Amsterdam
Amsterdam is a very dynamic and charming city. It was our first visit to the Netherlands and its capital was a wonderful two days for us. The city was an extension to a Viking River Cruise and we are so glad we were able to spend some time in this iconic city. Amsterdam is most widely-known for windmills, canals, tulips, cheese, and the Dutch Masters. I think it should also be known for bicycles!
Amsterdam’s people
The people we encountered were friendly and welcoming. However, in one way, they are different from people from the United States and other countries we have visited. They have more than a million bikes in the city, more than one for each person and it is their principal form of transportation. The people were lean and are undoubtedly more fit than those with more passive transportation.
Many families do not own a car. The streets are so narrow and the parking so limited that it makes car ownership undesirable. They do, however, have access to cars. An app identifies nearby cars and enables access to them. They just park it in their final destination. Our local guide, a young married woman with a small child shared this information. They did not own a car.
However, this means that during cold and rain, it’s just them and a bicycle! Daytime temperatures in January are in the low 40s and the average is low 30s at night. They are a hearty bunch!
Consequently, bikes were everywhere, as were wide bike lanes. The city also has a tram system that some of our fellow travelers used. We used Uber while there and it worked well. Our Uber driver had a hybrid and he told us all taxis must be all electric in 2025.
Our Hotel
Hotel Okura in Amsterdam is a five star hotel and very luxurious. We do not normally travel in such style. A canal runs on the right of it and many nice restaurants are within walking distance. The hotel has a swimming pool, spa, and several restaurants. I believe a couple of them have Michelin stars.
Our room was comfortable and quite nice. The unbelievable breakfast buffet, which was included, was the best part of the hotel. Everything imaginable was on it, including Japanese items. The staff were especially attentive. I will remember those two breakfasts for many years to come.
Our room on the fourteenth floor had a great view of one of the canals and a part of the city.
Amsterdam Cuisine
Though jet-lagged, we ventured out on our first day to an Italian restaurant, Insieme Ristorante, near our hotel. According to our waiter, the owner is from Sardinia and the food was authentic Italian.
I ordered the special, though having no idea what to expect. Gnocchi with a beet sauce, cheese, and crispy tomato. The presentation was attractive and the dish was so delicious. It was also served with beautifully-presented bread.
I also ordered the recommended wine, Primitivo Di Manduria, a 1922 Le Vigne Di Sammarco. It was on of the best red wines I have ever tasted. I have looked for it since arriving home, but haven’t located the exact wine in that year.
Dessert was tiramisu, which is a specialty of the restaurant. I love fancy food, but my husband is more a big steak man. Overall, this meal was one of my most memorable.
Tour of Amsterdam
Viking provided a local guide for a two-hour tour of the city. We took an extensive walk of the city and she shared details of her life in Amsterdam, the city’s culture, history, and architecture.
Interesting Sites
The Heineken Brewery is located in Amsterdam. We had several of its beers while on our trip, but unfortunately, we didn’t have time to tour the facility.
A street market was on our tour. The dragon fruit drew my eye because it is so colorful. I didn’t stop to try the fruit though.
Amsterdamers were on almost every street. Each has the symbol of Amsterdam on it, three Xs. The Xs represent the threats to old Amsterdam: fire, flood, and disease.
We passed the building below on our tour. I loved the unique look of this art gallery. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go inside
Our guide informed us that “Coffee” shops whose signs were in English also sell cannabis products. The city “tolerates” those soft drugs.
There were many small shops on our walking tour. The shop in the photo below sells a particular kind of fish that is eaten by hand. The girl in the photo is wearing the traditional Dutch clothing. The image was compelling.
Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam has three 17th century canals: Gentleman’s (Henrengracht), Prince’s (Prisengracht) , Emperor’s (Keizersgracht). Bikes and cars often fall into the canals: over 12,000 bikes and an average of 35 cars are pulled from the canals each year.
Below is a shot of the Singelgracht, an outer canal designed for defense and water maintenance. It served as a moat to medieval Amsterdam from 1480 to 1585 when the city expanded beyond it. So, it was then no longer a defensive canal.
National Museum
The Rijksmuseum is a gorgeous structure. It is the national museum of the Netherlands. It was founded in 1798 and it covers 800 years of Dutch history and the Dutch masters including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. I am very sad that our time and energy did not include a visit to the interior. But, we enjoyed the exterior, which was built starting in 1876.
Below is a park behind the museum. This area was where our tour ended and we both were very tired. We shared a water with some friends from the Viking tour there. It was so good to sit down!
A Canal Ride
To rest after our tour, we took a canal ride. Our guide recommended this company. It was relatively inexpensive and allowed us to see more of the city. The ride included recorded information about landmarks along the way.
The original tower below was built in 1516 as part of a defensive wall around Amsterdam. The decorative part at the top was an addition in 1606. So much history in this city!
Moreover, the buildings in Amsterdam are very narrow with multiple floors. The date they were built is displayed on the older buildings, like the 1590 date on the building below.
Anne Frank House
Tickets to the Anne Frank house had to be purchased weeks ahead. Tickets become available on a specific day for the following couple of weeks. I set my clock for the middle of the night on the date the tickets dropped and snagged an afternoon entry time for our full day in Amsterdam. The photo below is the front of the house.
Anne and her family had been in hiding for two years when the Gestapo discovered them. Afterwards, Anne and her sister, Margot, died in a concentration camp and her mother died in Auschwitz. Only her father survived the captivity. He discovered her diary which was kept during their time in the attic and it was later published. The diary is believed to be most read book in the world, second only to the Bible.
Amsterdam in Conclusion
Because we crammed a lot of activities during our short stay, it was a quite exhausting. Overall though, our two days in Amsterdam were outstanding. I really wish I could return so we could see more of it at a leisurely pace.
We also traveled to the United Kingdom in 2019 and if interested in that experience, see Edinburgh, United Kingdom Summer Tour.
