Guidebook for Amsterdam
Food Scene
Café Restaurant De Reiger
34 Nieuwe LeliestraatGreat typical dutch restaurant
The Seafood Bar Spui
15 SpuiNice seafood in the city centre
They have the best apple pie. So if you like apple pie it is a must visit!!!
506 Einheimische empfehlen
Winkel 43
43 NoordermarktThey have the best apple pie. So if you like apple pie it is a must visit!!!
A'dam Lookout
5 OverhoekspleinMadam is a nice restaurant with a panoramic view
Mojo Japanese Kitchen
133 Oosterdokskadereal nice sushi restaurant!
Restaurant Black and Blue
46 Leliegrachtthey have really nice steak there!
Nice restaurant and bar/lounge for dinner and a night out. It is not cheap!
80 Einheimische empfehlen
MOMO
1 HobbemastraatNice restaurant and bar/lounge for dinner and a night out. It is not cheap!
Its location in the historic W hotel building just around the corner from Dam Square technically makes it a hotel restaurant, but The Duchess is truly in a class of its own. The soaring ceilings, lavish marble surfaces, and decadent “Nouveau-Niçoise” menu easily make it one of the most worthy special-occasion restaurants in town. Even if you’re not hunkering down for a full meal, it’s worth stopping by the stretch bar for a cocktail. To quell an aching sweet tooth, consider making an afternoon reservation at the Duchess Tea Room—the dessert spread looks like something out of Marie Antoinette.
45 Einheimische empfehlen
THE DUCHESS
172 SpuistraatIts location in the historic W hotel building just around the corner from Dam Square technically makes it a hotel restaurant, but The Duchess is truly in a class of its own. The soaring ceilings, lavish marble surfaces, and decadent “Nouveau-Niçoise” menu easily make it one of the most worthy special-occasion restaurants in town. Even if you’re not hunkering down for a full meal, it’s worth stopping by the stretch bar for a cocktail. To quell an aching sweet tooth, consider making an afternoon reservation at the Duchess Tea Room—the dessert spread looks like something out of Marie Antoinette.
Everything about this farm-to-table restaurant is an experience: the slightly out-of-the-way location in a park in East Amsterdam, the almost entirely locally-sourced ingredients (all produce is grown on their own farm just outside the city) and most importantly, the fact that the dining room is actually a gigantic, glass-ceiling greenhouse. The multi-course lunch and dinner menus change according to the what’s in season and are set by the chef, allowing guests to sit back and not worry about ordering the right thing. What’s more, the staff will happily accommodate any and all dietary restrictions.
267 Einheimische empfehlen
De Kast
3 Kamerlingh OnneslaanEverything about this farm-to-table restaurant is an experience: the slightly out-of-the-way location in a park in East Amsterdam, the almost entirely locally-sourced ingredients (all produce is grown on their own farm just outside the city) and most importantly, the fact that the dining room is actually a gigantic, glass-ceiling greenhouse. The multi-course lunch and dinner menus change according to the what’s in season and are set by the chef, allowing guests to sit back and not worry about ordering the right thing. What’s more, the staff will happily accommodate any and all dietary restrictions.
While you may not associate Amsterdam with traditional Italian food, the fresh pasta, imported antipasti, and fish-centric mains at this spacious, surprisingly romantic restaurant rival anything you can get in the States—or Italy for that matter. A great way to ensure you try the best of the best is to spring for the chef’s six-course tasting menu. The wine list is lengthy and devoted entirely to Italian wines.
313 Einheimische empfehlen
Toscanini
75 LindengrachtWhile you may not associate Amsterdam with traditional Italian food, the fresh pasta, imported antipasti, and fish-centric mains at this spacious, surprisingly romantic restaurant rival anything you can get in the States—or Italy for that matter. A great way to ensure you try the best of the best is to spring for the chef’s six-course tasting menu. The wine list is lengthy and devoted entirely to Italian wines.
ure it’s a fairly touristy thing to do, but leaving Amsterdam without having the famous pancakes at least once is nothing short of culinary sin. This no-frills, canal-side pancake house is consistently packed, but the customizable poffertjes (teeny, quarter-sized flapjacks) and oversized Dutch pancakes (the savory variations on the classic, particularly the pizza-inspired one, are a game changer) are well worth braving the lines. Plus, the all-day hours mean you can come after the breakfast/lunch rush hour.
