Amsterdam

[readyforno2]

Dh and I have decided on a weekend break to Amsterdam in February. I have no idea where to be looking at/avoid.
Would like to be pretty central, but not too pricey.
Does anyone have any recommendations? I have been looking at Airbnb but wary.
Thank you all in advance

I got back from Amsterdam about 3 weeks ago, stayed in the most amazing hotel about a 5 minute walk from Central Station, didn't have to pay any money for trams/busses, only had to pay the taxi fee from the airport to the hotel, which was 50 euros each way.

The hotel was called Kimpton De Witt, and depending on where you fly from and what times it's around £250-£300 per person including flights. But you'd be saving money not getting trams and busses by staying here as you can literally walk everywhere!

Hope you have a fab time!

Trip Advisor is always good for checking out hotel reviews. There are loads in Amsterdam to choose from.

Also it's possible to get the train from Amsterdam airport to the city, it's a bit cheaper than taxi's I think.

Check out Holiday Pirates I've noticed them popping up on my Facebook quite a bit recently with offers for Amsterdam.

The train from Schiphol Airport to Centraal Station is much cheaper that a taxi and they run very regularly, I think almost 24 hours per day.

www.trainline.eu/train-times/schiphol-airport-to-amsterdam-centraal

I loved Amsterdam. We stayed centrally too (9 of us) and could access most things on foot, but you can also buy travel cards for the local buses - we bought ours through the hotel directly and they were reasonably priced.

Our hotel was WestCord City Centre hotel - small but easy to find and great as a central base for the city.

Would hugely recommend a little cafe called Greenwoods Singel for breakfast.

There's loads to see and it's a great place to visit. We did walk through the red light district but I personally found it a bit sleazy, but it's all part of the experience. Easy enough to avoid if you're not keen to visit it.

We found the sex museum hilarious and some of our group went to the Anne Frank museum (but try and book online in advance otherwise you will literally queue for hours with no guarantee of getting in). They do release random tickets online so worth checking daily (the hotel we stayed at had a computer with free access).

There's a great street food market but I can't remember what it was called! I remember it being on the bottom-left of the local tourist map distributed over the whole city.

If you're into cycling then some of our party did a cycling tour and said it was great - but intense - not for new cyclists! Again, I can't be 100% sure of the company's name but it might have been Mike's Bikes.

We also did a fab canal tour through the Lovers Canal Cruise company - they have an office by the Anne Frank house and we booked on the day which meant we were lucky enough to have a boat to ourselves (as they didn't sell any more tickets that day).

If you're into your pubs, there's a cool pub built into a windmill towards the north of the city called Brouwerij't Ij. It takes a bus ride from the city centre unless you're happy to take a long walk there. Definitely get the tourist maps (from hotels or tourist information) because they have all the bus routes.

There's also the NEMO Science Museum which has a really cool rooftop garden with water features and great views of the city. It's worth a visit on a nice day. We didn't visit the actual museum but that I've heard that's good too.

You'll easily fill a trip up with things to do. It's a great place!

Thanks. I'm looking at holiday pirates just now.
It's so difficult to decide.
Good to know about the train though. Thanks

Would also second the train from the airport to central station - very cheap and easy.

Airport - train to Amsterdam, behind train station free ferry and stay in Botel. Ref travel you can get hop on/hop off bus and boat tickets that are valid for 24 hours. Loads of great art galleries to visit. Bodyworks exhibition is recommended if that is your kind of interest

Hop on / off tickets for sale in front of train station

There is a minibus that takes you from the airport to your hotel in Amsterdam (any hotel) for €18. I read about it in an inflight magazine.
We were the last to be dropped off - Ibis hotel - really central across the road from the train station - but expensive for Ibis. There are two Ibis very near each other.
We got the train back to the airport.
Definitely book the Anne Frank house.
Do a walking tour and a canal tour.

Google Schipol Hotel Shuttle

Taxi's in Amstersam are eye wateringly expensive.
We also sussed out a scam (after falling victim to it). We stayed on a botel, that had a ferry out to it, every half an hour or so. The first time we tried to use it, a guy in an official looking high vis jacket, told us it was out of order for the week, the bus would leave us a good bit away from where we wanted to go, and we should just get taxis from the line of them outside instead.

