As promised I’m back with my Amsterdam travel itinerary. Amsterdam is the capital city in the Netherlands. This trip took place pre-Covid and during Covid. At the time I left for Amsterdam, the news and details about Covid were still developing.

I actually booked this vacation the year prior and I wasn’t able to get a refund for my trip. In addition, around the time of my departure international travel was still allowed. Please exercise caution, wash your hands, wear your mask, and practice social distancing!

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Amsterdam Facts

The official language spoken in Amsterdam is Dutch however English is spoken as well. The time in Amsterdam is 6 hours ahead of New York. The official currency in Amsterdam is the Euro. I did change some of my currency while in the airport but the exchange rate is high. It’s probably best to utilize an ATM while in Amsterdam or exchange money from your bank.

Day 1

Highlights

Brasserie De Serre, Rainbow Path, Moco Museum, and Kama Sutra Restaurant. *Honorable mention 420 Café and The Bulldog

Morning

My first day in Amsterdam started off normally how it would during any vacation; I was excited and ready to explore. Tip: Amsterdam during winter season is considered off-peak, so I managed to secure an awesome travel deal. Keep in mind winter in Amsterdam is freezing so plan to dress warm. Thankfully there was no snow throughout the duration of my trip.

I’ve mentioned in my other blog posts while in London and Paris on how I always (for the most part) take the public transit system in the country I’m visiting. Amsterdam was no exception; the tram, metro, and bus system were very easy to figure out. More info here.  After checking in at our hotel my sister and I had a late breakfast at Brasserie De Serre. The food was delicious and within walking distance to the hotel.

Afternoon

Following breakfast, the first stop was the Rainbow Path. My sister wanted to find the Rainbow Bridge (which FYI can be seen during the Amsterdam Light Festival). We came across the rainbow path instead in Sloterdijk. The significance of the rainbow path is to signify and promote acceptance of the LGBT community. It’s such a great attraction to see in a bustling hub. The bridge is beautiful, I’d recommend going.

Now it was time to explore the city. The first stop on our list was the Moco Museum. I mentioned before how much I enjoyed the conversation this museum sparked regarding social media. It’s an awesome museum to check out in Amsterdam.

After exploring on foot, next up was dinner. I stumbled across Kama Sutra restaurant and the menu drew me in. Kama Sutra serves Indian cuisine, and it DID NOT disappoint. It was so good! The delicious soup, naan bread, tandoori chicken, and vegetable entrees were amazing. I would highly recommend visiting this restaurant.

*Honorable mention

I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t mention any coffeshops/cafes in Amsterdam. If you’re into this kind of thing, I learned from my boat tour guide (I’ll get to this later), that The Bulldog is the oldest and most famous coffeeshop. The locals prefer 420 Café which is why I mentioned it.

I also learned that marijuana (while legal) is actually not typically accepted but more so tolerated in this country. Please be responsible in your choices and practice caution in whatever you decide. I am not recommending anything or assuming any responsibility.

Day 2

Highlights

Canal Tour, Rijksmuseum Café, Amsterdam Pancakes, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Cheese Museum, and Sahan Restaurant

Morning

Despite the wintry weather, I planned on taking a canal tour and I did just that. It’s a great way to learn interesting facts and history about the country. Amsterdam is surrounded by and built on water, so a canal tour is the best way to explore the city.

I booked my boat tour through Airbnb’s experiences section, but you can also find the same exact tour on Viator. There’s so many to choose from, so go with one that best suits your interests. The boat tours typically serve refreshments (e.g.; alcohol, soft drinks, cheese, Dutch snacks and candies etc.). I highly recommend it.

Following this lovely experience, my sister and I had a light snack at the famous Rijksmuseum Café. My sister and I noshed on carrot cake, an almond muffin (extremely delicious), and tea. I loved the feel of the café in the museum.

Afternoon

After the quick snack, my sister and I had time before our scheduled appointment to see the Anne Frank house. We decided to try Amsterdam Pancakes which is within walking distance to the Anne Frank house. I tried savory style Dutch pancakes for the first time. It’s an acquired taste, but I’d try it again.

