Amsterdam

For a city world-renowned as a den of vice rivaled only by Las Vegas, the casual visitor to Amsterdam would hardly know it save a few tell-tale signs and one very avoidable area. We arrived on a quick one-hour flight from Heathrow into Amsterdam’s Schiopol Airport, and following a walk through customs and immigration and a quick detour to purchase train tickets we were off to the city center. Amsterdam’s airport is clean, relatively straightforward (for a European airport) and connected to the city center by an efficient, comfortable train service. Eight euro for two people into Amsterdam’s Centraal Station was a much nicer option than the 35 euro flat rate in a cab, and the transit time took all of 13 minutes – not too shabby.

We chose to stay along the Amstel River at the Eden Hotel Amsterdam, a small European hotel chain known for clean, quiet, simple accommodations. Following a complimentary upgrade we found ourselves in a perfect oversized room away from street noise and the bustle of the service corridor. Not that we’ll be in the room that much, but it’s nice to have a quiet space!

A quick wander through the city can easily turn into a multi-hour walk once you put away the map and simply enjoy the city. Amsterdam’s quaint and bicycle-friendly roads, intimate architecture, and interspersing of canals really are a treasure to behold, and there’s no shortage of rest and refreshment options as you meander along. 

With the city center being so compact you can easily walk to and through the major parts of the city in half a day, leaving time to explore more thoroughly once you’ve gotten the relative lay of the land (and water.)

 

Going back to that vice bit for a second: sure, there are “coffeeshops” interspersed throughout the city, and most souvenirs are going to center on the crass and vulgar aspects of the Red Light District, but these two things by no means should personify such a beautiful and happy city. 

With a friendly, English-speaking population, a mix of cultures and cuisines, and some of Europe’s quaintest scenery, Amsterdam retains a more romantic and peaceful charm than what popular media and general public perception would have you believe. We say come to Amsterdam and see for yourself!