6 things to do in Amsterdam that don't involve coffee shops and the red light district
Chances are, you might have been to Amsterdam many moons ago for other reasons. But at a mere 40 minutes flight from London, with super quick transfers from airport to city, and an almost Scandi cool edge to it, you might want to reconsider Amsterdam as the perfect alternative to a hop out of London town for a 1 night break.
The Van Gogh Museum
Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
was overwhelmingly impressive. I’d never have thought I’d have happily spent 4 hours in a gallery devoted to a single artist. But the way the curators tell the story behind the oeuvre means you need to set aside a good chunk of a day to do the museum justice. Save yourself a good 2 hours’ queue by buying tickets online, even just the day before your trip. No need to print tickets with a smart phone either.
Rijksmuseum
Museumstraat 1, 1071 XX Amsterdam
is another black hole for time, albeit a truly impressive one. Allow at least 4 hours to see the best of this huge castle like building which sits right on the canal side, and boasts the state’s best treasures across all cultural categories. Fans of The Miniaturist will swoon at Petronella’s actual dolls house, residing nonchalantly in all it’s inlaid-tortoiseshell glory in one of the many hundreds of rooms here. A special temporary exhibition on Dutch homegrown treasure Miffy was a highlight for AV at the Rijksmuseum.
The Canal Tour
Yeah it’s a little on the touristy front, but AV loved the canal tour (various docking points, check the website for information) around the main waterways. Take a guidebook with you as the commentary on the boat is lacking, but you can see so much more by water that is inaccessible by foot, that it’s worth it. Plus you can hop on and off all day, making it a romantic way to get between sights.
Jordaan
Is the old working class quarter, but nowadays it’s where the most quirky of the bohemian establishments are based. Do it justice by spending at least a couple of hours wandering around the backstreets with a camera, night or day.
The Western Islands
A little further out of town, a visit The Western Islands are a must. They’ve been recently renovated from the old VOC storage islands for spices in to the city’s hot new suburb.
Aalsmeer
Legmeerdijk 313, 1430 BA Aalsmeer
The internationally renowned flower auction at Aalsmeer is on the perimeter of Schiphol airport. A supremely elaborate logistical system ensures that €7m euros of trade happens here daily. Think the London Stock Exchange, with petals. You’ll need to get here early to see the best of the auction, and public access is limited. A note on travel to the auction: Don’t be fooled, the deceptively huge airfield at Schiphol means you’ll need to cab it form the airport station, don’t think about walking the 12km to the auction.