Amsterdam Travel Guide: Culture, Canals, and Timeless Dutch Charm
- Cookie & Keller
- Oct 4, 2019
- 5 min read
Updated: May 23
SOPHISTICATED, EXCITING AMSTERDAM: CANALS, HISTORY, MUSEUMS, WINDMILLS, BIKES, FINE FOOD
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
"The Carpe Diem Kids"
AMSTERDAM is a city of many moods. It is vibrant and varied, rowdy and rustic, cosmopolitan and contemplative, accepting and non-judgmental.
Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most culturally rich and visually striking cities, where centuries-old canal houses sit beside world-renowned museums and lively modern neighborhoods.
As you walk or bike through the city, you’ll experience a unique blend of history, creativity, and everyday Dutch life. From the legacy of Dutch masters to its progressive urban culture, Amsterdam invites travelers to slow down, explore deeply, and connect with a city that feels both historic and alive.
It is a delightful city to visit and be part of, if only for a few sunny, fun-filled days.
Our recent of many visits was memorable because autumn was just coming to the Netherlands. We relished the crisp air, evening breezes and changing colors.
A few sights are on everyone's play list: the famous "museum pair" -- the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum and the house where the young Jewish diarist Anne Frank hid during WWII.
Amsterdam has long been a center of trade, art, and intellectual freedom. During the Dutch Golden Age, it became one of the world’s most influential trading hubs, shaping global commerce and culture. Today, its museums and preserved architecture reflect that legacy while the city continues to represent openness, creativity, and tolerance in modern Europe.
TO NAVIGATE this beautiful city efficiently and economically, we highly recommend the "iamsterdam city card" which saved us more than 50 euros at a variety of attractions and on the city's fine public transport system. We didn't begin to touch the range of 70-plus museums, but in earlier visits toured Rembrandt's house, the world class Maritime Museum and the Frank family's touching upstairs apartment where two families hid until they were outed just before the ending of World War II.
The card also helps take advantage of Amsterdam's excellent bus and tram system and discounts at many shops, restaurants and more. i-Amsterdam offers convenient offices and pick-up centers for the one, two, three or four day passes. We picked ours up at Schiphol Airport before heading to our hotel, the Amsterdam Hilton.
AMSTERDAM IS a great walking city, but beware of the bikes which come zipping by at often alarming speeds. Bikes rule, too, so look before you begin crossing a street.
We always take a walking tour in a city, no matter how many times we've been. This time, we tried and enthusiastically recommend "Freedam Tours," which navigate the city on foot with lively, educated guides. Ours was Sergio, Italian born and engaging. He proudly showed us old Amsterdam, its famous coffee shops, historic buildings and his old neighborhood, the Red Light District. "Please treat them with respect."
We saw several of the women in their windows, and Sergio smiled as we admired shops with beautiful cheeses, souvenirs and pastries. Cannabis is legal in Amsterdam, but it must be
bought from certified distributors. We took my late mother to a coffee shop 10 years ago where we all chill out and passed a few pleasant hours. Most look like sophisticated bistros. Cannabis can be purchased, along with special brownies, cookies and hashish.
THE NETHERLANDS is at the center of northwestern European commerce, home to people from 200 countries with an average life expectancy of 80. Only 17 million live in all of Holland, around three million people in the greater Amsterdam area and eight million in its four major cities.
Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands according to the country's constitution. But most Dutch consider The Hague the capital, since both the States General and Executive Branch have been situated there since 1588.
Amsterdam has a long, proud and colorful history dating back to 1275 when it was founded as a fishing village on the Amstel River. The name "Amstelledamme" occurs for the first time in a toll concession of Floris V, Count of Holland, dated Oct. 27, 1275.
Besides cheese, clogs, canals and bikes, Amsterdam is known for its flat landscape, spring tulips and the world's best preserved windmills.
We took a day trip to Zaanse Schans, a vibrant working community dating to 18th Century Amsterdam.
A canal trip is the best way to admire Amsterdam's graceful historic buildings, museums, bars and coffee shops.
Other things to include in your personal Amsterdam Travel Guide:
Wander through Jordaan’s narrow streets and cafés
Experience local markets like Albert Cuyp Market
Rent a bike and explore like a local
A key highlight of our personal Amsterdam Travel Guide was the location of our hotel, the charming Hilton Amsterdam, situated in a picturesque neighborhood between the museum district and the Station Zuid business district. (Stay tuned for more next week on the hotel's renowned John and Yoko Suite, which we had the pleasure of experiencing. The couple famously held their "Bed-in for Peace" at the hotel in 1969. )
Our recommendations and Amsterdam Travel Guide links
UP NEXT: Fifty years ago, John and Yoko Ono staged a memorable "Love In" also referred to as a "Peace In" and "Bed In" in Amsterdam's Hilton Hotel. Today, their suite is a popular honeymoon get-away enjoyed by Beatles fans from all over the world. We visit, too, and take you there. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us Fridays for a fresh take on travel, the arts, nature, family and more. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a fun, fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, romance, food, family and more. Check out: whereiscookie.com, which has an international following.
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