63 Einheimische empfehlen
The Pancake Bakery
191 Prinsengrachture it’s a fairly touristy thing to do, but leaving Amsterdam without having the famous pancakes at least once is nothing short of culinary sin. This no-frills, canal-side pancake house is consistently packed, but the customizable poffertjes (teeny, quarter-sized flapjacks) and oversized Dutch pancakes (the savory variations on the classic, particularly the pizza-inspired one, are a game changer) are well worth braving the lines. Plus, the all-day hours mean you can come after the breakfast/lunch rush hour.
The Indonesian food scene has long been thriving in Amsterdam, and Kartika, which has been around for decades, is still the best of the best. The a la carte menu is a sure bet, but the specialty here is the rijsttafel (something like the Indonesian answer to dim sum). You can request the vegetarian version or opt for the meat, either way, each of the dozen or so lovingly prepared, incredibly flavorful dishes promises to be exceptional.
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31 Einheimische empfehlen
Kartika
68H OvertoomThe Indonesian food scene has long been thriving in Amsterdam, and Kartika, which has been around for decades, is still the best of the best. The a la carte menu is a sure bet, but the specialty here is the rijsttafel (something like the Indonesian answer to dim sum). You can request the vegetarian version or opt for the meat, either way, each of the dozen or so lovingly prepared, incredibly flavorful dishes promises to be exceptional.
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Airy, modern restaurant with a takeaway counter, for Indonesian/Asian dishes including rijsttafel.
69 Einheimische empfehlen
Kantjil & De Tijger
291 A SpuistraatAiry, modern restaurant with a takeaway counter, for Indonesian/Asian dishes including rijsttafel.
Drinks & Nightlife
Nice for drinks on friday evening. During the day you have a great view from the 11th floor!
228 Einheimische empfehlen
SkyLounge Amsterdam
4 OosterdoksstraatNice for drinks on friday evening. During the day you have a great view from the 11th floor!
great for a night out and only 10 minutes away from the apartment
80 Einheimische empfehlen
Chin Chin Club
133 Rozengrachtgreat for a night out and only 10 minutes away from the apartment
it is nice to have a drink at the bar. Hear you have a great view over the city centre.
89 Einheimische empfehlen
W Amsterdam
175 Spuistraatit is nice to have a drink at the bar. Hear you have a great view over the city centre.
Shopping
The 9 streets are very cosy and you have very nice boutiques to shop in.
1405 Einheimische empfehlen
De 9 Straatjes
The 9 streets are very cosy and you have very nice boutiques to shop in.
Kalverstraat
KalverstraatA shoppingstreet only 5 minutes from the apartment
P.C. Hooftstraat
Pieter Cornelisz HooftstraatStreet where the rich and famous shop
Arts & Culture
Walking through the house where Anne Frank hid for more than two years—along with her family, the Van Pels family, and Fritz Pfeffer—is incredibly affecting. Although areas of the house have of course been refurbished, many original objects remain, as well as photographs, important historical documents, and handwritten notes and letters, including the diaries Anne wrote from 1942 to 1944. With great humanity, the museum's changing exhibitions portray different pieces of the Holocaust, Anne's life, the lives of the people who hid with her,
2775 Einheimische empfehlen
Anne-Frank-Haus
20 WestermarktWalking through the house where Anne Frank hid for more than two years—along with her family, the Van Pels family, and Fritz Pfeffer—is incredibly affecting. Although areas of the house have of course been refurbished, many original objects remain, as well as photographs, important historical documents, and handwritten notes and letters, including the diaries Anne wrote from 1942 to 1944. With great humanity, the museum's changing exhibitions portray different pieces of the Holocaust, Anne's life, the lives of the people who hid with her,
The Rijksmuseum is the Louvre of the Netherlands—meaning you won't see it all in one go, and it's worth returning to again and again. The Rijks first opened in 1800 under a different name but it's been in its current building since 1855. It underwent a ten-year long rebuilding and renovation process, which was completed in 2013. The heart of the museum is Dutch art from the Middle Ages all the way through the 20th-century. Not surprisingly, it's best to buy a ticket online so you don't have to wait in line at the ticket office. And like other Amsterdam museums, the Rijks is generally more quiet before 10am and after 3pm.
