Do you want to leave for three days thinking of getting away from it all or is the Netherlands a destination for your motorhome tour? So go visit Amsterdam for a long weekend. Not only will you be amazed, but you will discover welcoming people and a very lively city. You don't know this city turned towards the future respecting all freedoms, so here are some tips and must-see places.
First of all, book your hotel room or your gîte with a private individual. Once you are settled, the best thing is to get around by bike in the world capital of the Little Queen. Thanks to this means of transport, you will be able to discover many places, and even be accompanied by an English-speaking guide if you wish. You can contact Amsterdam Vélo, which is a company specializing in visiting the capital. You can also crisscross Amsterdam by public transport or on foot, but honestly, the bicycle is the most used means of transport and if you get tired, rent one with electric assistance. You will then be able to start your visit.
Even if you are unfamiliar with the Dutch and Flemish masters including the Saint Luke Guild, a visit to the Rijksmuseum is a must. You will find pictorial works by Vermeer alongside those of Hals or Van Gogh and Rembrandt such as the "Night Watch" for example. Inside the museum, more than a thousand remarkable pieces await you. Take your time to visit this extraordinary place worthy of our Louvre in Paris. Admire the gardens and the facade when you are in Museumplein and discover the interior architecture of the buildings.
The Van Gogh Museum is one of our favourites. It is the largest museum in the world dedicated to the work of the master. You can admire all the periods of his creation and see the evolution of his art. if you are only there for a long weekend, prefer the "vrijdagavond" which are on site on Friday evenings. If you are passionate about modern and contemporary pictorial art, you can also visit the Stedelijk Museum, which is the building adjoining the Van Gogh Museum. You can admire a permanent collection, but also the beauty of the place.
After these studious visits, if the weather is nice, take the opportunity to stroll outside and discover the magnificent canals that define the city so well. You will be amazed by the historic residences bordering them. Random streets and bridges, you will find booksellers and food markets. Go to the canal called Keizersgracht to also discover the Geevinck Hinlopen Museum and to Prinsengracht to visit the famous Anne Frank House.
Once you have had a good tour of the city by bike, you can change your means of transport to explore it by boat. It is a great alternative to land routes to admire the buildings and their architecture. You have the choice of getting on a private boat or using Amsterdam Bateau. An eco-boat tour will be offered with a welcome drink. You will share the boat with other French-speaking holidaymakers for 1h30 and sail on the canals of Amsterdam. A guide will tell you some passages of local history and culture. You can still choose the afterwork without a guide while enjoying an aperitif or a private boat tour. For these boat tours, you must go to the Central Station pier.
You can't come to Amsterdam without going to the famous Red Light District. It should be noted that apart from sex shops and coffee shops, you can visit the Tussauds museum, the sex museum, the cannabis museum, but also the erotic museum.
Brunch is an institution in Amsterdam. This city is very cosmopolitan and offers wonderful culinary experiences for foodies. Thus, having brunch in the Pijp district has become a must. You can enjoy apricot burrata, poached eggs, garlic cucumbers, escabeche eggplant, garam masala sauce with green chili and feta. You will still be delighted with cheesecakes, fruits with chocolate and many other delicious dishes. In the evening, you can also have a beer on the terrace of one of the many cafés in this very lively district at the end of the day.
If you like vintage atmospheres, trendy places and a little bobo, then go to the Joordan district. Once very popular, the Joordan district has become a fashionable place. It is teeming with small restaurants, tiny and colorful cafes and authentic shops. Take advantage of this visit to climb to the top of the bell tower of the Westerkerk church to have the most beautiful panoramic view of the city.
Three days pass quickly in Amsterdam and there are many other visits to be made in this capital, where many boatmen live on their barges. If you have a moment left, do not hesitate to take one of the free ferries to discover treasures of contemporary architecture between polders, warehouses and shipyards.
