At the fag end of our European sojourn in 2018, we decided to spend two days in Amsterdam, the city where canals weave a web of magic. With the North Sea flanking its north, the Amstel river flowing through the city, and 165 canals crisscrossing the whole city, it felt like water, water, and water everywhere! It was already cold in October. But we were not complaining at all! It hardly felt like a city, rather it seemed like a big garden with curated buildings all around. Here we share our experience of the many wonderful aspects of Amsterdam along with some personal observations.
Quick History of Amsterdam
A small fishermen’s village around a dam in the Amstel river in the 12th century gradually grew to become one of the most prosperous cities of the world over the next 400 years. Amsterdam’s sea traders brought immense fortune to the city, especially from India. Economic boom accompanied by cultural progress made the 17th century a Golden Age for Amsterdam. All the major canals, tall buildings and the two important churches (Zuiderkerk and Westerkerk) were built during this period.
However, later part of the century saw an economic downturn due to wars with England and France. After a long period of stagnation, Amsterdam has been growing again steadily over the last two centuries. To know more about the city’s history, here is an interesting link: “A short history of Amsterdam”.
{If you are interested in more such European cities, have a look: Paris ||| Florence ||| Geneva}
3 C's that define Amsterdam
Of course, because we travel with significant background research, we knew what to expect from the city when we arrived there. But it had a lot more to offer than our expectations.
Every city has certain unique features that define the nature of the city. For me there are three C’s that define the true Amsterdam- Canals, Cityscape, and Cycles. Besides, there are quite a few other things in Amsterdam that travellers aspire to see and experience- the museums, parks, windmills and its night life (or the red-light district).
1. Canals of Amsterdam
Canals of Amsterdam have a charm of their own, very unique. The omnipresent bicycles parked on the bridges over these canals make for the most iconic visuals from the Netherlands. There are 165 canals forming nearly 100 kilometers of canal ways that divide the city into 90 small islands! Interestingly, these canals were dug in almost concentric circles around the city’s main square (Dam square). Riding a boat across these canals is the most amazing way to view the city.
Though digging of the first canals had started in the middle ages, majority of them were dug in the 17th century, the Dutch golden age. For its historic value, and intrinsic beauty, the historic canal belt (‘Grachtengordel’ in Dutch) has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Canal cities across the globe:
Venice is perhaps the most charming city with canals, and has the largest number of canals. But its canals are actually natural waterways, not artificial. Birmingham has the longest (mileage) network of canals in Europe. Fort Lauderdale has the longest canal network in the world (more than 300 kms). And there are at least 20 more cities in the world with significant canal networks. I have only seen their pictures on internet; all of them look so beautiful!
2. Curated Cityscape
Amsterdam is one of the most well organized, and well planned cities in Europe. Meticulously designed buildings, beautiful streets, a vibrant city center and impeccable city planning make it one of the most wonderful cityscapes in the world. So definitely no wonder why it ranks among the most livable cities in the world.
Why is Amsterdam so liveable?
The Global Liveability Index 2022 has ranked Amsterdam at no.9. According to a 2021 survey, Amsterdam was the no.1 city for healthy living. Why is it so highly ranked consistently for liveability?
The city’s beautiful landscapes, bike friendliness, varied options for outdoor activities, low average work-hours and overall safety make its population happy and healthy. With great public spaces, it’s one of the safest cities as well. And Amsterdam is tourist friendly; so, enjoy your time while in the city.
Classy streets of Amsterdam:
The Dam square:
At heart of the sprawling city is the Dam square; ‘dam’ comes from the actual dam that existed at the very site in the 12th century. Today it’s easily the most happening place in Amsterdam with major buildings around it like the Royal Palace, the Nieuwekerk (New Church), Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the National Monument. At walkable distance from the square are the main red-light district: De Wallen and the Centraal Station.
The National Monument:
A 22-meter high concrete conical pillar adorning one side of the Dam square is a cenotaph built in memory of the deceased in World War-II. In the late 1960s, hippies considered it as a symbol of freedom, and scores of them used to sleepover at the monument. Authorities however, banned the practice in 1970.
