Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I was here backpacking after college, then again in 2009 for work.  It is a lovely, quaint city filled with vibrant culture.  A must stop on a trek through Europe.  Don't let the seedy red light and spliffs rap fool you, this is a town filled with art and culture.

Top 5 Hotels

I am not strong in this area, as I stayed at hostels my first go, then at a business  hotel, but I did some research and walked around, and here are some options.

1. The Park -  Nice, centrally located hotel, but I wouldn’t recommend for a holiday. 
2. The Pulitzer – This is on the edge of Jordaan, near the central canals, which is a perfect locations.  Supposed to be great for romance.
3. The Dylan – Designer hotel that looks cool. There are a lot of darling boutique hotels in the central areas like the Lloyd and Hotel Arena that I would also look at. 
4. The College – Hip hotel that used to be a school near the Museum area.
5. Hostels – This is a great area for wonderful hostels.

Top 5 Restaurants

We had some excellent food here.

1. Fifteen Amsterdam – Jamie Oliver’s hip restaurant that employs and trains at-risk young men.  They teach about 15-20 people at a time and many have gone on to cook at other areas of the city.  We had excellent seafood and anti pasta here.
2. Bordewijk – A lovely meal in my favorite neighborhood, Jordaan.  This was a quaint little spot with high-end food that didn’t feel stuffy.  All six of us had an incredible meal.  Definite recommend.
3. DUBLE – This little pub/restaurant is a cozy spot for a Dutch meal. Right near all the tourist spots, but feels a world awa
4. MoMo – A vibrant spot with an Asian flair (which is a welcome change) in the Park hotel. 
5. Brasseries – These are good places to load up on some meat or seafood and beers.

Top 5 Things to Do

1. Red Light District – It is totally safe to check this out at night and a cool experience.
2. Van Gough Museum – Get here early, because the queue can be outrageous.  Really nice to focus just on one artist for a museum visit.
3. Vondel Park – A relaxing park along the canals for a walk or run.
4. Jordaan – Definitely take a walk through this quiet, cool neighborhood and enjoy some beers in wicker chairs outside along the way.
5. Coffee Shops – They have cut them back, but they are still legal.  When in Rome.

Top 5 Tips

1. Biking – Get a map of the less-crowded routes.  This is a wonderful way to explore this small, flat city.
2. Enjoy the culture – The cafes and Red Light District give this a bad name, but this is a really lovely city to explore art and architecture. 
3. Nightlife – People go out here and socialize or listen to live music.  We just explored places close to our hotel, but there are fun clubs like Mansion and wine bars like Vyne that I heard are great.
4. Get to the Museums early – The Van Gough and Anne Frank House are packed mid morning.  Get there early to avoid the queue.
5. Train – I took the Thymes train to Paris and it was only $100, had internet and only took 3.5 hours.  This is a spot that benefits from the amazing European railway system.