Unique Experiences in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is much more than coffee shops and canals, this Dutch city (which is as cosmopolitan as they come) offers visitors countless options to do just about anything. Check out the nightlife in the Jordaan Quarter, visit the beaches around Amsterdam, play all sorts of sports, drink beer in a number of fun bars, skate at night, or you can even stay overnight in a boat. The possibilities are endless when you travel to this beautiful, cold city.

Nightlife in the Jordaan Quarter

The Jordaan is a meeting spot for the young and not so young. If you’re traveling to Amsterdam, here are some pubs you’ll want to visit: Struik (160 Rozengracht street), Café Thijssen (107 Brouwersgrach), Brandstof (341 Marnixstraat), Café Lowietje (2 Goudsbloemdwarsstraat) and Café ´t Smalle (12 Egelantiersgracht). You can have a great time in any one of these but ideally you’ll visit each of them. Why not create your own pub crawl by going from pub to pub and trying a beer in each venue.

 

Skating around the clock

Skating in Amsterdam is always nice and it’s an activity that´s fun for both young and old. And its even more fun is you can do it on the frozen canals in winter. This city’s tradition of skating on the canals goes back to the seventh century. And it’s very idyllic to experience when it is actually cold enough to make it possible. The Dutch also enjoy skating in the summer months (although they do it on the asphalt), and they have a “Friday Night Skate”, which is a race that starts in Vondelpark.

 

Dutch Cheese Tasting

The Dutch cheeses are second to none. Gouda or Edam are, of course, the most famous, but there are many, many more. There’s also Limburg, Bluefort, Texel, Leerdam, Old Amsterdam, Maasdam or Mimolette, for example. It will be difficult to try them all. The Netherlands produces around 650 million kilos of cheese each year, making it the largest cheese exporter in the world. It is said that the average Dutch person usually eats about 14 kilos of cheese per year. And if you would like more, I recommend you visit the Market Alkmaar. It’s a cheese lovers’ paradise.

 

The beaches of Amsterdam

A couple of examples: Blijburg is a sandy beach along the river on the island Haveneiland Oost which has a great atmosphere. People bathe in the summer and usually make a day of it, staying until late at night. The party starts when the sun goes down and there are often concerts and DJs. There’s also the West Strand beach in Port Houthavens. There you can rest in a hammock, sip cocktails and play volleyball.

 

Travel aboard an electric boat on the canals

Hundreds of boats travel the canals of the city in good weather. It’s really a way of life. And you can also rent boats both small or large that are either powered electrically or by pedaling. I definitely prefer the former. These boats fit up 5 or 6 people, and you don’t need a license to rent them. They are easy to handle, and tourists often rent them without any problems. A rental of three hours costs about 80 euros and a rental of 10 hours is just over 200 euros.

 

The best views of the city

The highest points in Amsterdam offer the most impressive terraces and the best views. Here are three buildings I recommend: the Westerkerk, the Zuiderkerk and the Oude Kerk.