Oh Amsterdam, such a charmer. It is pretty much impossible to not walk around the city in absolute bliss and gush over each charming building and canal you pass by. I mean this house, it just screams charm doesn’t it?
Swoon I know.
All that Amsterdam charm aside our trip wasn’t all blissful strolls along the canals and smelling the tulips. Like all experiences in life our trip was full of some fails, but some awesome wins as well. To share some of the wisdom I learned from my mistakes here are things not to do, and some tips of things you most definitely should do, when in Amsterdam!
Fail | Not checking the weather forecast before we left
We definitely did not pack properly for our trip and froze the entire time. The wind in Amsterdam is no joke! You would think coming from Iceland and all I would be prepared for chilly temperatures but wow were we so unprepared for how cold it would be in Amsterdam! You can’t tell in the picture above but I am wearing two sweaters underneath that jacket and I was still freezing. I am now paying the price with a nasty cold that has knocked me into bed this week so I most definitely will not make the mistake of not checking the weather forecast before I travel again!
Win | Several glorious sunny moments!
I can only imagine how amazing Amsterdam is during the summer time. So many cafes perfect for sitting outside and enjoying the sun and view of the canals, I think I need to go back in the summertime!
Fail | Not spending every day at the tulip fields!
Okay this is not really a fail but I just wanted to have some pretty pictures of flowers in this post:)
Win | Visiting Keukenhof Gardens
Our visit to Keukenhof Gardens was amazing! I was like a little kid running around taking pictures of all the pretty flowers (including selfies of course!). If you are on the search for tulips while in Amsterdam head out to Keukenhof Gardens, and don’t forget to have a waffle while you are there, they are delicious.
Fail | Eating at a “steakhouse” restaurant
I don’t know if this is a thing in Amsterdam but seriously every other restaurant had the word steakhouse in it. And I have now decided that if steakhouse is in the title it means shitty restaurant.
Anyways, thanks to these two boys who need to eat non stop and our too impatient to look around for restaurants our first meal in Amsterdam was at one of these steakhouses and it was the worst! We ended that first day thinking we would starve in Amsterdam our food was so terrible. Thankfully after our food tour on day two we were told to steer clear of these steakhouses and given a list of places that had some delicious food.
Win | Our dinner at Seasons Restaurant . I am still drooling over the scallops
This meal restored my faith in food in Amsterdam. It was heaven in my mouth! If your looking for a great spot for dinner when in Amsterdam add Seasons Restaurant to your list!
Fail | We didn’t pre-order tickets to the Anne Frank house.
I know so many of you all recommend to me to get my tickets to the Anne Frank house ahead of time, which was totally the plan. And then before I knew it it was one week before our trip and all the online tickets to Anne Frank’s house were sold out until May, yikes. When we saw the line those first few days I was pretty bummed that we probably weren’t going to visit, because there was no way I was waiting 3+ hours in that line! But we were determined so on our last day in Amsterdam we got up at 6 am and were in line by 7am in the rain but it was totally worth the hour and a half wait.
Win | Visiting the Anne Frank house
After reading the book as a little girl it was amazing to put the story to life walking through the Anne Frank house. It was one of those things that really makes you stop and think. Anne Frank was truly an inspiration and my visit to her house was well worth the wait.
Fail | The Red Light District.
I know, I know, the Red Light District is kinda a must see when in Amsterdam. But for me I could have gone without it. I personally found this area to be my least favorite in the city. A bit too dirty for me and it seemed to lose that special Amsterdam charm. Still it is something to see and if your in Amsterdam you should walk around a bit, it just wasn’t really what I was expecting.
Win | Stumbling upon Wynand Fockink
Hidden in the alleyways of the Red Light District was this little gem. Wynand Fockink is a liqueur distillery and a must visit when in Amsterdam. The drinks were so interesting to try and the antique bottles lining the walls are reason enough to visit!
Fail | Not taking more pictures of the beautiful canals!
My fingers were so frozen that the thought of taking them out of my pockets to take a picture was not too appealing. I did of course manage to get a few pictures of the canals but I am really wishing I wasn’t so frozen so I could have taken more. I don’t think you can ever have enough pictures of the beautiful canals in Amsterdam!
Win | Strolling through the Jordaan district
I knew I was going to fall in love with the Jordaan district as soon as I saw it. From the beautiful canals to the cozy little cafes and adorable shops hidden down small alleyways, I just couldn’t get enough of the Jordaan district!
I have lots more Amsterdam fun to share with you all including our visit to the tulip fields and my first walking food tour experience! Stay tuned for more Amsterdam charm.
Question of the Day?
Do you have hits and misses when you travel?
