Amsterdam in 48 Hours: Your Essential Weekend Guide
Just took a super trip to Amsterdam. I forgot how beautiful this city is! Please do get away for a weekend. I had planned this well in advance - only to find out it was Kings Day - OMG! The entire city was a street party - congested and crazy - fun and frivolous. Outside of that, let me help you with what to do for your 2 days in Amsterdam. London City Airport was so easy and half the price of Eurostar. I left on the hour and arrived 5 minutes after, with the time change. Do it!
Book your restaurants!
Gertrude is an institution and for good reason. The staff and food are wonderful, inventive and warming. With outdoor seating, you'll feel part of the neighbourhood - I am never keen on being a ’tourist’. On the same street, just down a ways, there is a gorgeous icecream venue - all homemade- delicious. This part of Amsterdam is a bit out of the way. If you go at dusk, walk there. The apartment stock is really gorgeous - the spaces are sensational - seems the Dutch have an excellent eye for design and space.
On that note, do drop into Wonderwood… incredible chairs and designer pieces that will have you schlepping them home one way or the other! Too good to just admire. Really worth the visit for Modernist goods.
If you have a second night, go to Barracuda for seafood. Amsterdam runs a ferry for free from the backside of the central train station to the Noord side of the city. Its up and coming and although sparse in some areas, it's worth exploring. I had heard that Bennies Brunch, De Juwelier and Parlotte were also excentllent choices - we just ran out of time! Please go and tell us how it was. If you are like me and need your coffee, fear not - Amsterdam seems to make a reliable delicious coffee in most places. We liked The Craftsmen Kitchen which is super central. If you are having a hard time waking up, down one of their ginger shots - fresh and lively to say the least.
Museums and Galleries are ahoy! Foam is great for photography, tegenboschvanvreden for a bit of Paul Kooiker and the Stedelijk Museum has a show on Anslem Keifer, but you will need to book your tickets online in advance.
Walk the city. Noordmarket has a cute selection of vintage and toot, catch it on Mondays and Saturdays. And there are a lot of vintage book stores about too.
I highly recommend Amsterdam for a bit of a getaway. I loved it and walked 20K steps each day in my DOTS - yahoo!
