Amsterdam had long been at the top of my travel bucket list. So, when Mike asked me in August where I would like to go for my birthday, it was an easy choice! Hotels, travel places and food, here’s how it went!
Fast forward two months later, we boarded Air Baltic from Riga airport to Schipol airport for £230, return for two. The flight was about two hours, and immediately after we touched down, we went straight to the Sprinter to catch the train to Hoofddorp for dinner.
We didn’t see any barrier or gate to touch our card, so we assumed it was inside the train, but it wasn’t. The standing touch panels were placed around the floor before the staircase. So, don’t rush, as there are many scheduled trains to catch!
Anyway, it was awful waiting for another passenger to come in for the turnstile to be lifted before we could rush out. It also made a loud beeping noise. How embarrassing! I was scared we would get caught! It reminds me of our experience when we got stopped by police in Estonia!
HOTELS
Ibis Budget Asterdam Airport
On our first night, we stayed at Ibis Budget Schipol. They provided a free airport transfer, which was also one of the reasons we booked it as it got us to the airport to catch the train to Amsterdam Central.
The room was basic, but because we stayed during the annual Amsterdam Marathon, a big event in the city, all the hotels in Amsterdam were charging higher prices. We paid 135.68€ for the night, but it did not include city and local taxes of 8.60€, which we paid directly at the hotel.
It had a small shower room, a separate toilet on the other side and a sink, which was also outside of the shower area. The bed was comfortable, but we only had one pillow each, which wasn’t great.
Our room overlooked the airport, and there was a little garden where I saw a wild rabbit hopping around. The room was soundproofed well, and we barely heard the noise from all the planes.
Zaan Hotel Amsterdam Zaandam
For the remaining three nights, we stayed in Zaandam. If you’re unsure where to stay in Amsterdam, I recommend considering Zaandam. As soon as you arrive at Zaandam station, the unique architectural design of the buildings will grab your attention.
The location of this Zaan hotel was so convenient, right next to Zaandam train station which was a 2-minute walk, and with direct and frequent 12-minute train rides to the central station of Amsterdam.
The hotel also has a unique exterior, but of course, it’s not as grand as the Inntel Hotel. Nonetheless, Zaan Hotel was just perfect for our stay. For three nights, it charged 290.40€, and the city tax 45.24€, which we paid at the hotel when we arrived.
We had plenty of tea bag selection and a coffee machine in the room, the bathroom came with good pressure rain showers, very comfortable beds and two pillows each.
There was also a supermarket, Albert Heijn, right across from the hotel and a Turkish restaurant, Lezzet Dúnyasi, which was a great asset to why this hotel was a great choice.
PLACE TO SEE IN AMSTERDAM
Red Light District
After we arrived at the central station and had lunch at De Haven van Texel, we explored Amsterdam’s famous Red Light District. Let’s be real here because no trip to Amsterdam is complete without visiting this place.
However, because it was still daytime, no girls were tapping on the windows to get visitors’ attention. But we could see the surrounding area filled with many sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, and a sex museum.
It was weird to think that just across the erotic sex museum, the old church, Oude Kerk stood proudly in its glory. This beautiful building was the oldest in Amsterdam and the final resting place for Madam Saskia van Uylenberg, Rembrandt’s beloved wife.
Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans was easily accessible from Zaandam station, with just a short 6-minute train ride to get there. From Zaandijk Zaanse Schans station, it’s approximately a 20-minute walk to reach Zaanse Schans.
This area featured historic windmills and unique green wooden houses that have been moved here to resemble an 18th and 19th-century village.
The various shops, craft centres, restaurants, and nature preserves could be visited for free. Entrance fees were only applicable for the windmills and certain museums.
You could easily spend 2 hours here simply by exploring the area, visiting museums, checking out windmills and walking along the trails. I wish we had visited on a clear blue sky day, but the fog added a magical atmosphere.
Rijksmuseum
Besides Zaanse Schans, of course, the must-visit place was the museum! For this, we chose Rijksmuseum, the biggest museum in Amsterdam, which also contained some Van Gogh paintings, the museum that we initially planned to visit.
Located in the heart of Amsterdam, the Museum of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh was so huge that it required at least 2 hours to tour the place. However, if you want to appreciate the collections it houses, you will need to have at least 3 hours!
