Exploring Amsterdam and the Netherlands 2018 Itinerary
- Brooke
- Jul 30, 2023
- 8 min read
(This post is an itinerary post to help those looking for advice on how to spend their time in certain locations. For more detailed information about the destinations, look for postings about the individual places listed below. See the Trips page for more information).
After spending a few weeks in Portugal, Ben and I were off to Amsterdam to explore this beautiful city. Though Ben would only be able to visit for a short time, I would stay on for a while longer as I awaited my mom, who would be joining me on a Baltic Cruise that departed from Amsterdam. My solo time included an overnight trip to Paris, and though I had grander plans of getting out into the Dutch countryside more than I did, I still enjoyed a chance to explore a bunch of museums at my own pace. Come and check out some of the activities completed during this almost two week stay in Amsterdam.
Itinerary
Day 15: May 16th, 2018
Depart Portugal and Explore Amsterdam
First things first - we had to depart Portugal, and because it was my birthday and we wanted to maximize Ben's time in Amsterdam, we left Porto SUPER early. And because of this early departure, it really set us back in terms of having the energy to see and do as much as we wanted. Alas!
Depart: Porto 5:00 AM on KLM Airlines
Arrive: Amsterdam 8:40 AM
I stayed the entire time at this hotel, and really enjoyed it (Full disclosure: They had a really great discounted employee rate, which is why it was selected for the long haul). The hotel is a bit out of the way from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam, and during our trip to the city in December 2022, we were much more in the thick of things. However, the neighborhood is scenic and quiet, and because of the public transportation, getting to and from everything wasn't too complex.
Activity: Van Gogh Museum
Dinner: Bistrot des Alpes
I loved the little touch of the bunting beside our table, as it was my birthday and this gave the meal a festive flair. And who doesn't love melted cheese for a birthday meal?
Day 16: May 17th, 2018
Wander Amsterdam
Activity: Wander around Amsterdam, and explore various neighborhoods, including the scenic Jordaan neighborhood. This day we really got a good sense of the city, which would help me navigate it more easily when I was by myself.
Stops included:
Bloemenmarkt
Henri Willig Cheese Shop
Dam Square
Wijngaard Kaas (cheese shop)
Pickled herring tasting at Haringkar de Gigant
Glad to have tried it...to never have to try it again. :P
Lunch: Daalder
A delicious recommendation from our Swiss friend - yum!
Snack: Café 't Smalle
Imagine a cafe sitting over canals - a perfect little spot.
Activity: Anne Frank House
A moving experience - be sure to get your tickets a month in advance (look through their website to check when they become available, as you *cannot* get tickets at the door.
Dinner: Rice table at Restaurant Jun Indonesian Cuisine
Because of the former Dutch colonies in Indonesia, the food of these islands has made its way back to the Netherlands. It's worth checking out.
Day 17: May 18th, 2018
Alkmaar and Geithoorn
On this day, Ben and I rented a car and head out to explore some of the Dutch countryside, first stopping in Alkmaar to see their famous cheese market, followed by a stop in Giethoorn, the Venice of the North.
Activity: Alkmaar Cheese Market
I mean, a whole event dedicated to cheese weighing and running? A must see!
Activity: Drive over the Afsluitdijk
Activity: Boat rental in Geithoorn at Broer Botenverhuur
Blog Post: Boating Around Geithoorn, the Netherlands
Snack: Café 't Vonder
Dinner: Librije's Zusje at the Waldorf Astoria
Even though this day was not my birthday, this was the meal selected to be for really celebrating the occasion. And boy, did it ever! The restaurant no longer exists in this iteration, but we really enjoyed the cuisine and impeccable service.
Day 18: May 19th, 2018
Ben's Departure and Solo Exploration of Amsterdam
*Note that the map above includes driving directions, though no driving took place that day.
Once Ben departed, my activities slowed down a bunch, usually consisting of grabbing lunch and dinner, and a museum thrown in for good measure, as I had purchased the Museumkaart, making each visit to museums worth the price paid for the card in advance. The Museumkaart has changed it's rules since my purchase, but if you plan on having lots of time in Amsterdam and intend on visiting a museum a day, it could be worth the upfront cost. My meals also were based on what was close to my hotel, to avoid having to wander at night by myself too far.
Pictured below, Ben about to depart for JFK via Keflavik and then on to Hawaii. Missing from the picture is his 70lb suitcase jammed full of Portuguese wine that would lose a wheel in Iceland!
Activity: The New Church (De Nieuwe Kerk) museum
A really moving look at photographs taken that year.
Dinner: New China City
Day 19: May 20th, 2018
Overnight to Paris
I had grand plans during my solo visit to Paris - see the Palace of Versailles, as well as the Monet Gardens. However, due to some bad planning on my part and rail strikes (always a strike in France - you can bet on it!), all of those plans didn't turn out. However, I tried to make the most of it, because any time in Paris is better than no time there at all.
Train Departure: Amsterdam Centraal Station at 8:17 AM on Thalys
Train Arrival: Paris Gare du Nord 11:50 AM
Stay: Le Méridien Etoile
Ben and I always stay at this hotel each time we go to Paris (with one later exception, though it's convinced me that I should always stick with this one if I can). It's not the nicest hotel we've ever stayed in, but it's comfortable, and the location is something we've grown accustomed to. The staff is friendly and helpful, and being so close to the #1 Metro line takes you everywhere you need to go.
*Picture taken 2019
Activity: Palace of Versailles
Be sure to read my post about how to maximize your time at the palace - and don't make the same mistakes I did!
