Amsterdam is a dreamy tourist destination with plenty to offer every traveler. The Netherlands’ capital offers a blissful atmosphere, breathtaking neo-renaissance architecture, cobbled streets, tulip fields, romantic canals, a vibrant art scene, delightful cuisine, and more.
Exploring this iconic destination takes a while, regardless of whether you go on a guided tour or prefer self-guided tours. Travel enthusiasts recommend spending 3-5 days in Amsterdam.
So, the best way to maximize your Amsterday stay is to find accommodation closest to the areas with your preferred attractions. Below is a travel guide to help you match different Amsterdam to your travel preferences for a memorable trip.
- Crowne Plaza Amsterdam: Best For First-time Visitors
Amsterdam comprises seven districts or boroughs. Central Amsterdam piques visitors interest as the rest of the city forms invisible concentric rings around Central Amsterdam.
A first-time visit to a foreign city can be overwhelming. Amsterdam is easier to navigate because one survey shows that 90% of the Dutch population speaks English. Also, the city is smaller than most other European capitals.
Even so, cultural norms can make navigating a new city’s environment challenging. Therefore, convenience and navigability are significant factors in finding holiday accommodation.
Crowne Plaza is arguably the best place for first-time visitors to Amsterdam to stay because it features convenience and navigability.
Being the oldest part of the city, Crowne Plaza features the historical Dutch golden age architecture. For starters, the Centrum takes you back in time with its cobbled streets and ancient building.
Also, central Amsterdam has an efficient public transport system featuring bicycles, trams, and metro buses. Therefore, it is the best accommodation in Amsterdam, place for first-time visitors to the city thanks to its versatility and proximity to attractions in other districts.
- Oud Zuid: Best For Museum-goers
Museums preserve artefacts, ecofacts, and culture to share with people beyond the community and preserve them for future generations. According to one statistical report, 13.22 million individuals visited Amsterdam’s Museums, and the city’s history and art museums attracted the most visitors.
Amsterdam has 75 museums, the highest in one city anywhere globally, most of which are in Oud Zuid. Therefore, Oud Zuid is the best place to stay if you are a budding museum-goer.
Oud Zuid translates to Old South and is in the Southern part of Amsterdam. The district is home to Amsterdam’s famous Museum Square, or Museumplain in Dutch. Must-visit museums at the Museum sure in the district include Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum.
Although most museum-goers visit history and museums, you can visit nature and technology museums at Museumplain. Moreover, the museums organize subject-specific exhibitions, including the famous Heineken Experience and alternate lifestyle experiences focusing on sex and weed.
Museums are an acquired taste and may not be the most interesting places for children. However, most museums at the square have kid’s sections, making the Oud Zuid an ideal place to stay during a family vacation in Amsterdam. Moreover, besides museums, Oud Zuid also has chic boutiques and public parks where you can shop and relax, respectively.
- Canal Belt: Best For Romantic Getaways
Amsterdam is a postcard-like destination; every inch of the Holland capital screams romance and has numerous activities worth sharing with a better half. However, the city’s most romantic area is the Canal Belt.
As stated earlier, Amsterdam has more canals than Venice (15 more than Venice). Cruising under the bridges via waterways constituting the canals create, particularly as the sun sets, creates a magical, indescribable experience. No one is worth sharing this extraordinary experience with more than your romantic partner; Also, the canals offer better vistas of Amsterdam’s architecture and vistas.
Water transport options across the romantic waterways include public ferries, private boats, and pedal boats. Private boats and pedal boats offer more flexibility, especially for couples that prefer self-guided travel.
However, fret not if you’re hydrophobic; you can also explore the enchanting Canal belt on a bicycle. Amsterdam, the world’s bicycle capital, wouldn’t have the title if it didn’t have tandem bikes. So you can enjoy riding a tandem bike with your better half along the cycling paths bordering the canals.
- De Pijp: Best For “Legaendary” Nights Out
Amsterdam may be a quaint, romantic city during the day, but it comes alive at night with the vibrant beats of gripping electronic music reverberating into the morning. The city has numerous bars, nightclubs, coffee shops (cannabis dispensaries), and cafes dotting its districts, but De Pijp has the most entertainment establishments within its jurisdiction.
The entertainment establishments along Leidspelein and Rembrandt squares often host weekly music festivals where locals and tourists indulge in electronic. The festivities culminate in the Amsterdam Dance event, an annual international festival for electronic music.
Therefore consider booking accommodation in De Pijp if you enjoy the nightlife scene. Besides allowing you to indulge your wild side, De Pijp allows you to immerse yourself in the Amsterdam experience alongside the locals.
- Jordaan: Best For Arts And Culture
Amsterdam features an endless display of arts and culture in every corner. However, the best place to immerse yourself in the city’s vibrant art and culture scene is in Jordaan.
Jordaan originated as a refugee haven for individuals and families fleeing religious and political persecution in the 1700s. Although most of the refugees’ descendants have since migrated, their cultural elements remain imprinted in the district’s social scene.
Cultural diversity features in Jordaan’s culinary industry, including the popular Lindengratch food market. The market sells everything from artisanal meats and cheeses to fresh produce.
Besides visiting the food haven, you can visit Jordaan’s Noodermarkt for a more artsy experience. The market hosts vendors selling diverse art pieces, including paintings, pottery, books, jewelry, textiles, and more.
Conclusion:
Amsterdam has numerous luxury, mid-range, and budget accommodation options across all its districts. Moreover, Amsterdam is mostly safe, except for petty crime in certain districts; petty crime is not unique to the city. Therefore, prioritize convenience based on your itinerary and safety while finding accommodation for your next trip to Amsterdam.
