Touristy stuff you should really do on your next trip to Amsterdam.
I’m so over the whole (murky) “traveller” vs. “tourist” debate. To me, they are one and the same — two sides of the same coin. I’m not sure when it became cool to not do the touristy stuff in a destination (though I’d wager it was around the same time that the phrase “travelling off the beaten path” catapulted itself into rampant overuse), but I for one still find it important to experience some of the more salient aspects or attractions of a place.
With this in mind, after Liebling and I booked our plane tickets and hotel for Amsterdam, I contacted the tourism board to see if they could assist with what to do once there. In response, they provided us with a long list of information and things to try, a tad overwhelming since we had less than 36 hours in the city. They also gave us two I amsterdam city cards– the cards provide free entry to or significant discounts on most of the attractions the city has on offer.
Anyhoo, I digress. I present five über touristy things we did that you probably shouldn’t miss when in Amsterdam:
1. Ride a bike
I usually prefer using my own two feet to get me places but I longed to join the oodles of people on bikes in Amsterdam. So it was inevitable that I would twist Liebling’s arm and get a little cycling in. We got our wheels from MacBike and spent the afternoon leisurely peddling around town. (Not going to lie though, there was torrential rain part of the time, I had difficulty maneouvring traffic and damn near ran into a tram, and my derriere was sore for a few hours after our adventure. Eh.)
2. Do a canal tour
Jumping in a boat and exploring Amsterdam’s waterways is another fab way to explore the city.
3. Stroll through the Red Light District
I wrote that my visit to the district made me highly uncomfortable and challenged my beliefs about moral responsibility and female agency. Whatever your feelings on the topic of legalized prostitution, you should stroll through the district at least once. Not to ogle, but to become more aware.
4. Visit the Van Gogh museum/ Anne Frank House/ Rijksmuseum
Tight on time, we only made it inside the Van Gogh museum (though we did manage to walk around the premises of the nearby Rijksmuseum and snap pictures before the iconic I amsterdam sign). Van Gogh’s artistic genius and documented struggle with mental illness have always piqued my interest, despite me not being a huge fan of his actual work.
5. Indulge in some Dutch street eats
Have some raw herring or poffertjes (dutch mini pancakes) or fries (topped off with one of many special sauces available — though admittedly, plain old mayo is my favourite).
Have you ever been to Amsterdam? Do you agree with my suggestions?