City Guide: Amsterdam
Boketto City Guides are odes to our favorite places. This is a weekly micro-series by Team Boketto. This week we see Amsterdam through the eyes of Boketto Shop Girl Deluxe (and bon vivant), Alex Cooley— who lived in the storied city, so we get a real insider guide.
Effort Less
If I could describe Amsterdam in only one word, it’d be: effortless. And like the city itself, it’s best navigated that way. Effortlessly.
Ditch the itinerary. Sit by a canal. Wander around. Ride a bike. Order mint tea. Go to the flower market. Visit a brown bar. Enjoy a bottle of wine in the park. Eat a lot. Take a canal cruise. Go to a museum. People watch. Marvel at how chic Dutch people are. Pick a neighborhood and get lost. Literally. In other words, do it like a local and without a care in the world.
You only need a few hours in The Centre, from there get lost in: Jordaan, De Pijp, Oud Zuid, and Oud West, and beyond. You can’t do Amsterdam wrong. Below are some of my tippy top places that will keep you (mostly) away from “toeristen”— especially during the summer/high season
PACK
Sneakers! A rain coat! European outlet adapter! Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C* - Its grown-up Airborne PLUS helps with the stress of jet lag. Moss Mornings Overnight Mask* - Does double duty... hydrates and exfoliates while you sleep. Lesse Regenerating Mist* - For its calming scent and getting in-front of uber drying airplane air. *All TSA compatible, and all fit perfectly in your carry-on
PRO TIPS
- Reserve your tickets for The Anne Frank House when you book your flight.
- Stay in a hotel for a short stay, and if your visit is longer than a week, choose an Airbnb
- Skip The Heineken Experience, and go to a brown bar— the place to drink like a local. Order bitterballen and a beer, or three.
- Rent a bicycle. It’s less intimidating than it seems. Make sure you always lock it up!
- Most of the supermarkets only accept Dutch credit cards, so always have Euros.
DO/EAT/DRINK/STAY/SHOP... WALK
Jordaan
EAT » Smoked Crispy Bacon Sandwich House (#trust + Say “Halllo” to Hans for me.)
EAT » Cafe Sonneveld
EAT » La Perla
EAT » Pesca
De Pijp
DO » Albert Cuyp Market
DRINK » Wijnbar Boelen & Boelen
EAT » Little Collins
Negen Straatjes
SHOP » Love Stories
DO » Anne Frank House
STAY » The Hoxton
STAY » Pulitzer Amsterdam
DRINK » Pulitzer’s Bar
Oud Zuid/Oost
DO » Vondelpark
DO » Rijksmuseum
EAT/DRINK » The Seafood Bar
STAY » Hotel V Fizeaustraat
Oud West
EAT » Foodhallen (The earlier you get there, the better.)
De Centre
SHOP » The American Book Center
DO » Bloemenmarkt (floating flower market)
DO » Dutch Cheese & Wine Canal Cruise
EAT » Pane E Olio Toscaanse Delicatessen
De Plantage
SHOP » De Bijenkorf
EAT » van Kerkwijk