Amsterdam: There’s A Lot More to Dam Than Hookers and Weed

After months of seeing Amsterdam plastered over my Instagram feed, I decided it was time to visit the capital. And what better occasion than my 21st birthday? My mum, sister and I headed to Dam for the bank holiday weekend and had an absolutely amazing time.

The highly popular European tourist destination possesses unique architecture, rich history, beautiful canals and the relaxed, refreshing, easy-going attitude towards life. It’s such a shame that this truly one-of-a-kind city holds a reputation of a smoke-filled city, with many travellers visiting for the legalised cannabis only. Although the smoking is an attraction for some, there are so many exciting things to do in Amsterdam.

Want to know more about what we got up to? Only have a few days in Amsterdam? Read on!

DAY ONE

Although the flight from London Gatwick to Amsterdam was only one hour and twenty minutes, after getting up at 4am, we were all fairly tired by the time we arrived. So we took the first day at a chilled pace and spent the majority of the day exploring the city by foot, admiring the beautiful canals and unique houses. Amsterdam is a really walkable city – you can walk the length of the city center in about 45 minutes. Nothing is ever too far away, and if you visit in Summer, like we did, what better way to catch a tan than exploring a city? However, with canals running throughout the city, most streets look very similar, so it’s quite easy to get lost! If you want something a bit more guided, walking tours are also available, and are a great way to orient yourself to the city.

Bikes are also hugely popular there too, with more bikes than people (expect to almost get hit by multiple bikes – they have the right of way so watch out when crossing the roads!). So if you’re a fan of walking or cycling, you’re in the right place.

As you’re walking around the city, you’ll see lots of cheese shops, coffee shops, sex shops and tulips. Flower markets are found throughout the city, with many beautiful colourful flowers available to buy. The smells are fragrant and you’ll find tulips of every colour.

After all that walking, a sit down was needed. What better place to relax than Amsterdam’s largest and most popular park? Vondelpark is a great place to visit, whether you fancy relaxing, walking, cycling, jogging, playing, picnicking or people-watching. It is the largest city park in Amsterdam and certainly the most famous park in the Netherlands. You won’t have a problem finding somewhere to sit in this 120-acre park!

Following a nice relax in the park, we headed to A’DAM Lookout. After a quick walk and a hop on the free ferry, we arrived at the A’DAM Tower. An exciting lift light show took us to the top – the A’DAM Lookout observation deck, offering unrivalled panoramic views of the city. A sunny day with lovely views, a rooftop bar and a Thai-rolled ice cream stall, what more could you want? Even better, if you’re a thrill seeker, ‘Over the Edge’ Europe’s highest swing might be for you. Swing 100 meters above the ground, over the city. Although I’m a bit of a daredevil at times, when I got up close and personal, I decided to give it a miss. But if you’re braver than me, good luck!

DAY TWO

After a fairly chilled first day, we had an early alarm set on our second day to ensure that we could cram everything in. First stop was the Anne Frank House. The Anne Frank House was something I had been excited for for quite a while. We had it booked two months in advance (you can only book online), so do bear that in mind and book before you go. Is it worth it? 100%. It was a truly humbling, insightful visit. The audio tour guides you around, telling you Anne’s story. As you go into each room, climb each staircase, you see original items, quotes, photos and videos. It was fascinating to see the annex in which Anne and her family lived, walking past the actual bookcase which they hid behind. A perfectly humanised perspective of what the family suffered. I would definitely say that a visit to the Anne Frank House is a must when visiting Amsterdam.

If the flower markets aren't enough for you and you want to know more about Amsterdam's tulips, the Tulip Museum shows you the special and suspenseful history of the simple, yet striking flower that grows across the city.

As a major cheese lover, I was slightly disappointed with the Cheese Museum. Amsterdam is a city big on cheese and after seeing cheese shops on almost every street, I was looking forward to visiting the museum. Although the free cheese samples were very much appreciated (FYI the Pesto Pine Blue is amazing), the Museum itself was quite poor. As you come into the shop, you can taste the cheeses, but as you take the stairs down into the ‘museum’, you find some information about the history and production of Dutch cheese. However, I wouldn’t quite credit one tiny room with the status of a Museum, but there you go. Entry is free of charge so you can’t complain too much.

If you haven’t seen any photos of the giant penis from Amsterdam’s Sex Museum, then you might want to get out from under that rock you’ve been living under. The Sex Museum is a popular tourist attraction and rightly so, it’s perfect for the sheer comedy of the moving models and exhibits. There is one slightly disturbing room so prepare for that, but if you fancy some light-hearted fun for only five euros, then it’s a place to visit.

As a city tied to the water, with beautiful canals dressing the streets, there’s no better way of seeing Amsterdam than from a boat. There are many boat tours available and your captains will give you a personalised tour, sharing interesting information about the city. Definitely one of the most memorable ways to discover the city and its history. We went on the Flagship canal tour and I could not fault it. The two ladies were lovely and the open-air boat had no windows or walls, making it ideal for admiring the views.

You can’t really visit Amsterdam without taking in the sights of the Red Light District. During the day, it is a fairly quiet place. But at night, the streets come alive as the world famous red-curtain brothels light up, with semi-naked women trying to entice men in from behind glass windows. It’s a sight you won’t forget. Whatever you do, don’t take photos of the girls. You’ll get yourself into a lot of trouble.

To finish off the day, we visited the Xtracold Icebar, and extra cold it was! Definitely one of the coolest places in the city (literally), the bar is kept at a temperature of -10 degrees Celsius, with everything inside made entirely out of ice. The ticket includes three drinks which you sip from ice glasses, whilst wearing a thermal coat and gloves. Definitely a unique experience.

DAY THREE

Our third and final day in Amsterdam. The weekend had flown by and I definitely wasn’t ready to go home just yet. Our flight was at 3pm, so in order to give ourselves enough time to get to the airport and catch the flight, we only really had the morning left to explore. So we headed to The Nine Streets, the place to go if you like shopping. Situated in the middle of the World Heritage Canal Belt, The Nine Streets is brimming with unique, trendy boutique shops and delicious eateries. Be prepared as these quaint, quirky shops are full of temptations! Make sure you leave some room in your suitcase and don’t spend all of your money before visiting!

Maybe we may have spent a little too much time shopping…because that marked the end of the trip! A few days in a city is never really enough time to truly see it, but given Amsterdam’s compact nature, it’s a good amount of time to visit all the ‘major’ attractions.

There are lots of other things to see and do in Amsterdam that we didn't fit in. We decided to give the Van Gogh Museum and the Heineken Experience a miss, but if art or beer appeal to you, definitely give them a visit.

Whatever you do, don’t spend all of your time smoking in cafes and don’t gawk at the Red Light District for too long. Amsterdam is way more than legalised cannabis and cheap thrills. There’s loads of other exciting things to see and do!