3-Day Amsterdam Travel Log by a First-time Visitor

I just returned from a week-long trip to Amsterdam and other places. I spent three days in Amsterdam, three in Brussels, and one in Leiden. As a solo traveller, I had lots of time to think and journal. While journaling, it occurred to me that perhaps some of my comments and reflections on my trip can be useful for others or my future self if I visit again. 

Why visit Amsterdam?

For me, I’ve always wanted to visit Amsterdam, because I transited through Amsterdam airport frequently while flying between Beijing and Newcastle. So I feel a connection to the place. Also, I found direct flights between Calgary and Amsterdam for around CAD$ 900, which made it an easy choice. Besides these practical reasons, Amsterdam is a beautiful place to visit nonetheless.

How I planned my trip.

After booking my flight, I determined that three days in Amsterdam, as suggested by most online sources, would suffice. I then booked accommodations in both Amsterdam and Brussels before outlining my Amsterdam itinerary.

My Amsterdam itinerary was mostly based on ‘FIRST TIME GUIDE TO AMSTERDAM: THREE DAYS IN AMSTERDAM ITINERARY BY A RESIDENT’ by WanderlustingK.

I opted for her recommendations as her local perspective offered a unique angle, and her blog’s moderate popularity ensured I wouldn’t be overwhelmed by crowds. Armed with a printed copy of her itinerary, I embarked on my adventure, allowing ample room for spontaneous exploration.

Here’s a breakdown of my Amsterdam escapade:

Day 1: Saturday April 27th. 

I mention the date here because it coincided with an important event in Amsterdam—King’s Day—a fact I initially overlooked. Thanks to my Dutch friend Ellis, I was forewarned about the city’s festive atmosphere. True to expectations, Amsterdam was transformed into a jubilant celebration.

This is Holland

Before the sun came out, it was raining heavily, and I was feeling very jet lagged from my travels. Basically the only reason I went there was because a) it was raining and this is indoors, and b) it was right beside my hostel.

• do not recommend unless it’s also raining and you have nowhere else to go. 
• Service was rude and careless. 

Amsterdam Centraal/ Red Light District

Following that disappointing experience, I checked in to my hostel room and was finally able to take a nap and sleep off some of the fatigue. I wandered into the crowded city centre, and had to fill my stomach with a Subway sandwich, as that was the only ‘restaurant’ I could get into. I tried to eat at an Indian restaurant, but was denied service because I was only one person– even though they had many empty tables and it was already 9PM. An Italian man named Lorenzo had a similar experience where he was barred from entering a pizza restaurant to join his friends. He was so pissed about the situation that he was telling pass-byers about his frustrating experience. I was one of the pass-byers and was later invited to join them for a drinks.

After brief socialization with some new friends, I wandered towards the famous (or infamous) right light district. I had no intention to use their service, but did want to just check it out.

Bright red light framed windows with beautiful girls sitting or standing inside narrow rooms– think Barbie in a box IRL. Photos are not allowed to protect privacy, so I snapped this blurry photo to give others a brief idea of what I’m talking about. I did see men go up to converse with these ladies, but didn’t actually see anyone go inside, at least not within the 5 minutes or so that I was there. Anyhow, that’s Amsterdam’s ‘red-light district’ for you!

Day 2: Sunday April 28th

WanderlustingK suggest starting the day with breakfast at Omelegg. I was able to locate the store the night before, but was disappointed to see a sign on their window saying ‘card only, no cash’. I was actually quite disappointed at how many places in Amsterdam take only card and not cash, since I had brought most of my spending money in cash. To get around this problem, I searched for another breakfast place where I could pay with cash. 

Breakfast: Prins Heerlijk

I ordered a cup of fresh orange juice and a baguette sandwich, which totalled €12.25. It is a very small shop with only 4 tables inside, and 1 or 2 more outside. I was lucky to get a seat, as a few people were turned away after I arrived. After getting fueled up for my day, I set off to start today’s travels. 

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder ( or OLH op Solder for short) 

This is the second stop on my itinerary. Unfortunately, it was not open when I arrived at ~ 11:40AM on Sunday( it opens at 1pm on Sunday). Now a museum, OLD op Solder used to be a secret Catholic Church inside an ordinary house for when the Catholics were prosecuted. 

I returned a few days later before departing Amsterdam when it was open, but did not go inside as the approximately €20 admission fee did not feel worth it as I had less than one hour to spend there. I did spend a few moments browsing the items in the gift shop which were all works of arts. 

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is the national art museum of the Netherlands, and showcases Dutch art from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. For tourists, it is on par with the Van Gogh museum nearby. Admission for the Rijksmuseum is €22.50, and can be purchased online or at the museum shop (not at the entrance). This part is a bit confusing as you’d approach the entrance, only to be told to turn around and get your tickets at a different place. They also only take card. 

Once inside the museum, you step into a grand main lobby featuring various staircases and entrances leading to different amenities and exhibitions. I found some amenities challenging to locate as I searched in vain for the lockers. The coat check was easily spottable, but boasted a massive line-up and required additional payment.

One noteworthy point is that inside the exhibition halls, backpacks must be worn on the front—a rule I discovered only when a staff member insisted upon it, as there were no signs indicating this requirement. These small inconveniences slightly dampened my enthusiasm to explore the museum.

I didn’t spend much time inside the museum and only went to 2-3 exhibition halls. I did enjoy an exhibition on ‘undergarments’ which is sort of an unusual topic for museums. 

