Another Little Guide...To Amsterdam
I know, I know — you want to hear all about the shows you can watch in the Red Light District and where you can find the best marijuana or edibles. But before I tell you about activities that cost money, my friend Adri and I teamed up to show you how to explore this beautiful city on a budget! I travelled to Amsterdam from Israel, and had an eight hour long layover in Istanbul, Turkey. I was so prepared to leave the airport and explore this new city, except a couple days prior while I was in Jerusalem, I was pick-pocketed $400USD — basically all my money I planned on using while in Amsterdam, and for my little exploration in Istanbul. Safe to say, my budget for Amsterdam was ridiculously tight.
Top 10 Free Things To Do While In Amsterdam:
In a city as small as Amsterdam, it only makes sense to tour the city by foot! If you don’t have a set plan of places to visit and things to do or see, there are free walking tours you can sign up for. I recommend the walking tour by Sandeman because it’s a two and half hour long walking tour, and they hit so many popular destinations you’re already sure to be interested in seeing. Starting in front of the National Monument in Dam Square, this walking tour takes you on a journey through Anne Frank’s incredible story through the Nazi occupation, allows you to view the smallest house in Amsterdam and some hidden churches, shows you the beautiful scenic canals filled with boathouses, walks you through the amazing history of Amsterdam’s prostitution and drug decriminalization, and so much more.
Take a stroll through Amsterdam’s famous Vondelpark. You’ll come across tourists, locals, people walking their dogs, people laying in the grass, and even people watching other people. This park is the largest city park, and the most famous park in the Netherlands. Located south of Leidseplein, this park sits in close proximity to the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, andStedelijk Museum. In the summer, Vondelpark tends to have free concerts in the open-air theatre. If you’re travelling here with children, there are six play areas and one large playground at the Groot Melkhuis.
View some bridges! Even if you think you’re not that into bridges, I promise you these will capture your attention more than you assume they will. And there’s so many bridges to see! There’s the Python Bridge, given the name because it’s red architectural shape resembles a snake, which bridges Sporenburg and Borneo Island. This bridge also won the International Footbridge Award in 2002. There is also Magere Brug (also known as Skinny Bridge in English), which is very recognizable by its white coat and drawbridge. Magere Brug has been seen in many films, and is beautifully illuminated with thousands of lights at night making it romanticised and the most beautiful bridge in Amsterdam.
Visit a sex shop. After all, you are in a city where prostitution is still a huge money maker and tourist attraction, and they are not afraid to experiment and showcase unique and interesting products. Amsterdam even has the world’s first specialty condom shop! Since 1987, the Condomerie has helped keep the Red Light District safe and protected. This condom shop has an eye-opening collection of condoms, as well as many colourful hand-painted condoms which take the shape of chickens, frogs, and even Big Ben.
Leidseplein is where you want to be if you want access to the excitement and entertainment Amsterdam has to offer. Here you will find street performers, cafes, hotels, cinemas…you name it! If you’re interested in a pub crawl or looking to make some new friends, Leidseplein is worth checking out.
Museumplein is the culmination of sophistication! This is where you’re going to find that famous I Am Amsterdam sign all your other friends have taken those photos with. Also here, you will find a huge grass area surrounded by none other than the Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, and Stedelijk Museum. At certain times of the year, it’s possible to come here and see a festival, demonstration, or other types of mass events being held.
If you’re looking for a little time away from the bustling city atmosphere, take a walk over to Begijnhof — a little sanctified area where it’s actually kind of tough to hear the traffic, making it easy to have a little peace of mind. Begijnhof is a courtyard area surrounded by beautiful houses, including Amsterdam’s oldest surviving house, Het Houten Huis, dating all the way back to 1420! The houses surrounding the courtyard are occupied, however, so if you do go I recommend staying respectful and not making a bunch of noise.
One of the major selling points of visiting Amsterdam is its beautiful canals. There are so many canals, all occupied by boathouses and canal cruises. These canals were placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list back in 2010, and in the 17th century these canals were essential for travel and defense. When automobiles were introduced many of these canals were filled in, but Amsterdam still managed to retain 165 historic canals — this is more than any other Dutch city! The most famous and picturesque canal in Amsterdam is Prinsengracht (translated to Prince’s Canal in English), and it helps make up the Fourth Outlay of the city. Herengracht (Gentlemen’s Canal)and Keizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal) are the other two major canals which also help make up the Fourth Outlay (an extension project started in the 1600’s which helped make the city four times bigger than before).
Visiting markets and seeing exactly what they have to offer is probably one of my favorite things to do when visiting foreign cities. Of course, it takes everything in me not to spend all of my money there, but they’re always free to enter and look around and they always have the most beautiful products! My favorite market in Amsterdam is the Albert Cuyp Market, which can be found in De Pijp. They have purses. They have fresh fruit juices. They have great clothing, different cheeses, bedding, traditional Dutch treats — you name it, I bet you’ll find it here. On a Saturday or a sunny day, this market is sure to be crowded holding some of the cheapest prices in Amsterdam, but it is more than worth it to go and check it out. This market is open from 9:30am to 5:00pm, Monday through Saturday. With visiting times as wide and often as this, there’s mostly always a chance you can fit it into your schedule.
Walk around the Red Light District! While best experienced at night, this area can also give you great time during the day (and no, I don’t mean that kind of a great time…unless that’s what you’re interested in). Between the various neon signs and the lights, the canals and neighborhood become fully illuminated and it’s like an entirely different city. Here you will see the many windows filled with beautiful women lit up red by the lights outside their rooms, and you’ll also come across the various sex shops housing blow up dolls and massive dildos! The Red Light District has cultivated a notorious reputation internationally, and its historical significance has been obscured by the popularity of window shopping. On the streets, you’re sure to come across prostitutes, junkies, clerics, carpenters, and police who all intermingle, making you feel a little bit confused but all the more comfortable.
Top 5 Important Factors to Keep in Mind:
In 2017, Amsterdam placed number six in a list of Safest Places in the World. Marijuana is easily attainable, and prostitution is still legal, but this city is very safe. This doesn’t, however, mean you shouldn’t stay aware of your surroundings and belongings. Crimes can and do happen, although crime rates in this city have been decreasing yearly. More crimes (such as robbing and pick-pocketing) will happen to tourists than locals because tourists are far more easily distracted.
If you’re travelling here from America, you will need to exchange your USD to Euros. Your exchange rate will be €1 to $1.18, or $1 to €0.84.
While Amsterdam does experience both winter and summer, their summer weather isn’t as “summery” as you would hope. A typical Amsterdam summer can reach highs of up to 80 degrees, however you will more likely experience a summer of 70 degrees fahrenheit. Their winters can get very cold, and this past winter canals have even frozen over. It’s important to check weather conditions close to when you’re leaving for your trip so you pack the correct types of clothing. While I’m sure you’ll buy some pieces of clothing while you’re here, you probably won’t want to buy and pack up a suitcase filled entirely with new clothing.
I’m going to be honest here — do not rent a car of any kind when you’re visiting this city. Everything is in walk-able distance. If you’re not too interested in walking, do as the locals do; rent a bike and bike around places! There are bike lanes, so you don’t need to worry about bumping into people on the sidewalks or getting hit by cars or busses in the streets.
Amsterdam is another city that you will need an outlet converter for. Universal outlet converters are perfect because they will come in handy for more than just one country of your choice — they will have options for Asian converters, European converters, and other converters as well. Some options available may include USB ports making it easier to charger your phone while using the outlet converter for other products such as a hair straightener or camera charger.