The first time I was in Amsterdam was December of 2018 for work. During our brief visit, I was able to have a taste of this very charming city and I knew I would have to go back someday and hopefully, be able to take Johnrick with me. So when I found out that we’ll be in Paris last month, I made plans to visit Amsterdam even just for a short time.
If you ever plan on visiting Amsterdam but don’t have a lot of time, this post is for you. I am writing down some spots that you should visit while in the city.
TRANSPORTATION
There are certain ways to visit Amsterdam depending where you’re coming from. You can fly or take high-speed trains or buses, etc. We were coming from Brussels so I’ll break down the options based on it.
Brussels to Amsterdam by Plane
- time: around 5 hrs including travel to and from airport
- cost: we found flights a slow as $29 when we were searching (Note: this was in January) and you have to add in the price of getting to and from the airport
Brussels to Amsterdam by Train– the easiest way
- time: 2h45min is the average travel time, quickest is 1h50min
- cost: €44 usually but if you book in advance, you can find €25 tickets. You can check out prices and buy tickets from the Train Line. *Prices vary depending on time of the day, route and class
Brussels to Amsterdam by Bus – we decided to take Flixbus since they have wifi onboard and we had good experience with them during our Paris to Brussels trip
- time: 4 hrs approximately
- cost: starting at €11.99
Brussels to Amsterdam by Car Sharing
- time: around 3hrs
- cost: around €15. You can check the BlaBaCar website to find rides.
Brussels to Amsterdam by Private Transfer – most expensive but hassle-free and flexible
- time: 2h30min in average
- cost: around €250 for a four-seater car
WHERE TO STAY
If you are going to splurge in this city, I would say splurge on a really nice hotel with great views. Johnrick and I stayed in De L’Europe Amsterdam which is located along the Amstel River, in the heart of the city. The location is perfectly central but not too much noise around. Upon arriving into our room, you can instantly feel the sophisticated ambience and luxurious feel. The room had everything that we needed from flat irons to guide books and more. I loved the marble bathroom and the heated floor.
Welcomed by the sweetest treats.
What I love most about our stay here, is we spent the afternoon just taking in the beauty of Amsterdam right from the comfort of our own balcony. We had such a stunning river view and it was nice to just relax for a little bit after all the walking that we did for almost a week. I ate all the welcome sweets that they prepared as I watched people on the street going about their day.
After an afternoon of exploring, we would sit by the benches across the hotel and just marvel at its beauty.
THINGS TO SEE
Due to our short time in Amsterdam, we were not able to see everything on the must-visit list that I made. But some of the beautiful and iconic places to check out are the following.
Narrow Houses of Damrak
for me the best place to view and snap photos of the houses is right across, by the Damrak Waterfront. If you type in Damrak Waterfront in Google Maps, it will show you the perfect spot.
Sweater from Bisou Bisou Store; Levi’s Jeans from Shopbop; White Combat Boots from Shein. (Don’t forget to use my code cherrielynn315 for extra 15% off till March 31st); Purse from Louis Vuitton; Earrings from Madewell
Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum
Cost: € 19 for General Adult Ticket on both museums. It is always much better to book tickets online. You can book tickets here for Rijksmuseum and here for Van Gogh Museum.
Rijksmuseum consists on collections of Dutch art and history from Middle Ages to present day. While Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to Vincent van Gogh’s life and work. Both museums are highly rated. If you have enough time, you can plan a visit to both. About two hours will be sufficient to properly see all the permanent collections.
Photo of Taramilktea taken at Rijksmuseum.
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Prinsengracht
It is one of the Main Canals in Amsterdam. It runs parallel to Keizersgracht and was named after the Prince of Orange. The first time I went here, it was during autumn, and the canal was lined with beautiful trees that gives you all the fall vibes. This time, there were no leaves on the trees but the golden glow of sunlight made it so pretty still.
Coat from LISI & Sens; White boots from Revolve.
Bloemenmarkt
It is the world’s only floating flower market and can be found in Amsterdam’s southern canal belt. Take a moment to try on varieties of Dutch cheese, buy local souvenirs, or simply buy fresh flowers.
*Photo credit to Taramilktea
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If you have more time to spend in Amsterdam, even better! There’s the Anne Frank House that is quite popular, the lively Dam Square, or even go to Jordaan for hip eateries and shopping. I would love to be back in this beautiful city and hopefully next time it’s around spring and we’ll stay longer.
xo,
Cherrie