The Royal Palace:
Built in 1655 as a town hall, King Louis Napolean converted the magnificent building into a palace in 1808. Since then it serves as one of the three royal residences in Amsterdam. The majestic statue of Atlas atop the palace symbolized an important and central position of Amsterdam in the universe. Other grand features of the palace include the Citizen’s hall, impressive sculptures, and the intricate paintings.
3. Cycles, cycles and cycles!
Amsterdam, a cyclers’ paradise:
However, the thing about Amsterdam that fascinated me the most was its cycles. I was in absolute awe to see the sheer number of cycles in the city. It was really unusual to see almost everyone in Amsterdam riding a bicycle. From the courier guys to the bureaucrats, from students to policemen, everyone just loves their cycles. With more than 8,80,000 cycles in the city, they outnumber the residents! Cyclists ride through the city without a care, safely and happily. It’s indeed a cyclers’ paradise (learn more).
It was not always this way though!
In mid-twentieth century, it was dabbling with the conventional idea of modernization. It was not really a cyclers’ city then. In the post-war (II World War) period, Amsterdam’s economy started to flourish again, and the residents started owning more cars. Number of bicycle users fell from 80% to 20% in 20 years between 1950 and 1970!
With a view to make Amsterdam more like the US cities, American planner David Jokinen was invited to replan Amsterdam in 1960. He had almost killed the beautiful city with plans for highways and over-bridges crisscrossing the city. But thankfully, the plans faced severe criticism/ protests from the residents of Amsterdam, and the idea didn’t really take off except for some parts of the city where the process was initiated.
“Stop the child murder”:
Rapidly rising number of cars saw a spurt in traffic casualties, especially children. The Amsterdammers then took the issue in their hands and started fierce protests called “Stop de kindermoord”, or “Stop the child murder”. The government authorities were well accommodative to citizens’ concerns, and worked closely with citizen groups to plan the urban spaces to make them safer. One of the measures undertaken was creating special paths for cyclists. This movement, and more such movements ensured Amsterdam slowly becoming a cyclers’ paradise. This shows how it’s a great idea for governments to listen carefully to and act on its citizens’ ideas. Read more: “How Amsterdam became the bicycle capital of the world“.
Other must-visit places
Apart from these 3 C’s, Amsterdam has unlimited exciting things to do. We took a walking tour through the heritage canal district. The guide kept explaining little interesting facts about the city, took us to a beer factory, to a church, a museum and walked us through the red-light district. Quite an amazing experience it was! We highly recommend.
Great museums:
European cities are great places for history and heritage lovers with some of the best museums, and Amsterdam is no different. Among the must-visit museums are: the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank House and the Stedelijk museum.
The Rijksmuseum is as rich inside as grand outside. Visiting Anne Frank House takes one down an emotional journey. Once it gave shelter to Anne Frank (a diarist) and her family (all Jews) for two years (during German occupation of the Netherlands) away from the eyes of the Nazis. Eventually she fell prey to the Nazis in 1945 though. Read the full story: “Who was Anne Frank“? Van Gogh museum houses all the great works of the 19th century impressionist painter. Stedelijk museum houses a large collection of modern art.
The Red-light district of Amsterdam:
Amsterdam boasts of an open an liberal society. So, instead of demonizing the flesh trade, it embraces it as human frailty, and has given it legal status. This means the prostitutes are acknowledged as citizens; they don’t have to hide, and have access to proper healthcare and insurance services.
Prostitution started in Amsterdam in the medieval ages, and flourished in the seventeenth century in the De Wallen area known as the Red-Light District. But unlike present day, it was illegal then. It got legal status only in 1811 under the reign of Louis Napolean. However, it always faced socio-religious opposition.
Since 2000, only window prostitution is allowed, and not street prostitution. Latest news from Amsterdam says that efforts are on to relocate the red-light district to a designated multi-storey erotic centre. But the problem is that nobody wants it in their backyard!
