Fancy a little adventure in the city of the Dam?

From the picturesque canal cruises and Van Gogh collections to street art at Straat, or an immersive art experience at the Fabrique des Lumieres.

Love a vintage find? There’re flea markets galore and a vintage shop around every corner.

Or if all you want to do is find a cosy café or coffeeshop and watch dozens of bikes fly past you with a sumptuous cup of coffee, wine, or alcohol-free drink, you can most certainly do that!

Amsterdam has plenty to offer the solo traveller.

Amsterdam centre

Amsterdam is glorious but VERY busy. Maybe because I started at Amsterdam Central. If you approach the city in a different direction, you won’t be hit by the crowds.

Walk on from the station and you’ll arrive in you know it The Red Light District. Many locals will tell you to avoid it, not because of its reputation, more because it’s full of chain restaurants and tacky touristy shops.

However, if you’re interested in the history of the area, there’s some interesting landmarks to see and many insightful tours on offer.

Oh yes, and Amsterdam really is bike city! 12,000 bikes are fished out of the canals every year. Keep to the walking lanes and look before you walk out.

Amble down to the canals

It takes around 20 minutes to walk to the picturesque canals and bridges that we all know and love. One of the most photographed images on Google is the 7 bridges lined up.

I did happen to catch a glance of this pretty sight on my canal cruise, with the misty October haze adding to its charm.

Amongst the canals you’ll find de 9 Straatjes, a central spot known for its independent boutiques selling a mix of high-end attire, vintage clothes, and quirky gifts, highly recommended by my tour guide, a good place to go for a chilled night out.

En route you’ll no doubt walk through the historical Dam Square (a very grey affair) it’s great for street photography, catching a busker, and home to the Royal Palace which I’m told is quite spectacular inside. Give Madam Tussauds a miss.

Coffeeshop or café?

To clarify, a coffeeshop anywhere in Amsterdam is a place where you can buy and smoke Cannabis.

Of course you don’t have to go for this reason (I didn’t) but if you want to do as the Romans do feel free! It’s not actually legal, but it’s been decriminalized if used for personal use in licensed premises.

Coffeeshops are welcoming and friendly, here’s a guide to the best coffeeshops in Amsterdam from the Dutch Review.

And just so you know, the centre is not a smoky drug den. Amsterdam has a strict non-smoking policy in public places – its a very safe and calm city.

If it’s a café you want for a spot of lunch, there’re many around the centre. I tended to eat at the markets and museums – both had gluten free options. Here’s a guide to the best cafes in Amsterdam from Time Out.

Canal and walking tours

If you’re travelling solo in Amsterdam, I would highly recommend a walking or canal tour. They’re chilled, everyone’s new, there’s no pressure to talk if you don’t want to, and having a friendly tour guide really does put you at ease.

It’s a way to feel a bit involved with a group of people. And you’ll most likely get some tips to help you navigate the city.

I chose Amsterdam’s Luxury Boat Canal Cruise. It was exactly what I was looking for. A small and friendly, hour-long tour with drinks, a friendly skipper and a Polish student guide who clearly loved the city and had superb knowledge and funny facts on Amsterdam.

Take your pick from museum tours, bike tours, boat trips to the Zaanse Shans and tulip fields, foodie tours, cheese and wine tasting, evening cruises and more.

If the Anne Frank tour or visit to the Anne Frank museum is a must for you, book WELL in advance if you can. I thought I could just rock up and pick a time slot, but this is rarely possible.

Amsterdam’s museums

Amsterdam’s museums are supurb. If you want to muse around some grand and fabulous spaces all at reasonable prices, with locals and fellow travellers alike, and view some of the best art and kooky finds in the World… Amsterdam will satisfy all your arty and history needs.

You’ve got everything from the traditional and grand Rijkmuseum showcasing 800 years of Dutch history with famous paintings like Rembrandt’s Night Watch and Vermeer’s The Love Letter.

To the quirky and bizarre KattenKabinet museum dedicated to cats 😻 or Micropoa exploring the invisible world of microorganisms.

And of course the Van Gogh Museum housing the world’s largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings. Including one of the five versions of the iconic Sunflowers.

I chose Straat the world’s biggest street art museum. It’s in the creative and upcoming NDSM area, a short free ferry ride from behind Centraal Station.

In a converted warehouse you’ll find around 150 impressive pieces of street and graffiti art, by dedicated artists from across the globe. And with no time limit you can marvel as long as want. You might even catch an artist in progress.

I also couldn’t resist the Fabrique des Lumieres for the immersive experience Destination Cosmos. Great for kids and adults, it’s a relaxing and uplifting multimedia experience.

To see art come alive try Dali: The Endless Enigma or Gaaudi: Architect of the Imaginary. Catch bus no.21 from above Centraal station.

The vintage clothes

Vintage is thriving in Amsterdam. Maybe because the quirky shops suit the old Amsterdam streets and the vintage attire compliments the laid-back vibe and focus on sustainability. There’s also a history of punk in the city with many creative and off-beat residents.

If you love vintage and quirky little shops you won’t be disappointed. You could spend the whole day in the centre trawling for unique finds – they’re all around the city.

For markets try Waterlooplein Amsterdam’s oldest flea market and Il-Halen a popular flea market in NDSM running once a month on the weekend.