Cafe Brecht (near Vijzelgracht metro station) 

To de-stress a little, I walked towards the metro station intending to go back to my hostel. While near the station, I came across this very cute café, which invite me in to explore. The interior was furnished with vintage(i.e old) sofas and cushioned seats. The smelled a little, and were arranged in a truly random fashion. The menu also had ‘hipster’ spelled all over it. So of course I have to try their Rhubarb drinks! I orders a Rhubarb Spritz for €7.50. I also had a lovely conversation with a man sitting near by. 

Day 3: Monday, April 30th

It was finally Monday, and the craziness of the weekend celebrations has finally settled. Before my trip, I knew that I wanted to see the tulips in Holland, and Keukenhof was the place to visit based on preliminary research. I booked my tickets and transportation ahead of time for 8:00AM departure on Monday April 29th. The pick up location was a roughly 15 minute subway ride from my hostel, so I left my hostel around 7:30AM to catch my bus at 8AM. And that’s were plans ended…

Keukenhof Express Bus #852 (*Do not Recommend)

On my ticket, I was instructed to come to Europlein/RAI station and then catch the Express Bus #852. I paid a total of €36.50 for transportation and admission. Admission is ~ €19, meaning transportation it self costed €17.50. 

I was a bit early to arrive, and as soon as I exited Europlein/RAI station at approximately 7:40AM, I was greeted by the sight of people waiting in long lines. I inquired to the staff whether this was for #852, and was just told to go to the back of the line and wait. There was massive confusion for so many people as to why an ‘Express Bus’ required such a long line. Luckily, I waited alongside some nice people and we chatted to pass the time. After what felt like an eternity, at around 8:30AM, we finally boarded the bus and was on our way to the Tulip garden. 

I booked transportation and admission directly from the Keukenhof official website thinking it would be easier for me. After arriving, I quickly realized that there were many placed where you can book Keukenhof tickets, including a place right beside my hostel. Many traveller probably thought they were being prepared by booking ahead of time, not knowing that the company is taking advantage of their insecurity. 

Keukenhof Garden

Anyhow, after much trouble I arrived at the garden at around 9AM, and it was extremely cold!! I did not bring my down jacket and was freezing at this point. I went into the nearest coffee shop I saw, and bought some food and drinks to warm up. 

After regaining a bit of warm and stamina, I continued with my journey. It was starting to get crowded, yet the beauty of the flowers were still shining through. All the flowers were in full bloom, and the variety was incredible. There were so many small exhibitions of different flower art arrangements and designs, that I was truly wowed. 

By around 11AM, I was starting to get tired, and wanted to leave. By this time, the sun was shining and it was a lot warmer, but he crowd has at least doubled since I first arrived. 

Amsterdam Centraal Station 

After taking the Express bus back to Europlein/RAI, I wandered around the RAI a littler, and returned to Centraal station. I stopped at a cute cafe for something to eat before heading off to my next stop. 

I have to say the Central station has become one of my most favourite places in Amsterdam. It is centrally located (duh..), and has basically all amenities one could want or need from grocery at Albert Heijin, to a pharmacy, lots of restaurants and bars, as well as shopping and tourist information. It is also both a metro/subway as well as a intercity train station. It’s really a mega multi-functional facility where you can get so many things done. 

Haarlemmerstraat & Kaasland Cheese Shop 

Haarlemmerstraat is trendy neighbourhood near Centraal, and recommended by WanderlustingK. It boasts lots of cute boutique shops, and is more locally rather than tourist focused. I went into a either healthy living, or just general good store, and they had so many cute things. I came out with a new tea strainer, as I’ve been struggling to find a good tea solution for when I’m in the office. 

Kaasland Cheese shop was also recommended for getting good local cheese. I went there and bought three types of cheese totally €22.50 to bring back home. The staff vacuum sealed the cheese for me, and said that it will remain fresh for until I get home. However, the bag wasn’t completed sealed and leaked air, which resulted in spoilage of the cheese. The two types of old cheese were fine, yet the huge chunk of Brie I bought was unsalvageable and went to waste. Not sure if it was a problem with the sealing, or the bag got pricked while I was travelling, either way that is something to take note of. 

Anne Frank Huis

Anne Frank House is probably one of the top destinations for travellers. Thanks to a friend who went before me, I knew that tickets needed to be booked 6 weeks in advance. I logged on 7-8 hours after tickets were released and admission for Monday night at 8:30PM was the only option available. I paid €16.50 for admissions and I have to say that it was highly worth it! 

Anne Frank is one person who symbolizes the tyranny that millions of Jewish people had to live through during the second world war, and seeing the tight quarters where eight people had to hide in for two years brings everything into vivid focus. 

The staff at Anne Frank House were friendly and courteous. Free coat and bag check, as well as audio guide is provided. No pictures are allowed, but in my opinion adds to the impact of the whole experience. I read a graphic novel version of Anne’s diary before visiting, which I highly recommend. Knowing the story beforehand helps understand the gravity of the whole situation for those people. 

Outro

After taking my time to visit the Anne Frank House, I strolled back to my hostel where I found all my roommates fast asleep. The next morning, I took my liberties and slept in a little before heading to the Central station to catch my train to Bruxelles-midi. I spent another three days there before heading back to the Netherlands for one night and then catching my flight back to Canada. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my adventures and will visit some of the places mentioned here. Cheers!