472 Einheimische empfehlen
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum station
The Rijksmuseum is the Louvre of the Netherlands—meaning you won't see it all in one go, and it's worth returning to again and again. The Rijks first opened in 1800 under a different name but it's been in its current building since 1855. It underwent a ten-year long rebuilding and renovation process, which was completed in 2013. The heart of the museum is Dutch art from the Middle Ages all the way through the 20th-century. Not surprisingly, it's best to buy a ticket online so you don't have to wait in line at the ticket office. And like other Amsterdam museums, the Rijks is generally more quiet before 10am and after 3pm.
. You'll see many of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings (Sunflowers, Irises, The Potato Eaters) in the museum's permanent collection, as well as fascinating, lesser-known works in the evolving exhibition wing. There are also pieces by Van Gogh's contemporaries (e.g., Émile Bernard, Paul Gaugin, Maurice Denis) on display, which adds an interesting layer of context. All together, the museum tells a thorough story of Van Gogh's life and legacy, both of which are often shrouded in myth. Buy tickets online if you can. so, depending on what time of year you're in Amsterdam, the museum may have extended hours, and the evenings tend to be less crowded times to visit.
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Van Gogh Museum
6 Museumplein. You'll see many of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings (Sunflowers, Irises, The Potato Eaters) in the museum's permanent collection, as well as fascinating, lesser-known works in the evolving exhibition wing. There are also pieces by Van Gogh's contemporaries (e.g., Émile Bernard, Paul Gaugin, Maurice Denis) on display, which adds an interesting layer of context. All together, the museum tells a thorough story of Van Gogh's life and legacy, both of which are often shrouded in myth. Buy tickets online if you can. so, depending on what time of year you're in Amsterdam, the museum may have extended hours, and the evenings tend to be less crowded times to visit.
The Rembrandt House Museum is a nice departure from Amsterdam’s more conventional museums and the long lines you’ll face at nearly every one. The museum building, which was the home and studio of artist Rembrandt van Rijn from 1606 to 1669, underwent extremely sophisticated restoration work in the 1990s so that would it could continue to look and feel like a house from the 17th-century. Here, you’ll see many of Rembrandt’s etchings, graphical pieces, and paintings. There are also demonstrations daily that are fun for the kids—either the etching printing process or a behind-the-scenes look at how paint was made in Rembrandt’s day.
301 Einheimische empfehlen
Museum Het Rembrandthuis
4 JodenbreestraatThe Rembrandt House Museum is a nice departure from Amsterdam’s more conventional museums and the long lines you’ll face at nearly every one. The museum building, which was the home and studio of artist Rembrandt van Rijn from 1606 to 1669, underwent extremely sophisticated restoration work in the 1990s so that would it could continue to look and feel like a house from the 17th-century. Here, you’ll see many of Rembrandt’s etchings, graphical pieces, and paintings. There are also demonstrations daily that are fun for the kids—either the etching printing process or a behind-the-scenes look at how paint was made in Rembrandt’s day.
Kröller-Müller is a couple hours outside of Amsterdam—you can get there by train/bus—and it is so worth it. The museum was a lifelong dream of a woman named Helene Kröller-Müller, who had one of the largest private collections of art the 20th-century has seen, acquiring close to 11,500 works of art with her husband between 1907 and 1922. The museum, which opened in 1938, is located in Hoge Veluwe National Park. The Kröller-Müller sculpture garden is one of the largest in Europe, with more than 160 sculptures on display from artists like Aristide Maillol, Marta Pan, and Pierre Huyghe. The museum is also home to the second-largest Van Gogh collection (after the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam), a
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Kröller Müller Museum
6 HoutkampwegKröller-Müller is a couple hours outside of Amsterdam—you can get there by train/bus—and it is so worth it. The museum was a lifelong dream of a woman named Helene Kröller-Müller, who had one of the largest private collections of art the 20th-century has seen, acquiring close to 11,500 works of art with her husband between 1907 and 1922. The museum, which opened in 1938, is located in Hoge Veluwe National Park. The Kröller-Müller sculpture garden is one of the largest in Europe, with more than 160 sculptures on display from artists like Aristide Maillol, Marta Pan, and Pierre Huyghe. The museum is also home to the second-largest Van Gogh collection (after the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam), a
Housed in a beautiful old canal-side home, Foam is the place to go in Amsterdam to see interesting photography of every medium—from both established photographers and up-and-comers. (The museum has a designated exhibition space for new talent, which is a great place to discover rising artists.) In addition to their gallery space, Foam also organizes contemporary photography events and lectures, and publishes an international photography magazine three times a year.