If you want to satisfy your curiosity, late evenings are the best time to see the red-light area in its elements. Through the ages, it must have been a crowded place with clients lining up the red neon-light lit kiosks. But now-a-days tourists also throng the area big time just to see things how they are, without really ‘doing’ anything. It certainly was a first of its kind for us. Walking in the dark by-lanes of De Wallen, I felt a little awkward, but a lot fascinated as well.
Great Churches:
The three churches that I loved the most in Amsterdam are the Westerkerk, the Oude kerk (old church) and the Nieuwe kerk (new church). Westerkerk, the 17th century Protestant church stands tall at 190 feet high, was the biggest of its time, and is still the largest in Netherlands. The old church at the center of the red-light district is a Roman catholic church. Built in the 15th century, the new church on the Dam square is hardly new, but it’s new only relative to the old church. Today the new church is out of religious service, and hosts only special events. Here is a great read about the churches of Amsterdam: “Top five churches in Amsterdam“.
Traders, brothels and churches:
Our walking tour guide told us about an interesting nexus among the traders, brothels and churches. In its heydays, Amsterdam, a port city, was a great center of world trade. It was natural for the seafarers to feel lonely while staying away from home for long durations. So, brothels started flourishing in Amsterdam catering to the biological needs of the traders. After visiting the brothels, immersed in a feeling of guilt, the traders would often visit the great churches in the vicinity. Interestingly, the hourly bells from the churches served as break points of sessions at the brothels!
The beautiful parks:
Like other cities in Europe, Amsterdam is blessed with lovely parks. We visited the Vondelpark in the morning and spent a few hours enjoying the beautiful landscape, the lakeside and sculpture at one end of the park. We especially loved watching the birds and feeding the ducks by the lake.
If you like spending time in parks, here is a list of best parks in the city: “Amsterdam’s best parks“.
The tulip city:
There is no better place for tulip lovers than Amsterdam. We were in Amsterdam in October; so, we weren’t lucky enough to see the amazing tulip gardens, especially the Kukenhof gardens. But it’s reason enough to go back to Amsterdam in the spring season. The Tulip Festival is held in April for the entire month, and the National Tulip Day is observed in January every year. So, winter-spring season is the best time to visit Amsterdam for tulip lovers. For more ideas to enjoy tulips, have a look: 7 ways to experience tulips.
The iconic windmills:
Apart from the tulips and cycles if there is another iconic symbol of Amsterdam, it is the windmill. No visit to the city is complete without seeing the iconic windmills. Unlike the yesteryears, Amsterdam is no longer full of windmills. However, there are eight of them still in operation, though only Molen van Sloten is open to the public. If you happen to be there on the second Saturday of May, you can participate in the National Windmill Day. What an amazing occasion that must be!
Amsterdam : Travel Tips
Best hostels:
Clink Noord | St. Christopher’s at the Winston ( best party hostel) | Euphemia old city canal zone | The Flying Pig Downtown | Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark | Hans Brinker | Via Amsterdam |
We stayed at the Wow hostel; it was a good hostel, but was a little far from the city center. So, we won’t really suggest this one to you unless you are there for a longish duration.
How to move around:
Major tourist attractions in Amsterdam are fairly close to each other; so, the best way is to walk around. In any case, it’s such a beautiful city that being inside a vehicle is absolutely waste of time. Yes, of course, cycling is the next best option in the cycle paradise. Public transport in Amsterdam is a good option to travel longer distances that one cannot walk. It’s advisable to get a day-ticket rather than taking a ticket for each ride.
Where to eat:
Greenwood’s Singel | Cafe Belcampo | Waterkant | CT Coffee and Coconuts | Cafe In De Wang | Foodhallen | Coffee Bru | Lanskroon | Cafe Kuijfer | Winkel 43 | Cafe Schiller | Skek cafe.
Do’s and don’ts:
- If you are planning to engage in a lot of non-free activities, ‘I Amsterdam City Card‘ is a great option
- Amsterdam walking tour is a great way to explore the core old city. They tell interesting stories about the city one may not otherwise get to know. There are a number of free walking tours on offer; do look for them.
