After years of living in Amsterdam city we wanted to give you couple of useful tips for a great week end stay! Indeed, temperature is warming up as summer is getting close and the city is going to burst with life, cafes will start bringing tables outside for visitors to enjoy drinks in the sun, boat tours on city canals will become very busy again, bicycles will be absolutely in every street and every corner and more great places for tourists will open up!
You have of course the typical must see places that you can find on TripAdvisor and probably you will have to go through hordes of tourists if it is your first time in Amsterdam, but you also have some great germs you should consider! This is why we highlighted here our top of the green activities to do in Amsterdam, including touristic activities as much as very typical Amsterdammers favorite things to do.
And plan to stay in a green hotel with a beautiful view over the city, like MovenPick Amsterdam!
Forest bathing, barbecuing or even bird watching in one of the many green areas of Amsterdam
While Vondelpark is the central park of Amsterdam, the green zone where it’s great to go for a walk, have a coffee on a terrace, cycle around, have a barbecue or some snacks sitting on the grass. Locals love it. You can barbecue pretty much everywhere in the park. We suggest using a non-disposable barbecue because it will leave quite some waste, but as tourists, we can imagine you don’t go around with your own barbecue set.
But you can also enjoy a real forest bath in Amsterdam Bos. It’s a beautiful place to BBQ, kayaking and observing some buffalo. If you decide to visit a natural reserve, you have plenty in the Netherlands.
And bird watch in Flevopark, which has rare bird species coming over during spring season!
Cycling through the city
It’s by far the most convenient and fun way to move around the city. There are dozens of bicycle rental shops scattered all around, they all have pretty much the same prices. The biggest chains are Mac Bike or Yellow Bikes. Cycling through the city will make you feel like a real Amsterdammer, just watch out for the other bikes and trams, the first drive can be a bit destabilizing for novices! So why not take a tour with Amsterdam Tour Bike?
Enjoying a meal or a snack in one of the many vegetarian and organic restaurant
From breakfast at Friday to enjoying an organic icecream at Dolce & Gelato Bio, green eating is becoming a habit in the Netherlands. There are plenty of restaurants in Amsterdam that serve organic food. As an example, you can go to De Kas, a fancy organic restaurant serving their home-grown vegetables. De Ceuvel Café also grows its vegetables and has been built up on a former waste area. Or you could try this very freshly opened bar the Vegan Junk Food Bar in Amsterdam West. There are many options you can just have a look at Happy Cow app for other options.
Renting a paddling boat
Different companies are offering paddling boat services. Canal Cruise is one of them. It’s perfect if you want to sport a bit and enjoy Amsterdam canals.
Walking through a typical Dutch market
Albert Cuyp is a nice market but I would not necessarily advise to go there if you look for authenticity. Try instead this new, trendy and 100% focused on organic and local products, the Pure Markt
Try a “sky” bar offering best views on the city
Not so many sky bars in Amsterdam, but Volkshotel offers a nice southern view of the city while the Hilton Double Tree hotel will simply cover the whole city from a northern point of view. If you want a view but don’t care about the bar, you can also check the Amsterdam Lookout, whoch costs about 15 euros per visit and 5 euros more if you want to swing.
Enjoying a craft beer at the Brouwerij
De Brouwerij is THE microbrewery to try if you visit Amsterdam. Located in a former windmill, it’s the perfect place for those who want to try all types of beers, freshly brewed and organic. For other craft beers microbreweries in Amsterdam, you can check this site.
Free lunch concert in Concertgebouw
Concertgebouw offers free Wednesday lunches if you buy tickets to attend a classical concert. Don’t expect huge quantities or diversity, but it’s a nice thing to know especially if you like classical music. ????
Chill out at an urban beach
There are a few places in Amsterdam that are 100% urban designed, and all built up with second hand furniture. One of them could be defined as an urban beach. Called Amsterdam Roest, it’s located on the North East of Amsterdam and offers drinks and food but even more, a place to chill with your feet in the sand. And you can even enjoy a nice bath in the canal and some fun jumping in the water in a Tarzan style with the structure in place. Other places are as cool, like Pllek in Amsterdam North West or De Ceuvel which offers traditional and artisanal sauna and jacuzzi!
Last but not least, Amsterdam being the Dutch cultural capital, visit a museum
You have a very large range of museums in Amsterdam, from Van Gogh, to the diamonds museum or the cannabis museum. If you are not a big fan of museums, no worries, you’ll surely find one that fits your tastes!
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