792 Einheimische empfehlen
Foam
609 KeizersgrachtHoused in a beautiful old canal-side home, Foam is the place to go in Amsterdam to see interesting photography of every medium—from both established photographers and up-and-comers. (The museum has a designated exhibition space for new talent, which is a great place to discover rising artists.) In addition to their gallery space, Foam also organizes contemporary photography events and lectures, and publishes an international photography magazine three times a year.
Seeing an opera or a ballet in Amsterdam is—in a word—magical. Housed in the canal-side Stopera building, which is also home to Amsterdam’s City Hall, the Dutch National Opera and Ballet took on its current name in early 2014 to reflect the official partnership of the Dutch National Ballet, The Amsterdam Music Theatre, and De Nederlandse Opera (also renamed to the Dutch National Opera). In 2016, the Dutch National Opera and the Dutch National Ballet will share the stage for the first time in a production of Hector Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette, directed by Sasha Waltz. The rest of the programming for 2016 and 2017 looks just as wonderful.
95 Einheimische empfehlen
National Opera & Ballet
3 AmstelSeeing an opera or a ballet in Amsterdam is—in a word—magical. Housed in the canal-side Stopera building, which is also home to Amsterdam’s City Hall, the Dutch National Opera and Ballet took on its current name in early 2014 to reflect the official partnership of the Dutch National Ballet, The Amsterdam Music Theatre, and De Nederlandse Opera (also renamed to the Dutch National Opera). In 2016, the Dutch National Opera and the Dutch National Ballet will share the stage for the first time in a production of Hector Berlioz’s Roméo et Juliette, directed by Sasha Waltz. The rest of the programming for 2016 and 2017 looks just as wonderful.
Sightseeing
It nice to do a boatrip and see amsterdam from the water
45 Einheimische empfehlen
Rederij Lovers B.V.
25 Prins HendrikkadeIt nice to do a boatrip and see amsterdam from the water
Zandvoort aan Zee station
It is nice to visit the beach in the summer.
This meticulously manicured oasis in a quiet neighborhood also happens to be one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Here you’ll find countless flower species, a butterfly habitat (kids love this part), tropical hothouses, and gigantic, night-flowering water lilies. The grounds are not too vast, so you can see them in their entirety in a few hours. As is the case with most of Amsterdam’s best activities, there’s a lovely café on site.
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Hortus Botanicus
2a Plantage MiddenlaanThis meticulously manicured oasis in a quiet neighborhood also happens to be one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Here you’ll find countless flower species, a butterfly habitat (kids love this part), tropical hothouses, and gigantic, night-flowering water lilies. The grounds are not too vast, so you can see them in their entirety in a few hours. As is the case with most of Amsterdam’s best activities, there’s a lovely café on site.
Essentials
AH Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal
226 Nieuwezijds VoorburgwalMarqt
402 CeintuurbaanEco store only 10 minites by foot from the apartment
Parks & Nature
This long, narrow park, which is easily accessible from most parts of the city, is one of the best places to get a feel for the city—you’ll find locals everywhere with strollers, dogs on leashes, and some drool-worthy picnics. From the gate entrance around the walking path loop and back is about 2.5 miles, so it’s also a nice option for runners.
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Vondelpark
VondelparkThis long, narrow park, which is easily accessible from most parts of the city, is one of the best places to get a feel for the city—you’ll find locals everywhere with strollers, dogs on leashes, and some drool-worthy picnics. From the gate entrance around the walking path loop and back is about 2.5 miles, so it’s also a nice option for runners.
Westerpark
4 HaarlemmerwegOosterpark Amsterdam
OosterparkKeukenhof
166A Stationsweg