Try Pop 18 at Geldersekade 105, Episode in the 9 Straatjes, and along Ferdinand Bolstraat (near Albert Cuyp market) for a good selection of vintage shops. Or search Kringloop in Google maps and you’ll find plenty.

Getting around

If you’re feeling brave join the locals and hire a bike. If you’re not keen (it can get a bit hairy) you’ve got trams, a metro and buses to get you around the city. There’s also a handy public travel centre opposite Central Station if you want to speak to a friendly human.

Visit the GVB travel website and navigate to the sights and places section, it will show you how to get to all major attractions. Touch in and out on trams and buses using your debit or credit card – making sure you touch out as you may be charged a higher price if you don’t!

The I Amsterdam card or a GVB pass allows you unlimited travel on all transport. There’re Ubers and taxis, but beware they’re prone to hiking up the price for tourists.

The culture and people

Amsterdam holds true to its open and accepting culture. Everyone I spoke to was friendly and very chilled. I didn’t notice any particular traditions that you need to follow. I did see a couple of greetings with a kiss on both cheeks. I’d love to return with more time to get to know the culture.

The locals will speak to you in Dutch initially (understandably) but if you politely ask for English, it’s not a problem. If you’re buying train tickets or on a self-service-machine, there’s normally an English language icon on display.

I felt safe and had no problems. However as always take care in a city, especially if you’re going to relax with a few glasses of wine or a smoke. Here’s some dos and don’ts and some good safety tips from an Amsterdam travel guide.

The food

You’ll soon discover the Dutch love their bread, pastries, cheeses, and cured meats. And who could blame them.

Have you noticed that Dutch people are tall? It’s believed the high consumption and production of dairy in the 1800s, was a big contributing factor to the sudden increase of height in people from the Netherlands!

The Coffee is very good. A sit-down meal with a drink in the centre costs around 15 – 30 euros. Avoid the massively overpriced central cheese and pancake shops.

Food in the centre is a mix of traditional meat dishes, gourmet sandwiches, street food and pancakes. Vegan options are sprinkled about, along with cuisines from France, Belgium, Italy, Indonesia and more.

If you’re gluten free as I am, unfortunately it’s not that easy to stumble upon gluten free food 😕 My advice would be to book a hotel that offers a gluten free breakfast and then do your research for the area you’re visiting. After some investigating online it looks like the area around de Pijp had some good options.

I did stumble on Henny’s Homemade Bio Food a friendly café in the centre with some wholesome gluten free options.

Night life

If you’re looking to go clubbing, Amsterdam is hot in the global scene. Club Paradiso is an iconic club, along with so many others. I just missed the renowned ADE Amsterdam Dance Event in October, with 140 DJs performing across the city.

Here’s a local guide to the best clubs in Amsterdam.

If you’re thinking more a relaxing bar, interesting decor, friendly hosts and some high-quality drinks The Flying Dutchman comes up top in reviews as a friendly and classy spot. Bar Mimi too.

Or you could just grab a beer or glass of wine from your hotel or hostel bar, and zonk out in your room after a full day of exploring.

Photography

What better backdrop than Amsterdam with its colourful houses, old buildings, markets, and creative characters.

The NDSM area a former shipping wharf turned creative hub is ideal if you like your urban scenes. It’s full of artists, creative spaces, and buildings transformed into interesting venues and living areas.

For something a bit different you could experiment with a shot of the bikes zooming past you. Find a spot with a nice backdrop and use slow and fast shutter speeds to catch them in action or with a blur.

Popular Insta posts include The Upside Down Museum, The Friends Experience, the tulip fields, and of course the canals.

The quieter spots

Vondelpark is a beautiful and vibrant landscaped park, centrally located near the museum quarter. Or try Rembrandtpark a few streets away, popular with locals and walkers.

For a quieter and chic shopping street try Haalemmerdijk a quaint road just west of the city. It has little independents, restaurants, vintage shops, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it movie theatre The Movies, the oldest cinema in Amsterdam. You can walk to it from Centraal Station or catch the no.21 bus.

The Zaanse Schans is a short train journey from the centre with historic windmills, traditional Dutch houses, cute chocolate shops, cheese factories, and a picture postcard very green view across the fields. Avoid the weekends and public holidays for a quieter experience.

Where to stay in Amsterdam

Be warned central accommodation is pricey. I chose to stay in Zaandam, a picturesque and modern town about 15 minutes from the centre.

Plenty of hotels to choose from here, including the much-photographed Inntel Hotel Amsterdam. Its interesting green and white façade is a nod to the old-style Dutch architecture.

Other recommended hotels just outside the centre include XO Park West, in west Amsterdam, and the stylish Tribe in Noord.

If you want to stay central Rho Hotel and Sonder Park House are both good value options. If you’re happy to pay more Citizenm Amstel has some top reviews.

Hostels include The Flying Pig Downtown close to Centraal Station, and Bunk Amsterdam a converted church with stylish rooms over in Noord.

Go find and enjoy your adventure in Amsterdam 🚲🌷  

I’m a Wales based copywriter, if you would like me to write some inspiring blogs or sales copy for your business get in touch. 

(all photos my own, no AI used, blog for fun and inspiration!)