TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO AMSTERDAM (AND DON'T CHARGE IT)

If you are going to visit the capital of Holland, this post may be useful for you. We decided to write it after returning from "Venice of the North" and it is full of tips for traveling to Amsterdam (and not screw it up). Without further ado, we start with the tips:

For get to the center of Amsterdam from the airport We recommend the train, although there is also option to go by bus or tram. We tell you everything in this article about how to get to Amsterdam from Schiphol airport.

After checking in at the accommodation, there is nothing better than friends with the city. How? Pointing to a free tour that will take you to know the main corners of the center of Amsterdam and that will reveal a few curiosities. Free, yes, but with tip! You can book it here.

Everyone advises rent a bike to tour the city, but we would tell you to do it only if you are used to moving on two wheels: the traffic, although little, is quite crazy and if you travel through the center there are narrow streets so it is almost better to walk! A good plan is to rent the bike one day, to visit the Vondelpark and the most remote areas. For the center, better a paw!

If you have to travel greater distances and do not dare with the bike, Amsterdam works very well on public transport. There are transport cards with unlimited trips, you can buy it here. We almost always take the trams, they are comfortable and fast. To know which one to drink we always use Google Maps, you know that the roaming It has been removed in Europe and you can use your data connection!

Travel in spring or summer: the autumn and especially the winter of Amsterdam are very cold (the first time I went in March and it fell it did not stop raining). Our second trip was in July and we had beautiful days.

Do you think that in Amsterdam you eat badly and cheaply? You don't know anything, Jon Snow. If you like the gastronomy, check out this post where we recommend a few restaurants to eat well and cheaply in Amsterdam.

Although Amsterdam is the home of Heineken , there are others much better beers. We tried two types of Brouwerij 't IJ and we loved them! (To steal the one from the ostrich on the label and Lety the one from the girl in penis). By the way, you can visit both factories 😉

Do some quick calculations and see if it makes up for you to take out the card I Amsterdam City Card. If you use it well ... you can save yourself a little money! This is what it includes:

• The transport unlimited public (except the section between the airport and the city)
• The tickets to Museums like Van Gogh's or the Rijksmuseum
• A cruise through the canals of the city.
• Details of everything that includes

You want navigate the channels without spending a euro? You may! Just take the ferry that leaves behind the central train station and connects with the north of the city, crossing the IJ river. There are three routes: towards IJplein, towards Buiksloterweg, and towards NDSM Werf, which makes a longer journey to the north and is the best to enjoy the views from the water.

And they are also free two sites from where to get some of the best views from Amsterdam. We talk about theNEMO museum terrace and of theTerrace of the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA).

And we continue with the free stuff. The Concertgebouw offers free concerts Wednesdays at 12 or 12:30 (eye, except the months of July and August). You can get your ticket at the box office, which opens at 11:30. Here you have more info. And it is not the only place, in the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Free concerts are Tuesdays (also from September to June). More info.

If you want to visit the Anna Frank Museum We recommend you take out the advance tickets or you run the risk of running out of visit: it is one of the most visited points in the city! Admission is € 10 (free for children up to 9 years, and € 5 for children 10 to 17 years) to this you have to add € 0.50 for online booking (you will have to choose day and time of visit). And no, it is not included in the I Amsterdam City Card.

One of the most interesting neighborhoods of the city is Jordaan, it is best to walk through its alleyways at sunset and, why not, improvise a relaxed dinner on the banks of a canal. You will only need a bottle of wine (or a few beers), some sandwiches and voila: flat!

Another neighborhood to see yes or yes is the Red Light District, full of cocktail bars, coffeeshops and, of course, the famous shop windows. Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands. It is a tricky issue but, regardless of your opinion, respect the decisions of others. And of course do not even think of taking pictures of the girls, do not treat them as a tourist attraction (in addition, it is prohibited).

Even if you don't smoke, going to a coffeeshop is an experience. In this post we give you some tips for newbies (if you are an expert we wait for your comment haha). Just don't be like tourists who lock themselves in the 4 walls of a coffeeshop, better visit several! No, we mean that in Amsterdam there are many things to see and do.

And of course go to a Brown coffee to have a beer and try some bitterballen, meatballs (although we found almost more croquettes) the sea of ​​rich.

The cheeses They are a serious thing in Holland and throughout Amsterdam there are plenty of cheese shops where you can try the odd dairy delicacy and buy a tasty souvenir to take you home. Do not miss it. Do not miss the flower marketIt is very touristy but there is always a lot of atmosphere and it maintains some charm. And speaking of markets: the Albert Cuyp Market It is another essential where you will find a little of everything. Try to go first thing, and be careful because it closes on Sundays!

Amsterdam has excellent accommodations, we were lucky to be guests of the Albus Hotel (which has freaked us out and not only because we had an XD tiracañas in the room). But it is true that staying in Amsterdam is quite expensive. If you are on a budget, check out Airbnb, yes ... book ahead: the best deals go faster than light.

Try have cash: While it is true that cards are accepted almost everywhere, there are also many establishments only accept dutch cards. We do not know the reason but it is so ...

Amsterdam has seemed a very safe city, but it never hurts to have the precautions that common sense dictates, especially in very tourist areas such as the Red Light District.

The most dangerous it is without a doubt, cross the road. So be careful and look 3 times and start all the senses before moving from one side of the street to the other: the bikes leave unexpected places and make no noise.

Do not leave the city without trying some Stroopwafel, super thin waffles, filled with caramel. They have three hundred calories but they are good, good.

Don't worry about the language: although Dutch is complicated, Everyone here speaks English, so you can understand with them (although yours is something macarronic).

Reserve a day of your time to make a excursion to Volendam, Marken, Edam and Zaanse Schans and get lost in the more rural Holland, among mills, fields and cheese markets. Arriving by free is easy by train, although you can also join a tour.

The April 27 the king's day (King's Day), when everyone goes down the streets with the traditional color of the monarchy: orange. It is a celebration worth seeing, but if you want to enjoy it, remember to book your accommodation well in advance: it is one of the most important dates for the Dutch.

Do not stay alone in the most central areas: there are other neighborhoods like De Pijp, Westerpark and Oud-West that are very worthwhile. If you want to discover small, great treasures, walk away from the most touristy.

You will know that Amsterdam has no sea, but it does have several urban beaches, where you can even bathe. The most popular isBlijburg aan Zee, to the south east. But there are a few more, look.

So far our tips for traveling to Amsterdam and not shit, hopefully they will help you in your visit to the capital of Holland!