We booked a tour to observe the Anne Frank House (if you’re planning on visiting make sure to book ahead of time as spots fill up quickly). In my opinion this is a must see.

I learned about Anne Frank prior to visiting and vaguely knew her story. It was a humbling experience to see how she lived before and during the war, as well as how much she accomplished while alive. Being able to experience the house, and imagine the fear she must’ve felt was indescribable. It’s amazing her story continues to live on to remind us of a difficult and sad time period. I truly learned a great deal. *FYI pictures are not allowed inside the Anne Frank House.

The Amsterdam Cheese Museum is also within walking distance to the Anne Frank House so my sister and I took a quick trip there. You’re allowed to try the different cheeses within the museum. We got there as they were getting ready to close for the evening, so we didn’t get to stay too long. I’d recommend visiting if you’re a big fan of cheese.

Evening

The day was spent trying different foods, so by dinner time I wanted something light. I decided to try Sahan restaurant which is Turkish cuisine. I enjoyed the food at this restaurant and would definitely go again.

Day 3

Brussels, Belgium (Day not spent in Amsterdam)

I wrote a separate blog post on this visit here. The bus tour I took to Brussels from Amsterdam can be found here. By this point in the trip, the news began to get serious around Covid. Countries began closing their borders and shops began to follow suit.  Friends and family back in the U.S. began to get concerned and contacted myself and my sister wondering how we were going to come back home. My sister and I contacted the airline we traveled with and due to extreme holding times, we couldn’t reach anyone.

I contacted the U.S. Embassy in Amsterdam, and was finally able to speak to someone. The individual I spoke with told me that my sister and I should be able to return back home after our trip, as long as we weren’t exhibiting symptoms but we’d have to undergo additional screening by the CDC.

I felt a little better once I heard this and in the meantime, took additional steps to boost my immune system. I usually carry immune boosting items with me when I travel. A few of my favorites are tea, and honey to fight off colds. I also carry activated charcoal in case I become nauseous or have an upset stomach.

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Day 4

Highlights

Albert Cuyp Market, the Original Stroopwafel, Hash & Hemp Museum, Red Light Secrets Museum, Red Light District, Primark, and Sky Lounge Amsterdam

Saturday was jam packed with activities. At this point, my sister and I were racing against the clock as many shops, restaurants, tourist attractions, and museums began to close. Rijksmuseum and the Heineken Museum were a few. Unfortunately, I did not get to go inside the Rijksmuseum to explore aside from the café. When I revisit Amsterdam, I will make sure to go.

Morning

First on the list was the Albert Cuyp Market in the De Pijp neighborhood. I loved this market! There were many choices of fresh produce, amazing street food, makeup, as well as clothing and shoes. You will find great deals here. I came across the Original Stroopwafel stand and had a freshly baked and warm Stroopwafel with caramel filling oozing out. This was such a treat, the ones given on the plane do NOT come close to the deliciousness of a fresh one.

The Hash & Hemp Museum was next on the list. As one of the oldest museums centered on Cannabis its definitely eye-opening. You’ll learn the history and science of Cannabis, the infamy behind it, as well as the medicinal uses. Whatever your views on Cannabis, I think you’ll learn something at this museum. Go in with an open-mind.

Afternoon

At this point I’m continuing on with my interesting choices in museums lol. The Red Light Secrets Museum was still open, and this is honestly a must see. It’s located right in the Red Light District. The museum itself is fascinating and located within a brothel still in its original state.

You’ll learn all about prostitution, why the women decide to choose this life, and how much the women make. The museum even lets you confess some of your secrets anonymously. You’ll see some crazy confessions on the wall; would you be brave enough to do this? Let me know in the comments lol.

It was beginning to get late once we finished at the Red Light District Museum, and the Red Light District itself began to liven up. The district began to get packed, and you’ll start to see the sex workers take up their posts in the window displays. I didn’t want to stay in this area as all sorts of characters come out so I quickly made my exit. By the way, photos are not allowed in the Red Light District; by doing so you risk being arrested or fined. Not to mention its just in poor taste.