Dinner: Le Ballon Des Ternes
Located near my hotel, this restaurant was a perfect way to end a long (and somewhat disappointing) day. Remember, when in France, be sure to dine as the French would - apéritif to start, starter, main, dessert, and café to end.
Day 20: May 21st, 2018
Overnight to Paris
*Note that the map above uses walking directions, but note that all routes used local métro transportation to access each location.
Because my plans to visit the Monet Gardens were ruled out due to the train strike, I decided to wander around a neighborhood in Paris that I had never visited before: Le Marais. After my stroll, it was time to embark on my trip back to Amsterdam. Read my blog posting below for more details about this day's adventure.
Blog Post: A Stroll Through Paris
Breakfast: Café Le Hameau
Explore: Châtelet and Les Halles
Explore: Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries)
Train Depart: Gare du Nord ~5:50 PM
Train Arrival: Amsterdam Centraal Station ~9:45 PM
(Dinner provided on the train)
Day 21: May 22nd, 2018
Amsterdam Museum Tour: Rijksmuseum
*Note that the map above uses walking directions, but note that all routes used local public transportation to access each location.
Activity: Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum is *the* home to the Dutch masters - an incredible collection of art truly unrivaled. A must-visit for any trip to Amsterdam.
Lunch: Foodhallen
You'll see below that I returned here often - it's pretty close to the Museumplein, and had a collection of various cuisines all under one roof.
Dinner: Brooks (permanently closed)
Day 22: May 23rd, 2018
Amsterdam Museum Tour: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
I had yet to discover how much I adore modern art - until I went here and really cemented my admiration.
Activity: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Lunch: Foodhallen
Dinner: Arles
Another delicious recommendation by my Swiss friend - merci!
Day 23: May 24th, 2018
Day Trip to The Hague's Mauritshuis Museum
I had more ambitious plans to add in a trip to Delft, home of Vermeer, as well as Delftware, but just didn't pull it off. Instead I used the second half of my day to get laundry done, and spent the time having a really interesting conversation about American politics with a German living in Amsterdam to attend university. This, for me, was not a disappointing way to spend an afternoon!
Train Depart: Amsterdam South at 9:49 AM
Train Arrival: Den Haag Centraal ~11:00 AM
Activity: Mauritshuis Museum
My true motivation for going to The Hague was to see this painting. Worth the effort.
Train Depart: Den Haag Centraal ~1:30 PM
Train Arrival: Amsterdam South ~2:45 PM
Activity: Laundry! Easy Laundry
Dinner: L'Angolo Italiano Ristaurante (permanently closed)
I'm not saying this is why they are no longer in business (I really enjoyed the food), but while dining by myself, two Dutch ladies in front of me attempted to order dinner in their home language. The waiter interrupted them and said they could not order in Dutch, but had to use Italian or English. This stood out to me as a very strange request, and could not imagine it happening in the US at all!
Day 24: May 25th, 2018
Amsterdam Museum Tour: Moco Museum
Activity: Moco Museum to visit the Banksy exhibit
While I was eager to see some of Banksy's work, I found it a bit ironic how Banksy's purported message is that his art is not to be collected in the traditional way (such as being displayed in galleries) but should be seen in the streets where people live. Yet, here was a museum dedicated to displaying his artwork. ?? I still don't know how I feel about this museum as a whole, and prefer some of the ones I visited earlier in my trip.
Lunch: Teng Janssen (permanently closed)
Dinner: L'Entrecote et les Dames
My meal presented another opportunity to "talk story" with some friendly next door diners, as they wondered why a 30 something year old woman would be dining and traveling by herself.
Activity: Musical performance at The Concertgebouw
Following up on my dinner conversation, I next met 2 Amsterdam/Dutch citizens in the theater, all 3 of us seeing the performance by ourselves, as we engaged in a lengthy and enjoyable conversation - all in English, for my benefit (which I do not take lightly!) - about classical music. Overall, these three conversations (laundry, dinner, and concert venue) were all incredibly interesting and eye-opening on their own, and remain as pleasant memories all this time later.
Day 25: May 26th, 2018
Mom's Arrival!
*Note that the map above uses driving directions, but all destinations used local public transportation to access
Activity: Pick my mother up at the airport (thanks to Icelandair, this took infinitely longer than it should have!). It also meant I was no longer flying solo, and would reduce my new found hobby of being chatted up by the locals. :D
Lunch: Foodhallen
Dinner: Bistrot des Alpes
Because my mom is a picky eater (as you can read about here), I used it as an opportunity to return to places I knew she would eat.
Day 26: May 27th, 2018
Wander Jordaan and Amsterdam Canal Cruise
Today would be the day I would finally - finally! - head out onto the canals after all of this time in Amsterdam. And what an experience! Be sure to read my blog posting about it below.
Lunch: Café 't Smalle
Snack: Winkle 43
A delicious recommendation from Ben's Aunt Karen - yum!
Activity: Canal Cruise with Pure Boats
Blog Post: Cruising Amsterdam's Canals
Dinner: Amigo Grill
Day 27: May 28th, 2018
Revisit Old Favorites and Board Cruise Ship
*Note that the map above uses driving directions, but note that some destinations used local public transportation and walking, while the hotel to the cruise terminal was done via taxi.
Well, the day had finally arrived - I was officially leaving the Netherlands this afternoon. I wanted to use what little time I had in the morning to get a few last good looks at two of my favorite museums - the Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk - while I still had the opportunity.
Activity: Revisit the Rijksmuseum
Activity: Revisit the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Later that afternoon, my mom and I departed on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas Baltic Cruise! For more information about that trip, visit my blog posting here.
Fin!
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