Travel Notes: Planning A Trip To Amsterdam

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If you’re planning Summer travel to Europe, you may automatically lean towards places like Paris and Rome first. 

Or perhaps you start to consider the Mediterranean coast; Spain, France, Italy and Malta. 

As Europe is a diverse country, there is a great deal more to see and Amsterdam’s 
peak tourist season is July and August as the weather is at it’s best! 

If you want to be slightly more unconventional, it’s often best to look further north 
or further east than the usual destinations in Western Europe. 

One of the most popular destinations for both Europeans and people 
from all over the world is Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 

It’s not the capital city, despite what some people think, but it’s still full of interesting and exciting things to do. Start planning your trip to Amsterdam now using the tips below:

Travel

It isn’t easy to get to Europe at the best of times, but you’ll need to go a little further to get to Amsterdam than Spain or France. 

If you’re flying from Boston or somewhere else in the states, you will land at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. Alternatively, maybe you arrive in Europe before your trip to Amsterdam, and you want to get there using a different mode of transportation. 

From the UK, you can take a train or ferry, or fly. Take the train from elsewhere in Europe too, if you want to, or drive in if you have hired a car. 

Once you arrive, it’s easy to get around without a car. 

Public transport is excellent, and it’s the most ideal city for walking or riding bikes.

Accommodations

There’s a huge range of choice for where to stay in Amsterdam. You could stick to a budget and choose a great value hotel or guesthouse, or splash out for 5-star luxury. 

A lot of people prefer not to stay in hotels, and for them there are plenty of apartments in Amsterdam too. 

You could choose somewhere cozy and traditional or chic and modern, depending on your style. Although it can be fun to stay in a hotel, you can feel much more at home when you have an apartment to settle into.

Food and Drink

You probably haven’t heard people singing the praises of Dutch food. 

And it’s true that Amsterdam isn’t one of the top foodie destinations. 

You won’t find much in the way of native food, but there are still plenty of excellent restaurants.

You’ll be able to get a flavor for the rest of Europe, even if you never leave Amsterdam. Like much of the continent, the city has adopted cuisine from all over the world too. 

You can find anything from Indonesian buffets to Argentinian steakhouses.

Things to Do

Of course, there’s more to do on vacation than eat and drink (but those both are typically my main focus haha!) 

When you’re planning what you’re going to do, think about how you want to see the city. 

You could see it by boat on the canals, hire a bicycle or walk around on foot. 

Perhaps you want to explore Amsterdam via its museums, such as the Anne Frank Museum. 

Or you could get a feel for the city through its pubs and bars, indulging your way across the town.

One thing is for sure, you will find plenty to enjoy about Amsterdam if you choose to visit. 

A few other resources: how to get around via Fodor’s, 

activities for children & where to shop & party while there!