No trip of mine would be incomplete without shopping. I fell in love with Primark during my visit in London for their great deals on clothes, shoes, and accessories so I was excited to see locations in Amsterdam.  Primark is both fashionable, and affordable. I love Primark so much; I also visited another location while in Belgium.

Evening

After a long day of exploring, I couldn’t wait to go to the very chic Sky Lounge. The Sky Lounge is a roof-top bar and lounge and has such beautiful views of the city. The vibe is reminiscent of a seen and be seen restaurant in NYC. Due to the new restrictions in place, the restaurant could only serve 100 patrons at a time so there was a longer than usual wait. In my opinion the ambiance was well worth it.

Day 5 (Technically Day 4)

Highlights

Moak Pancakes, Episode, and Noor Alsham Amsterdam

Morning

My last full day in Amsterdam was spent very low-key. At this point most of the city shutdown, so many of the plans I had were cancelled (understandably). To start the day off right, my sister and I wanted to eat at a relatively healthy restaurant in order to make sure we did not fall ill while away. That’s when we found Moak.

Moak Pancakes is such a unique restaurant in that they offer whole wheat pancakes, yogurt bowls, fresh ginger shots, and fresh juices. The restaurant workers heard our accents and sparked a conversation with us wondering how we were going to get home. After explaining that we honestly wouldn’t really know for sure until we got to the airport, the workers were so kind and gave us ginger shots on the house to help us keep up our immune system up.

One thing I loved about my time in Amsterdam is that being healthy is highly promoted. You’ll see people riding their bikes and walking everywhere. The restaurants also offer healthy options such as fresh ginger tea (with real ginger).

Following that delicious breakfast, shopping at Episode was up next. My sister who has a great eye for awesome finds wanted to check Episode out. If your into fashion and thrifting check out her Instagram Cheap_Chic_Chick. With that said, we had to stop at Episode which is a thrifting store chain in Amsterdam with vintage and second hand finds. This particular location in Berenstraat was huge, and has a wide variety of items to choose from. If you love shopping like me, please check it out.

Afternoon

Although I was sad my trip was coming to an end, I was also concerned about how returning home would be. At this point in the trip, the country had completely shut down, so even finding a restaurant to eat dinner was difficult. If we found a restaurant, the lines were so long due to the restaurant only being able to accommodate a certain number of guests at once.

Thankfully my sister and I came across a simple eatery named Noor Alsham Amsterdam and had falafel wraps and chicken wraps which were delicious.

Evening

After a late lunch/early dinner, my sister and I went back to the hotel to pack, and anticipate our journey back home. We were following the news, and receiving updates from our friends and family throughout the trip.

In order to take our minds off of the unknown, we actually fell in love with this British show called Come Dine with Me. The premise of the show is that you host dinner in your home with 5 other contestants and cook a dinner experience for your guests. It’s a competition show with a monetary prize. Check it out and let me know what you think.

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Final Thoughts

Well that concludes my 4 Day Amsterdam Itinerary. A separate blog post detailing my trip home, and what happened afterward can be found here. Now that you know a little more about Amsterdam, check out this post on some Hidden Gems in the Netherlands. Thank you so much for reading! Would you travel to Amsterdam? Learn anything new, or have any feedback? Was this itinerary helpful? Please comment below, and subscribe here. To book some of the activities talked about in this blog post, or to find your own, check this out. I’m on most social media, so let’s be friends! Click the icons located on the right side (desktop), and the bottom of the screen (mobile) to find me. Looking for the perfect travel gift for your loved one? Sign up for my freebie of travel gift ideas.

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Blog Disclaimer

The recommendations for immune boosting products are my own personal suggestions on what works for me, and does not serve as medical or professional advice. Please consult with a medical professional. I am not the artist, nor do I take any of the credit of the art work displayed from the Moco Museum.

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