48 Hours in Amsterdam
And the travels continue...I'll be honest, I'm getting slightly behind on these blogs and vlogs for my travels. Probably because I'm so busy and traveling so much but also they are a pain in the neck to get together. I keep telling myself that I will be happy about it when I get back to the states and people continue to ask me for Europe recommendations :) but. for. now. it's a struggle and a half. Alas, here's everything I did when I visited Amsterdam for a quick weekend trip.
I visited Amsterdam (only short three hours away from Belgium) a few weeks ago and had a really nice time. We got there Friday afternoon and left Sunday afternoon so it was a quick trip but I got to see a lot of the city. Amsterdam is a very livable city. If all of the tourists weren't constantly there, I could definitely see myself living there. I want to go back the spring because I saw so many cozy coffee shops (like the ones that actually see coffee) and cute juice bars. Plus a lot of my favorite organic products I buy in Belgium are companies from Amsterdam!
All the restaurants I visited, must try Dutch foods, and a few activities not to miss out on in Amsterdam:
RESTAURANTS
Barca – this tapas restaurant was delicious. the hipster spin on classic Spanish tapas did not disappoint (even after visiting Barcelona). this is a great place to go to with a group!
Bagels & Beans – this Dutch chain is a great place for breakfast, lunch, or a mid day bagel break. i loved their vast array of bagels (with one gluten free and two low gluten options) and bagel sandwiches. the tea list was impressive as well. I went here two days in a row for a quick and cheap lunch.
Foodhallen – anyone who knows me knows that I live for food halls. Foodhallen is a bit out of the city center of Amsterdam but it is well worth the trek. Man oh man, I could live in this place. Not only did they have over 10-15 different food stalls, they had a bars for different drinks, and different areas of seating with different vibes. I opted for traditional dutch bitterballen from De Ballenbar, shrimp dumplings and steamed bbq pork buns from Dim Sumthing, and a frozen yogurt from Loei Lekker. I dream about this place.
Greenwoods Singel – this cute little tea café was a random find for a friend and I that gave me one of the best brunches of my life. I got the brunch special that was two poached eggs, beetroot hummus, avocado, portobello mushroom, goat cheese, and bacon, on homemade pave bread...I wasn't even hungry and I ate every bit of this delicious brunch (see below).
Meets – healthy and creative dishes. good for dinner but also brunch. fun drinks like turmeric lemonade and i got the veggie skew which was delicious! if you like fun healthy spots, this is a good place for you!
Coffee & Coconuts – AMAZING brunch! the pancakes are to die for! and the interior is so beautiful. really great option for breakfast but also dinner is supposed to be good. very hipster with a lot of options. good for a insta worthy brunch ;)
D&A hummus bistro – really great middle eastern spot with amazing hummus. good for a group (reserve ahead of time) because you can order different things and split. the shakshuka is delicous as well.
TRADITIONAL FOODS TO TRY
- Stroopwafel (go to the Albert Cuyp Market for all the Dutch street food you could ever want)
- Frites (although I think Belgian frites are better...I am biased though)
- Poffertjes (little mini Dutch pancakes...so. good.)
- Bitterballen
Things to do in Amsterdam:
- Van Gogh Museum (book ahead)
- Anne Frank House (book ahead)
- MOCO museum (my favorite!)
- Rijks Museum
- Red Light District (really cool to walk through when it's dark outside but it made me sad)
- If you feel like getting a sweat in, ROCYCLE is the equivalent to Soul Cycle in Amsterdam and it so so fun!
Amsterdam is a wonderful city to just get lost in. With all of the canals and beautiful architecture, you can walk and wander into cute boutiques all day long and never get sick of it. Have you been to Amsterdam? What did you think about it?
