsterdam. There are many independent coffee roasters who take their coffee seriously (Trakteren, Headfirst and Lot Sixty One to name just a few), so don’t expect a Starbucks-style bowl of coffee and a place to get some work done for hours. No, here the experience is the quality of the coffee itself, and maybe a chance to read a good book or a magazine. I would recommend buying yourself some stroopwafels (syrup waffles) from a bakery and placing one of top of your coffee, then enjoying once the syrup has started to soften. Having said that, many of these coffee shops tend to sell their own homemade desserts and healthy treats, so you may want to forgoe the waffel altogether (Or eat both! Who am I to judge?)

Visit a food market – Ten Kate and Albert Cupystraat are two of the most popular, but weekly and monthly markets pop up around the city. Not only can you buy the regular fruits, veggies, clothing and household goods here, but many of these markets have food stalls selling food like frites, Vietnamese spring rolls, waffles or fresh juices.