A 10 minute taxi from central to where we were going, was over €80! I'd watched the meter go up and up, and pointed this out to ex dp (both in the back). Also pointed out that the guy had driven in circles a few times, claiming "roads closed, roads closed", only to double back and go that way next time. Ex dp had a huge argument with the driver, we ended up only paying €45. Inquired when we checked in, about the ferry. Which was running as usual .

You can get a train from a station under the airport, direct to Amsterdam Central, tickets aren't too expensive, and the trams are a cheap way to get about (we mostly walked though). And of course, you can always rent a bike (thousands of them, chained up everywhere).

Apart from that, the botel was easy to get too, but away from the noise at night. The trip was fantastic, Amsterdam is such an interesting place.

I went a few weeks ago and definitely wish I'd stayed more centrally, so do that if you can. Also, look into getting an iamsterdam city card, it includes all tram travel and access to lots of museums (some really weird and interesting - we went to a pipe museum and a handbag museum!). Some of them can be quite pricy for entrance, so it's worth the cost if you'll be going to a few. Teddy's Corner is good for cheap food (all dishes €7), and there's a lovely bar called the Grandcafe Heineken Hoek which has a great atmosphere and views. Have fun in Amsterdam, it's a gorgeous city

Train from airport to Centraal is really straightforward and quick and will save you a lot compared to a taxi.

I recommend going cheese tasting.

A nice place to eat / snack/ drink / watch the world go by at any time of day is De Wildschut which is near the Museumplein. Not too expensive.

More centrally, De Jaren café (on Nieuwe Doelenstraat) is lovely especially the little terrace at the back overlooking the canal. Serves food all day with everything from sandwiches or snacks to full meals.

All of the museums are great. Cycling or wandering around the canals is also lovely, as long as it's not too cold, but then you have an excuse to share some chips with sweet Dutch mayo.

I haven't read the full thread so sorry if someone said this already, the ferry over the Ij (from behind Centraal station) to the northern area is worth doing too and there's a film museum over on the northern side too.

Hope you have a great time.

The chips with mayo are delicious.
The first night that did us for dinner.
The second night was more upmarket - The Duchess at the W.
I was treated so I don't know how expensive it is.

We went last year. Train from the airport to Amsterdam central was less than €10 each. We stayed in an air B&B type apartment through a friend of a friend. Very central. We walked everywhere (according to my tracker we did around 15miles on foot per day), we went to Anne Frank house (highly recommend. Book online first though), van gogh museum, ice bar, sex museum, a Banksy exhibition, human body museum, and a boat tour with Those Dam Guys (also highly recommend. Book online again as they only have small boats but are absolutely lovely guys and very knowledgeable). We had an amazing 72 hours and are planning on going back later in the year to do all the bits we missed!

If you're interested in visiting coffee shops, the etiquette is it's usually fine to roll with weed you've bought elsewhere, as long as you buy something first. You can buy pre rolled joints and spacecakes in some shops, or some coffee shops will lend or hire you a pipe or bong. Smoking in bars isn't allowed, and they frown on you rolling up in them. If you want a bar that does allow both on the sly, look for little marijuanna signs or stickers in the windows. Smoking weed in public can get you in a lot of bother. In the red light district, I'd stay away from the seedier places on the outskirts.

There's tons to see and do. We visited loads of bars, shops and coffee shops, the sex museum, the oude kirk (a church), did an interactive history tour thing, sat and had a cig outside/ looked at the house Anne Frank hid in (the museum is next door, and always packed), which was quite poignant. Wandered around the red light district (taking photo's of the girls in the windows is frowned on, I think I recall signs saying so?).

Also, it's cold in February, and rain's a lot, I'd advise a comfy waterproof, or a good umbrella, and sensible shoes. It lashed for hours the second day we were there, I'm glad I brought the coat I did. It was fine when we left the botel, but we did have to go back so I could change my shoes (ballet flats).

Will pm you op I had stunning air b n b in gorgeous perfect area

Hello, I'm an Amsterdam blogger and there's heaps of advice and info on my blog. I'm also super happy to help anyone with specific questions either on here or through the contact form there.

Lots of ideas for accommodation, where to eat, things to do. Basically it covers everything that's best about the city, avoiding all the stag/hen night stuff.

It's a seriously amazing city if you do it right!

www.amsterdamwonderland.com