Travel Diary: Amsterdam
poncho {from Aerie, can’t seem to find it online} | necklace {on sale for less than $20!} | white T | boots Helloo and welcome to my first official travel diary of my study abroad experience!! On my second weekend here, my girlfriends and I went to Amsterdam! It…
Share
poncho {from Aerie, can’t seem to find it online} | necklace {on sale for less than $20!} | white T | boots
Helloo and welcome to my first official travel diary of my study abroad experience!! On my second weekend here, my girlfriends and I went to Amsterdam! It was only a little over an hour plane ride (like most trips will be, fortunately!) so we thought what the heck let’s go!
It was definitely an interesting experience to say the least. My friend Jessica observed, “I don’t think there are any rules in Amsterdam, just suggestions.” She’s right. There are so many factors that differentiates Amsterdam from anywhere I’ve ever been, therefore it was such an interesting and once in a lifetime experience! We were there for three days and packed in as much as we possibly could!
WHAT I DID
Walked everywhere! We really tried to limit our cab and Uber use so we walked a ton and admired the architecture and character of the city.
Anne Frank House: Definitely put this on the very top of your To Do list of sights to see in Amsterdam. The biggest advice I can give about the Anne Frank house is to arrive at 7:30am and wait in line until it opens at 9:00am! If you stop by the house at any other time the line will be over two hours long — so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the city in the early hours of the morning #peaceful.
Van Gogh Museum: It was amazing to take a step into the life of Vincent Van Gogh! The museum is unique because it not only displays Van Gogh’s many paintings and self-portraits, but also works by artists around the world that inspired him throughout his time.
The Sex Museum: When in Amsterdam….it was honestly so entertaining and absolutely hysterical to see historical artifacts of you-know-what dating back to ancient Greece…
Heineken Experience: A must-do! We loved learning how the company has evolved over time and how it positively impacts the whole city of Amsterdam. Tasting the beer after each step in the brewing process was our favorite!
The Flower Market: You know a love a fresh bouquet! Amsterdam has the largest floating flower market in the world and we loved smelling all the fresh blooms as we walked to the Heineken Experience. It is pretty centrally located so fit it in on your way to another spot on your itinerary.
I am Amsterdam letters: Easily the best place in the city to snap your Instagram pic for the trip. So many people from all over the world come to these letters to document their trip! Try to go in the morning or at sunset so you can get a picture without the crowds of people.
A few snapshots of our experience…
We couldn’t help but gawk at the straight up charming architecture! Most of the houses are squished together and lopsided, which makes for a very interesting architectural look.
A few scenes from our early morning walk to the Anne Frank House:
Views from the charming bridges that connected the streets over the canals:
Fresh blooms (my favorite!) at the flower market:
Inside the Heineken Experience! A must-do for all beer lovers (which is not me, but I still though it was cool!)
View from open boat canal cruise (pink throw pillows for the win!!)
View from the boat– obsessed with those huge shutters!! Also, notice how the bike hangs off the edge?!
amY
WHERE I ATE
The Pancake Bakery: We walked here immediately after we finished visiting the Anne Frank House. It had every pancake (they were more like crepes) that you can imagine. Of course mine was loaded up with vanilla ice cream, fresh cut strawberries, whipped cream, and shavings of Belgium chocolate! A must-stop after you tour the Anne Frank House.
Cheese shops: The Holland cheese was beyond fabulous. Buy a whole wheel of it, you won’t be disappointed.
Omelegg: OH MY GOSH BRUNCH. We had the most delicious, fresh breakfast here on our last day! This restaurant was a true gem and the eggies were delish.
Melly’s Cookie Bar: I read about this bakery beforehand on Trip Advisor, and made sure that we stopped by! Keep scrolling to see what I got.. hint: there was a lot of homemade caramel involved.
A few snapshots of the noms we ate…
In my heart of hearts I believe that cheese is my favorite food. JUST LOOK AT IT.
Excited about our omelets, croissants, and coffee!! (we are big time brunch people)
It’s beautiful, I know.
Who knew Amsterdam would have such delicious deserts and coffee?!
Those are filled with Melly’s signature caramel… no. words.
A post card momentum!
In all, we had such a fun girls weekend in this crazy city! Jam packed with museums, sight seeing, cruising down the canal, and delicious meals… Amsterdam is one we will never forget. Thanks for following along!
p.s. Shout out to my girlfriends who I went with for helping me write this post!! xo
p.s. Shout out to my girlfriends who I went with for helping me write this post!! xo
xxAmy
