On Friday, June 14, we took a train from Paris to Amsterdam, arriving to chillier temperatures and drizzly rain. We first sat down for lunch at the train station’s PANCAKES Amsterdam to try classic Dutch pancakes (a gluten-free one for me), and we found them delicious.
Then we took the tram to our charming hotel, the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam. As with the tube in London, to take the tram, all you have to do is swipe a credit card when getting on and off. Our room was ready when we arrived, so we dropped our bags inside; it was beautiful, spacious, and quiet – my favorite hotel room we stayed in.
We went out to begin our exploration of Open Garden Days. On the third weekend of every June in Amsterdam, private canal gardens open their doors to the public to be toured. We had purchased our tickets in advance on the Museum Van Loon website, and went there in person to retrieve our booklets which contained a map and addresses for all the gardens. On the back was a bingo card-type checklist, and at each garden we went to (there were 27 total), someone greeted us and drew a different illustration on that garden’s assigned number; it was so cute.
It was fun to bop around and see our first few gardens that afternoon, including what ended up being our favorite garden of the weekend; it sat in the center of a dreamy square, with homes and front doors opening up to it. I would have loved to live there.
That evening, we took two of the hotel’s bikes – everyone bikes in Amsterdam; there are few cars, but bikers everywhere – to a wonderful first dinner at Café Loetje where we had straightforward (much like the Dutch themselves, as we discovered), simple, and delicious food. They had gluten-free bread, as did most restaurants in Amsterdam where we ate; they were very accommodating. We then went to the nearby Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to see an absolutely incredible symphony concert that truly blew me away. I enjoyed getting a cup of peppermint tea beforehand and at intermission, when they serve complimentary tea, coffee, and wine! This day was a fantastic introduction to Amsterdam. Returning to the hotel room was a treat, too, as they do an amazing turn-down service complete with Dutch sweets, slippers by the bed, and classical music on the TV.
The following morning was chilly again, so we dressed in layers and biked to Noordermarkt and Lindengracht Markt, a large market every Saturday in Amsterdam with food, flowers, gifts, and more. It was quite crowded in this area, but I enjoyed seeing everything, and we bought some homemade soaps. If you go, be sure to bring cash as some stands only took Dutch credit cards. After shopping around, we sat down for lunch at Piqniq, a little spot with a picnic-style lunch concept.
After, H went to view the Anne Frank House; I skipped it since I had been warned it could be claustrophobic. Instead, I visited the Amsterdam Tulip Museum shop and walked through de 9 Staatjes (the Nine Streets) to do some shopping. I popped in some interesting shops, but it was super crowded and incredibly windy (I had no idea Amsterdam was so windy!), and with a bit of off-and-on rain I just felt a bit overstimulated and cold. I had packed layers, but not warm enough for this; I noticed many women in Amsterdam wearing trench coats and decided I needed one! I wasn’t able to find one on this day, but would the next.
When H was finished in the museum, we biked back, feeling a little overwhelmed by the crowds; with so many bikers and walkers, I was a bit stressed biking in Amsterdam. We stopped at two gardens on the way for Open Garden Days, but didn’t have as much time as expected to see more. The day had somehow gotten away from us, and we had scheduled afternoon tea at the hotel.
The tea was very different from any I’d had before – intricate, creative, detailed, and inspired by Dutch artists. It started with savories and sweets accompanied by Earl Grey tea and ended with scones and herbal tea. It was nice to sit and relax indoors from the blustery day, but I do prefer how tea is done in England (it’s classic and hard to beat)! We walked to dinner that evening at Restaurant Olijfje and had truly delicious Mediterranean food.
We started out the next day at the Van Gogh Museum, which is pretty incredible and well worth a visit. Just outside, the Museum Market was happening (they seem to love their markets in Amsterdam, and I loved them, too!), where I found some pretty earrings and the perfect inexpensive trench coat! I was so happy and at last kept warm after this discovery. We then biked to lunch at Lunchcafé Waterloo for a tasty gluten-free sandwich, and from there headed out to finish Open Garden Days. We had just this one day left of the event, and many gardens still to see! Amidst a mix of rain, sun, and wind, we managed to check every garden off our list, finishing right at closing time, 5 p.m.
That evening, we walked to one of my favorite dinners of the trip at Cafe Piazza, which reminded me of the restaurant at the end of Love Actually where Colin Firth proposes. We sat upstairs, which I loved. The restaurant had such charm, and the food was divine.
The next day was actually sunny and warm; it was a treat! We first visited Rijksmuseum which included an impressive research library, and then wandered briefly around Vondelpark, a large and beautiful park to visit. After, we went back to Loetje for lunch!
We returned to the hotel, and I wanted some rest, so I sat in the garden by the pool and spa for an hour, soaked up the sunshine, and read; it was just what I needed. I could have stayed there the rest of the afternoon, but we had a planned late afternoon activity.
We took the Pure Boats Ultimate Canal Cruise, which was just wonderful (thanks, NYTimes!). Our tour guide was an Amsterdam native, and so laidback and friendly; he started by serving us each a drink of our choice, and we had delicious cheeses, grapes, and more to snack on. The cruise was relaxing, informal, and fun. We felt lucky that this cruise happened to be on our one sunny and warm day in the city, which made the experience extra pleasant. He showed important sights and told us great tidbits about the city, both informative and amusing, even pointing out the houseboat from the Ted Lasso Amsterdam episode (three photos up)! We were also able to just enjoy the views and chat with one another. We met other Americans on the tour, and it was great to exchange travel stories with them. No one wanted to get off the boat at the end of the tour!
Our walk back to the hotel was simply lovely. The sun set a little after 10 p.m. each night!
For our last day, we rented a car and drove to the nearby countryside for a day trip. It’s pretty remarkable; you get out of Amsterdam and soon it’s just fields of cows and farms. We first visited Edam, famous for their cheese, which was very quiet and sweet to walk around with little canals.
We had lunch in the center of town at Damhotel, bought cheese from De Kaaswaag Edam, got dessert and tea from Banketbakkerij Mastenbroek, and strolled through the quaint shops and homes.
We then drove to Marken, a small village located on a peninsula. Here, there is visitor parking, and then you can walk through the streets and, if you venture far enough, to a lighthouse at the tip of the island. We didn’t find as much to do here as in Edam, but it was picturesque to walk around.
When we arrived back in Amsterdam, due to timing, we needed to walk straight to our final dinner at Caffè Toscanini, where reservations open up one month in advance and are quickly snatched up. Amsterdam is so photographable, so I took these snaps along the way. Unlike in London or Paris, where we could easily take the tube or metro to many places, in Amsterdam, walking and biking are the best options (the only place that made sense for us to take the tram was to and from the train station).
We enjoyed this final dinner, but felt a little weary, too, from nearly three weeks of traveling with lots of activities, and were ready to return to London the following day for the end of this fantastic trip.
From start to finish, here’s the London recap, Versailles & Giverny recap, the Champagne region recap, and Paris recap. This recap concludes our Europe trip! Next, we head to the beach for some relaxation this July. I’ll catch up with you here when I return. Wishing you a lovely summer with lots of little moments of joy.