- Canal cruise is an amazing way to experience Amsterdam neighbourhoods.
- Don’t miss visiting a windmill on National Windmill Day if you are there in second Saturday of May
- April is an amazing time to be in Amsterdam for the Tulip Festival
- Coffeeshops (one word) are places where you can get cannabis, and not to be confused with coffee shops/ cafes where you get coffee!
- Don’t take pictures of the sex workers in their windows in the red-light district
- Avoid visiting the red-light district alone, if you don’t want unwanted attention
- After a great day walking around the city, enjoy the sunset view from Plekk.
Before I wind up
Our evening cruise across the river IJ to the Plekk restaurant to enjoy a gorgeous sunset was an unforgettable experience. As we curiously observed local Amsterdammers board the ship in their bicycles to cross the river, the sun slowly set over Amsterdam cityscape. After the sunset, we had the best dinner of our Europe trip that evening. Next morning, we boarded our flight back to New Delhi via Copenhagen.
Apart from the beautiful times we had in Amsterdam, the city taught me a few lessons. 1. How a modern city can be made safe for everyone, and enjoyable if the government really cares. 2. That cars are not really needed on the roads, if the city planners take their jobs seriously. 3. That it doesn’t hurt to be open minded and liberal in thought and action; it’s a great way forward for humanity.
I do like the idea of leaving out something unexplored at a place so that you have enough reasons to go back. Tulips are the reason for us. And we will go back to Amsterdam one spring day.
Have you been to Amsterdam? Do share your experience with us. And if you enjoyed reading the article, please leave behind a few words for us. Thanks a lot for engaging with us.
Sandip
Beautiful pic..
stampedmoments
Thanks 🙂
Sajith
Really good to read.
Clean, and peaceful city…..Its awesome
Keep travelling and share the experience with us.
stampedmoments
For sure, Sajith.
Thanks a lot for the feedback.
Soumen Chatterjee
Amsterdam, the city where canals weave a web of magic. The city is quite fascinating I guess.Good to know about the history of Amsterdam, and more over its only waters and waters and small cannels just loved it. The three C’s Amsterdam- Canals, Cityscape, and Cycles. 1st is the Canels, there are 165 canals forming nearly 100 kilometers of canal ways that divide the city into 90 small islands! 2nd is the Cityscape
Amsterdam is one of the most well organized, and well planned cities in Europe. Meticulously designed buildings, beautiful streets, a vibrant city center and impeccable city planning make it one of the most wonderful cityscapes in the world. So definitely no wonder why it ranks among the most livable cities in the world. It’s truely said and reading this feels like I am in the city. May that be classy streets or The Dam’s Square. The most happening place in Amsterdam with major buildings around it like the Royal Palace, the Nieuwekerk (New Church), Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the National Monument. And another is the Royal Palace – it is one of the three royal residences in Amsterdam. The majestic statue of Atlas atop the palace symbolized an important and central position of Amsterdam in the universe. Other grand features of the palace include the Citizen’s hall, impressive sculptures, and the intricate paintings. I guess it is one of tourist attraction also. The third one is the Cycles With more than 8,80,000 cycles in the city, they outnumber the residents! Cyclists ride through the city without a care, safely and happily. It’s indeed a cyclers’ paradise .
Other than three C’s there are great museum and fantastic churches that I really liked in the blog. The other things I got to know was the great lakes and beautiful tulip garden and last but not the least the famous windmill of Amsterdam. Overall I must say it was a great experience .
stampedmoments
Thank you so much, Soumen.
Keep reading, keep connected!
Peggy
I was only in Amsterdam for a day and it was so cold and poured rain relentlessly! I was so disappointed not to wander along the canals and see the city. I must go back!
stampedmoments
Even when we were there in October, it was already really cold! But we managed somehow.
But yes, rains would be too much of a disappointment.
Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Surachita Pratap
It was great reading through the article; nice peek into the city with lovely pictures. Feel like visiting once.
stampedmoments
Yup, Amsterdam is a must if you are in Europe sometime.
It’s among the top five most beautiful cities, arguably.
Thanks for reading.