The ticket we bought online via the official website cost £22.50 per person. The slot time we chose was 3:30 pm, but we got there early, and getting in earlier wasn’t an issue. We were already wandering inside at 1:45 pm and finished the visit at the time slots we were supposed to go in.
Albert Cuyp Market
In addition to visiting the largest museum in Amsterdam, we also had the opportunity to see one of the city’s most famous markets, the Albert Cuyp Market.
Located in the De Pijp neighbourhood, this market was the largest and most popular street market in Amsterdam. Founded in 1905, it offered a wide selection of street food, fresh produce, flowers, clothing, and accessories. It’s also where I found my souvenirs, including Space cake!
While it is legal to purchase in this country, please don’t take it back to your home country. Here, you can select your Space cake based on its potency—light, medium, strong, or extra strong—and the desired effect, whether you want to feel joyful, energetic, high, or simply happy. They also offer it in gummy and tea forms.
Dam Square
The heart of the city, Dam Square, was the most famous plaza in Amsterdam. In the thirteenth century, this location became the site of the first Dam constructed on the Amstel River.
It was also where Amsterdam got its name from. The fishing village around the Dam was initially called Amstelredamme, which means Dam on the Amstel. Over time, the name evolved into Amsterdam.
We had the chance to visit this square twice during the day and night. In the daytime, this square was bustling with activity, filled with tourists and locals. If you prefer less crowded, you might want to visit at night.
Amsterdam Restaurants and Food
Mizumi Ramen Bar – Hoofddorp
We had dinner at this Japanese restaurant when we first arrived in Amsterdam. But getting here from Hoofddorp station was a bit of a walk as it’s 2 km away. However, there was a bus station nearby, and the bus route took us to the hotel where we stayed for the night, which was more convenient than taking the Sprinter train.
Besides this restaurant, there were plenty of others to choose from in this area, such as Indian cuisine, burgers and Pizzas.
Was it worth it? If you calculate all the expenses, the transport and the food cost, I guess it’s the same as having a meal at the Schipol airport. But, on the plus side, it gets you out of the airport, and you get to see Hoofddorp.
Lezzet Dúnyasi – Zaandam
This Turkish restaurant was right across from the hotel we stayed in Zaandam. We had kebabs and also tried their buffet lunch whilst there. It was cheaper than all the restaurants where we had our meals.
De Haven van Texel – Amsterdam Old Center
We had our lunch at De Haven van Texel. This restaurant offered a great view of the canal, with only three tables on the patio, and we got one of the tables. It was perfect for boat-watching.
My only regret was the choice of meal that I made. I should have asked for the type of fish first instead of ordering it directly. Because it turned out the fish of the day was Salmon! If it’s a herring or other fish, I might be happy with it instead of a common Salmon.
Mike’s food turned out to be the winner of them all. I loved the smokey-flavoured pea soup. In fact, once we came back from our holiday in Amsterdam, pea soup was on our cooking list!
Warung Swietie Lelydorp – De Pijp
After visiting the Rijksmuseum, we purposely came to this restaurant for late lunch because it had the best rating. Also, from here, it was very close to the Albert Cuyp Market.
When we were living in Colombia, we didn’t get to go to Suriname. Thankfully, now that we’re in Amsterdam, we at least get to try Surinamese food! Because this warung was Javanese, the food tasted familiar.
There were many Surinamese here in the Netherlands because the migration of the Surinamese population to the Netherlands began in the 1950s.
This Javanese Surinamese warung has been in operation for 28 years, and they open from Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm. It’s worth trying the food when you’re around the area.
A. van Wees Tasting Locality – Straatjes
After our holiday in Tossa de Mar, Spain, I craved some good mussels. After doing some research, Mike found out that this place serves a mean mussel, and that’s why we’re here, and it was the best decision ever.
The mussels here were cooked differently than the normal white wine sauce. Instead, the Zeeland Mussels were prepared in tomato sauce with garlic, peppers and vegetables, and served with bread with their special cocktail sauce.
True to its name, this place provides liquor tasting featuring over 60 varieties of traditional Dutch liquors. If we hadn’t needed to catch our flight back to Riga after our meal, we definitely would have indulged in some tasting as well!
So, that’s it for my birthday holiday this year. I wonder where I will be next year. I hope it’s somewhere I haven’t been before🤞 .
Travel Date: 19th October – 23rd October 2024